Yamaha YZR-M1

This article needs additional citations for

verification. Learn more

The Yamaha YZR-M1 is an inline-four

motorcycle specifically developed by
Yamaha Motor Company to race in the
current MotoGP series.[1] It succeeded the
500 cc (31 cu in) YZR500 by the 2002
season and was originally developed with
a 990 cc (60 cu in) engine. Since then, the
YZR-M1 has been continuously developed
into several iterations through the 990cc,
800cc and 1000cc eras of Grand Prix
Motorcycle Racing.
 Yamaha YZR-M1 (2002–present)

Yamaha YZR-M1 used by Rossi in the 2004

Category MotoGP

Constructor Yamaha

Predecessor Yamaha YZR500

Technical specifications

Chassis Twin-spar aluminium

deltabox frame, multi-
 adjustable steering
geometry, wheelbase,
ride height, with
aluminium swingarm
Suspension (front) Fully adjustable
Öhlins inverted
telescopic forks

Suspension (rear) Braced aluminium

swingarm with single
Öhlins shock and
rising-rate linkage

Length 2,060 mm (81 in)

Width 650 mm (26 in)

Height 1,150 mm (45 in)
measured from
identical reference
plane
Wheelbase 1,450 mm (57 in)

Engine Yamaha 1,000 cc

(61 cu in) I4, 16-valve,
DOHC, four valves per
cylinder, Crossplane
crankshaft, naturally
aspirated,

Transmission 6-speed sequential

manual cassette type
Weight 157 kg (346 lb)
excluding rider
225 kg (496 lb)
including rider
Fuel ENEOS

Lubricants Yamalube

Tyres Michelin

Competition history

Notable entrants Yamaha Motor

Racing
Yamaha Tech 3
YSP Racing Team
Forward Racing
Debut 2002 Japanese Grand
Prix
Races Wins Poles

272 109 105

Constructors' 5
Championships

2002–2003
2002 was the first season which allowed
990 cc 4-strokes to be raced alongside
500 cc 2-strokes. In a change from their V-
4 YZR500, Yamaha designed the YZR-M1
(for "Mission One") with an inline-4 engine
because it was the format considered to
have the best mutual balance with the
frame.[2] Also, Yamaha wanted to preserve
the superior handling of the YZR500, so
the M1's engine was designed to fit in a
chassis developed around the basic
structure of the YZR500.[2] The M1 was
outfitted with an electronic engine
management system that controlled the
engine braking endemic to 4-strokes.[1]
The new engine had 5 valves per cylinder,
was fed by carburetors and began with a
displacement of 942 cc; in the second half
of the season it progressed up to the full
990 cc regulation limit.[2] The frame design
also evolved during the season, with
adjustment of the engine mounting
position and change in the fuel tank
shape.[2]

The M1 was test-ridden and developed by

Max Biaggi, John Kocinski, Norihiko
Fujiwara and Kyoji Namba throughout
2001.[3] It was raced in the 2002 season by
Biaggi and Carlos Checa on the factory
team, and towards the end of the season
M1s were also provided to Norifumi Abe,
Olivier Jacque and Shinya Nakano. Biaggi
achieved two wins and placed second in
the final standings as did Yamaha in the
manufacturers' championship.

In 2003, the engine went from carburetion

to fuel injection, and the engine brake
control system was replaced with an Idle
Control System that automatically
adjusted the throttle valve opening on two
of the four cylinders to improve stability
and handling during deceleration.[4] M1
riders were Checa, Alex Barros, Olivier
Jacque, Marco Melandri, Shinya Nakano
and Norifumi Abe, and there were no wins
and Yamaha came in third in the
manufacturers' championship.

