Making History at 150 Horsepower.    Picture yourself in the cockpit of an F-14 Tomcat.   Now switch over to afterburners.   Can you say whoosh?    A somewhat extreme example, to be sure, though not entirely unlike (albeit earthbound) the sensation you experience when twisting open the throttle of the seriously wicked YZF-R1.

Power - staggering, mind-blowing power - flows seamlessly as you flick through the silky six-speed gearbox.   More to the point, it's all about power-to-weight, the secret formula that determines the pecking order in the upper stratum of the sport bike elite, and here the R1 has no equal. Just ask Cycle World magazine,  who hailed it as having "the best power-to-weight ratio of any production bike ever."

With its ultra-compact 20-valve, 150-plus-pony Genesis powerplant pushing along a mere 390 pounds (dry), what you get is open-class muscle in a package that could send most 600s running for their calorie counters. Add to that a 54.9" wheelbase, an aluminum Deltabox II frame and fully adjustable, race-bred suspension front and rear, and what you have is a hard-core sporting machine whose handling is as razor-sharp as its engine is phenomenal.

Everything about the R1 - from its fat, 6" rear wheel to its gorgeous, wind-tunnel-perfected bodywork - screams ultra-high-performance, the natural progression of what Yamaha unleashed on the unsuspecting sport bike world nearly 20 years ago when we brought you the original FZ750. A more perfect open-class back road instrument does not exist, and "if a pure sporting tool is what you seek," states Motorcyclist magazine, "then here's your Motorcycle of the Century."

From the very beginning of the project to develop an all-new class leading large capacity supersport machine three design goals were set.

As with the new engine design, the project team were given absolute carte blanche to develop a new generation Deltabox frame that would meet the criteria of lowest weight and most compact dimensions. Now the project was fully under way and the design of the Deltabox II frame started to take shape.

The Engine

Displacing 998cc and developing a class leading 150 horsepower, the all new YZF-R1 engine is the most advanced and most powerful production engine ever developed by Yamaha.

Competition in the large capacity supersport marketplace has never been more intense, and each of the major manufacturers has approached the category from a different angle. Having evaluated the wide range of potential powerplant options it was decided that the all-new YZF-R1 would be driven by an ultra compact in-line four cylinder engine for a number of reasons.

As we have already stated, one of the three design goals of the YZF-R1 design team was to create an all-new engine which developed a far greater power output than any other machine in the large capacity supersport class. In order to attain the remarkably high horsepower figures needed to ensure absolute superiority in this category there was only one way to go - and that was with an in-line four.

The second design goal was to achieve the lowest overall weight in the category, and so the new powerplant would have to be lighter than any large capacity engine ever built by Yamaha.

The third design goal was to achieve the most compact overall dimensions for a 750cc plus supersport machine, and in order to accommodate a new short wheelbase chassis the new engine would have to be manufactured to physically smaller dimensions than any existing in-line four.

Having confirmed that the in-line four configuration offered advantages in every key area, the YZF-R1 design team set about putting together the most remarkable high performance large capacity supersport engine to be seen since Yamaha launched the FZR1000 EXUP in the 1980s.

Engine construction

The revolutionary 998cc YZF-R1 engine is 100% new, and employs some of the most advanced technology and sophisticated components ever to reach the production line. Weighing in at only 65.3kg, this impressive new engine is 9.5kg lighter than the Thunderace engine and also a full 81mm shorter, giving it ultra-compact 600 class dimensions combined with a massive 1000cc class power output.

Chassis Development

The introduction of the first Deltabox frame on a production Yamaha in the 1980s represented a giant leap forward in chassis design.

Offering increased rigidity and lower weight, this Grand Prix developed system has enabled Yamaha to produce some of the best handling supersport machines available in recent years.

Back up by unrivalled experience in the development of the Deltabox design, Yamaha is now taking the concept one step further for 1998 with a new generation chassis designed to elevate the YZF-R1's driveability - which embraces handling performance, roadholding and stability - to a whole new level.

All-new Deltabox II frame

Lighter, stiffer and slimmer than ever before, the all-new Deltabox II frame has been developed in conjunction with the YZF-R1's advanced new slant-block engine to create a class leading package whose specifications and dimensions are beyond comparison with existing supersport machines.

Running an ultra-short 1395mm wheelbase, 24 degrees caster angle, 92mm trail - and offering an unmatched 56 degrees maximum lean angle - the YZF-R1 chassis underlines this radical supersport machine's full-on 'no compromise' attitude!

A key factor in the development of the new generation Deltabox II frame is the use of the one-piece cylinder block and upper crankcase in the all-new 150HP powerplant. As well as giving improved heat dissipation and reducing frictional losses, this lightweight structure is much more rigid than a conventional two-piece design.

Wheels, brakes and tyres

YZF-R1's 3-spoke wheels feature an all-new thin-wall construction which has made a significant reduction in unsprung weight. Front 3.50-17 wheel runs a 120/70-ZR17 tyre, while the 6.00-17 rear wheel is fitted with a massive 190/50-ZR17 tyre, the widest ever fitted to a Yamaha supersport model.

Dual 298mm floating discs are slowed by new-design one-piece calipers which give a combined weight saving of 270 grams compared to those fitted to the Thunderace.

Already recognised as one of the best systems available in the '97 season, the uprated '98 design ensures that the 177kg YZF-R1 has outstanding braking power to match its class-leading engine performance.

Rear caliper is all-new, and features a light and compact one-piece body incorporating a 2-pot opposed piston design which acts on the 245mm drilled disc.

Mounted under the truss-type swinging arm, this new caliper uses a weight-saving torque stopper fitted to the swinging arm instead of the conventional tension rod as seen on the Thunderace.

Instrumentation and Controls

YZF-R1's instrumentation is the lightest, most compact and most sophisticated system ever used on a Yamaha motorcycle. On the left side of the console a digital speedometer is accompanied by a multi-function display which incorporates an odometer, two trip odometers, a clock and a fuel trip odometer.

A conventional circular tachometer on the right side includes a digital water temperature display, while neutral, high beam, fuel and turn indicators are accommodated at the bottom of the console.

For reduced overall weight and improved comfort the YZF-R1 is fitted with aluminium handlebars which are bonded to the fork-mounted boss - while new-shape clutch and front brake levers have been developed for easier operation.