Yamaha’s new R1 for 2004

These are the first pictures of Yamaha’s new R1, the first production bike to burst through the 1bhp per kg barrier.

As revealed in MCN last month the 2004 R1 has been influenced by the styling of the MV Agusta F4, but underneath the sleek fairing the bike is a leap forward in engineering, with a specification that reads more like a MotoGP bike than a mass-produced road machine.

The 2004 model is the first R1 to boast a ram-air system that forces cold air into the engine. The all-new engine produces a claimed 172bhp which is raised even further to 180bhp at higher speeds when the ram-air has full effect. And with a weight of just 172kg the Yamaha is the first bike to boast a power to weight ratio of greater than 1bhp/kg.

The chassis and engine layout have been derived directly from the firm’s YZR-M1 MotoGP bike and the new frame is claimed to be twice as stiff as the current model while being 70mm narrower.

The narrower frame has been achieve with the help of the brand new engine which, although superficially similar to the 2003 model, has been completely revised for 2004. It’s cylinders are angled further forward allowing it to hang beneath the frame rather than between the spars.

Like the new Fazer FZ6, revealed in MCN three weeks ago, the R1 gets an underseat exhaust system that tidies up the back end and improves aerodynamics and Yamaha says that the system has been tuned to make the most appealing sound as well.

Check out this week’s MCN, out September 10, for six full pages of details on the new R1 plus we reveal Honda’s new Fireblade and MV Agusta’s new 1000cc F4.