R1-forum.com Test pilot Neale Bayly recently got a chance to put the the 2007 R1 through it's paces and here's the quick run down on the bike and some questions answered from our TOP 10 Questions on the 07 R1 thread.
Check out the rest of this threads for the Part #1 quick notes on the bike and stay tuned for the FULL article coming soon!
First off. Thanks to all you guys who posted such positive input to my original R1 test in Australia....your reaction to my article was more appreciated than you will realize.
Second. You guys are real hard core R1 enthusiasts. I can't profess to be as knowledgeable about this particular line of motorcycles as you due to the variety of machinery I test. ( I have ridden everything from a 1936 Harley to Rossi's M1, with a lot of cruisers, touring bikes and stuff in between).
What I can say about the new R1 in answer to your questions is.
It definitely is faster than the previous generation.
The extra weight is not noticeable .
Rolling up on the throttle from idle there is a healthy spike around 4500 rpm, and then broad, strong power till red line.
Laguna was a new track to me, and is very bumpy with a bunch of blind spots. What I found toward the end of my sessions was that exiting corners under 7,500rpm wasn't enough once I was up to speed. Even with the broad power band, for fast progress I preferred being up around 9-10,000 rpm to really get off the corner hard.
We rode on street compound Pirellis. They did a great job, but I think race compound tires would have produced better results. Maybe even quicker turn in?
The handling is really sweet though.Interestingly, the tech brief talks of more flex in certain parts of the frame. This is exactly the same as what they did to Rossi's bike when they went looking for more front end confidence and feel. The brakes are extremely powerful, and from how sore my shoulders and arms were, stronger than the previous model.
Yamaha have trimmed weight from the discs, and tightened the steering head angle, for quicker turn in, and it is real good for a liter bike. Better than before for sure.
Slipper clutch is nice for additional comfort banging down gears.
Clutch and gear changing are phenomenal. Highlight for me was laying over on my knee out of turn four and making two perfect full throttle up shifts before braking for turn five. Just rolling off a tad, and clutch less upshifting was the bomb. If I have ridden a bike that was this smooth under this application, then all those bumps to the head must be taking a toll cause I can't remember. No missed shifts all day up or down. I think it was the way the bike stayed so composed during full throttle up shifts that impressed me most.
The front end did come up at me under hard acceleration in the lower gears at times. And, coming up over the rise on the way to the corkscrew at over 125mph the bars were doing a serious dance in my hands. (it was real windy) The Yamaha tech said no steering damper adjustment.
The Yamaha techs dialed in a little more high speed compression in the rear to help keep the front more planted....it helped. The corkscrew is very bumpy, and the bike hammers around, but I think the track surface is what it is and you just have to deal with it. No fault on the R1 here.
Comfort, ride position, ergonomics. It's a sport bike.
Fuel injection is spot on. Did feel the throttle on my bike had a little too much play, and needed a real big twist to get it wide open. Almost, needed two bites at it. Putting the bike in sixth gear, I ran two laps around the track without a problem. Even exiting turn 11. Don't expect to be passing anyone under acceleration, but do expect smooth, seamless power without any hiccups.
Heat issues. Can't say as it was cold and only rode on the track.
Variable intake stacks. Hard to say, and we didn't ride the new and the old one back to back. There is nothing negative to say though.
The "fly by wire" feels just like a regular throttle system. My personal feeling from riding it and a conventional system is, it makes for less rear wheel spin. Cranking open the throttle at low rpm in a higher gear is a big source of high sides for less experienced riders. Looking for drive off the corners, they lay into the throttle. When the engine picks up enough to take the large throttle opening, the resulting rush of power overwhelms the rear tire. It can't happen with this system as the computer is controlling how far open the butterflies are. (hope that makes sense. it's Sunday morning) I made good exits without spinning the rear wheel all day.
Sound wise. I don't think this thing sounds so animal as the last generation. I am not sure about any ticking noises.
good write up but sound to much like my truck that has drive by wire.
you slam the gas and it give u only the power it wants you to have, ill keep what i have
__________________ Forget scrapin knees fool i scrape collar bones in a turn!!!
good write up but sound to much like my truck that has drive by wire.
you slam the gas and it give u only the power it wants you to have, ill keep what i have
You can always put the old throttle system on to the 07 and maybe a 20 valve head and a full titanium exhaust system.
it looks like still have a weak low end, because he said he must exit the corner from 9-10k rpm compare to 7,5k.....he need high rpm to exit hard, still same with our 04-06......
but its a nice info, thanks..
it looks like still have a weak low end, because he said he must exit the corner from 9-10k rpm compare to 7,5k.....he need high rpm to exit hard, still same with our 04-06......
but its a nice info, thanks..
On the track most would want the most get up and go....so usually down shifting is needed or wanted. I'd think the bike should have more low and midrange vs the 04-06 R1 but it's still tough to get stump pulling torque from a 14k redline overbore motor.
I have my depost down on My 07 already, sold my 05, can you tell me if anything was said about the exhaust changes??? I kept my akro Evo system do you know if it will bolt up??? or should i just sell it???
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