Rolling on five-spoke alloy wheels, in place of last year’s three-spoke design, they are not the same as the R6, even if they look alike. For our testing in Australia, these were wrapped in premium Michelin Pilot Sport rubber: Street compound in the morning, race compound in the afternoon. No complaints from me about the tyres, although if I was doing track days I would definitely fit the race compounds. They are just so much better at dealing with the big Yamaha’s phenomenal power and give so much more confidence. Interestingly, some suspension adjustments were made for the race compound tires and the rear compression was actually relaxed a few turns. 

Heading out for the first warm up lap, I would have guessed the suspension had been tightened up, as it felt less compliant: Due no doubt to the firmer construction of the tyre sidewalls.

Up front, a five-spoke wheel is also used, held in place by the 43mm Kayaba forks. These have a stronger spring rate and more compression adjustment than last year. As with the rear shock, I certainly felt no need to make any changes and was just amazed at the way the forks behaved. Clamping down on the brakes at triple digit speeds, gave no unsettling dive, and letting off as I pitched into the waiting corner the bike remained totally stable. Diving into turn-one at over 200kph, the rough track had the bike bucking around some. The forks just sucked up the bumps, kept the front tyre where on line, and allowed me to rail through without drama.

Putting the front forks through their paces at the end of the straights, the new radial brakes also borrow from Yamaha’s GP race program. I think I have run out of superlatives to describe the way these things work. What I can say is how easy they are to use. There is no take up period followed by a huge rush of stopping power. They just start working, and the more you pull the more constant, predictable braking power you get. I did find the thickness of the lever strange, as it seemed to me that it should be thinner in keeping with the rest of the bike’s featherweight proportions. It is multi adjustable by a trick adjuster knob that winds in or out, not in the usual circular fashion, and the lever now pushes on a 2mm larger radial piston.

Down at the business end, the Sumitomo four-piston calipers now have two mounting brackets to eliminate any flex. These bite on thinner rotors, although for this year they have been enlarged from 298mm to 320mm. In the rear, Yamaha has changed the dual piston caliper to a single piston Nissin version to save weight. I didn’t use it on the track, but it works fine on the street, with plenty of feel and a useful amount of travel before it locks up.