This is why I know they will be selling for over $20,000! It looks like a $16-17,000 bike but the limited status = $$$

Im just waiting for some dork to part one out and grab suspention on fleabay. (Never will happen)...

 

Im not to familier with the rules but is it 500 made or 500 imported . Remember they are making them for Europe too, just under a different color scheme .

Now here is the othere thing , it is just an R1 , motor is stock , frame is the same pretty much just suspension and wheels , will the normal R1 count twords the production for the rules in racing .

 

It is actually good it is not allowed in the stock classes because it is nowhere near stock. It would outcompete any other bikes and it wouldn't be fair.

 

I thought that they were using it in AMA Superstock next year. That is what they were saying on 2 wheel tuesday last night.

 

What is the deal with the production numbers for the 2006 R1 LE. This bike would freaking rock to race and there are only going to be 500. This would be a shoe in for Superstock.

They need to make 500 more of them for it to be WERA legal and they have to import at least 400 of them to the US for it to be AMA legal.


Anyone else wish this bike was elligable for the superstock classes????



Chris

Unless I'm mistaken, there will be 1200 LE R1s and 500 of them will be shipped to the U.S. I could be wrong though.

 

Performance wise...I really want to know what the big deal is about this bike with regards to the price? Just build one. Take a stock R1, sell the rims, and suspension and buy the rims and suspension that is on the LE..it's not like you can't find that stuff. Save yoruself a crap load of money. If you want one for postarity...I can understand. A collectable, etc. but just to ride...I've seen bikes that will out perform the LE on the track for half the sticker price.

 

+1 on that

I thought that they were using it in AMA Superstock next year. That is what they were saying on 2 wheel tuesday last night.

I heard the same, they stated that it will be tearing it up. so???

 

Performance wise...I really want to know what the big deal is about this bike with regards to the price? Just build one. Take a stock R1, sell the rims, and suspension and buy the rims and suspension that is on the LE..it's not like you can't find that stuff. Save yoruself a crap load of money. If you want one for postarity...I can understand. A collectable, etc. but just to ride...I've seen bikes that will out perform the LE on the track for half the sticker price.

I think the frame and engine are also slightly revised.

 

I think the frame and engine are also slightly revised.

Slipper clutch...that's it.

 

I missed the two wheel tuesday announcement, but I am glad they are going to get to run it. The Ducati's get to run teh full ohlins suspension and they don't completely tear up the rest of the pack. Generally you can get quite exceptional performance out of the stock forks and the 25mil cartridge inserts but having the ohlins setup from teh factory would make life just a little easier. So would that slipper clutch.!!!! Can't wait to see the super stock classes next year!

 

Performance wise...I really want to know what the big deal is about this bike with regards to the price? Just build one. Take a stock R1, sell the rims, and suspension and buy the rims and suspension that is on the LE..it's not like you can't find that stuff. Save yoruself a crap load of money. If you want one for postarity...I can understand. A collectable, etc. but just to ride...I've seen bikes that will out perform the LE on the track for half the sticker price.

You can't add trick parts and be superstock legal. That's why we pay extra to get stock bikes with trick parts.

 

I totally agree with James

 

Yep, you buy this bike so you can legally put the Ohlins suspenders and magnesium wheels on the track in competition. The AMA only allows the fork internals to be modified and/or replaced and they require you to use the stock wheels. There's probably quite a bit of unsprung weight savings to be found with those magnesium wheels and that makes a big difference in the way the bike handles.

 

Actually the wheels are aluminum and only shave 800 grams off the weight of the stockers. Also the frame on the LE near the head tube is reinforced for more rigidity on the track. This was necessitated by yamaha thinning the frame spars on the 06 compared to the 05 to give it a little more flex for comfort on the street.

 

Actually the wheels are aluminum and only shave 800 grams off the weight of the stockers. Also the frame on the LE near the head tube is reinforced for more rigidity on the track. This was necessitated by yamaha thinning the frame spars on the 06 compared to the 05 to give it a little more flex for comfort on the street.

Don't kid yourself into thinking that Yamaha reduced the stiffness of the frame in front of the engine mounts, and the swingarm, to improve comfort for the street. The suspension handles bumps i the road not the frame. This is to improve the feel and balance of the bike on the track at full lean, when the suspension is at a very inefficient angle.

