Last week, we reported on the introduction of the 2015 Yamaha YZF-R1 and R1M. This is a bike that shouldn’t be lost in the shuffle of the huge volume of new bike announcements this year.

Sportbikes may not dominate the market here in the United States the way they once did, but the new R1 really caught our attention nonetheless. We discussed the features in our first article, such as the aluminum gas tank, magnesium wheels, and the titanium fracture-split connecting rods, among other features, but we want to focus special attention here on the electronics package.

Yamaha states the new R1 is the first production motorcycle featuring “six axis of measurement” from its Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU). The IMU includes a gyro sensor that measures pitch, roll and yaw, in addition to an accelerometer that measures acceleration in the fore-aft up-down and right-left directions. All of these variables are calculated 125 times per second.

The IMU measurements are communicated to the Yamaha Ride Control (YRC), which includes Power Delivery Control, Traction Control System, Slide Control System, Lift Control System, Launch Control System and Quick Shift System. All of these systems are adjustable and can be saved within four pre-sets. Here is how Yamaha describes each of these systems:

Power Delivery Mode (PWR), similar to the earlier “D-Mode” system, lets the rider choose from four settings of throttle-valve opening rate in relation to the degree of throttle-grip opening to best match their riding conditions.

Variable Traction Control System (TCS) with lean angle calculating the differential in front to rear wheel speed as well as the lean angle, it helps prevent rear wheel spin when exiting corners. As lean angle increases, so does the amount of control…with ten separate settings (off and 1-9) enabling the rider to dial in the exact level of control needed.

Slide Control System (SCS), the first of its kind on a production motorcycle, comes directly from the YZR-M1. It works in tandem with the IMU, where, if a slide is detected while accelerating during hard leaning conditions, the ECU will step in and control engine power to reduce the slide. This too can be adjusted by the rider. Four settings (1-3 and off).

Lift Control System (LIF) IMU detects the front to rear pitch rate and the ECU controls engine power to reduce the front wheel lift during acceleration. Four settings (1-3 and off). Launch Control System (LCS) limits engine rpms to 10,000 wide open throttle. It maintains optimum engine output in conjunction with input from the TCS and LIF systems to maximize acceleration from a standing start. Three setting levels regulate the effect (1-2 and off).

Quick Shift System (QSS) cuts engine output so riders can up-shift without using the clutch and closing the throttle, for quicker lap times, also with three variable settings (1-2 and off).

Of course, rider input is through a fly-by-wire throttle (Yamaha Chip Controlled Throttle), which also controls the variable intake system.

It doesn’t seem that long ago that this level of integrated electronic aides in a production, street legal motorcycle was unfathomable, at least to this author. Of course, other motorcycles today have very sophisticated control systems, but the new R1 highlights the availability of systems just recently available exclusively to factory racers.

Everything about the new R1 is impressive, at least on the spec sheet. Take a look at this PDF of the entire YZF-R1_brochure.

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