Here comes the painful announcement for all motorcycle and two-wheel enthusiasts in general: one of the symbols of this environment says goodbye.
Motorcycling is a passion made of myths. But not even the most powerful legends are made to last forever. Unfortunately, the time has come to say goodbye forever to a personality that we all had in our hearts and that unfortunately will never return.
In Italy the world of sports two wheels is a real ‘must’, given that brands like Ducati or Aprilia they have participated in the world championship and the various competitive categories for many years. In particular, the Borgo Panigale team has been asserting itself in recent times, managing to dominate the latest World Championships. MotoGP with latest generation means.
Another country where motorcycling passion is at home and represents a strong point is obviously the Japan. In fact, the famous Asian state has numerous brands linked to two wheels that boast enormous successes, both from a sporting and commercial point of view. One of these, namely the Yamahahowever he launched one news official who left many fans of this environment stunned.
Yamaha’s surprise announcement: early retirement
There Yamaha is a motor company from Hamamatsu, with very ancient origins, given that the foundation of this company dates back to 1887, initially conceived as a manufacturer of musical instruments, in particular pianos and organs. But subsequently came the turning point in the world of motors, where today it is a leader in Asia and in the world.
Yamaha’s surprise decision concerns the farewell not of a driver or a central figure in the sporting field. Rather, the end of the production of a flagship motorcycle, which represented a turning point in motorcycling. That means YZF-R1the first true hyper of the modern age, which will retire as happened to its sister R6 some time ago.
The R1 pays the choice of Yamaha and the large oriental manufacturers to leave sports motorbikes out of their price list, due to a strategic change that will see the exit of this type of hyper. The R1 debuted at the 1997 EICMApresented as the new leader of 1,000 cm3 sports cars, which immediately became a competitor to other similar models such as the Suzuki GSX-R1000, Honda CBR 1000RR and Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R.
A revolution in the world of motor production, given the R1 was presented with 750 size and SBK performance, but with the power of a 1,000. In 2004 it was modified and improved with a 172 HP engine, as well as an increasingly lower weight, effectively becoming a lightweight motorcycle with very high performance.
And even new models were introduced in 2007, 2009 and finally in 2015with the debut of a new cross-plane engine from 200 HP at 13,000 rpm. Today, however, the R1 stops, remaining in the collective imagination as an iconic and revolutionary hyper.
