Yamaha unveils 2002 R1

Yamaha unveiled the 2002 R1 at an exclusive launch party in Milan on Monday night.

The shape may be familiar but don’t let that fool you into thinking that the 2002 R1 is just last year’s bike with a new fairing. This is a totally new R1. Sharper, lighter and faster.

Yamaha UK spokesman Dan Harris, who has raced at British Superbike level, has already ridden the new R1 in secret development tests.

” It is so much better. The bike is far more flickable as well as being more stable both in corners and in a straight line. Also because it is so user friendly you can get the power on so much earlier in a corner. ” he claimed.

This improved level of balance has been achieved with an all-new Deltabox III frame. Made of aluminium the new chassis retains the old bikes 1395mm wheel base but incorporates the engine far more as a stressed member. According to Yamaha this gives it 30 per cent more ridgity.

As well as improving the strength of the chassis the engine mounting points have been moved. The motor now sits 20mm higher in the frame, which should help speed up the handling. Yamaha has also followed the lead of its R7 race bike and painted it black.

While the length of the swingarm remains the same as last year, 582mm, it is all-new. Raised by 17.5mm in the chassis, to accommodate the engine’s new position, the swingarm is stiffer. Handling has also been improved with the swingarm slant angle increased to 11.8 degrees.

As well as altering the chassis to speed up the handling of the bike, Yamaha has replaced the original 41mm forks with massive 43mm inverted items. This will cut down on flex during braking but without increasing weight. The wall thickness of the tubes is reduced from 2mm to 1.75mm to save pounds. Stiffer fork springs mean that the travel has been cut by 15mm to reduce brake dive.

To give the rider better feel when the bike turns into corners the new R1 has a fork offset of 25mm, 10mm shorter than the 2001 R1 and the same as the R7 race bike. Trail has been increased to 103mm from 92mm to help stability.

The rear shock has only slight changes to its damping to compensate for the new swingarm. However new lighter wheels should help the suspension work more efficiently and optimise its damping.

While the engine remains the same 998cc DOHC 5-valve per-head motor as last year it has a new fuelling system. Gone are the carbs, replaced with a brand new fuel injection system.

Yamaha have used technology gained from their race teams to create a new type of injector with a vacuum controlled intake system. Sensors measure the air temperature and pressure, atmospheric pressure, coolant temperature, rpm and throttle position. This data is then fed into an ECU which adjusts the injectors to deliver the optimum amount of fuel. But in addition vacuum pressure from the intake ports control special pistons in the throttle bodies which adjust the airflow giving better control at low revs, the area where injection systems are often accused of being jerky.

The new forward facing air box is not pressurised, as many expected, but instead relies on the air’s temperature to help the engine. As it doesn’t have to travel around the engine, as on the rear facing 2001 bike’s airbox, the air is cooler which improves the high-rpm characteristics of the engine.

Yamaha have retained their EXUP valve, with slight modifications, and titanium exhaust system but have changed its pattern from 4 into 2 into 1 to 4 into 1, saving 1kg (2.2lb).

However despite these changes power is only fractionally up on last years R1. Yamaha claim the new bike produces just 3bhp more with 153bhp at the crank. Torque is up by 2ftlb to 84ftlb.

Harris said: ” Tuning firms have proved that there is loads of power that can be gained from the motor. Figures of over 160bhp would have been easy, but we believe that creating a more user-friendly bike was more important. ”

Tipping the scales at 174kg (382lb) the new bike is just 1kg (2.2lb) lighter than the current model. However with the changes to the frame and geometry it is likely to feel considerably lighter.

The R1’s one-piece four piston calipers have new aluminium pistons and sintered pads as well as a new hose design.

The new bodywork gives the bike a very pointed look with its sharp lines and exposed engine cases. The seat unit is also new and has been sculpted to help the rider move around the bike, as has the tank, while altered footrests and handlebars adjust the riding position slightly.

Other neat new touches include a new LED rear light, an improved gearshift mechanism and a shift indicator lamp that can be adjusted to suit your riding style.

Available in three colours silver, red/white or blue the bike is expected to be in showroom early in the new year with an initial price tag of around £8900.

Compare the 2002 R1 with our artist’s impression and check out what else we know about the new bikes of 2002 by browsing our LATEST ON NEW BIKES section, accessed from the menu, top, left.

See this story and more from Milan in MCN, published on Wednesday, September 19.