IT’S easy to become a little jaded in this job. If you’re riding bikes constantly, their novelty can wear off a bit. But every so often something comes along and makes you feel like an excited teenager all over again. Yamaha’s 2009-spec R1 is one such thing.

It’s one of the most anticipated bikes of the year, and with all the hype that surrounds it , boosted hugely by Ben Spies’ outstanding early success in World Superbike, I couldn’t wait to ride the superbike. Feeling jaded suddenly felt very much a thing of the past!

Seeing the R1 for the first time in the flesh didn’t really get my heart racing. It’s a decent looking bike for sure, but nothing exactly outstanding. Its aggressive ‘face’, build quality and general shape are all attractive, but I’m not sure whether there’s enough different about it to turn heads. What does set it apart though, and what is debatably the Yamaha’s main draw, is its engine.

Fire it up and the unique growl from its pipes is unlike anything else on the market, though it is very similar to the noise made by one of the most famous race bikes out there , Valentino Rossi’s M1 racebike. That shouldn’t be any surprise really as the R1′s ‘crossplane’ crankshaft has been inspired by the Italian’s Grand Prix machine. The uneven firing order it generates is the reason the road bike sounds very similar to his racer. But more importantly, the crank arrangement is also why the R1 delivers its power in the special and very effective way it does.

Most in line four cylinder bikes, even the big capacity ones, have plenty of low down torque. But there’s a certain softness to their initial drive at slower engine speeds. Add more revs and that acceleration becomes harder, as the effort of all four pistons combines to deliver their real meat. On this year’s R1 though, there’s already a noticeably harder edge to the delivery at low revs. Not quite as strong or explosive as a big V-twin’s, there’s still definitely a tempered version of the immediacy typical of those engines in evidence. It’s a sharp, yet friendly pick up that’s easily good enough to fire the Yamaha strongly from a standstill, even considering the very tall first gear ratio. And thanks to the civilised manners, you can get on the power earlier and not fret about it. It’s a truly superb engine that pulls with just the same useful strength in the rest of the gears. Make no mistake though, even though the motor might sound and feel lazy, it’s always capable of making some serious speed.

Along with the distinctive sound and manners, the in line four still has the same rush when you do rev it a lot harder. And when the tacho hits 10,000rpm, suddenly all the lazy, easy-going performance is replaced by a very strong charge so typical of a four cylinder motor. There’s a super-thrilling buzz on offer when you cane it this hard, and instantly creates a ‘god, I love this bike’ feeling. And that’s the real beauty. The engine has the lazy, usable punch of a twin and then the manic, ‘hang on tight’ scream of a four. The R1 might now have the shortest stroke engine in the big sportsbike class, but in no way is it peaky. It’s utterly fantastic to sample at all rpm. And if you ever want or need to tame things a little, there’s a three-position power mode switch that can alter the pace at which all the potential is delivered. ‘A’ is very sharp, ‘Standard’ is how I tried it virtually all the time, and ‘B’ is softer; useful to the less experienced or in poor weather.

Just as brilliant as the engine, is the Yamaha’s chassis which seems to easily cope with all the horsepower the motor makes. Given just how potent it is, all components are expected to do a hell of a lot. But in the same, almost relaxed and highly commendable way the engine produces the goods, the chassis also lets you explore its considerable capabilities without ever generating any panic.

The balance of the frame geometry, weight and its distribution, suspension and brakes is nothing short of superb – as is their capability individually. I took my time on the bike for the first few miles, but little by little its poised and planted feel encouraged me to feed in more and more speed. When I started opening the throttle butterflies with a bit more urgency (something I could witness from the novel digital readout on the dash which shows just how much throttle you’re using) my confidence remained totally intact. By now I was starting to think the R1 was easily matching all its hype. And it just got better and better.

Apart from the engine, and the chassis capability generally, the steering is what I think sets this bike apart. Feeling so sharp, precise and direct it feels like you’re holding the wheel spindle itself. It seems to track your chosen line in a laser-guided fashion, and though under very hard acceleration over bumpy roads the front end starts to shake slightly (before the speed-sensitive damper quickly calms it) you soon develop complete and utter faith in its ability to steer you exactly where you want to head. Great fork action maintains the solid, almost glue-like feel and after a while you get the impression you’ll never lose front end adhesion. Even using the power of the very impressive brakes, which have plenty of feel and progression to match their strength, can’t seem to trouble either the front suspension or indeed the rest of the bike.

