1989 FZR1000 EXUP

The classier Yams don’t need a name like ‘Fireblade’, I mean, ‘LC’, ‘Powervalve’ and ‘EXUP’. They all speak for themselves…

Developed from the FZR1000 Genesis of 1987, the EXUP first introduced UK bikers to Yamaha’s patented four-stroke powervalve system. EXUP would do for four-strokes what the YPVS system had done for the two-stroke…

The EXUP valve was actually first seen on the Japanese market FZR400R of 1987. The system itself was a valve which was placed in the bottom-end of the exhaust’s downpipes and which moved according to revs to fool the pipe into thinking it was the best ‘length’ for both mid-range and high rpm operation. The end result was more mid-range when you needed it, but not at the expense of top-end.

And the EXUP had plenty of top-end. Launched for the 1989 model year, the 3LG1 had the five-valve-per-cylinder 1002cc motor which had 130bhp at the crank at a dizzy 10,000rpm. Even with around 230 kilos of wet weight to move, the EXUP could see speeds approaching 170mph on those clocks. Handling and braking were also leagues ahead of the opposition, thanks largely to the strong Deltabox frame and canted forward motor. The EXUP would be the litreclass sports-bike of choice for the experienced road rider and racer alike in various productionbased series: in 1989 EXUPS took the first eight places in the Production 1300cc TT race.

Updates and refinements would come: 1991 saw the launch of the RU version with inverted front forks and updated bodywork, which saw a trapezoidal front headlight cluster replace the twin round headlamps. Further updates saw a ‘Fox-eye’ twin headlight update in 1994, but by now it was eclipsed by Honda’s Fireblade and was replaced by Yamaha’s Thunderace in 1996. See? Daft name for a superbike… A good EXUP starts at around £2500…