Attention bikers! Yamaha has just uploaded this video of their new 2015 YZF-R1 being tested at the Sugo circuit in Japan, and it’s a cracker!
The video features just pure audio of the engine note – generated from its 998 cc DOHC, liquid-cooled inline-four with cross-plane crankshaft setup. Yamaha claims the R1 is able to churn out a whopping 200 horsepower, 18 more than the current model in the market.
This new machine is now equipped with anti-lock brakes, which makes it the first ever supersport bike by Yamaha to have ABS. According to the engineers of Yamaha, why previous models did not have ABS equipped was due to a weight issue. However with the new bike, it is now 7 kg lighter (wet) than its predecessors.
The Japanese firm also introduced another special variant at EICMA Milan 2014, the YZF-R1M which most likely to cater track goers and this variant is almost as good as the YZR-M1, the supersports bike used by Valentino Rossi in every MotoGP season. Just like the Ducati Panigale 1199 R, the Japanese bike also has Öhlins’s Electronic Racing Suspension, carbon fibre fairings and a communication control unit (data logging). However, it is said that less than 500 units will be built.
The 2015 YZF-R1 will be available in three colours, Blue/Silver , Red/White and Raven (Black). Suggested price is approximately US$17,000 (RM 57,000) in US market. Meanwhile the YZF-R1M is offered only in Carbon-Fibre/Liquid Metal colour scheme and is priced approximately at US$22,000 (MYR75,000 before taxes). While these are the prices in the US, we must not forget it may cost more than that if it ever reaches our shores.
Contributed to AF by Jeff Ng