To be honest I’d like to take the Yamaha out on track before I passed a final verdict on how well it handles, but I’ve every confidence it’ll be a lot better than me. In the meantime I’ll remain bowled over by just how special it feels , all of the time.

Even when I got caught in rush hour traffic on London’s orbital motorway, the M25, and then in some heavy congestion in and out of Oxford, the bike still continued to impress hugely. I’d expected to find it a bit uncomfortable at slower speeds, with some testers telling me it can feel a bit ‘wristy’ thanks to its low-slung bars. But though I’m quite sensitive to too much of a ‘bum up’ stance, I had no worries at all with this bike. And even when I was cruising along a boring stretch of dual-carriageway, I found the fairing and screen offer a lot more protection than expected. It’s no tourer, but I’d ended up doing well over two hundred miles on my first day on the Yamaha, and felt no worse for wear at all.

It was during my 30-mile stint on my homeward trip that I found myself most thrilled by this exceptional bike though. With most of the traffic gone and the sun starting to set, howling along a familiar stretch of backroad let me enjoy the highly impressive cocktail of ace engine, brakes and suspension more fully. And because of the noise, reputation, and the downright brilliant performance of this very special bike, the thrill of it all was over far too soon. I actually felt unhappy to arrive home. Clocking up another 600miles in the following days soon got me smiling again though.

It’s been a long time since I’ve been fired up by a bike even before I rode it, and even longer since one satisfied me as much as this superbike did. Only time will tell if it’s considered the new king of the crop, but in my book it already is , just like it was when it first came out in 1998. Eleven thousand pounds is a hell of a lot to ask for a motorcycle, but this one is arguably worth even more than that. I think it’s a truly exceptional machine, and a lot more than just a brilliant sportsbike.

SPECIFICATIONS

YAMAHA YZF-R1

ENGINE

Type: 998cc, liquid cooled, sixteen-valve, dohc, inline four

Maximum power: 182bhp @ 12,500rpm

Maximum torque: 85lb/ft @ 10,000rpm

Transmission: six speed

Final drive: chain

CHASSIS/COMPONENTS

Frame: Alloy twin spar

Suspension:

Front: 43mm inverted telescopic forks, fully adjustable

Rear: rising-rate monoshock, fully adjustable

Brakes:

Front: twin 310mm discs with six piston radial calipers

Rear: single 220mm disc with twin-piston caliper

Tyres:

Front: 120/70 -17

Rear: 190/55 -17

DIMENSIONS/CAPACITY

Seat height: 835mm

Wheelbase: 1415mm

Claimed wet weight: 206kg

Fuel capacity: 18 litres

DETAILS:

Price: 10,999

Contact: 01932 358000, www.yamaha-motor.co.uk

MOTORCYCLE journalist extraordinaire and one of the most respected bike testers in the business Chris ‘Mossy’ Moss supplies reviews of the latest motorbikes on CIA Motorcycle Insurance.

Is a Fixed Gear Bike and a Road Bike Different?

IF they are different, Do Fixed gear bikes cost more?
whats the difference?

im thinking about getting another.

Answer
A fixed gear bike may or may not be a road bike. Traditionally, most of them are, but fixed gear mtn bikes and cyclo-cross type bikes have recently become more popular and are probably more common. Fixed gear bikes were originally mainly designed for velodrome racing where braking is not as important and allowed for trackstands to be done, etc. They have now spread to the other branches of cycling. Cyclists sometimes use fixed gear bikes as an alternative method of training.

The cost is usually less, but they are generally harder to find. Your selection will be less with a fixed gear.

The difference between the two is that on a fixed gear bike, the pedals rotate at all times, even when “coasting”. To brake, one puts reverse pressure on the pedal stroke. It is possible to install normal hand-brakes as well, though most don’t come this way originally. Fixed gear track frames normally are not set up to accomodate hand brakes and don’t have the brake mounting bosses on the frame and fork..

Note that this is different than a single-speed or “coaster” type bike, that does allow you to stop pedalling, but only has one gear.

Of course, with a fixed gear bike one has only one choice of gear, so hills can be a problem.