Yamaha YZF-R1M (2017) - Long Term Review
By Kane Dalton
BikeSocial's former Commercial Manager
14.02.2017
Yamaha YZF-R1M: First Update
The YZF-R1M is the highly sophisticated and even more trick version of the already sublime and massively capable R1 with upgraded components including carbon fairing, GPS Data Logging and Öhlins Semi Active Electronic Suspension. The standard R1 is priced at £15,599 for 2017 while the R1M is £3,800 more at £19,399.
Our man, Kane Dalton, first tested this motorcycle back in 2015 - the year it was launched - with both road and track elements to the test including use of the 300 circuit at Snetterton. Here's an updated version of that review.
Our bike now has just under 7,000 miles on the clock and over the course of 2017 we'll be documenting any additional parts and their impact on the bikes' performance and we invite you to come along on the journey with us.
When you buy a superbike for the road (or track) you probably wouldn't expect to spend much more money on enhancing its performance, especially one as purposefully developed as the R1M. However, even though the authorised Yamaha optional extra exhaust in made by Slovenian aftermarket parts company, Akrapovic, the first thing I fitted to the bike is the Full Titanium Austin Racing GP1R exhaust system instead.
Why I chose Austin Racing
Austin Racing owner, Rich Austin, is a keen sports bike enthusiast and started his own company when he couldn't find the look or sound he wanted from the systems that existed on the market for his own Aprilia RSV4. And so specialist motorcycle performance exhausts company, Austin Racing, was born in 2010.
R&D came in the form of consultation with a friend and a cousin who both worked for McLaren and Mercedes-Benz including developing the F1-style exhaust system for the McLaren P1. So it's true to say that F1 technology is used in Austin Racing systems but such is its secrecy, that when I visited the factory, photography of the jigs was not permitted.
I had heard that all of the Austin Racing systems produce far too much noise to be road legal and that the systems would even fail a track day noise test. So, I spoke to Rich who was happy to test and develop a new system for the market that does not compromise power yet will pass the noise test - and called it the GP1R. With a decibel killer fitted we tested it on his dyno and it measured 105dB.
This is the system fitted to our R1M and happens to be the exact same system that 2014 British Superbike Champion, Josh Brookes, will be running on his Anvil Hire Tag Yamaha R1 race bike in BSB this year. So, if the GP1R is good enough for Josh then it is certainly good enough for the BikeSocial bike.
Non-melting
The exhaust was fitted at Austin Racing so they could check and confirm that it would not melt or burn anything. Why? Because he'd heard that an alternative exhaust system was prone to melting road fairings. After a quick call to his local dealer to confirm where the problem was, Rich and his team were able to shape the pipes to ensure that the GP1R didn't do the same. Once fitted he ran the bike on the dyno to check and all was ok.
When the standard system is removed, it also means you can get rid of the massive (and heavy; 7kg) catalytic converter box. However, this leaves a big ugly space and exposed pipes but never fear because Austin Racing make a belly pan that fills this gap and finishes the bike off well.
Sound testing on Austin Racing's dyno revealed the system produces 110 decibels at 5,500 RPM without the decibel killing baffle! At 110 decibels this level would never pass a track noise test or MOT (insert sad emoji face here).
Fitting a decibel killer is the solution. This is simply a length of pipe that creates a baffle and can be fitted with ease. All it takes is to slot the baffle in to the end can and then insert a screw that holds the baffle in place. Done. When this baffle is in place the bike produces 105 decibels at 5,500 rpm. OK, it's still on on the edge of what might pass at the track or at your MOT but as an added bonus, Rich tells me that this level should drop after the bike has been ridden for a couple of hundred miles as the internal wadding expands which adds to the damping of the noise.
If 105dB is still too much, never fear because Austin Racing have built another link pipe that they also tested on the R1M bringing the level down to 102dB which is a guaranteed pass at the track and the MOT centre. Rich is now offering this pipe as a kit option if you buy any Austin Racing exhaust system.
Active Tuner
There is always a drop off in power when you add any restriction in an exhaust system so I'll be fitting an Active Tuner to compensate - a device that slots into the lambda sensor in the exhaust and feeds information to the ECU.
When adding a decibel killing baffle or swapping out the link pipe, the levels of fuel and air mix change in the exhaust. The Active Tuner will make the necessary adjustments to the keep the fuelling and air mix as close to the base map in the ECU, and it should offer peak power regardless of the link pipe or baffle used. I will post more information on this once it is installed and been tested.
