Pro rider Shunji Yatsushiro test rides the YZF-R1 that Noriyuki Haga piloted to 3rd place in the 2008 World Superbike season ranking and gives us an in-depth description of its competitiveness like only a rider with GP experience can. Here is his analysis of the R1, a machine honed to win races.

Just after the final round of the 2008 WSB championship, I had the opportunity to test the #41 YZF-R1 of Noriyuki Haga that finished the season ranked 3rd. I ran the test on the new Portimao Circuit in Portugal, on which the final round of the WSB had been the first big event. It has a highly technical course layout making use of the ups and downs of the natural terrain and a variety of different types of fast and slow curves. In short, it is a circuit that really puts both the machine and the rider to the test.

In order to compensate for the rider’s injury (broken left collar bone), the #41 YZF-R1 of Haga was specially modified with a wider left handlebar. This special set-up itself speaks of the tough season that Haga had to endure. Because of the rise in the rear end of the seat, this #41 machine has the appearance of being especially high in the rear end. But, when you actually get on the machine you find that the distance between the seat and the handlebars is quite short, and because of the low front end of the seat and the way the handlebars have been raised to just under the position of the top bridge, there is a minimum height difference, which allows for a comfortable riding position with a more upright upper body angle.

On the other hand, because of the short span between the seat surface and the footrest position and the short span underfoot due to the closeness of the step and the change pedal, one also feels a unique tightness that seems to inhibit any unnecessary movement by the rider. This makes the #41 machine one that requires the rider to stay on top of the machine and apply his weight to the machine in a very efficient manner. For this reason, it felt to me like a machine that is rather difficult to ride in terms of controlling the weight load.

There is good moderation in the wire-type clutch and front brake and the accelerator and they operate with quite a light feeling. This engine is one that revs up to 14,000 rpm briskly, even in its production (standard) settings, and when fully race tuned it has a very clear powerband where the engine pumps out power dramatically. The engine revs easily in the low- to mid-speed range, and when you get near the 12,000 rpm level the response suddenly becomes quite sharp and climbs very quickly all the way up to the rev limit of 15,000 rpm.

The up-shift indicator enters the yellow zone just above 14,000 rpm, and at 15,000 rpm a red LED light comes on to indicate the rev limit. But the red light comes on so quickly after the yellow as you rev the engine that you might even think the two lights come on as a one-two set. The sharpness and speed with which the engine revs upward after entering the powerband was clearly superior to any of the four machines of the other makers that I tested this time. On the test machine there was a traction control switch just to the inside of the left hand grip, and closer to the grip a power character selector button. I chose to run with the selector on the second mild (-2) position for the mid-speed range (the Corser setting as opposed to the Haga setting 0). Because of the sharp power build that characterizes this engine, you have to shift your body weight forward to compensate for the loss of front weight when accelerating, but I simply couldn’t shift my weight fast enough to fast compensate for the awesome acceleration lift.

Normally, the wheelie control function cuts in when accelerating out of a curve to control front wheel lift, but that is based on the prerequisite that the rear wheel is slipping to some degree. For a rider like me who accelerates with firm rear traction, the wheelie control doesn’t function (which is presumably why the front wheel rises so easily). This made me painfully aware of the fact that I would have ride faster and really push the machine to the limit in order for the finely set electronic control system to function as it does for Haga and Corser in actual race conditions.

As for the front-end settings, this machine is set up for Haga, who is famous for his hard braking, and I found it to be extremely stable. The front sinks quickly when the brakes are applied, but once it has sunk there is very good feeling of stability that lets you apply both the front and rear brakes with full assurance. Of course, in actual racing, where the rear tire is trying to slide to the left or right during hard braking, it takes a tremendous amount of skill on the part of the rider to control the rear tire and make it go through the curve under control as you lean the machine over sharply into the curve.

In the race arena where the competition gets more intense every year, steady progress has clearly been made in the outstanding braking performance and light handling characteristics of the YZF-R1. But it is also clear that regulation changes like the raising of the displacement limit for 2-cylinder machines to 1200cc has clearly made the competition tougher (tempestuous) at the same time.

Since its debut in 1998, the biggest changes yet will be made in the new 2009 model YZF-R1, and it will be exciting to see what effect those changes will have on its circuit performance.