Yamaha YZF-R1M [2016-2017] (Standard)

Yamaha India launched the YZF-R1M along with the road-legal counterpart  the YZF-R1, a few months after its global unveiling at the 2014 EICMA Motorcycle Show. This litre-class superbike is a track-focussed version of the R1 which gets advanced electronic suspension and host of other upgrades to make it quicker around race tracks. The overall Deltabox chassis architecture of the new R1 is similar to the one used in its predecessor, though the new model gets aluminium-magnesium construction to make it significantly lighter and stiffer.

The new R1 continues with crossplane crank architecture for its 1.0-litre four-cylinder engine, though it now churns out 200hp and 112.8Nm of torque, without the optional Ram air induction. The R1M shares most of the technical specifications with the standard R1 and it gets carbon fibre bodywork, to further reduce its weight. Besides the carbon fibre bodywork, the R1M also gets electronic racing suspension from Ohlins, a communication control unit and stickier Bridgestone tyres.

It also gets lighter and stronger cast magnesium wheels, LED lights and a titanium 4 x 2 x 1 exhaust system. The electronics package includes traction control, slide control, launch control, wheel-lift control and ABS. The new R1 also gets a fully digital instrument cluster with a coloured TFT screen. Though the new R1M and the Ninja H2 are evenly matched in terms of performance, the “conservative” styling means that the R1 seems pretty domestic when compared to the Ninja H2. The R1M on the other hand, being a track-only motorcycle, is a niche vehicle without any competition in the Indian market.