is the R1M worthy of entering Yamaha's hall of homologation heroes - MOTOR GERR

the R1M is that the sexiest limited-edition bike to emerge from Japan for a generation. Swathed in carbon, jam-choked with MotoGP school and with enough physics to wage war on the West, it’s a positive sign that Japan area unit back, fighting at the leading edge of sportsbike technology.

Just five hundred are made and therefore the advantage they offer over the quality model means that they need been snapped up by racers and collectors the planet over. however it isn’t the primary time the planet has gone crazy for a limited-edition Yamaha. In 1989 the 750cc OW01 was a real object of need and a true rival to the RC30, whereas in 1999 the YZF-R7 was thus advanced it’s still trick currently.

It gave the look of the proper time to urge the 3 of them along. It’s time for the R1M to fulfill the family.

FZR750RR OW01
1989-1992 / 121bhp / 210kg

Parked next to a spanking new R1M Associate in Nursingd an immaculate, rare R7, Associate in Nursing OW01 hailing from 1 / 4 of a century agone is at risk of trying antique. Nice, in an ‘Aw, bless’ way; a classic with a proud history... but, like granddad unwittingly breaking wind at dinner, quietly embarrassing in gift company.

And once my substantial bulk settles on the seat, press the standard-fit Öhlins into Associate in Nursing demeaning, bum-dragging ride height typical of the many late Nineteen Eighties sportsbikes, the day starts connected all the hallmarks of 1 spent creating excuses for the recent woman. It’s the national capital sprouts, etc.

But it seems to not be like that the least bit. When Mark, on the R1M, and Matt, on the R7, withdraw during a blur of revs into the rear roads of a ivy-covered Lincs Wolds, the OW01 isn’t simply able to carry on – it presently leads the manner, comfy doing thus at an honest pace.

It’s the primary time I’ve ridden any of the exotic, limited-edition, race homologation Yamahas. and therefore the OW01 is nearly as restricted because the R7 and R1M: like them, Yamaha at first solely engineered five hundred OWs in 1989, supported the Suzuka 8hr-winning YZF750 plant racers of 1987 and 1988, to contend with Honda’s RC30 where they met – endurance, national or domestic superbike championships.

The Honda and Yamaha competed on specification, too – the OW01 boasts metal rods, twin-ring pistons, aluminum tank with endurance-style filler cap, detachable ally subframe, quick-release front shaft clamps, fully-adjustable forks and Öhlins rear shock with hydraulic preload adjustor – all that in addition as a radically oversquare (bore and stroke area unit an equivalent because the R7’s, a decade later), high-revving, five-valve Genesis lump in Associate in Nursing aluminum Deltabox frame. and every one for Associate in Nursing price of £12,700 in 1989; over £28,000 in today’s cash – or £10 grand over Associate in Nursing R1M, six grand over Associate in Nursing R7 in 1999, and over doubly the worth of a 1989 FZR1000 EXUP. Basically, it’s the foremost dearly-won Yamaha with lights, ever.

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