The 2012 Yamaha R1 is priced at $13,990 in Team Yamaha Blue/White or Raven, $14,190 in Pearl White/Candy, or $14,490 in 50th Anniversary Pearl White/Rapid Red livery, which gets a limited run of 2,000 units and includes a numbered plate on the tank.
First and foremost: traction control! The system works by monitoring throttle position and the speed difference between front and rear wheel, and adjusting the throttle valve, fuel injection, and ignition timing accordingly. Traction control works in one of 6 positions which can be adjusted as long as the throttle isn't open, and the system can be completely disabled when the bike is stationary.
Also adjustable is the throttle response (which Yamaha calls "D-Mode"), and that system can be set to one of three modes: "Standard" (ie, all-around), "A" (offering 30% quicker response between 0-50% of throttle opening), and "B" (which slows down response by 30% throughout the entire throttle range.)
Yamaha says the R1's rear spring rate has been slightly stiffened and the preload increased for a smoother ride and better rear traction, and the adjustable footpegs now have improved grip for more control.
Styling-wise, the R1 receives LED corner lights that cascade luminance across a rim surrounding the headlamps, a subtle tweak to the muffler heat shield and end caps, and a MotoGP-inspired top clamp.
Elsewhere, the Yamaha R1 is essentially the same as the last one I tested—it's got a titanium-valved 998cc crossplane crankshaft inline-4 with an uneven firing pattern for greater drive traction, a six-speed slipper clutch-equipped transmission, and all the high performance suspension and brake bits you'd expect from a race-bred superbike.
