Updates to Yamaha YZF-R1 and YZF-R1M revealed at EICMA
The R1M is about to get even better
YAMAHA has announced a host of upgrades to its YZF-R1 and YZF-R1M models at EICMA.
The current YZF-R1M is already a highly accomplished bike in its own right, but that hasn’t stopped the Japanese manufacturer from making it even better.
Next year’s model implements the same 998cc 197hp crossplane 4-cylinder engine as the previous bike, but features a host of upgraded electronics.
According to Yamaha the 2018 YZF-R1M boasts the most sophisticated suspension system ever developed by Öhlins for a production motorcycle – the Smart EC 2 ERS.
This system analyses data from the bike's six-axis inertial measurement unit (IMU), to make adjustments to the fork and shock settings in order to prevent fork dive and squat, with different settings available for acceleration, braking and cornering.
The improved Quick Shift System (QSS), meanwhile, adds a downshifter. The QSS can be adjusted via the Yamaha Ride Control (YRC) function on the full colour TFT instruments.
Revised ECU settings were required to accommodate the new quick shift, so at the same time Yamaha has improved the model’s lift control (LIF), to make for improved control under acceleration and banish unwanted front-end lift
Finally, the model’s lightweight carbon fairing boasts new YZR-M1 inspired graphics, named Silver Blu Carbon, which show off much more of the bare grain.
The YZF-R1 has also benefitted from an updated Quick Shift System (QSS), complete with thedownshifting capability. This will combine with the bike’s pre-existing electronics package of 6-axis IMU, banking sensitive traction control and slide control, front lift control and launch control, banking sensitive racing ABS and unified braking system (UBS) to bolster the R1’s position among the 2018 Supersport models.
A new colour of Race Blu will also be seen on the YZF-R1.
Both bikes are due for delivery in March next year. However, due to the limited production run of the R1M, Yamaha UK will once again use an online reservation system to allocate the models.
This system will go live at 10.00 GMT on Monday 27th November, the day after Motorcycle Live ends at the NEC.
See the updated R1 at Motorcycle Live.
