At a glance the 2018 Yamaha YZF-R1 has very little changes and continues somewhat with the same design language with the M1 inspired front sporting the LED DRLs and headlamp. The new colours do add a refreshing touch though. Under the fairing, the same 998cc cross-plane, 4-cylinder, 4-valve engine continues to serve purpose. The engine has been derived from the YZR-M1 MotoGP bike and is tuned to deliver an impressive 197bhp. The chassis remains the same as well sporting a long swingarm, magnesium rear frame and magnesium wheels.
This 2018 Yamaha R1 gets a new Quick Shift System (QSS), which offers quicker changes through the gears without using the clutch. There is also the new lift control system which uses the 6-axis ECU to calibrate adequate power delivery to the rear in order to avoid unintentional wheelies. The 2018 R1 comes with a kerb weight of 199 kg, which gives it a fantastic power-to-weight ratio.
The 2018 Yamaha R1’s motor also comes with a higher compression ratio of 01:01 per cylinder head, and comes with titanium con rods and forged aluminium pistons. A large 10.5 litre air box feeds the engine with air via the central air inlet, which can be electronically controlled using the Yamaha Chip Controlled Intake YCC-I) funnels. This allows for more useable performance on the bike.
