YAMAHA R1 (2012 - 2014) Review

Not much has changed with the 2012 Yamaha R1 - remaining largely the same as the 2009 version. The big news was it gained a six-stage traction control system, incorporating anti-wheelie in its two most intrusive levels. It also got a restyled nose, a slotted YZR-M1-style (the firm's MotoGP bike) top yoke and a longer, softer rear shock.

• Related: 2020-on Yamaha R1 review

The changes weren’t enough to compete with the new-generation of hardcore superbikes, like the BMW S1000RR, Aprilia RSV4 and Kawasaki ZX-10R on-track, but the Yamaha is arguably a better road bike from this period.

It’s smooth, grunty, fast, roomy and comfortable and now has the added safety of traction control, which works superbly. It’s expensive, which is why we’ve downgraded it down from five, to four stars.

Considering buying a used one? Don't miss our expert guide to second hand Yamaha R1s!

Compared to many of today’s 600-sized hardcore 1000s, the R1 is big and heavy, partly down to the large crank and balancer shaft, which is needed due to the bike's irregular firing order. the engine also produces plenty of inertia, which makes the steering feel slow and predicatble and unlike a modern-day litre bike.

Alongside this, the bike came with a conservative suspension set-up and average sports tyres, too. Fit some sticky rubber and dial in the suspension to make it steer quicker and the R1 is insanely fast.

It can hold its own at tight tracks against any of its rivals, but struggles with speed along long straights. Compared to the BMW S1000RR of the day, the R1 didn't feel as powerful, however the crossplane crank motor means plenty of grunt low-down, making it a much better road bike than many of its rivals - not to mention offering the best soundtrack, too.

It’s very easy to ride fast or slow and is very comfy too, with the most legroom of any of the 1000s of the day. Plenty of engine braking from its V4-like characteristics also mean it was easy to back in to corners, too.

With its crossplane crank and irregular firing order layout, the 998cc inline-four-cylinder engine is almost vibe-free, despite its rumbling exhaust note and has the linear power delivery of an electric motor, the grunt of a V-twin and the free-wheeling engine braking of a two-stroke.

It’s a riot of contradictions and it seems you either gel with it or you don’t. It doesn’t have masses of power at high rpm and its speed comes from its acceleration out of corners and the ease in which you can get on the throttle, even on full-lean.

Try and rev the R1 like a conventional inline four and it feels painfully slow. In most occasions you need to ride a gear higher than you think and use the engine’s low-down power to go fast. In saying that, it has a very tall first gear, so you can use the bottom gear more than you would normally.

Build quality and reliability is top notch, but R1s have particularly grabby clutches and owners do pick up on it as a let-down of the bike.

That said, MCN has run a crossplane crank R1 on its long term test fleet since 2009 and it’s clocked up over 40,000-miles with no problems. You can see more about the bike below:

The cost of the Yamaha YZF-R1 rose from £9999 to nearly £14,000 in the three years leading up to this model, making it the most expensive Japanese superbike money could buy (at the time).

A price-tag similar to European exotica

It was a price-tag that placed it firmly in the ballpark of European exotica. You could argue that we’ve had it too good for too long, if you consider the R1 was nine grand when it was first released in 1998, and this is how much a performance bike like this should really cost.

This price has only increased since then, with a 2018 standard bike costing £16,499 and the more exclusive R1M costing £20,199.

The new traction control system is based on Yamaha’s MotoGP bike, albeit a far simpler, less adjustable version. It doesn’t have an internal gryo, just sensors to keep an eye on front and rear wheel speed, but it works remarkably well.

It’s very intrusive in the highest of its six settings, so it’s perfect for tricky conditions – it stops wheelies, too. For track riding, you can turn the traction control down, via buttons on the left handlebar (like the Aprilia RSV4 APRC), and the system won’t get in the way of fast riding, only chiming in to help you when things get really out of shape.

The R1 also has three electronic riding modes, radial brakes, adjustable suspension, ride-by-wire and electronic, variable height inlet trumpets.

Continued development

Since then, the R1 has gone on to adopt a fully-adjustable KYB rear shock and 43mm upside forks. The front wheel spindle is also now 3mm bigger for extra rigidity and for the first time the Yamaha has cast magnesium wheels.

The machine is also smaller, more compact than older R1s and feels more like an R6 flicking in and out of the corners. Electronically-assisted linked brakes (and ABS) provide superb stopping power and for the first time the R1 has steel braided lines, but it doesn’t have the initial bite of a good Brembo set-up.