Also on the bike above the standard fit equipment is a high flow BMC air filter c/o R&G Racing, this allows for an increased flow into the air box and can make a couple of extra BHP. Just because 181BHP (at the rear wheel) isn't enough!
BikeSocial's YZF-R1M on the PCR Performance Dyno
The ECU on the Yamaha and most bikes are set up with various restrictions, historically riders would add an aftermarket fuelling device like a Power Commander or Bazzaz to adjust the fuelling after fitting an air filter and exhaust system. If you fit a full system without altering the fuelling the bike runs really rough - spluttering and backfiring. It was hard to tap into the standard ECU before which is why racers often upgraded to kit ECU’s which could be mapped direct using specialist hardware.
Things have moved along since that time and it is now easier to map and unlock features and settings in the ECU. The standard map in the Yamaha is restricted (by Yamaha) so adding a Power Commander will only allow you to get the best from what the current ECU settings allow. The best way to get the ultimate performance from the bike is to flash the ECU meaning it's wiped and new software is downloaded - this is standard procedure for race teams.
So to get the optimum performance from our bike off we went to PCR Performance based in Cannock and owned by Paul Curran who is better known for his success as a racer in BSB and Moto2. Curran has been mapping and building race bikes for ten years and is an ECU flash specialist. Following in the footsteps of the BSB paddock, our R1Ms ECU was wiped and Ftecu.com (Flash Tune) was downloaded. Things were about to get interesting!
The dyno at PCR runs a system that measures the power at the back wheel via a drum that spins off the back wheel that feeds the data into the software and makes the calculations. In order to get the best and most consistent comparisons, PCR replaced the sticky Pirelli Diablo Rosso Corsa rear tyre with their control road tyre used on all the bikes that they run on the dyno. The tyre pressure was set at the usual standard road level.
Paul explained that he downloads a base map to the ECU, once the map is in the ECU you can select which sensors you want to keep or turn off based on whether the bikes function is road or race, including RPM limits, fan temperatures etc. We also set the fan kick-in temp down to 90 degrees so it kicks in earlier so the bike doesn't overheat.
Something else the ECU controls is the electronic steering damper, so if you are running a race bike such as in the British Superbike Championship where the rules regulate the amount of electronics permitted, you can turn off the standard electronic steering damper setting if it's been swapped out in favour of a mechanical version.
The flash tuning offers various fuel mapping settings, for example each cylinder can be mapped individually or grouped together to react the same way. Ignition settings include setting up a softer throttle response without compromising the map whereas throttle parameters can be set as the R1M because the bike's has a Throttle-By-Wire meaning the throttle openings can be set at specific RPM’s.
The R1M has automatically adjusted velocity stacks in the airbox so when Paul noticed a slight W-shape in the power graph they bike was producing around 194BHP at the rear wheel. A few tweaks to the velocity stack heights at that RPM not only meant a smoother graph shape but he'd found another 2.5BHP.
Flash Tune have an Blip Assist option that connects via ECU, a two way sensor is fitted on the quickshift bar so you can make clutchless downshifts. This system does not only blip it also reads the others sensors on the bike and makes adjustments. When testing bikes with the downshift function I felt the seamless changes made the bike feel more stable. More about this function in our next update of our long-term R1M.
The standard exhaust was producing 181BHP but after fitting the Austin Racing system the base run was 188BHP. With a few tweaks from Mr Curran, the bike was putting out consistent runs at 196.21BHP. If you want a crank figure you can add 15 – 20%, so that's circa 230 - 235 bhp!!!
Chip Free
To keep the carbon and fairing protected from stone chips we've fitted Eazi-Guard. They supply a strip of cut shapes, you wet the surface place the guard on the bike then squeeze out the excess water and air bubbles which takes far too much patience for a man like me and yes, I admit, in a couple of places the bubbles defeated me but overall it looks great. It's only a plastic film so it'll be interesting to see how to stands the test of time.
The Verdict
When I pulled the bike out of the van in that evening the temptation to take it for a quick blast was too great. I grabbed my gear and jumped on the bike. The sound thundering from the crossplane and new system was unexpected. If I heard the bike before I saw it my first guess would be Desmosedici RR with its race Termignoni, I would not expect to see a Yamaha.
Rich Austin suggested the bike would lose a few decibels after a couple of hundred miles as the wadding expands and beds in. I found myself wondering if the stingers were being set in the next county or if they heard the bike start from the same destination.
