Killer Bee
KILLER Bee
CW RIDING IMPRESSION
Crawdads are cool, but Yamaha's Limited Edition YZF-R1 has quite a sting
MARK HOYER
"Yamaha will only have one yellow/ black YZF-R1 LE for photos and video. If it is damaged, its ‘game over’ as we do not have spare bodywork."
Never did the words of our Yamaha PR rep ring louder than when the bars of the Limited Edition YZF-R1 started to cross after I ran wide in Circuit de Catalunya's Turn 3 and hit a damp spot on the track.
But almost as soon as front end traction was gone, it returned, and in such a swift, gentle and sure way I didn’t even have time to scream like a little girl.
It was all so shocking that I stayed on the gas too long for the next corner and got in a little hot. Hurried downshifts followed a mondo grab on the front brake and a less-than-coordinated release of the clutch. The back end got light and stepped out, but the break in rear traction was utterly predictable, smooth and controllable, almost to the point that it may have appeared it was my intent to smear my way into the corner. Better still, when I flicked it right and committed to the turn, the chassis instantly settled and the bike dived toward the apex with nary a wiggle.
And so the virtues of Öhlins suspension and a slipper clutch were illuminated in the space of less than 15 seconds. And perhaps the virtues of luck. You’ll have to get your own dose of the latter element, but those special parts-plus forged-aluminum Marchesini wheels and a few other key details-set apart the 2006 YZF-R1 LE from the standard model.
“The LE is the ultimate expression of Yamaha’s design and engineering competence,” said Senior Engineer and Project Leader Makoto Shimamoto. “We wanted increased performance and controllability with a superb chassis and top-level components. We used input from our World Superbike teams specifically to improve comer entry and exit.”
I felt like thanking Mr. Shimamoto for my total lack of crashing after the earlier on-track antics, but not cartwheeling his pride and joy was probably thanks enough.
While the LE and standard R1 are not all-new models in the same vein as the redone YZF-R6, significant changes have been made.
The most fundamental was in the Deltabox twinspar aluminum frame. Torsional rigidity of the chas sis in the area between the engine mounts and steering head was decreased, while the engine mounts themselves were made stiffen The slight increase in frame flex is countered by the stiffer (and slightly heavier) Öhlins fork and new lower triple-clamp.
At the rear, the swingarm is . 8-inch longer, leading to a like increase in wheelbase to 55.7 inches and a slightly greater front weight bias. The 24-degree rake and 3.8-inch trail are unchanged, while claimed dry weight is 384 pounds, up slightly thanks to the heavier suspension and slipper clutch.
Track time was limited by foul weather, so playing with suspension settings wasn’t possible. There is plenty to play with, too. The 43mm inverted fork and shock have both highand low-speed compression-damping adjustment to go along with the usual spring-preload and rebound-damping tweaks. Additionally, the bottom link for the shock features a threaded rod that allows 10mm of ride-height adjustment.
If this smells like race-kit stuff, well, consider also the use of Pirelli Diablo Corsas, the same tire brand that provides the spec racing tire to the World Superbike championship. And you know that Yamaha’s AMA factory roadrace team will roll on race-prepped Superstock LEs for the 2006 season.
No doubt the LE is going to be a formidable platform, and the mere existence of this bike signals a return of greater focus to production-based Superbike racing, at least at the world level.
All these fancy parts and sticky tires allied well with the increased engine performance while railing around a mostly dry Circuit de Catalunya. Claimed output from the fuel-injected 998cc engine is increased to 175 crank horsepower, up by 3 hp. The only power-related mechanical changes were the use of 15 percent shorter intake-valve guides that protrude less into the new smoothed ports, allowing improved airflow. Fuel and ignition mapping were also altered in part to help peak power but also to increase controllability. The Rl already had one of the nicest torque curves in its class, free of the spike we came to know and love/hate way back on the first 1998 model. It was a thrill when the engine suddenly “turned on” in the midrange, but it made that first-generation bike more difficult to control on the track. We’ll take the linear surge of the current fourth generation any day.
The overriding impression the LE leaves you with after hot-lapping is that of flexibility. Traction feel is excellent, stability superb (there is a steering damper), and yet directional changes (thanks in part, no doubt, to the 10-percent lighter forged-aluminum wheels) are super easy. Chassis behavior is neutral, and the bike continues to turn even if you have to roll off the throttle mid-corner to scrub speed. When you hit your apex and roll on the gas, liter-bike warp drive is engaged and before you know it, it’s time to lay your hand on those awesome four-piston radial-mount brakes again. The Rl gives you both choices in line and the ability to recover from mistakes, as I had discovered earlier in the day.
And what about the standard Rl? Rain ended our day before we got any hot laps. No doubt it has benefited from the revamp, as it has similar frame modifications, the longer swingarm (but no ride-height adjustment), massaged motor and its own upgraded fork. But like all manufacturers, Yamaha has to tread the fine line between cost and performance. How great can you make your liter-class sportbike and still sell it for the same or less money than the competition? With the LE, Yamaha was able to throw cost out the window and set itself free from the normal pricing confines-at least for 500 units, each one numbered and commemorated with a special plaque affixed to the top triple-clamp.
As of this writing, neither price nor availability of the LE or standard Rl were released. As one industry insider put it, “All the Japanese manufacturers are basically trying to latebrake each other. Nobody wants to tip their hand early.”
And so? The LE-available only in the yellow/black 50th Anniversary paint scheme-is likely to be closer to $20,000 than $15K. That’s not quite 50 percent more money than what the standard version will go for (available in the same paint scheme as well as blue or black). But for that money it’s like a half-price MV Agusta Tamburini or Jamie James special. Luck isn’t included, so make sure you don’t get #013. Racing derived parts and awesome suspension are great, but I’d pay extra for LE #007.
