Hey what is going on you guys I thought I would do a sort of a little review or overview or whatever you sort of want to call it on my r1. I’ve had it for quite some time now and a lot more people are starting to ask me questions about the Yamaha Yzf R1 specs. Do I regret getting at things along those lines and what’s it like having the r1 and riding it regularly. I thought I’ll do a bit of a review video of 2018 Yamaha YZF R1 and might be able to help you guys out. Starting off the r1 I don’t really want to go into too many specs because there’s plenty of videos.
I already said this on my three videos but there’s plenty of specs out there. I will say a few things like obviously, they are ones fitted with a non 8 CC cross-plane crank, which is pretty much derived from the MotoGP m1. A lot of the design features the electronic packages and things along those lines have been derived from natural MotoGP. Valentino Rossi and everyone has done there with the Yamaha team and they’ve slowly worked their way down to this r1 and it looks wise like it the looks definitely take after the m1.
I reckon it looks fantastic and I love the look of it it makes me think of a like a stingray or manta ray. So let’s get onto the electronics package on the Yamaha r1 it has an abundance of features for a motorcycle. One of the first motorcycles to start coming out with in-depth features I think Honda was a little bit behind same with Kawasaki and Suzuki. In my personal opinion for 2015 features, the r1 had the most advanced electronics package. Like nine stages of traction control I think three stages of slide control it has ABS it has three or four different power modes.
It has a power mode B power mode C power mode D all of which are fully customizable you can get in there and change all your settings. It has quick shifter settings so quick shifter 1 and quick shifter two. Change the shift points slightly when you muck around it’s not much but you know it just slows it down. It’s either a real quick shift like for a track or like a slower sort of shift when engaging gears with the quick shifter.
The problem with power mode is it’s very touchy. Moving a little bit away from the electronics package I’m probably going to do a dedicated video just on the electronics package. There’s just so much to talk about that it’s got a whole second it has a track mode which just orientates things on the dash completely. The main thing is the lap timers and then you got the speedo down in the corner gear indicator off to the side.
The track mode is a little bit different and then you have a street mode which shows the full tacho the rev range and also the speeds more prominent. It gives you more street sort of things that you would require like your trip computer average fuel consumption. The temperature transmission of the bike gives you a range of different things and I was a little bit disappointed with the dash the fact that it didn’t have a fuel gauge.
Anyhow like they’ve got all this technology in this bike but they still cannot actually put a fuel gauge or an option where you can cycle through. The fuel light which is good I personally have it in like night mode which is like a negative mode so it’s black in the background and all the numbers and stuff a white. I find hat’s just better to see during the day and at all times and it looks cooler personally but you can get in customize that you.
Go into the wallpaper settings and stuff along those lines it also has like lap timers and everything like that. So if you go on a track you can do your lap times in track mode I haven’t really played around with that obviously because I haven’t done any track. It also features launch control as well I didn’t discuss that earlier but it does have launch control I don’t know how many stages in launch controller as I can’t remember I haven’t even used it.
I’m actually afraid of using launch control it’s just something that it’s like I need to have control over. It’s so kind of intuitive to just pin the throttle and just dump the clutch. It doesn’t feel weird for me going back to the track mode and it does change the tach. The tachometer as well so you’re in the like the higher range of the of the RPMs. Obviously, when you’re tracking you’re gonna be way up in the RPMs a lot of the time. It only gives you that sort of information then again like I said that may be customizable. I’ve applied too much around with the actual – and everything that you can do in it because there is a lot of settings in their nectar.
R1 is the leaders of the tank how much fuel it uses on average is I would say about on par for sports. Honestly differs it depends on how you ride the bike but on average I get around about 200 case out of a tank. That is depending on if I’m doing like stop-start traffic driving like having a hell of a lot of fun in the twisties. Opening up the throttle and just really having a good amount of fun like not even being fuel conservative at all. The tank size is a 17 liter tank so you guys can pretty much do the math. I get around about seven point five eight liters per hundred but normally when the fuel light comes on I’ve done about 200 case out of a tank. I just fill it up and like I said I don’t know how far the reserve can go after that fuel lights on. I have noticed the dr1 when that fuel light comes on it will like coffee so good. I’m riding along and then all of a sudden the outline starts running weird.
I’ve actually heard a few people say that when it switches to reserve or breathe pure light on a cop’s of it and there it goes running fine. We saw it cooked a bit and I look down oh crap this could actually got the fuel light on it does like a coffee. I don’t know for why one’s the hook but my one does it and it makes you look down at the dash. At first I thought it was a mistake but mine just seems to do it every time the few lights comes on.