A few miles from home I found myself riding next to a highly tuned Nissan GTR, he was obviously running a straight-through system by the thunderous sound. When he rolled off the gas two three-foot blue flames blasted from the back of the car like an after burner. He smiled and gave me a thumbs up when the R1M did the same thing.
I can't wait to get the bike on track and see what the 'teleporter' can do now that it has been mapped. The bike was a missile the first time I rode it and I'm looking forward to seeing just how much difference that extra BHP has made.
Yamaha YZF-R1M: Second Update
Skydive or ride an R1M? They both offer terminal velocity and ground rush too.
Leap out of a plane at 10,000ft and the world looks flat. That's the point when the pilot shouts "two minutes" and everyone is jolted from their deep contemplation, some mentally visualising the next minute of freefall, while tandem passengers on plane for the first time wondering how or why they were talked into the position they now find themselves in.
The flurry of activity includes experienced jumpers re-check their gear, tentative touching of handles, checking altimeters and putting their goggles on. The tandems harness straps are tightened the passengers try to swallow but can’t...they now know what dry mouth syndrome means.
The aircraft runs in around 140mph with the red jump light on. The yellow light comes on, door opens and the zero degree cold wind rushes in. Your heart beat spikes, the green light comes on and the jump master screams "go, go, go!"
Entering the relative wind stream at 140mph feels like it does with your face out the car window at 140, only its your entire body and its instant. If you make the school boy error and smile, you very quickly resemble slobbering Bordeaux Mastiff in a wind tunnel.
Skydive terminal velocity is 130mph just before you start thinking about deploying your chute, this is the most stressful time in any jump. Mistakes have life or death consequences. It is also the time that the flat earth takes shape and becomes three dimensional. Mountains, buildings, power lines, trees and all the other things you don’t want to land on take shape, you sense that they are all rushing up towards you i.e. ground rush.
With the throttle to the stop on the R1M it doesn't feel like you're travelling towards corners or junctions, they feel like they are rushing toward you.
I first tested the Yamaha YZF-R1M in 2015 and was so impressed by the bike that I bought it. I'm running the bike as a long termer this year and will be filing reports every month or so about how I'm getting on with the bike plus how, or even if, we can make the sublime even better. I'll be looking at upgrades to the protection, handling and, of course, performance.
Just so you know, the Yamaha has 8,900 miles on the clock, that's 1,400 road miles since posting the first update a few months ago.
Being tall (6ft) I find the standard screen doesn't offer enough protection from so I've fitted the Endurance screen available as a £110 option from Yamaha official accessories line-up. Tucked in behind the new screen now the quote becomes more relevant, it’s all more chilled and the chaos is reduced.
I get the same effect from exploring the various settings on the bike’s semi active Ohlin’s suspension. At first I felt like I was cheating myself, surely if you have the most advanced Ohlin’s technology, that would be the most optimal, right?
The most interesting part I discovered by playing with the suspension settings was the manual setting worked best for me on the road. I had to tell myself that having Ohlin’s is still better without the electronics turned on.
Then when I was riding the standard R1 at Mireval Dunlop's proving ground in France last month, the ride was certainly sublime but getting back onto the 'M' proves the Ohlins' worth. As the R1M is a race bike for the road it is heavily track focused although I found the lowest electronic setting initially smoothed out the bumps for my old damaged back. I adjusted the rebound to minimum while the software sorts out the compression damping. (The compression auto setting only goes half way between max and min which keeps the bike focused but still a touch hard for me).
I started by mirroring the auto settings in the manual menu. I slowly dialled the compression softer, tested it and then dialled back again until I found what felt like the perfect comprise. The bike felt stable and tracks over the bumps in the road with ease. No more Nurofen for the old, knackered back.
In my first long term update of the R1M, I spoke about the full titanium Austin Racing GP1R exhaust and flash mapping with the assistance of Paul Curran at PCR – Performance. Since then, I've been back to my old mate Paul to fit a device called an Active Tuner from Flash Tune.
What is an Active Tuner?
There is always a drop off in power when you add any restriction in an exhaust system so I fitted an Active Tuner to compensate. It's a device that slots into the lambda sensor in the exhaust and feeds information to the ECU.
When adding a decibel killing baffle or swapping out the link pipe, the levels of fuel and air mix change in the exhaust. The Active Tuner will make the necessary adjustments to the keep the fuelling and air mix as close to the base map in the ECU, and it offers peak power regardless of the link pipe or baffle used.
