2007 Yamaha R1: Heart and Soul of the Track
onewheeldrive reviews 2007 Yamaha R1
Losail circuit; 5400m of infamy, a complex and challenging track that tests the limits of man and machine. Beneath my moto-journalist bravado I'm questioning life's inconsequentials; like whether I've a living will? The thought is completely drown out by the devilish howl as our flight of 2007 Yamaha R1s hurtles out of the pit lane onto Qatar's one-kilometer front straight.
Previous generations of R1 were creatures of the road that occasionally strayed onto the track. In today's ultra-competitive litre bike world road bias won't do, so MotoGP winner Yamaha Racing assisted with the 2007 R1's design, and that gives Yamaha reason for the Losail launch and perfect track faith in the new R1. Heading into the first right on fresh buns is an act of devotion on my part though. Later in the day the scrape of toe-sliders signals that the bike, with its new four-valve/cylinder 177hp (claimed) heart, is truly an R1, but I'm a bit concerned about its soul.
At a standstill the 2007 R1 certainly looked the business; a graceful configuration origami elegant of bends and curves evoking the athleticism of a predator. For '07 though, function drives more complexity in the form. Sharper "layered" side panels create a vacuum-effect for more efficient cooling, pulling engine-heated air through large side vents by the rider's knees. Up front the larger ram-air intakes, beneath traditional R1 cat-eye headlamps, suggest weary character lines. The rear's former wide and flat bodywork has slimed. Subtly angled twin under-seat exhaust give the impression of afterburners, complete with red special-effects glow of the large visible trapezoidal taillight. It's quite striking in all, a spiritual reincarnation of the '06 with a technological edge.
Back on the front straight, tucked down behind a 10mm longer windscreen and throttle twisted, the engine delivers on the power its looks promise. It's a smooth, linear and sumptuous 177.5hp @ 12,500rpm claimed (more likely around 160hp at the rear in practice) launch. Maybe a bit flat feeling in the first third of the range compared to the K6 GSX-R 1000, but despite being the same bore and stroke as the previous R1 this bike seems appreciably stronger in the mid-range.
Cracked open and spiraling up through the gears from 7-10 grand, the R1 pulls like only feral 1000cc can. Then it executes an organ-liquefying push to the 13,750-rpm limiter. It's absurdly powerful and stable.
Way back at 10,400rpm you feel a slight drama-free "glitch" as the YCC-I (Yamaha Chip Controlled Intake) shortens the inlet tracts from 140mm, for better midrange torque, to 65mm for better top end power (see sidebar). Previously, the only way to get variable-height stacks was to sign your soul over to MV for F4-1000 Tamburini, but as a variation on the theme the R1's YCC-I is far more economical.
Read the full article here:
onewheeldrive
Source: http://www.onewheeldrive.ne...
issued: Monday, March 5, 2007
updated: Monday, March 5, 2007
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