I wrote a review few months back and I just did that with no much interest, so, now I feel to edit my review. I apologise to those who didn’t get much information from my last review. I own a YZFR1 since feb 2008 and find it superb in every aspect, except a few things I am going to mention later in this review. This is my third R1 in last 5 years and I always stick with yamahas, although, have tried everything from blades to 1198s and from MVs to bimotas. I find R1 is the best blend of eveything from performance to looks and handling to value for money.
The 08 Yamaha R1 got inline four engine typical for any high reving japanese superbike gives you big power band so you can try anything in any gear. It can go to 70 miles in first gear and gives you a punch in very gear when you go further redline on your rev counter. The R1got good handling and doesn’t lose traction when cornering on high speeds like 120 miles per hr. or high. The chassis is very strong and keep the bike very stable which lacks in GSXR and ZX10R. Yamaha has been using deltabox since launch of Yamaha FZR genesis in 1987 and this is the best frame ever made and copied by others. Yamaha introduced fly-by wire throttle which is very responsive and you have to just give a touch to go past 100 miles mark.
When we talk about superbikes we shouldn’t say anything about fuel consumption becasue these are not made for commuting but I would like to mention that it is not bad in fuel consumption either comparing other superbikes. I was getting 35 miles per gallon on M25 motorway and I was doing 90 miles most of the times.
The braking is upto Yamaha’s standards makes you confident to take risks on junctions and the frame adds more to it.
The power delievery is smooth and one can feel the grunt it got even in top gear you don’t have to even think to overtake a lorry on poor B-roads(country roads) you just need to open the fly-by wire and it will take care of you. This is a 1000cc high reving superbike so you need to take care otherwise it will turn back on you.
The only thing I don’t like in R1 is the seat. The seating is very cramped and not suitable for someone with a large frame. The rear seat is of no use as usual in superbikes but you need to train your GF or partner how to adjust herself on that tiny rear seat.
I really don’t see a point in buying such a motorbike in india. First of all spending 11 lacs rupees doesn’t make any sense in india. Second, if you can afford to buy you can’t ride it the way it is made for. If you have to stick to 100 Km/per hr then forget about it. You can’t do cornering on indian roads so can’t feel what it is all about. Absolutely pointless to buy a superbike in india, even on express anything can happen as people have no idea about lanes and can come in you anytime and you will be ended up in a hospital, if you lucky beacuse everyone knows there are no paramedics in india and if there are, they don’t turn up on time. If someone still thinks to buy then my suggestion is buy proper riding gears and they will cost you fortune in india.