Installing the Active Tuner was a simple and only took a few minutes. The sensor is plugged into the exhaust lambda socket and then plugged into the original lambda plug. It's activated by entering a licence code in the Flash Tune software (already downloaded to the ECU) and then enabled at the click of a button. You then set the fuel and air parameters to keep the bike running close to the base map. Simples.
The bike runs with far less flame on the overrun than before and power is more consistent. The fuel consumption had been affected by putting in the strong map so much so that if I brim the tank the fuel light come on around the 80-mile point. The map remains the same but the bikes' software makes adjustments to ignition etc. to manage the output.
So, when riding better roads I have been toggling to the lower power setting to see if it gets me more economy but so far this has been a false economy and the fuel light burns bright circa 80.
The R1M comes fitted with a quick shift as standard this allows for seamless changing up through the gears. I have tested bikes with downshift assist and really like how stable the bike feels when not using the clutch. There are a number of stand alone shift assist systems on the market and the ECU Flash Tune software allows you to add a two-way sensor replacing the standard shift sensor but it does require another licence for the software. On the plus side, this was also simple to fit.
On the seamless, clutchless downshift the bike blips and thanks to the gorgeous big exhaust system that blip sounds like an angry barking dog.
Crash Protection
Yes I confess, I've dropped a bike in the past which didn't have any crash protection. The result? A costly replacement engine was needed because the oil drained from a hole in the engine casing, the bike over revved a few seconds before the tilt switch cut in and turned the engine off but it was already too late. Dumping the oil could have caused another accident too.
Reactive Parts the Hemel Hempstead based company is the distributor for Lightech and a number of performance parts. Reactive was set up by Steve Heneghan, a former BSB, Macau and Isle of Man TT racer.
Our bike was given the star treatment from non other than Jamie Whitham, a former professional motorcycle road racer from the British and World Superbike scene, racing in most major British and international championships and winning the British championship twice. He currently runs his own motorcycle track school and nowadays most of us would know him from presenting BSB and the Isle of Man on TV or, of course, from his regular BSB columns here at BikeSocial.
Jamie was on hand to fit some Italian styled state of the art LighTech, and this is what went on the R1M:
LighTech Tail Tidy: The tail tidy transforms the look of the bike.
Paddock Stand: The R1M has Yamaha’s billet rear stand hooks that needs nylon lifters.
Further protection:
R&G aero frame protection: the R1 frame extends out past the edge of the engine. If the bike lays down the first thing to touch down will be the frame.
R&G Boot Guard: as I'm heavy footed around the footpeg area and tend to scratch the frame and swingarm with my boots
R&G Frame Plugs: adds to the frame protection
Radiator and Oil Cooler Protection: my buddy took a stone in the radiator recently which put an end to his day. I've suffered the same fate in the past on both road and track. After a really long wait on the side of the road it meant getting a lift back with the breakdown truck.
Carbon Tank Sliders: you won't get much change from £1,600 if replacing the tank on the R1. I have seen bikes catch fire in relatively small spills after sparks from the tank ignite the fuel. R&G have come up with a solution which may just help prevent both.
I'm also a huge advocate of having rubber grips on the tank. Tank grips offers much better bike control and stops you getting so tired. There's also no more sliding around on the bike. The two leading brands are Stomp and Eazi Grip. I find that Stomp offers higher levels of grip but it is really hard wearing on leathers. I have had to patch the inside of the knees on my leathers from prolonged use. As Eazi Grip is kindly to leathers and still offers significant grip I fitted Eazi Grip Pro.
However after washing the bike and spraying the grip and seat with polish, just before a long ride I was not thrilled with the result. School boy error! So I fitted Stomp again.
Rearsets: Race bikes use fixed adjustable height rearsets which offer more ground clearance. Even with extra ground clearance there are corners where you drag your toes on the tarmac. To avoid drag my toes as much as I could we fitted Yamaha’s billet fully adjustable trick as hell rearsets. These rearsets are exclusively made for Yamaha by Gilles Tooling.
Not the cheapest at £646, they do feature a unique adjustment system. The usual design has the footpeg bolted to a plate with a number of adjustment holes, you screw the footpeg in to the plate in the chosen position. The Yamaha rearset has a diagonal adjuster with a footpeg that is rotational to adjust the height and position and allows you to run road or race shift gear selection. The precision bearings make the gear change action precise and smooth every time. LighTech make a great alternative.