As for the lighting and stuff on the bike it’s all LED everything on the bike is a lady. The LED indicators in the mirrors it’s got LED headlights low beam high beam it’s got LED indicators in the rear and a single LED light for the tail light. The stop wipe also got LED and the number plate lights as well. I haven’t had to replace any of them I haven’t had to do anything with the lighting and it is more than adequate at night like I don’t have an issue with not seeing stuff. A general rule riding a bike that motorcycle headlights aren’t fantastic but I just ride to my conditions. I find that the lighting is pretty good and it’s definitely better than my r3 with the upgraded headlights.
Now getting onto the tires with the r1 it is fitted from factory fitted with a set of Bridgestone battle-ax RS tens. Now they’re not terrible but I’ve got really nothing to compare them because I haven’t had any other ties on my r1 they do chew up pretty easy. I was really shocked on how easily these tires chew up of hard acceleration runs or a quick mount and runs or something like that and your tires are just chewed they’re like really sticky really gummy.
I don’t know how long they’re gonna last they’ve been on my bike the whole time I’ve had it. I still have a worn amount but then again it’s a secondary bike so I’m not on it all the time talking about the brakes. I wouldn’t say wooden and I wouldn’t say spongy I can’t quite pinpoint the brakes don’t completely bite. It is hard to like throw you over the handlebars they do grab ut it’s a different feel you can engage the ABS. I tested all that out before like the cornering ABS and everything that has ever worked fantastic. The brake lever is adjustable you can adjust it in closer which most sport bikes have.
The clutch is not adjustable the only way is conventional like cable adjustment but you can’t actually adjust the lever in and out. Speaking about the clutch it is a cable clutch is not hydraulic I think it’s fine I can identify the bikes with hydraulic clutches but I think that the r1 is fine. I never get tired of pulling the clutch it’s not a real heavy clutch it actually is quite light in my mind I can mistake it for a hydraulic clutch. It’s not overly crazy the exhaust system has it is a bit interesting because it has a catalytic converter underneath which is a massive sound suppressor and it’s good actually a bimodal.
I call it a bi-modal exhaust because cars have run bimodal exhaust for a long time everything over here in Australia. We’ve got the HSV it runs a bimodal exhaust same with the Falcons and I don’t know if over in America the Corvettes and stuff run bimodal exhaust either mine has the Accra Akrapovic are one designed slip-on on the back of it. It sounds awesome even with that catalytic converter underneath it sounds amazing like I don’t think I’ll get straight through pipe put on it. It’s amazing that engine just thumpin underneath you it sounds amazing and it’s so intoxicating you can’t get enough of it as for like the Darwin Akrapovic slip-on.
I would recommend that I reckon it looks really stylish and I was lucky enough to have mine come standard on it. I didn’t have the standard he’s lost it came in the box with the bike but you know it’s I’ve just had Akrapovic slip-on. Let’s talk about seating and stuff on the r1. The r1 seating position it’s a little bit weird especially with other sports bikes because you don’t feel like you’re floating on top of the bike. The r1 is very different feel it feels like you’re actually sitting on top of the bike like way over the top but it feels like you’re floating on top of the bike and you’re not sitting in the bike. It’s a weird feeling it could be uncomfortable for the first timer.
I rode an r1 since 2015 it feels like you’re just gonna fall off the bike it flips off the bike. But when you take that bike to the twisties or the canyons or wherever you want to take you to realize why the bike is set up that way. It tips into corners just so easy and it’s just so nimble and feels fantastic. As for the seat itself, it is a little bit hard when you’re sitting on it for a short period of time but for long rides, your ass gets into it. For the passenger seat, it is tiny you would never get me sitting on the back.
Apart from the fact it’s like you literally like an angel seat, you were so high in the air but it’s definitely not for me. Carrying people on the back of the r1 isn’t too much of an issue it’s quite stable. In fact I’ve had my partner on the back and it was very stable I didn’t have any issue at all the only issue I had was her hanging on while I’m throttling on which is quite funny.
Let’s talk about storage on the r1 it’s not designed to be a touring bike and carry around your stuff it is dismal you could probably fit a credit card in the back seat. I think that’s the only reason you can remove that rear seat is to put the GPS module that you can purchase which comes out standard. On the r1m you can purchase that and put it under the standard. I think that’s the only reason why that seat is removable is the way the latch mechanism works.
Another storage compartment which is hidden on the throttle side of the bike. It’s like the side fairing at the front and I don’t know how to get into it, you’ve got to remove some clips lift up apart and I think that’s fair like in America just storing your insurance and license and registration. Whatever in there you could probably put something small if you wanted to carry it around but most of the time you’re gonna require a tail bag or a tank bag. If you’re riding around on the r-1 the actual fuel tank again it is an alloy tank so metal or magnetic tank bags might actually work.
