Rossi takes the new R1 for a blast

State-of-the-art racing technology: that’s always been the philosophy behind the R-series machines. And never has it been more evident than in the fifth generation YZF-R1, which proves the old motto – racing improves the breed.

The new R1 is derived from the winning Yamaha M1 machine, as ridden by Valentino Rossi in MotoGP. So, pure performance is in its genes. Who better then than ‘The Doctor’ to put our new range-topping supersport model through its paces when launched at the spectacular Losail circuit in Qatar?....

Rossi also sensed the improvements that the adoption of the new YCC-T throttle has brought, especially as it is another offshoot of the MotoGP experience. “This system helps a lot because the connection between the throttle and the engine is a lot closer - and is better,” he asserts. “Like this the bike gives more feeling during acceleration and it is easier to open the throttle earlier and go faster. Now, in MotoGP, this aspect is very important because the horsepower is high and the way the engine delivers power is most important thing to make a good lap time. Especially when the tyres start to slide. They have taken these ideas and adapted them for the R1. In acceleration the engine is more closely matched to the throttle, so it is more easy to control the power.”

The influence of the two-stage variable inlet YCC-I system is also plainly evident to Rossi, as it plays its part in smoothing out the engine’s delivery. “This is a big advantage because I think when a bike has this amount of horsepower normally we need to work a lot with the engine, but on this bike the acceleration remains very easy to use. The power arrives at a very constant curve. This is important for the track but especially for the road, where you ride more slowly, where you can have some bumps and surface changes. So the feeling of the throttle is very important.” Rossi even goes as far as to say that the cornering abilities of the R1 are up there in M1 territory. “It is very close to the M1 - it is possible to go through the corners very fast.

The bike is stable in braking and the front gives a good feeling for corner entry, so you can go in very fast, and the position of the bike at maximum angle is comfortable for the rider. You have a lot of feedback from the tyres, from the surface, to understand the limit and the amount of grip of the track. Also the clutch is very important on the MotoGP bike so they have taken the technology from the M1 for this part as well. This aspect is very different from the previous bike, because the slipper clutch needs to be used in a different way. But it never locks the rear tyre and never starts vibrating. So, it is possible to enter the corner much faster.” Rossi: “the first impressions are great” Valentino Rossi and Toyishi Nishida ons.