The Yamaha YZF-R1, or R1, is an open class sport bike, or superbike, motorcycle made by Yamaha from 1998 through the current 2020 model.
Yamaha launched the YZF-R1 in 1998 after redesigning the Genesis engine to create a more compact engine by raising the gearbox input shaft and allowing the gearbox output shaft to be placed beneath it. This “stacked gearbox” was followed by other manufacturers. Compacting the engine made it much shorter, allowing the wheelbase to be shortened as well and the center of gravity to be optimized. The swingarm could be made longer without compromising the overall wheelbase, which was a short 1,385 mm (54.5 in). Four 40 mm Keihin CV carburetors fed fuel to the engine.
The R1 was also equipped with a 41 mm KYB upside-down front fork and 300 mm semi-floating disc brakes. The instrument panel was electronic, with a self diagnosis system and digital speed readout. The exhaust used Yamaha’s Exhaust Ultimate Power Valve (EXUP) system, which controlled exhaust gas flow to maximize engine power production at all revs, resulting in a high-power and high-torque engine.
Motorcycle Consumer News tests of the 1998 model year YZF-R1 yielded a 0 to 60 mph (0 to 97 km/h) time of 2.96 seconds and 0 to 100 mph (0 to 161 km/h) of 5.93 seconds, a 0 to 1⁄4 mi (0.00 to 0.40 km) time of 10.19 seconds at 131.40 mph (211.47 km/h), and a top speed of 168 mph (270 km/h), with deceleration from 60 to 0 mph (97 to 0 km/h) of 113.9 ft (34.7 m).
For the 1999 model year, Cycle World tests recorded a 0 to 60 mph (0 to 97 km/h) time of 3.0 seconds, 0 to 1⁄4 mi (0.00 to 0.40 km) time of 10.31 seconds at 139.55 mph (224.58 km/h), and a top speed of 170 mph (270 km/h).
