1998 YZF-R1 4XV

Since 1992 Honda’s CBR900RR Fireblade had been the undisputed king of the large capacity sports bike, but the YZF-R1 would change all of this for 1998.

The centrepiece of the R1 would be a 998cc, 20-valve four-cylinder, liquid-cooled motor breathing through four 40mm Keihin CB carburettors pumping out around 150bhp at 10,000rpm. It would also feature an EXUP valve in the machine’s exhaust downpipes to boost mid-range power.

The chassis of the 4XV featured a new Deltabox II frame with a short 1395mm wheelbase, but the heavily braced swingarm was longer than previous models, allowing better traction out of turns while opening the throttle. The ‘blue-spot’ Sumitomo brake calipers would become a byword in braking and (astonishingly) the dry weight would be just 176 kilos. Even better, Project Leader Kunihiko Miwa made sure the looks were simply jaw-dropping.

Launched at the tight and twisty Cartagena circuit in Spain, this showed that the bike had power and could handle the corners. It trumped all comers and cost just £9399 price tag on launch in late 1997.

Improvements came thick and fast and today the R1 is still in Yamaha’s stable, but the first model is the purest and prices are firming up. Expect to pay up to £5000 for a good ‘un and from £2000 for something average.

If you want to see more classic Yamahas this issue, then check out the YA-1 on page 6, the RZ500R on page 66, the RD500LC on page 70, the CS3C on page 84, and the TZR250 3MA on page 92…