Yamaha YZF-R1 made its debut more than two decades ago in 1998 and since then, it has been every boys dream motorcycle. The super sport bike has been gradually evolving with new technology and is more advanced than its previous models, obviously. Since 2015, which is the latest generation bike, it has not seen many changes. But it is expected that Yamaha will develop a Euro-5 compliant model soon to be launched in 2021.
Rumours are that Yamaha will not only be upgrading the R1 but also be completely redesigning the bike and adding latest technology developed from the MotoGp YZR-M1 race bike. On the outside, the new YZF-R1 will receive new aerodynamic design and body components similar to the MotoGp prototype. The engine will still remain the inline 4-cylinder crossplane motor similar to the current model but updated with a counter-rotating crankshaft, as seen on the Ducati Panigale V4, which will allow the bike to accelerate faster without losing traction and will also help in keeping the nose down without having to rely on electronic wheelie and traction control units.
Yamaha may also use seamless gearbox technology which is used in MotoGp racing and allows the rider to change gears without having to cut power to the engine which means that the bike will not destabilize while shifting even in during cornering. Seamless gearboxes require a lot of maintenance and during a race, they are taken apart after every race, something which is not sustainable for everyday use. We wonder how this will be implemented
The current Yamaha YZF-R1 is powered by a forward inclined, inline 4-cylinder, liquid-cooled DOHC motor with crossplane crankshaft producing 200 PS of Power @ 13,500 RPM and 112.4 Nm of torque @ 11,500 RPM mated to a constant mesh 6-speed transmission with Quick Shift System (QSS) which offers clutchless upshifting and downshifting.
The 2021 Yamaha YZF-R1 is expected to be showcased later this year or early next year.