Not content with fly by wire throttle and new four valve heads; Yamaha has added another interesting system to their new technological masterpiece. Known as YCC-I (Yamaha chip controlled intake), variable length intake stacks give the bike 140mm intakes to boost low-end power. Then when the revs rise to 10400 the funnels separate cutting the length to 65mm. Rising a total of 28mm, the throttle needs to be open more than 57% at 10400 rpm for the system to engage. Shutting the throttle just releases the stacks, and you have a long system in place until you get the throttle and engine revs back up to this set point.  For the racetrack the variable length system will not be used as the system is to benefit the road rider and general punter rather than an 'A' Grade Superbike pilot.

Gear ratios are long with first gear good for close to, or around, 160kph. The only time I spent any significant time at the red line in first gear was approaching turn 12 and I was far too busy watching where I was heading to check the speedo. Coming into the other tight corners from warp speed and dropping gears, the slipper clutch did its job without complaint and it was comforting to know it is there. Laguna Seca has a couple of places where the R1 can collect some serious speed before needing to lose it for tight corners, and once used to this clutch system I think it would be difficult to go back.

Keeping the new, more powerful lump under control is a freshly engineered chassis. Where it is cast around the pivot points it has increased rigidity, whereas the extruded parts all now have more flex built in. As another direct trickle down from what I learned from the MotoGP engineers while talking about the M1 last year, I am sure actual physical changes are more a direct result of Yamaha’s experiences in World Superbike, it is clear the ideas are shared between departments. These changes have been made to give the rider more feel from the front wheel, and out on the Laguna circuit I wasn’t about to argue. There are a number of bumpy sections and talking with Mike Ulrich from Yamaha confirmed it wasn’t just my terrible riding style as he identified the same trouble areas as I found. On the smooth sections the R1 noticeably turned in a lot better than its predecessor and it also exhibited a lesser tendency to run wide on the exit.

Some of this quicker turn in can be credited to the new braking system. Over the years we have seen bigger, smaller or thinner discs almost yearly and whatever combination of pistons you can imagine in the calipers. For 2007 we are back to six piston calipers and slimmer discs for less reciprocating mass. The Pirelli Tech also told us the R1 specific Pirelli Diablo Corsa tyres have lost some weight to further help the handling. On the subject of the tyres, I have got to admit to not being thrilled about testing such a fire-breathing monster on street tyres. Parking at the end of the day though, noticing how little damage I had been able to inflict on the sticky black round objects and how predictable they had been with superb grip to boot, I was forced to eat my thoughts.

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