Troy Corser recently got the chance to compare the new 2007 YZF-R1 to his own Yamaha Motor Italia WSB bike and was pleasantly surprised by his findings.
The two-time World Superbike Champion was attending an exclusive event for a selection of VIP Yamaha guests when he grabbed the opportunity to try the R1 and the R6 for size. The two-day event took place at the Valencia circuit, which is familiar to Corser as it features on the World Superbike calendar, and gave selected riders from around Europe the opportunity to ride the track with tuition provided for free.
“With the R1 I was really surprised how much power there is on the standard bike; there’s plenty enough there to get the front wheel up in first, second and third without trying!” said Corser. “I was in Valencia to meet some Yamaha competition winners when the chance came up to do some demonstration laps at the circuit so, naturally, I grabbed the chance. I took the R1 out first and was surprised by the strength of the engine; it’s quite something for a stock road bike! I’ve not ridden the standard version before but it felt very comfortable with quite a neutral position. This will make it quite roomy even for the larger rider. The handlebars are higher than on my race bike which I’m sure will make it better for longer distance riding.”
After a few laps on the R1 Troy then jumped on the latest incarnation of the YZF-R6 to see how much it had changed. “I can’t believe how much it has changed! It is smaller than the R1 but just as much fun. The power delivery is softer than on the R1 but it revs really high, much higher than the R1, which makes for good amounts of fun on the track or the road,” Corser said after his first ride of the R6. “To be honest the chassis on the R6 feels pretty close to the chassis on my race bike and it handles well. Overall it’s an impressive little package.”