2004/2005
Valentino Rossi signed a two-year contract
with Yamaha, reportedly worth in excess
of US$6 million per season, in a move that
was described by the press as "biting off
more than he could chew". It was widely
felt not only by his critics and media
pundits, but also by many fans, that even
he would not be able to bring the
struggling YZR-M1 up to the level of the
hereto all conquering Honda RC211V. A
well publicised increase in the pace of
development of the Honda machine over
the winter season fuelled expectation that
a Honda RC211V in the hands of riders the
calibre of Max Biaggi and Sete Gibernau
would have no problem in retaining the
World Title for Honda.

Meanwhile, Rossi wasn't the only defection

Honda had to contend with; Jeremy
Burgess (crew chief for Rossi at Honda),
along with the majority of his long
established crew, were convinced by Rossi
to join him at Yamaha. This was a shrewd
move, and was cited by Rossi in his
autobiography as being instrumental in
providing him with the strong basis
necessary for launching an attack on the
Championship with the YZR-M1.

During 2003/2004 winter testing, Yamaha

stepped up to the plate by pulling out all
the stops in their collaboration with Rossi
and Burgess. Through a systematic regime
of innovation and testing, they sought to
refine the M1's traditionally strong traits
such as good braking and quick handling
(which impressed Rossi), and marry them
with good balance and transition to power.
Working closely with Rossi and Burgess,
Yamaha engineers under YZR-M1 project
leader Koichi Tsuji experimented with a
number of engine modifications in an
attempt to fix the power delivery, and
finally it was decided to go ahead with a
four valve per cylinder head configuration
(as opposed to the earlier five valve head),
with a specially refined cylinder firing
order. This turned the straight four cylinder
engine from a traditional "screamer",
where the power pulses are spaced
equally (every 180 crank degrees) in the
four stroke cycle, into a so-called "long
bang" engine where the power pulses are
grouped unevenly across the cycle (270-
180-90-180). This firing order mimics the
constant kinetic energy of a V4 engine
while maintaining the desirable engine
packaging of a traditional inline four
cylinder. These developments significantly
improved the torque characteristics of the
engine, and coupled with slight changes to
the position of the engine in the chassis,
made the M1 much easier to control at the
limit of adhesion while exiting corners.
After a frantic winter of development and
testing, the team showed the world that
they had made a significant step in the
right direction, when Rossi and the M1
won the BMW car at the 2004 pre season
IRTA test at Catalunya, by posting the
fastest lap of the open session (similar to
normal race qualifying).

With the traditional first race of the season

at Suzuka off the list due to safety
considerations, the 2004 season started at
Welkom in South Africa. In a quite
remarkable race, Rossi came through to
claim the victory, not only silencing his
critics, but becoming the first man in
history to win two GPs back to back with
two different manufacturers. Rossi would
go on to claim 8 more GP wins on his way
to win the 2004 Championship, with a tally
of 304 points. Honda riders Sete Gibernau
and Max Biaggi took second and third with
257 and 217 points respectively.
The 2004 season would therefore unfold
to give Rossi the opportunity he had
sought; to prove that it was his talent
rather than just the bike that had won him
his championships. In so doing, he also
achieved one of the great coups in the
history of Motorcycle Racing.

The YZR-M1 and Rossi partnership

continued to dominate in 2005, when the
Championship was won by a massive 147
point margin over Honda rider Marco
Melandri in second place. The 2005 M1
was hailed by insiders to be a great race
bike, it illustrated that Yamaha with input
from Rossi had created a race bike to beat
the others quite easily. Rossi would go on
later to say that the 2005 M1 was the
greatest bike he has ever ridden.

2006
Valentino Rossi's 2006 Yamaha YZR-M1

The 2006 season proved a little more

problematic for Yamaha, with the M1
suffering from chatter from the very first
race of the year. It would be a recurring
problem for all Yamaha riders in the first
third of the season, and was thought to be
a function of three major winter season
developments; namely a significant hike in
engine power, a new stiffer chassis and a
new construction of Michelin tyre with an
even stickier compound and revised
profile. Because all three developments
occurred almost simultaneously, the usual
meticulous testing of one development at
a time was compromised and it would
take much of the early season to
understand and overcome the problems.

