Sporty – Test Yamaha R1 and R1M 2015: with or without M, we love! – Moto-Net.Com on the handlebars of the R1 2015

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Yamaha R1 and R1M 2015 test: with or without M, we like !

Sporty - Test Yamaha R1 and R1M 2015: with or without M, we love! - Moto-Net.Com on the handlebars of the R1 2015

Yamaha’s brand new sports bike is currently landing in French dealerships. But it was on the other side of the world, in Australia, that Site discovered the 2015 Iwata Superbike, in its two versions R1 and R1M.. On track !

Site on the handlebars of the R1 2015

Bottom three, bottom four, bottom five … The engine of the Yamaha R1 howls as Site tumbles at nearly 280 km / h in front of the pits. The distinctive tone of the 4-cylinder Crossplane has not changed much despite the adoption of the low and fairly short pot … and that’s good !

The Japanese may have told us that their Superbike is modeled on the M1 Grand Prix and that "The Doctor" himself has intensely participated in its development, MNC (his tester of 1.80 m for 72 kg) wonders how Rossi arrives to accommodate its large carcass behind the tiny bubble and the frail fairing…

Even when stepping back as far as possible on the carbon-hard saddle with no big backsplash, the rider’s elbows keep hitting the knees. The R6 build of this new R1 will clearly work better for jockeys than for the front lines of Australian rugby – where this first contact takes place…

At the end of the straight line, the head of the – grand – pilot is quite tossed about and the gusts of wind shamelessly fall on his shoulders. He was barely able to rest in the straight line! No time to complain, however: we engage the sixth report for the form before leaving the bust and licking the front brake…

The first curve of the Eastern Creek route is not made for altar boys … or the new A2 permits! You need a good dose of confidence in your front axle to dive at more than 200 km / h in this big left dotted with small bumps..

This is our third driving session – the last on the standard R1 – so we now know that there is no need to force the handlebars of the R1 to tackle it on the angle, even at high speeds. The slider surfs on the asphalt, the motorcycle spins at around 180 km / h. Mmm-Yam !

Obviously, Valentino Rossi would go much faster, but the small jolts felt in the handlebars in the middle of the curve urge us to be careful. It would be a shame to ride over our boots and drop this pretty motorcycle, worth € 18,499 anyway !

After the rope point, we accelerate briefly before planting a first big braking. Without the "downshift" function, the quickshifter installed as standard is of no help here: you must use the clutch lever – precise and adjustable in spacing – to drop two speeds.

The combined braking system, on the other hand, is quite satisfactory. Occasional trackers will certainly not complain about the intervention of the rear brake, on the contrary, since the forward mass transfer is very limited on the R1..

Site must nevertheless underline that the fork and its settings are very oriented "track". By sitting down on his racehorse, the pilot hardly feels the suspensions sink! Future users of R1 2015 on the road or in the city will have to free up the hydraulics to provide themselves with a semblance of comfort….

The sequence of turns 2 and 3 (left then right), on second gear, then highlights the formidable agility of the chassis of the new R1: the old model would have required much more effort to shift from an angle on the other.

We then settle on a right flank which has not been under stress for nearly a minute (half a circuit!). This does not, however, prevent the Site from pulling the second gear to the maximum to start like a ball a small stretch..

Shy at the start of the day, the acceleration at the end of this right on a slight slope is finally as marked as in some lefts much more downforce. All this thanks to the excellent traction and drift controls (TCS and SCS: read our Technical point) !

Indeed, when the pilot is a little too generous with the throttle, the R1 and its computer ECU ensure that the tire is not overused. In driving mode A – the least intrusive, selected by Yamaha – you can feel the rear axle shifting very slightly from the front wheel axle, but it never strayed dangerously from it..

The SCS, as Freddie Mercury would say, "it’s a kind of magic"which allows the rear wheel to slip momentarily. Seen from the outside, the figure has nothing in common with the impressive crosses executed by the MotoGP champions. But experienced from the inside, it’s sensational … In the proper sense of the term !

Once the bike is up, the TCS continues to work hard: we hardly feel it acting, but its orange light shows us by lighting up that it is not idle! At the same time, the "LIF" anti-squat system takes over from the SCS. Here again the Yamaha remains incredibly docile even if the pilot puts full throttle, high in the turns, on the first three reports….

In these conditions, given its very short wheelbase and impressive power, the 2015 R1 should immediately find its way onto the rear wheel. But this is not the case, thanks to the famous LIF! It is also very rare for the front wheel to leave the ground and deprive the pilot of the steering, which can be embarrassing..

