Alright, let me break down how I went after the speed demon itself, the new Yamaha R1, yesterday. I just had to know, right from the seat, how quick this thing really is. Spec sheets? Yeah, they say stuff. But feeling it? That’s the truth.
Getting Set Up & First Impressions
First things first, I hauled the R1 over to this long, straight stretch of tarmac I know. Private land, obviously – gotta play safe. Tires? Made sure they were warmed up good, pressure checked cold. Even kicked the suspension around a bit. The new KYB forks felt solid right away, and those gold bits? Yeah, they look sharp under the sun. Fired it up… man, that crossplane sound never gets old. Deep, angry burble right off idle.
Pin the Throttle – Acceleration Test
Stopped the bike. Deep breath. Clicked it into first. Gave the throttle a quick, hard twist and dumped the clutch – whoa! The front end got real light for a split second before the electronics (thank god) stepped in to keep it down. Leaned forward, hugging the tank.
- First Gear: Slammed through it almost instantly. That 998cc four-cylinder just GOES. Felt like a punch in the gut.
- Shifting: Grabbed second using the quickshifter – smooth as butter, barely any cut. Then third, fourth… the bike just kept pulling. Hard. Like it was hungry.
- Mid-Range Surge: Hit around 8,000 rpm in fifth and sixth… damn! It felt like another wave of power smashed into me. Everything blurs past crazy fast.
Chasing the Top End
Got into sixth gear. Tucked in as low as I could get – gotta cheat that wind. Pinned it again. Watched the numbers on the TFT dash climb.
- 180 km/h… 220 km/h… 260 km/h… The wind noise was a roar. Felt solid underneath me, no wobbles, no shakes. Just planted.
- Peak Rush: Crested somewhere past 180 horsepower zone. Felt utterly relentless. That wind hitting my chest? Like trying to push a brick wall off the bike.
- The Big Number: Finally saw it climb past 290 km/h on the dash before I had to start shutting down for the run-off area. Never felt sketchy. Just focused on holding tight. That speed? Unreal.
Hitting the Brakes – Testing the Anchors
Ok, so going fast is one thing. Stopping? That’s where it gets real. At triple digit speed, squeezed those Brembo Stylema calipers HARD.
- Initial Bite: Jaw-dropping. Felt like hitting an invisible wall. The ABS grumbled a tiny bit through the lever.
- Stability: Held dead straight. No drama, no swerving. Just hauling down, fast. Those new forks? Soaked it up good.
Wrapping My Head Around It All
Rolled back slowly, engine ticking as it cooled. Mind racing faster than the bike just was. This R1? It’s not just fast. It’s smart fast.
- Electronics are Secret Sauce: All those acronyms – traction control, slide control, lift control. Felt them humming quietly in the background the whole time, keeping me rubber-side-down without feeling like it was holding my hand too much. Impressive.
- Corner Tech: Didn’t push the lean angles super hard on this run, but even little dips into corners felt sharp and precise. The carbon bit they added? Who knows if it did much, but it looks mean.
- Pure Machine: It demands respect. That power needs room to breathe, proper technique to handle. It ain’t forgiving if you mess up.
Final verdict? It’s freaking fast. Faster than any sane person needs on the street. Way faster than I’ll ever truly use. But the feeling it gives you? Man, that 299 km/h sensation… that stays with you. Yamaha built a serious weapon with this one. Scary good.
