The evolution of the Yamaha YZF R1

I came across a great synopsis on the evolution of the Yamaha R1 sportbike. Always interesting to know how this bike came to be. TMW Motorcycle Forums posted it on their website. The pictures of the Yamaha R1 are stunning as well. They look so good I even think they are renderings. Anyway, check out the link: Yamaha YZF-R1 history and Evolution

2009 Yamaha R1 vs 2009 Honda Fireblade 1000RR

This review from MCN (www.motorcyclenews.com) got me a little scared and got me sitting on the top of my chair. My goodness, is this Honda Fireblade which they voted as the best bike you can possibly buy on the market faster than the Yamaha R1? They had so much good stuff to say about the Honda. But after watching their review they did in France on a road from Grenoble to Nice, 200 miles, there was clearly a winner. They were talking about the grunt the Yamaha R1 has that at some points was too much grunt, they had to change a map in the bike to slow it down so to speak. The R1 can do this on the fly with the DMODE setting through the speedo console. When both bikes rode next to each other at 50mph both in 6th gear and did wide open, the R1 shot ahead like a rocket leaving the Honda eat the dust. Check out their review.

21yr old R1 biker caught doing 140km/h over speed limit

Haha, I had to laugh when I saw this article. A young fella from Australia was caught at 3 times the speed limit along a suburban road with his Yamaha R1. The problem is that his bike was unlicensed as well. And, not far away, last month a biker got killed, there are still flowers around a pole. If I am not mistaken it was also a Yamaha R1 rider.

Okay, I hate speed limits, but please, use your common sense. Although I can imagine the guy must have had good fun riding at this speed in a suburban area. The thrills are just inimitable.

To ride at such a speed was "ridiculous,'' Hobsons Bay Traffic Management Unit's Sen Con Marcus Owen said.

"We don't get that every day. You are looking at three times the speed limit and if you were there would have been lucky to see it going past,'' he said.

Full article here: http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,24974640-661,00.html

R1: Annoying 2nd gear shifting problem

Ah yes, I think I got it too, the dreaded 2nd gear shifting problem. When my Yamaha YZF-R1's engine is cold, I have no problem to shift from first to second gear. As soon as it gets warmed up I can almost not get the motorbike in second gear. Is it the engine oil that's no good? Or is there really something wrong with the transmission/gearbox? To succeed in getting it into second gear, I have to shift back down to first gear from neutral maybe like 3 to 4 times to get it eventually in second gear. Also when in neutral I hear a slight rattle, almost unnoticeable, maybe it's normal and it stops when I pull the clutch. Does this have something to do with the shifting problem? Do I have a big expense lurking in front of me? I will try and find out. Hopefully it's nothing big and can fix it myself. Anyone had same problem please comment on my blog what the fix was. Thank you

Yamaha R1 Engine used for a flying car

British engineer Gilo Cardozo spent some 18 months to make a flying car using a Yamaha R1 engine. Using a paraglide setup (fan & parachute combo) on a buggy, he managed to take off with the buggy and actually has a range of 180 miles! Gilo Cardozo owns a company called Parajet. On the road the buggy can get 80mph.

Tour around the world with a Yamaha R1

Who would have thought? A sportbike to do a tour around the world? Driving on dirt roads etc. I thought driving on a dirt road was almost impossible on the R1. I can't believe this guy Sjaak Lucassen actually did it. Check out this video below:

Engine Warning Alert Light

Yesterday I noticed on the speedo that the 'check engine light' was on. I got very nervous. At first I thought the symbol resembled a gearbox. When I came home, I looked through the Yamaha Owners Manual and found it to be the check engine light. Error code 42 also shows up in the speedo. Error code 42 stands for faulty speedo sensor and/or faulty neutral switch. In my case it's the speedo sensor. I have not had the speed showing up on the speedo and knew something was wrong. I have to take out the tank and find out