You have to use the strap for the tank so that is a little bit bad as well we’re talking about the suspension everyone’s KYB front shocks and rear shock they’re pretty good I haven’t done anything with my bike. I got it set up from the factory for me but other than that I’m a touched or mucked around with the suspension settings I don’t like toying with that sort of stuff. It does everything that I need to do but they are adjustable if you do so choose one to do that and it’s a sports bike like that’s all I can say its suspension is firm. It’s a sports bike literally how they’re meant to be and I’ve had this bike up at reasonable speed. It is just amazing the screen however you will notice that if you’re a taller writer like me I’m six-two you will get the wind straight in your neck so if you don’t have the high rise screen.
I’ve got the standard screen my bike did have the high rise screen but I going to remove it silly I know but we won’t go there yet. The wind comes up and smacks you right in the throat which is a little bit annoying especially when there’s a bee that’s on that wave and the smacks you right in the neck and stings you. The mirrors of R1 they’re not fantastic they’re just typical sportbike mirrors you have them there for a little bit of functionality but they’re not like a car mirror.
You still have to head check when you’re riding bikes to get an idea of what’s behind you. I get uncomfortable on longer rides it’s one of the main things to actually start hurting my wrist pretty quick on the r1. Your wrists really start to hurt and that’s even when you’re waking your weight up with your legs and peeps of people have their own way.
Now I will argue with you in the comment section but on long rides. One if you’re not conditioned for it your wrists will start hurting it took me a little while to sort of getting used to that. One of the problems you do have it with the r-1. Another problem that I had is I get my lakes to get very cramped up after a long period of time as well because you’re in that racing position your legs are up high you scrunched. You’re hunched over the back but it’s sustainable it’s not terrible to the point they absolutely hate it. I’ve had enough I need to stop for a beer but once you stop for a bit you completely fine but the fantastic part about it is it has the big tank so you can pretty much lean on the tank and you get a little bit more comfortable. Another thing that a lot of people ask me about is doing the bike gets very hot the r-1 gets warm that’s a thing that I’ve said about the heroin for a long time it doesn’t get as hot as what the Jew caddie got the underslung exhaust that went under the seat it was shocking.
I’m pretty sure the 2009 r1 we’re pretty bad for that with the exhaust under the backseat. No one gets warm around the engine obviously it’s a thousand CC sports bike. They get hot especially when they’re sitting they don’t overheat I haven’t had mine overheat or even get remotely. It has thermo fans coming on but it doesn’t get remotely to the point that it’s cooking itself or anything like that you do on warm days. I’ve got to get the air flowing around me because this thing is hot but in winter it is fantastic because you can actually put your hands down on the side of the engine and keep your hands warm which is pretty good.
Power wise the r1 just like a lot of sports bikes is fantastic with the aspect of it has power in any gear. It’s not like a 600 you don’t need to bump it down to three gears this thing is amazing like it just has power. You can pull on the power it’s there you don’t need to worry about you could take off in sixth gear. From a standstill start but like you could be cruising on the freeway in sixth gear and just throttle line and your bike would just pull away and go. Soon enough you’ll be doing well and truly over the spearmint and he’ll be going to come.
I’m going that quick but it’s fantastic freeway because although it’s really solid in the wind. It handles like a 600 it is a very light thousand cc bike it is surprisingly a lot like a six hundred it shocked me when I rode it. First time ever riding it and then jumping to the r6 and I’m like bloody hell the r1 is like very nimble. Everyone told me that a thousand CCS are like really heavy and stuff along those lines. The new r1 is a heavy bike don’t get me wrong it’s not super light but it’s very nimble when you’re riding it. You can pick it up and flick it left and right like super easy and I don’t know what that would be like for the smaller guys but for me being a bigger dude I don’t have an issue. I can pick up and flick around my old mans Zedeck seminar which is a really heavy bike in comparison but for a commuting aspect, I don’t see any issues are like insurance for it.
Insurance now is a little bit different in countries and different states. Every insurance company is all different but as a general rule, it is expensive for an r1 insurance. Obviously, this does depend on the age of the rider and how long they’ve been riding. and stuff but and don’t bother asking how much I pay. The r1 is a little bit expensive and the other thing that it comes down to as well is obviously registrations that’s to be expected doesn’t matter what Supersport you get.
You’re gonna be paying that sort of price it is more expensive than my 300 for registration but obviously different countries and states I love it everything I’ve used it for I’ve had a blast on it. The only concern I have is possibly losing my license because it is seriously quick and it doesn’t so easy. The final verdict guys do I recommend the Yamaha r1 yeah I would I reckon it’s a fantastic bike I really do and having it for some time and riding it and having it in multiple conditions like even warm weather cold weather. Ridden it when I’m tired and fatigued and things along those lines. I honestly think it’s a fantastic bike anyway guys if you have any questions about the r1 I’m hoping this video helps you it is a little bit of a lengthy video I didn’t want it to go super long.