 

All those that propose to "build your own", remember that the forks are not the off the shelf R&T, they have both high and low speed compression damping, and as a stand alone part, I haven't seen a part number listed or know of any pricing on them.

 

Eyspy though...with that said, what about spring stifness? If I buy ohlins aftermarket, I can select the srping weight that I want....I dont' see that being offered in the LE. If I were to buy the bike, and to fit my 250 lb fat ass..I'd still have to either have them throw in (ya right) different springs, or spend the 150 myself, and i'd still like to have them professionally set up.

 

If you hit a vertical bump at full lean the suspension will not be the entire part taking the brundt of the force, it will be the fork flex and frame/chassis flex that will absorb that part of the road irregularity.


I was asking about getting an ohlins shock worked to fit an alternative bike and a well known suspension professional told me to get the 04 R6 over the 2005 R6 because Yamaha stiffened the chassis up so much that it didn't have enough flex in the chassis. I was surprised because I have been waiting on the inverted forks and I wanted the brake upgrade, but he alluded to the new version being so unforgiving because of the rigidity that even the faster experts were having setup issues.


Chris
WERA #325

 

Yeah, I just realized today that the wheels were the aluminum ones and not the magnesium. It's still unsprung weight though, which is the weight that make s the most difference per pound in how the bike will feel compared to sprung weight.

Don't forget about the slipper clutch that the LE gets also.

All of the '06 R1's receive the same frame/swingarm/gearbox improvements though; the LE's don't get a different frame compared to the standard R1's.

 

Don't kid yourself into thinking that Yamaha reduced the stiffness of the frame in front of the engine mounts, and the swingarm, to improve comfort for the street. The suspension handles bumps i the road not the frame. This is to improve the feel and balance of the bike on the track at full lean, when the suspension is at a very inefficient angle.

Perhaps I was misinformed, knowing full well that you can't alway believe what you read. But in my experience "Roadracing World & Motorcycle Technology" is a very reputible and reliable source. They had a full write up on the LE and the standard R1, and also commented that the LE could ruin superstock if it is run, and it does well.

This is simply because it could spark a liter bike arms race to build the baddest "stock" bike merely for homologation purposes. In a very short time the cost to go racing will easily double when your initial investment is a 25,000 dollar limited bike just to be competitive with the factory guys. Its just another step toward the death of privateer racing in my eyes.

 

All those that propose to "build your own", remember that the forks are not the off the shelf R&T, they have both high and low speed compression damping, and as a stand alone part, I haven't seen a part number listed or know of any pricing on them.

Eyespy, where did you hear that the new forks had high and low compression damping? I havent heard that from anywhere else, and was under the impression that only the new R6 was outfitted with such a feature. Thanks

 

Perhaps I was misinformed, knowing full well that you can't alway believe what you read. But in my experience "Roadracing World & Motorcycle Technology" is a very reputible and reliable source. They had a full write up on the LE and the standard R1, and also commented that the LE could ruin superstock if it is run, and it does well.

This is simply because it could spark a liter bike arms race to build the baddest "stock" bike merely for homologation purposes. In a very short time the cost to go racing will easily double when your initial investment is a 25,000 dollar limited bike just to be competitive with the factory guys. Its just another step toward the death of privateer racing in my eyes.

I'm not sure exactly what the argument is over here? It sounds to me like you are both saying pretty much the same thing, but whatever; the new R1 is essentially a homologation special that could very well wipe the track up with the competition because of the LE features. Remember though that Yamaha has done the "homologation special" once before in the past with the R7 with, in my own personal opinion, less than what I would consider the fully desired results. The R7 was a 30-something thousand dollar homologation; it happens all the time in all the different motorsports circles and they usually don't last that long because of the cost, but they certainly do get the job doen while they are around.

 

Eyespy, where did you hear that the new forks had high and low compression damping? I havent heard that from anywhere else, and was under the impression that only the new R6 was outfitted with such a feature. Thanks

I believe it said that on Yamaha's site in the specs about adjustable high and low speed damping being adjustable. Just checked and it does say that on their site.

 

I believe Yamaha could put better 'spin' on what this bike has- I recall it having light top end work, slipper, alum wheels, Ohlins as Eye mentioned, and lastly it has a swinger built off YEC spec's FYI. Bike is a solid one- If I had the dough I would consider it if that it can be verified that the suspension is extra-ordinary- I saw one thread where it was claimed it was less then standard Ohlins issue....