This setback for Yamaha and the YZR-M1

was largely responsible for Valentino
Rossi's mediocre season start in 2006,
manifest by poor qualifying performances
and a brace of bad luck, he also suffered a
wrist injury mid season, which added to
his woes. In the final third of a memorable
season, the M1's problems were virtually
eradicated, and Valentino Rossi turned in a
string of performances that would close
down a large points gap on Championship
leader Nicky Hayden aboard the Honda
RC211V. It was only in the final race of the
season that the M1 and Valentino Rossi
were beaten by just five points and
Yamaha relinquished the Championship
back to Honda in the hands of Nicky
Hayden, who only won two races that
season. Hayden would later state that
Rossi deserved to be the champion, but
luck and DNFs cost him the championship.
Valentino Rossi would win 5 races in 2006
to Nicky Hayden's 2, a fact that was well
played during the off season.

2007
Regulations again changed for the 2007
season with the capacity of MotoGP
machines reduced to 800 cc in an effort by
the FIM to reduce the ever-increasing
speeds of the 990 cc bikes (capable of
well in excess of 210 mph (340 km/h));
therefore the YZR-M1 would continue in
2007 in 800 cc form. In post-2006 and in
2007 pre-season testing, the new 800 cc
equipped YZR-M1 (along with other 800 cc
MotoGP bikes) has been paradoxically
quicker straight out of the box than the
990 cc version of the M1. This is by virtue
of later, harder braking, quicker handling,
higher corner speeds, and more
controllable traction, and as the 2007
season got under way, the 800 cc YZR-M1
was expected to get quicker as its
development continued.

The chatter that plagued the early 2006

YZR-M1 has been eliminated in the switch
to 800 cc.[5] While the main sponsor for
the Official Factory Yamaha Team has
switched from Camel with their distinctive
yellow and blue livery, to that of the Italian
Motor Manufacturer Fiat. The team will run
initially in a blue and white colour scheme
and has hinted at the unusual intention of
running a variety of colour schemes
throughout the season.

Casey Stoner won the 2007 Championship

with the factory Ducati.

2008
The 2008 YZR-M1 was regarded as the
best all round bike in MotoGP. Rossi won
the 2008 Championship,[6] by a record
margin and dominated podium finishes all
season. Teammate Jorge Lorenzo
managed a first ever Rookie win on the M1
at the Portuguese GP,[7] and had 6 podium
finishes. Many along with Rossi stated
that the YZR-M1 was the best bike of 2008
season, something that was well proven
during the heated battles Rossi had with
Casey Stoner on the Ducati.

2012
For 2012 Season, Maximum engine
capacity was increased to 1,000 cc (1.0 L;
61.0 cu in), with a limit of 4 cylinders and a
maximum 81mm cylinder bore.[8] Jorge
Lorenzo won 2012 Championship, closely
followed by Dani Pedrosa.

Specifications
 Yamaha YZR-M1 (2015) Specifications

Engine

Liquid-cooled, in-line, 4-cylinder, 4-stroke with 16-valve crossplane crankshaft

Engine type:
(fires at 180° flat-plane crank).

Displacement: 1,000 cc (1.0 L; 61.0 cu in)

Ignition: Magneti Marelli with adjustable mapping – NGK spark plugs

Fuel System: Fuel injection

Fuel: ENEOS unleaded (Movistar Yamaha)/Motul (Yamaha Tech3)

Lubricants: Yamalube/Motul

Lubrication
Wet sump
system:

Data
2D
recording:

Maximum
Around 249 PS/183 kW
power:

Maximum
In excess of 340 km/h (211 mph)
speed:

Exhaust: Akrapovič

Transmission

Type: 6-speed cassette-type gearbox, with alternative gear ratios available

Primary drive: Gear

Clutch: Dry multi-plate slipper clutch

Final drive: Chain

Chassis and running gear

 Twin-spar aluminium deltabox frame, multi-adjustable steering geometry,
Frame type:
wheelbase, ride height, with aluminium swingarm

