Not much has changed with the 2012 R1, but the big news is it now has a
six-stage traction control system, incorporating anti-wheelie in its two
most intrusive levels. It also has a restyled nose, a slotted
YZR-M1-style top yoke and a longer, softer rear shock. The changes
aren’t enough to compete with the new-generation of hardcore superbikes,
like the BMW S1000RR, Aprilia RSV4 and Kawasaki ZX-10R on-track, but
the Yamaha is arguably a better road bike. It’s smooth, grunty, fast,
roomy and comfortable and now has the added safety of traction control,
which works superbly. It’s expensive.
With its crossplane crank and irregular firing order layout, the 998cc
inline-four-cylinder engine is almost vibe-free, despite its rumbling
exhaust note, has the linear power delivery of an electric motor, the
grunt of a V-twin and the free-wheeling engine braking of a two-stroke.
It’s a riot of contradictions and it seems you either gel with it or you
don’t. It doesn’t have masses of power at high rpm and its speed comes
from its acceleration out of corners and the ease in which you can get
on the throttle, even on full-lean. Try and rev the R1 like a
conventional inline four and it feels painfully slow. In most occasions
you need to ride a gear higher than you think and use the engine’s
low-down power to go fast. In saying that, it has a very tall first
gear, so you can use the bottom gear more than you would normally.
Compared to many of today’s 600-sized hardcore 1000s, the R1 is big and
heavy. It has a conservative suspension set-up and average sports tyres,
too. Fit some sticky rubber and dial in the suspension to make it steer
quicker and the R1 is insanely fast. It can hold its own at tight
tracks against any of its rivals, but struggles with speed along long
straights. It’s very easy to ride fast or slow and is very comfy too,
with the most legroom of any of the 1000s.