The Yamaha YZF-R1 lives on – and is set to continue as a road-legal bike in Australia – but as a track-only model in Europe and some other markets due to not meeting Euro 5+ emissions standards.
The Yamaha YZF-R1 lives on, and will continue to do so as a road-legal model in Australia beyond 2025, despite becoming a track-only model in Europe and some other markets.
The change to a track-only model in some overseas markets will take place from 2025 when Euro 5+ emissions regulations come into play, but according to a Yamaha Australia spokesperson the already Euro 5 compliant YZF-R1 will remain a road model in Australia beyond 2025.
Yamaha says it “remains fully committed to racing the R1 in the premier production race classes worldwide, including the FIM Superbike and Endurance World Championships. This commitment also extends to supporting teams and customers who race Yamaha’s flagship Supersport model or utilise it as the ultimate track tool.”
This is good news in that it means global production of the R1 will continue despite “the challenge of meeting the Euro5+ homologation requirements”.
Yamaha says its customers have evolved in recent years and the R1 is a popular choice for teams looking for a competitive and cost-effective race package, as well as for individuals focused on a trackday bike. In other words, from 2025, in Europe and some other markets the R1 will be made available only for track use – as was done previously with the R6.
Due to its racing committments, Yamaha says it has “invested heavily in making available to customers a range of GYTR performance parts for the R1, leveraging the experience of the same engineers responsible for the development of the R1 WorldSBK campaigned this year by six-time Superbike World Champion, Jonathan Rea. This project culminated last year in the launch of the R1 GYTR PRO 25th Anniversary Limited Edition and an extended range of race-developed GYTR PRO performance parts for the R1.”
Yamaha says that it is committed to ensuring the R1 remains a proven race-winning package for the foreseeable future, both in national and international competition.
You can catch the R1 in action at Phillip Island this weekend with WorldSBK riders including Remy Gardner and Dominique Aegerter aboard the GYTR GRT machines, and Jonathan Rea and Andrea Locatelli aboard the Pata Prometeon bikes, as well as ASBK riders Mike Jones and Cru Halliday aboard the Yamaha Racing Team R1s.