The wheel riveted to the ground therefore, the Journal moto du Net brakes briefly before attacking a very nice right-left sequence (turn n ° 4 and 5) which rushes down in third gear. Here, the R1 shows an excellent compromise between handling and stability..

In this same passage, on the other hand, we discover that the injection is not perfectly calibrated. In the most responsive mapping mode (PWR 1), the opening of the gas butterflies is proportional to the rotation of the handle. Interventions on the throttle therefore require a certain "skill".

To simplify the task and soften the go-around, apprentice pilots will probably prefer to select the second, or even the third level. The fourth and last level, meanwhile, will be reserved for cowards because it excessively moderates the acceleration and does not allow to open wide..

The next short stretch may start uphill, but the R1 climbs it without any difficulty. More nervous than the old model and towing a lighter motorcycle, the "CP4" gives the impression of being fuller from mid-revs, while the technical sheets suggested the opposite.

From 7500 rpm (speed where the intake and exhaust valves open: read our Technical Update), the 4-cylinder with "crossed timing" produces a particularly exhilarating cavernous roar and catapults its pilot straight ahead, ‘electronic spares the mount and its rider.

By keeping the engine above 9000 rpm, the pilot ensures acceleration that owners of the old R1 will certainly never be able to experience. Riders of competing motorcycles, for their part, will have an interest in spitting in the gloves to compete. !

Site continues its tour of Eastern Creek and arrives on the new portion of the Australian circuit which begins very strongly: four successive curves are drawn on a new climb! The opportunity to once again salute the agility of this 600 1000 (!), But not only…

By twirling from one point of rope to another, we also greatly appreciate the general compactness of the motorcycle which facilitates and accelerates the rider’s movements around the end of the tank. We are also delighted to have a light motorcycle – just like its rims – even if after ten laps the quadriceps start to heat up seriously..

Having reached the top of this exhausting series of pif-paf-pof-pouf-, the pilot who still has a little enthusiasm can surprise the LIF by quickly wringing the right handle. The front wheel then takes off slightly, at the very moment when you have to tilt the motorcycle to the right … Beware of losses from the front !

Of course, the R1 has M1 electronics (80% in common according to the Japanese), but man still has his role to play. After all, without a rider, even a motorcycle wrapped in latest generation chips, gyroscopes of all kinds and ultra-precise GPS is doomed to stay on its side in the pits … Until proven otherwise. !

After winding the tenth turn – come on, eight more! -, the R1 descends a new descent at the end of which hides a nasty hairpin. This should be negotiated first, but MNC prefers to take advantage of the roundness of CP4 which allows to revive without clashes or violence.

The track rises again from the 12th turn, as does the pilot’s heart rate: turn 13, copiously bumpy, seriously heckles the R1! No need to tempt the devil at this point: we quickly go through third gear, then fourth when passing the coarse connection which brings us back to the original route.

MNC then negotiated a quick left blind (turn 14) before tackling the last very heavy braking of the course. The brakes take place while the bike is still slightly bevelled, but the fork takes the shock perfectly and the R1 does not move out of its path..

Not excessively biting – there is more incisor, but it is not necessarily "better" so far – the 4-piston calipers of the R1 are then very powerful. Braking endurance is also remarkable: the braided hoses fitted as standard are not there to decorate !

By braking hard on the descent leading to turn 15 (a fairly slow 180 °), the rear wheel ends up sweeping the track but never locks up. The Yamaha combined ABS once again does a very good job … since it gets forgotten !

Coming out of the bend a good meter from the outside vibrator, the Net Motorcycle Journal is enraged under his helmet for the umpteenth time: "ah, if only Rossi’s talent and balls *** were delivered with the bike as standard, we would save many seconds by accelerating much earlier and harder"…

In breakout n ° 16, the R1 receives congratulations from the MNC jury for the extreme precision of its front axle. The rider who begins to brake in anticipation of the final long double left can then position his bike to the nearest millimeter and take advantage of the full width of the track.

Site then "layer" the easy R1 on its left flank. Between the two final turns (17 and 18), a malicious blow of gas wakes up the SCS. This allows the Bridgestone RS10 Type R to skate and briefly drift (RS10 "just short" as standard) before calming the game: one wonders if Rossi would have reacted with the same gentleness and the same speed. !

And here we are again on the straight line in a slight descent … To prevent the front from shedding too much and benefit from the best possible acceleration, MNC moves forward as much as possible on his mount and stands firmly on his footrests. Shall we take another tour? Okay, but with the R1M then! Loans ?

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