Yamaha R1 goes track-only
Bike will not be updated for Euro5+ but will remain as circuit focused model
The future of road-going R1 and R1M superbikes in Europe is in doubt, with Yamaha announcing they will not be updating the duo to meet Euro5✚ regs, but will instead supply a track-only version.
“Yamaha Motor Group have taken the decision not to develop an EU5✚ version of the R1 or R1M, instead focusing on other mid-term business and product strategies that will provide future opportunities,” the company confirmed to MCN.
This was followed up by a statement from Yamaha Racing, revealing: “Global production of the R1 will continue, as will the development programme that has seen the bike secure world titles in both WorldSBK and EWC.”
Although it’s still unclear whether Yamaha UK will continue to sell remaining road stock of the £18,810 standard R1 and £24,660 R1M under derogation (which allows manufacturers to register limited numbers of nonconforming models), the R1 won’t be disappearing completely.
The statement continued: “This is why from 2025, considering the challenge of meeting the Euro5✚ homologation requirements, in Europe the R1 will be made available with specifications aimed exclusively at track use, as was done previously with the R6.”
Properly hardcore
Launched in 1998, the R1 family has achieved cult status in the UK, taking five British Superbike championship titles during its lifetime, and capturing the imagination of generations of sportsbike fans.
However, the market has changed, and where superbikes were once dominant, an aging demographic and speed conscious society have led to a decline.
Both versions received their last major update ahead of 2020, becoming Euro5 compliant with a dusting of subtle upgrades to the chassis and engine – plus some alterations to the styling and electronics package.
The last major update came in 2015, when Yamaha stepped into the rapidly evolving superbike arms race brought on by the BMW
‘Yamaha will not build a Euro5+ R1 or R1M’
S1000RR and early V-twin Ducati Panigales, with a heavily revised proposition. Gaining a look that largely remains the same today, it was now smaller, sharper, and stuffed with electronic rider aids for the first time.
These included slide control with the R1 now openly aimed more at track than road riders. It made an impressive 190bhp on MCN’s dyno and took victory in that year’s Superbike of the Year shootout.
Same happened to GSX-R
The Yamaha R1s aren’t the first set of superbikes to be taken off sale as a consequence of tightening emissions targets. Back in 2022,
Suzuki GB’s Director of Motorcycles Paul de Lusignan confirmed the flagship GSX-R1000 would be discontinued in Europe.
“As the current GSX-R1000R does not meet Euro5 emissions regulations these will be the last models on sale in the UK of this generation GSX-R1000,” he said at the time.
Whether more manufacturers will follow suit remains to be seen, but the fact that Honda have given their CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP a major overhaul for 2024 – including split throttle bodies, suspension revisions, a lighter crank and lighter titanium conrods – gives some hope for the class.
As does data released by the Motorcycle Industry Association (MCIA) at the end of 2023, which showed that sales of ‘road sport’ motorcycles were up by 3.9% compared with 2022 – rising from 8704 to 9042 sales across all brands.
That said, this figure includes sports-tourers, with the Kawasaki Ninja 1000SX being top performer in the final month of the year.
R9 waiting in the wings
This isn’t to say that Yamaha are walking away from sportsbikes altogether though, with industry insiders already hinting strongly that a threecylinder R9 model is in the works to replace the R6 in World Supersport.
Kervin Bos, who is the Team Manager at Yamaha Ten Kate Racing – winners of the 2021 and 2022 WSS titles with Dominique Aegerter – spoke to MCN in late January 2024 and confirmed the switch, however details remain scarce.
“Everything is really unclear. The only information that we have is basically on the racing model,” he told MCN. “The racing model is already in heavy development, and many things are already happening about that.”
According to Bos, an R9 development racer has already appeared for testing at Misano in Italy, further confirming our suspicions that the eventual racer will be based on the existing MT-09 platform, much as the reborn R7 is built around the MT-07.
Whether this will spawn a road bike is yet to be seen, with Yamaha unprepared to comment on the rumours – although it would make real sense and follow the pattern already set by the firm’s middleweight R7 sportsbike.