Cresting the hill coming onto the front straight at Sydney Motorsport Park (better known as Eastern Creek Raceway), the throttle is wide open in second gear. As I click into third, the front comes up, rests at a neutral position about a foot off the ground, then gently returns to Earth moments later. All the while, the throttle was resting on the stop. Drive never felt interrupted, and despite the roughly 200 horses packed inside the new 2015 Yamaha YZF-R1, there was never a fear of being too liberal with the throttle. That’s when I knew Yamaha has just raised the bar.

A lot has changed since the original R1 was introduced in 1998, and with the 2015 Yamaha YZF-R1 and R1M, never has the line between MotoGP and lil ‘ol me been so blurred. That’s not just a Yamaha marketing tagline, either. Valentino Rossi himself (along with American Superbike champ, Josh Hayes) had a significant role in developing the R1, with the aim to incorporate the most sophisticated level of electronics on a production sportbike. These are just a few examples:

Variable Traction Control (10 settings, 1-9 and off)
Slide Control (four settings, 1-3 and off)
Lift Control (three settings, 1-2 and off)
Launch Control (three settings, 1-2 and off)
Power Delivery Mode (four settings)
Quickshifter (three settings, 1-2 and off)

With the exception of Slide Control, none of this is new technology. What makes the R1 reach a new level of sophistication is the six-axis Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU), of which a similar system is also seen on the new Ducati 1299 Panigale. Consisting of a gyro sensor capable of measuring pitch, roll, and yaw, it’s accompanied by an accelerometer measuring acceleration in the X, Y and Z axis at an astonishing rate of 125 calculations per second.

What this does is allow systems like the Variable Traction Control, Lift Control, Unified Brake System and Ohlins Electronic Suspension (seen on the R1M) to operate at a level of precision yet to be seen on a production motorcycle. Traction control works in conjunction with the IMU to meter power not just according to wheel speed differential, gear position and throttle position, but also in relation to lean angle, all within the pre-chosen TC setting.

The Launch Control System works in a similar fashion. Revs are limited to 10,000 rpm and the IMU detects front-to-rear pitch rate to control engine power via the ECU to only allow the amount of lift you select from one of the three settings.

Where the IMU really comes into its own is with the all-new Slide Control System, the patent-pending technology that’s the first of its kind on a production motorcycle. What’s amazing is the technology was only first used on the M1 MotoGP machine in 2012! Working in tandem with the IMU and traction control, if a slide is detected during hard acceleration and high levels of lean angle, the ECU will control engine power to help reduce the slide.

yamaha yzf-r1 2015
yamaha yzf-r1 2015 sound
yamaha yzf-r1 2015 review
yamaha yzf-r1 2015 top speed
yamaha yzf r1 2015
new yamaha yzf-r1 2015
new yamaha yzf r1 2015
new yamaha yzf-r1 2015 sound
all new yamaha yzf r1 2015
2015 yamaha yzf-r1m and yzf-r1
2015 new yamaha yzf-r1 'rdna
2015 yamaha yzf-r1 first look
2015 yamaha yzf-r1
2015 yamaha yzf-r1m
2015 yamaha yzf-r1 review
2015 yamaha yzf-r1 sound
2015 yamaha yzf-r1m and yzf-r1
2015 yamaha yzf-r1m top speed
2015 yamaha yzf-r1 top speed
2015 yamaha yzf-r15
2015 yamaha yzf-r125
2015 yamaha yzf-r1 specs
2015 yamaha yzf-r1m price
2015 new yamaha yzf-r1
yamaha yzf-r1 2015 price

свернуть