Brakes: pushing the brakes hard on track you can get brake fade. With a standard brake lever there is no adjustment on the move. Standard adjustment can only be done in the 4 increments but Yamaha do offer an on-the-move fine tuning solution by replacing the lever with their Gilles tooled lever which has a remote set up on the opposite handle bar, turning the dial allows for custom fine tuning on the move. I find this useful on the road as I have worn winter and race gloves, the fine tuning allows me to have the lever exactly in the most comfortable position.
There's a matching pivotal clutch lever which also looks awesome.
I am looking forward to using the bike in anger on track this month. I will keep you posted how I got on in the next update.
Yamaha YZF-R1M: Third Update
Dinner with Josh Brookes, Niall Mackenzie and Terry Rymer, it’s not your usual Tuesday night out but is to be expected if you’ve bought a Yamaha R1M.
True story.
After taking delivery of your gleaming new road-legal Yamaha super bike you are sent two things; the first is a year’s break down recovery. The second is an invitation to the exclusive Yamaha Racing Experience with two events being held annually; one in Mugello and the other at Silverstone.
The Racing Experience is as much a thank you for choosing Yamaha as it is an introduction to your new bike. The R1M is loaded with so much sophistication and an electronics package that could have been developed in the space race. If you are like me and rarely read the instruction manual to anything, then this event is perfect as it offers the practical for how to get the best from the bike.
On arrival at the Wing at Silverstone you get the impressions that the day will be different from the typical track day. Yamaha Racing banners line the fence of the car park and a meet-and-greet service with instructions where to park up.
The signing-on area is flanked by a lounge area with serviced teas, coffee and cakes. I test it, you know for the purposes of a thorough review of the day! Then there’s the goody bag, filled with bits from the Yamaha partners also present on the day.
Tamworth Yamaha were offering clothing, accessories and a large selection of exhaust baffles. This was especially useful as my baffle had exploded at our recent Bennetts customer track day and Silverstone are strict with noise testing. Yamaha had a few bikes on standby to loan if the noise test failed.
The format of the two-day event is seminars on day one, followed by a gala dinner and then on track the following day. Before heading in to the first seminar I took the time to wonder through the pit garage, ogling at the 200+ R1Ms, a feast for the eyes. I heard one owner saying that he can always see his bike at a bike café because it is the only one. Not this time, sir, I thought.
Some bikes were fully standard, sitting on their side stands while others looked like they were levitating on their paddock stands with tyre warmers. There were even fully race prepared bikes that had seen recent race action with scrutineering stickers visible. I made a little mental calculation, 200 hundred bikes at £19,500 ish plus £2,000 / 500 for an after-market exhaust makes approx. £4.2 million worth of R1Ms in one garage. This was not taking the WSBK and the MotoGP bike on display, so you can add another million for each of those easily.
Also kicking around the pits chatting were who Yamaha call the champions ‘past and present’. Owners were rubbing shoulders BSB riders like Josh Brookes and James Ellison, and WSBK rider Alex Lowes. Niall Mackenzie, three time BSB champion, and Terry Rymer, Team Manager, BSB and World Endurance Champion, were also wondering around speaking to the people who would usually be on the other side of the safety fence watching them race.
We were sent tutorials and links to videos in the welcome pack mailed out in the days leading up to the event. This was backed up and all the information was presented to us on a USB memory stick after the seminars.
There were three rather useful seminars. First up, Ohlins product specialist Andrew Notman explained how the electronic racing suspension worked and what the different settings meant and how they affected the bike. He was then on hand to check and set our bikes up individually.
The second session looked at Yamaha’s ride control settings and the variables like power, traction control, slide control, quickshift, launch control, lift control and the suspension settings.
We were then introduced to the apps that link to your bike that both send and receive data from the bike and record all the data logging. All this information when analysed can help you to understand what you are doing on the bike and where you can make rider improvements. This sort of technology is straight from MotoGP. In the endurance racing pit stops they download the data remotely and then on the next stop they can make adjustments to the bike based on the information.
Then Paul Denning who has been a team boss and owner in BSB, SBK and MotoGP gave a talk about the development of the R1M and the cross-plane engine. It was really interesting to learn that back in 2004 soon after Valentino Rossi joined Yamaha they presented him with a number of engines to test. He chose the cross-plane which at the time was the slower engine but he felt that he could get the most from it in development. Vale has been involved with all the engine and electronic development in the bike.