Front
Fully adjustable Öhlins inverted telescopic forks
suspension:

Rear
Braced aluminium swingarm with single Öhlins shock and rising-rate linkage
suspension:

Front/rear
MFR Forged Magnesium 17” inch front and rear
wheels:

Front/rear
Michelin, 17” front and rear, available as slick, intermedium and wet tyres
tyres:

Twin 320 mm or 340 mm carbon discs with radial mounted four-piston Brembo
Front brake:
calipers

Rear brake: Single 220 mm ventilated stainless steel disc with twin-piston Brembo caliper

Minimum 157 kg (346 lb) excluding rider, 200 kg (441 lb) including rider, in

Weight:
accordance with FIM regulations

Fuel capacity: 21 L (6 US gal; 5 imp gal), in accordance with FIM regulations

Successes
World Championships titles:
Constructors: 5 (2005, 2008, 2009, 2010,
2015)
Riders: 7 (Valentino Rossi 4 times 2004,
2005, 2008, 2009; Jorge Lorenzo 3
times 2010, 2012, 2015)
Teams: 7 (Gauloises Fortuna Yamaha
2004, Gauloises Yamaha Team 2005,
Fiat Yamaha Team 2008, 2009, 2010,
Movistar Yamaha MotoGP 2015, 2016)
Races won: 109:
2002: Biaggi 2 (2 in total)
2004: Rossi 9 (9 in total)
2005: Rossi 11 (11 in total)
2006: Rossi 5 (5 in total)
2007: Rossi 4 (4 in total)
2008: Rossi 9, Lorenzo 1 (10 in total)
2009: Rossi 6, Lorenzo 4 (10 in total)
2010: Lorenzo 9, Rossi 2 (11 in total)
2011: Lorenzo 3, Spies 1 (4 in total)
2012: Lorenzo 6 (6 in total)
2013: Lorenzo 8, Rossi 1 (9 in total)
2014: Rossi 2, Lorenzo 2 (4 in total)
2015: Lorenzo 7, Rossi 4 (11 in total)
2016: Lorenzo 4, Rossi 2 (6 in total)
2017: Viñales 3, Rossi 1 (4 in total)
2018: Viñales 1 (1 in total)
2019: Viñales 2 (2 in total)
Poles: 105:
2002: Biaggi 4, Checa 1 (5 in total)
2004: Rossi 5, Checa 1 (6 in total)
2005: Rossi 5 (5 in total)
2006: Rossi 5 (5 in total)
2007: Rossi 4, Edwards 2 (6 in total)
2008: Lorenzo 4, Rossi 2, Edwards 1 (7
in total)
2009: Rossi 7, Lorenzo 5 (12 in total)
2010: Lorenzo 7, Rossi 1, Spies 1 (9 in
total)
2011: Lorenzo 2 (2 in total)
2012: Lorenzo 7 (7 in total)
2013: Lorenzo 4, Crutchlow 2 (6 in total)
2014: Rossi 1, Lorenzo 1 (2 in total)
2015: Lorenzo 5, Rossi 1 (6 in total)
2016: Lorenzo 4, Rossi 3 (7 in total)
2017: Viñales 5, Zarco 2 (7 in total)
2018: Zarco 2, Rossi 1, Viñales 1 (4 in
total)
2019: Quartararo 6, Viñales 3 (9 in total)
These results are accurate up to the 2019
Valencian Community motorcycle Grand
Prix.

