I’ve had a soft spot for the latest gen (2015-on) R1 since it first came out and it’s always been a dream of mine to own one. The stunning revolutionary looks, cross-plane engine mixed with incredible electronics makes it easy to love. Basically I test rode one and then I bought it; simple.
It’s a 2017 model which still hadn’t finished the break-in mileage and it’s completely standard.
I could write an entire essay about the things which I like about it so far, but I’ll keep it short.
It’s an amazing motorcycle simply by how effortless every turn can be taken. It almost feels like you need barely any lean angle or rider input to go navigate any kind of twisty road. It’s incredibly stable and infinitely precise.
Despite these great chassis characteristics the engine is easily the highlight of the whole bike. At low speed and idle it sounds relatively calm and controlled, but as soon as you start exploring the high RPM regions the exhaust valve opens and you are presented with a dreamy MotoGP sound.
Apart from the things which make this bike incredible to ride there are other points such as the lovely fit and finish, nicely laid out dash and information, and the wonderful cockpit area on display.
The first thing I did when I got the bike was remove the front reflectors and then also change the shift pattern from standard to GP-shift. After getting used to it on the CBR1000RR I think it’s a must for the R1 too.
The Yamaha comes equipped with 2 tapped holes on the lever so that you can easy switch between the two.
Next up was proper test ride to really enjoy the bike for the first time.
JAUNPASS LOOP
There are a few mountain passes near me in Bern which are renown for good riding, and Jaunpass is one of them. I’d never ridden it before so decided to make a round trip from Bern to visit it.
Great weather, great roads and I got lost a few times. I’ll let the pictures and video do the talking.