Vale’s opinion; “When the first electronic systems arrived in MotoGP, it was a kind of shock for the riders, but now it’s completely different. The systems have improved a lot and now they can work in a very natural way, to help you bring the bike close to the limit”.
After the seminars and before we left our machines under guard in the paddock everyone was taken around the circuit in mini buses so those that had not been on track before could see the circuit close-up and put some of their fears about the track to bed. After the sighting lap we were ferried over to the luxury Whittlebury Hall Spa hotel. On the red carpet entrance to the dinner all the champions past and present formed a line and greeted and shook the hand of all the owners. This was extraordinary stuff.
The lavish dinner was served and between courses there were talks and Q&A with the racers. The highlight for me was listening to Yamaha MotoGP team boss, Lin Jarvis. If you have read Vale’s biography you will know that Lin was instrumental in winning Vale over to Yamaha. It was an absolute treat listening to him speak about the race season and a little bit about his relationship with Vale. It was great to hear him say that the despite Vale being the oldest rider in MotoGP at present he still had aspirations and wanted to take his 10th world title.
The dinner gave me the opportunity to chat to some of the other owners. There was a really broad demographic and I found it interesting that a high number of people that had bought an R1M had never been on a track before. Not only had they not been on track but said they had no intention of riding on track again. After all, the R1M is a race bike that happens to be road legal.
An owner at my table had travelled ten hours from Glasgow to attend and had even been to the event last year. One had written his R1M off, replaced it and got another invitation! He was pleased to show me the data record and map showing his trajectory through the centre of a roundabout where he had smashed the bike. One owner had recently added the R1M to his collection of bikes. Another was racing at a national club level and his bike was damn near superbike spec. One of the guys admitted that he has been saving for some time to get his teeth fixed, he never told his wife that he had spent the money on a new bike…yet!
The Yamaha Endurance team had just won the Suzuka 8-hour race and they were there talking about the race. At our table we were being told a story of how Josh Brookes had just made the save of the century at the Suzuka 8-hour. He had his knee down, it dug into the dirt and pulled him off the bike, as he flew off he grabbed the seat and pulled himself back on. Our story teller said “don’t just take my word for it” and came back with Josh who told the story in his own words.
Most of the tables had a champion or two making this dinner a money-can’t-buy experience for most.
On track the following day riders were put into groups based on their experience, they are then lead around the track by the champion riders. Again, a great experience. I had just fitted new Dunlop D212 semi-slick track tyres and was looking forward to shredding them but overnight it had rained heavily and was still torrential. The rain was flying sideways across the garage door. The sort of rain that bounced. Some of the access roads to the track were flooded.
The Yamaha Racing Experience is a unique opportunity for YZF-R1M owners to step inside the world of Yamaha Racing.
To further improve the immense stopping power of the R1M, I’ve fitted Brembo road and track brake pads to increase the feedback too. They are almost too harsh when you come to a standstill, they grip so much that you can feel the floating disks move. After fitting the pads I fitted a Brembo 19 RCS master cylinder which I had this spare from a race bike. Fitting caught me out as most bikes have two braided hoses coming off the master cylinder meaning a double banjo bolt is required. The R1M has a single hose which leads down to a branched junction so the hunt was on to find a single banjo. I fitted a single pressure switch bolt too which activates the brake light. As I have the Brembo dedicated switch I will fit a single banjo when I get the chance. The RCS combined with the pads give you all the braking you will ever need.
After listening to the Öhlins seminar and being introduced to their electronic steering damper I fitted one to the bike. It was simple but a little time consuming to fit as you should remove the front of the fairing. The bike is already set up with a dedicated plug-and-play option for this damper.
I could feel the difference immediately particularly at lower speeds where there’s both more resistance and damping. Most electronic dampers tend to offer more damping at higher speeds, I find I tend to get out of shape with tank slappers on my way to the higher velocities. The bike does not have wheelie control it has rate-of-lift control instead. This means you can still get a little air under the wheel with the throttle on. Pushing hard over a tram line I upset the front enough to see how quickly the real-time algorithm could do its thing. It was fast enough to smooth things out before things went full lock to lock.
The bike feels far more stable and the front is more settled and for me, it just made sense to have the damper compliment the Öhlins Electronic Suspension. At high speeds there is more damping and stability too and although I’ve only tested the damper on the road, I’m looking forward to testing it in anger at Cadwell this month.
