- 2020 Yamaha R1 and R1M gets MotoGP factory bike inspired livery
- Gets updated electronics, suspensions and better high rpm performance
- Will be launched in the UK market in September this year
Yamaha Motor Company has updated its flagship superbike offering, the R1 and higher-spec R1M, by unveiling the 2020 models during the weekend’s American WSB round in Laguna Seca in California. The new R1 now has a revised design in the form of a new fairing with improved aerodynamics, updated electronics package and reworked engine internals for more performance.
At the front, the motorcycle gets a new screen followed by a new fairing (carbon fibre cowling for the R1M) that now takes inspiration from Yamaha factory MotoGP bikes ridden by Valentino Rossi and Maverick Vinales. The fairing now merges with the bike’s fuel tank which, according to Yamaha, helps increase aerodynamic efficiency by 5.3 per cent while making the seating ergonomics comfortable for a wider range of riders. Besides that, the fairing gets reinforcement from the new aluminium air duct located behind the front section. The bike now features new LED units that lend the motorcycle a more aggressive character. Moreover, the 2020 R1 and R1M more feature aluminium fuel tanks and aluminium wheels (magnesium in the case of the R1M) contributing to shave off weight.
In the case of the mechanical bits, the motor continues to be the same 998cc inline-four crossplane mill that is now Euro5 compliant. It gets a new intake system, new Bosch fuel injectors with a 10-hole design for a wider spray of fuel for more efficient combustion. For internals, the motor gets finger-follower rocker arms and new cam lobes which increase the reliability of the engine at high rpm. While the power remains the same at 197bhp, the improved ride-by-wire throttle makes top-end performance more accessible. As the motor is now Euro5 compliant, its features a new exhaust system with four catalytic converters and titanium panelling to cover the system.
Furthermore, the R1 gets updated 43mm Kayaba inverted forks with a new damping system, revised steering damper and reworked setting for the rear shock. The R1M, on the other hand, gets top-spec Ohlins suspension units. For electronic gadgetry, the bike now has a six-axis IMU with seven electronic control units, new cornering ABS, three-mode Engine Braking Management, updated launch control and an improved TFT instrument console.
The 2020 Yamaha R1 will be available in two liveries, Team Yamaha Blue and Raven and the R1M in carbon fibre. The new flagship supersport will go on sale in the UK market in September this year followed by its India launch later.
