Driving report Yamaha YZF-R1M

Driving report Yamaha YZF-R1M (2018)

Extremely pointed and not for beginners

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Are you interested in a brand new 2018 Yamaha YZF-R1M? Interested parties can register to buy a copy. We could already ride the new superbike.

For all those for whom a normal R1 is not exclusive enough, offers Yamaha has been offering a limited special model with a few extras for some time with the Yamaha YZF-R1M. Also in the 2018 model year, a select few will have the opportunity to buy an R1M. Interested parties can register on a website specially set up for this purpose in order to have the chance of a copy. The manufacturer’s non-binding purchase price for the 2018 Yamaha YZF-R1M: 23.995 euros plus additional costs. Interested parties can register under the following link:

To the registration website for the Yamaha YZF-R1M (2018)

The revision of the R1M is not particularly spectacular. For 2018 it got a semi-active Ohlins chassis of the second generation, with which the driver can now experiment and play around more. The chassis is mechanically the same as in the predecessor of the R1M, only the software can do more. There are now modes in which you can adjust the damping specifically for the areas "Braking", "Cornering" and "Accelerate out" can change. It is also possible to generally make the damping on the fork and shock absorber harder or softer. Yamaha calls this "Firmness".

This is not a world-shattering new development, because exactly the same technology is also used in the chassis of the new Ducati Panigale V4S and the Honda Fireblade SP. It works exactly the same.

Further innovations: The R1 (M and standard version) now has a blipper and a revised LIF control for regulating wheelies.

The R1M takes some getting used to

Yamaha

Superbike with a sharp character.

So, out of the pit lane and onto the racetrack. It quickly becomes clear that the R1M is a very agile and powerful motorcycle – not for beginners! Not because of the engine power, but because of their generally excellent characteristics. If you drive the R1 precisely and smoothly, you get a fast lap time. More stable motorcycles are recommended for hectic people. An R1 just doesn’t forgive that much. If you turn in a little too early, the line is gone. It takes a good two laps to get used to the steering behavior and to get a clean line. 

Now hit the brakes late and hard. The R1M responds with a tail that becomes light and prances around. The standard version with conventional chassis is a little more than the M version. With the M, the phenomenon could be turned off after in Modus "Braking" three electronic landing gear "virtual clicks" were added (there are five levels plus and minus). From then on, the stern no longer pranced around wildly, but instead turned into a nice slide when braking hard.

The blipper works properly, the new three-stage LIF control even works excellently. The front wheel doesn’t pop off abruptly, but is gently set down again on the asphalt. Class! Even the fork of the standard model is convincing across the board – it is extremely stable and provides great feedback.

Conclusion: Anyone who is willing to deal intensively with the R1 (especially the M version) will definitely be happy with it. But also those who only want the R1 as a prestige object will be happy. Let me tell everyone else: There are more easily accessible motorcycles.

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Pictures: Driving report Yamaha YZF-R1M (2018)

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