YAMAHA YZF-R1 (2004-2005) Specs, Performance & Photos

In 2005, Yamaha released the YZ-R1, a motorcycle that carried on the successful recipe with the proven 998cc ram-air injected engine, a more carefully-distributed weight, and a revised power management system.

The result was a nimble superbike with a high-compression engine and high-performance thanks to a lightweight Deltabox aluminum chassis, top-notch WSBK-inspired suspension, and radial-mounted brake calipers.

The 2005 model featured a factory-installed steering damper, which, along with the frame changes, eliminated the handlebar's tendency to shake violently on hard acceleration or deceleration on surfaces that were not perfect, a phenomenon known as a speed wobble or a tank slapper.

The 2005 Yamaha YZF-R1 had its heartbeat set by a 998cc four-stroke four-cylinder liquid-cooled engine that delivered an output power of 171 hp with a peak at 12,500 rpm and 107 Nm (79 lb-ft) of torque available at 10,500 rpm.

On the front side of the Deltabox twin-spar aluminum frame was a 43 mm adjustable Kayaba inverted telescopic fork and a truss-type aluminum swingarm with an adjustable motocross system on the rear provided the bike's suspension, coupled to a set of blacked-out five-spoke cast-aluminum wheels.

As for braking performance, the model packed two 320 mm discs with four-piston calipers on the front wheel and a 220 mm disc with a four-piston caliper on the rear wheel.