The first surprise came when we rolled up our '09 Yamaha R1 test bike onto our digital scales fully fueled and ready to ride. As the numbers settled down on the Intercomp digital readout, we did a double-take at what the LCD display was showing: 477 pounds. Um, wait a minute…477 pounds? That's eight pounds heavier than the previous porker of the class, the '08 Suzuki GSX-R1000, and a stunning 13 pounds heavier than the previous generation R1. How could that be?
The next shocker came when we strapped the '09 R1 down onto our Superflow Dyno and the computer screen showed a peak horsepower figure of 146.3 at 11,500 rpm. Hold on a second, only 146 horsepower? That's more than 14 horsepower down on the '08 Kawasaki ZX-10R, and six horsepower less than the previous R1. While we'd felt that the '09 R1 seemed down on top-end compared to the previous model, we didn't think it was down that much.
So simply judging by the numbers, the new R1 must be an absolute pig of a literbike that can barely get out of its own way, right?
Wrong. After being so impressed on the racetrack during our brief exposure to the new R1 at the world press launch in Australia ("Game Changer," May '09), it was difficult not to think that its innovative design would transform the Yamaha's street manners as well. And several weeks spent living with the new Yamaha on a daily basis showed jumping to conclusions based on just a spec sheet can be a mistake of tremendous proportions.