Will there be a 2023 R1?
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The next generation of the Yamaha R1 sportsbike could be revealed before the end of the year after documents submitted to racing’s FIM governing body listed a tweak to the Japanese firm’s line-up. Show The venerable sportsbike is well-established as the flagship in Yamaha’s performance ‘R’ range with the current generation model having been on sale now since 2015, though it did receive a substantial update in 2019. Since then Yamaha has gone on to overhaul most of its range, including the recently revised MT-10 naked the R1 shares many of its mechanicals, making the sportsbike a likely next-in-line candidate for a refresh. These plans appear to have been confirmed by Motorcycle.com, who have engaged in a bit of sleuthing to unearth documents submitted to the FIM showing the registration of the codename YZF1000W, alongside a note that states it is a ‘New model 2023’. With motorcycles referred to by their codename internally, the YZF1000 is fairly self-explanatory, with the ‘W’ representing its racing credentials. While this could point towards this being a track-only model being readied since the codename bears relation to the Yamaha R6 RACE (YZF600W) - a model discontinued in all but track day guise only - the R1’s advancing age would tally up with the notion of a new generation being on the way. The documents confirm the R1 will be powered by a 998cc four-cylinder engine though it remains to be seen whether Yamaha will squeeze out more ponies than the current 197bhp to join the likes of the Honda CBR1000RR-R in the 200bhp-plus bracket. If the engine specification is familiar, then Yamaha could be saving its ‘party trick’ for the transmission after patents recently surfaced showing the manufacturer is working on a seamless gearbox inspired by its M1 MotoGP machine. While clicking through the gears has long been associated with high performance models, the ‘automatic’ style of gearbox is generally instead reserved for motorcycles with comfort and touring in mind. However, a seamless gearbox also has applicable benefits towards sportsbikes, namely stability and ease-of-use, making a model such as the R1 potentially more usable day-to-day. Either way, any new R1 will have some large shoes to fill in replacing a model that - in motorsport terms at least - has evolved into a class leader by winning the WorldSBK, BSB and MotoAmerica domestic Superbike series’ last year despite its age relative to rivals. With this in mind, the aforementioned YZF1000W denotation could alternatively represent a standalone racing-only version of the current generation R1 that will allow it to be homologated for competition in 2023, freeing up space for its replacement down the line. If a new R1 is incoming for 2023 then expect it to be unveiled before the end of the year around October. R HISTORY. YOUR FUTURE. WE R1.Featuring next‑generation R‑Series styling, sophisticated electronic control, supersport braking and suspension performance and a high‑performance crossplane engine. Starting at: $17,999*Destination Charge: $475 Freight Surcharge: $375***** And it could pack a MotoGP-derived seamless gearbox In the past year, Yamaha has overhauled the majority of its lineup, and next in line seems to be the company’s flagship sportbike, the YZF-R1. This is because Team Blue has registered a new motorcycle codenamed YZF1000W with a “New for 2023” tag beside it, as revealed by FIM documents gathered by Motorcycle.com. New Yamaha YZF-R1 Coming Soon
Let’s start by decoding the name. The YZF1000 is Yamaha's in-house name for the YZF-R1 whereas the W suffix is the company’s terminology for track-only models (the name for the R6 Race is YZF600W), meaning the YZF1000W is a new-for-2023 race-only R1. While the documents don’t reveal much about the new bike, it confirms that the bike features the same 998cc, four-cylinder engine as before. Do expect Yamaha to eke out extra ponies from it, enabling it to join the now-common 200HP+ club. These FIM documents also fall right in line with Yamaha’s recent patent application for a MotoGP-derived seamless gearbox which could very well be part of the new R1. } But what does it mean for consumers like you and us? Well, once Yamaha perfects the race-only R1, it’s fair to expect the updates to trickle down to the road-legal R1. To jog your memory, the current generation R1 is turning seven this year with its introduction dating back to 2015. Since then, the R1 has seen a few updates, but none of them were game-changing or revolutionary, which has made it an average joe in its segment. In comparison, the Ducati Panigale V4, which came out in 2017, has already received a slew of updates and continues to get better each year.} Finally, if Yamaha goes ahead to introduce a new R1, we expect it to come out by the end of this year, probably around EICMA, closely followed by its launch in the USA. Is there a new Yamaha R1 coming out?While Young Machine takes liberties with the superbike's bodywork and paint scheme, actual documents reinforce the idea that Yamaha will launch a new R1 variant in 2023. In June, 2022, a YZF1000W listing showed up on the FIM Recognized Competition Vehicles file.
Is the Yamaha R1 discontinued?A recently updated list of FIM-approved competition vehicles indicates that a new track-only Yamaha YZF-R1 is on the way for the 2023 model year.
Which year Yamaha R1 is best?Anything from 2009-2014, but preferably 2012-2014: This is the fabled “crossplane crank” motor that aims to deliver the high-end of a four-cylinder engine, with the low-end torque of a twin (more on this below). But I'd recommend the 2012-on years just for traction control, to keep you alive slightly longer.
What year was the fastest R1 made?Launched in 1998, the Yamaha YZF R1M is the fastest production motorcycle the company has ever made.
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