New Yamaha R1 - inside line
PH2 speaks to Hideki Fujiwara, the Project Leader behind the new YZF-R1 and YZF-R1M
Fujiwara is commendably upfront about R1
"The new R1 was simply designed to be the fastest bike around a track. This is different to previous generations of the R1, which were more road targeted than track specific."
So why the change in focus?
"Riders have changed their habits, people are less likely to ride fast on the streets as speeding regulations are now stricter. To fully enjoy a sports bike you need to be on a circuit, so we designed the R1 to be at its very best on track."
Why did you totally redesign the cross-plane engine?
"Two reasons - the first was to release more power output and the other to reduce its weight. The new motor is 4kg lighter than the old engine and weighs only around 60kg in total."
So why give it a bigger bore and replace the bucket and shim valve system for rockers?
"The rev limit is far higher on the new engine and the rocker system reduces the weight under the valve's spring, which means more power and better reliability. The rev limit has increased by 1,000rpm and the power is up from 182hp to 200hp. The torque is also increase quite considerably thanks to the larger valves."
Cross-plane engine significantly redesigned
"Yes. I wanted to make the new R1 more compact while still retaining very good handling. However by shortening the R1's length stability became an issue and so to counteract this instability we used electronics."
Could you have built this R1 without electronics?
"Yes, but whether riders could enjoy it would have been a very different story. It would possibly have been a little too exciting..."
Is a greater reliance on electronic aids how sports bike development is going?
"Yes, generally speaking you can create something very aggressive and powerful and then control it with electronics."
More revs, more power, more fun
"In the current circumstances, for a road legal bike, I feel 200hp is enough."
How involved was the MotoGP team in the R1's development?
"We have an internal system at Yamaha where engineers move between projects to challenge themselves. Two of the R1's engineers worked for three years on the YZR-M1 MotoGP project, mainly on the chassis side of the bike's development."
So is the MotoGP influence mainly related to the chassis?
"No, it is pretty similarly divided between the chassis and engine."
How many years ago was the R1's electronics package being used in MotoGP?
"What is on the R1 is very close to what the YZR-M1 is currently using."
Rossi has had a hand in chassis tuning
"Two reasons - one is that I believe that adding electronic suspension and a carbon fairing makes the bike much closer to the M1 that the customer has dreamed of owning. Secondly, the R1M is aimed far more towards those skilled riders who really want to enjoy it on track and have the skills to push it to its limits."
The electronic suspension on the YZF-R1M isn't allowed in MotoGP, do you find it odd that this road bike is more advanced than your cutting edge racer?
"You are correct, it is higher spec than Valentino's M1! We have a very skilled test rider who is able to assess how good the suspension is and we asked him 'which would you rather have?' He said on a circuit the electronic suspension was better than standard suspension, so we fitted it!"
Speaking of test riders, how much input did Valentino Rossi really have into the R1's development?
"Far more than on previous R1 models. He rode an early prototype and demanded that we give it the same feeling he gets from his YZR-M1's front end! This advice really helped us. He said he wanted the bike's handling to have a certain feeling that we engineered into the chassis."
New R1 is aimed squarely at track usage
"I hope so! A big growth in sports bike sales will stimulate the global bike market. The role of a sports bike is to create excitement amongst riders and although they may not actually buy a sports bike, they will be inspired by them to walk into a showroom. Yamaha wants to be the one to stimulate the whole sports bike market!"
What does this mean for the YZF-R6? Are Supersport sales dead?
"It is very difficult for me to answer this... I can only say I hope the 600cc market follows the litre bike market's revival..."
FACT is DJ numbers, which are the ones bandied about are as useless as saying you get paid a zillion quarks a trimester.
Whilst the DJ dyno might be measuring 200 somethings, they ain't Horsepower as defined by the scientific method. So to start wittering on about 200 BHP at the crank or at the wheel is self delusional.
Oh, and if you really think a Superbike only looses 12 BHP through the powertrain you are away with the fairies.
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