Yamaha YZF-R1 Through the years

1998 First generation R1 1999 Only minor updates. Redesigned gear change linkage and increased gear change shaft length. New colour scheme replaces red/white of 1998

2000-2001 New colour schemes, revised bodywork aimed at making the design sleeker. Revised ECU to smooth out power delivery. New carburetor jets. Taller first gear, redesigned shift linkage and lever.

2002-2003 First major redesign. EFI replaces carburetors. Deltabox III frame makes it to production, increasing frame rigidity by 30 percent. Exhaust changed from 4-1 to 4-2-1. Bodywork overhauled to be sharper and sleeker. Rear stop light now LED. This model only ran for two years and is also considered to be a future collectable. 2004-2005 Another redesign. Styling further enhanced. Twin underseat exhaust pipes replace single muffler. Ram air intake is a first for the R1. Geometry and weight distribution changes aimed at making the bike more stable on acceleration. Radially-mounted brake calipers replace conventional mount calipers. Factory fitted steering head.

2006 500 examples of Yamaha Racing 50th Anniversary Edition featuring Kenny Roberts replica colours are released. Öhlins forks and shock, plus Marchesini forged aluminium wheels are fitted. Slipper clutch also incorporated. Swingarm length increased by 20mm across both 50th Anniversary and standard models. 2007-2008 Five-valve cylinder head is replaced with four-valve head. First edition of Yamaha Chip Controlled Throttle (YCC-T) ride-by-wire system. Six-piston calipers fitted with 310mm disc. Wider radiator used and new ram-air ports.

2009-2010 Cross-plane crankshaft (Big Bang) engine is released, resulting in uneven firing order of 270°-180°-90°-180°. Engine largely based on MotoGP YZR-M1 unit of Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi. Yamaha D-Mode, incorporating multiple engine maps, is fitted to ECU. All-new chassis. New magnesium subframe fitted. New rear shock and new fork fitted, with compression damping on one side and rebound on the other. All new bodywork, air intakes and headlights. Biggest change since the original 1998 R1.

2012 Yamaha fits traction control as standard.

TODAY Almost 25 years after its release, the Yamaha R1 continues in production, featuring the crossplane crankshaft technology derived from Yamaha’s YZR-M1 MotoGp race bike – the winner of the 2021 MotoGP World Championship, as well as the 2021 World Superbike Championship. Bristling with features directly developed on the WSBK machines, the R1 represents an incredibly sophisticated performance package.