Complete MotoGP results

(key) (results in bold indicate pole
position; results in italics indicate fastest
lap)
Year Tyres Team No. Rider 1

2002 M JPN

Max
3 Re
Biaggi
Marlboro
Carlos
Yamaha 7 3
Checa
Team
Wataru
45
Yoshikawa

Antena 3
Yamaha 6 Norifumi
d'Antin Abe
 19 Olivier
Gauloises Jacque
Yamaha Shinya
Tech 3 56
Nakano

2003 M JPN

Alex
4 8
Gauloises Barros
Yamaha Olivier
19 15
Team Jacque

Fortuna Carlos
7 10
Yamaha Checa
Team 33 Marco WD
 Melandri

11

Yamaha
17 Norifumi
Racing
Abe
Team

d'Antin
Shinya
Yamaha 56 9
Nakano
Team

2004 M RSA

Carlos
7 10
Gauloises Checa

46 1
 Fortuna Valentino
Yamaha Rossi

Fortuna 17 Norifumi 9
Gauloises Abe
Tech 3 Marco
33 11
Melandri

2005 M SPA

Colin
5 9
Gauloises Edwards
Yamaha 46 1
Team[b] Valentino
 Rossi

Rubén
11 18
Xaus
Fortuna
Toni
Yamaha 24 12
Elías
Team
David
94
Checa

2006 SPA

M Camel Colin
5 11
Yamaha Edwards
Team 46 14
Valentino
 Rossi

Carlos
7 13
Tech 3 Checa
D
Yamaha James
77 16
Ellison

2007 QAT

Colin
5 6
FIAT Edwards
M Yamaha
Team 46 Valentino 2
Rossi

D Dunlop 6 Makoto 16
 Yamaha Tamada
Tech 3 Sylvain
50 15
Guintoli

2008 QAT

Colin
5 7
Tech 3 Edwards
M
Yamaha James
52 6
Toseland

Fiat
B Yamaha 46 Valentino 5
Team Rossi

M 48 Jorge 2
 Lorenzo

2009 B QAT

Colin
Monster 5 4
Edwards
Yamaha
James
Tech 3 52 16
Toseland

Sterilgarda Ben
11
Yamaha Spies
Team

Fiat 46 2
Yamaha Valentino
 Team Rossi

Jorge
99 3
Lorenzo

2010 B QAT

Colin
Monster 5 8
Edwards
Yamaha
Ben
Tech 3 11 5
Spies

Fiat Wataru
8
Yamaha Yoshikawa
Team 46 1
Valentino
 Rossi

Jorge
99 2
Lorenzo

2011 B QAT

Jorge
1 2
Lorenzo

Yamaha Ben
11 6
Factory Spies
Racing

89 Katsuyuki
Nakasuga

Monster 5 Colin 8
 Yamaha Edwards
Tech 3 Cal
35 11
Crutchlow

Josh
41
Hayes

2012 B QAT

Andrea
Monster 4 5
Dovizioso
Yamaha
Cal
Tech 3 35 4
Crutchlow

Yamaha Ben
11 11
Factory Spies
 Racing Jorge
99 1
Lorenzo

Yamaha
YSP 21 Katsuyuki
Racing Nakasuga
Team

2013 B QAT

Yamaha
YSP
21 Katsuyuki
Racing
Nakasuga
Team
 Monster 35 Cal 5
Yamaha Crutchlow
Tech 3 Bradley
38 Re
Smith

Yamaha 46 Valentino 2
Factory Rossi
Racing Jorge
99 1
Lorenzo

2014 B QAT

21
YAMALUBE Katsuyuki
Racing Nakasuga
Team with
YSP

Bradley
Monster 38 Re
Smith
Yamaha
Pol
Tech 3 44 Re
Espargaró

Movistar 46 Valentino 2
Yamaha Rossi
MotoGP Jorge
99 Re
Lorenzo
2015 B QAT

Yamaha
Factory
21 Katsuyuki
Racing
Nakasuga
Team

Bradley
Monster 38 8
Smith
Yamaha
Pol
Tech 3 44 9
Espargaró

Movistar
Yamaha 46 Valentino 1
MotoGP Rossi
 99 Jorge 4
Lorenzo

2016 M QAT

Yamalube
Yamaha
21 Katsuyuki
Factory
Nakasuga
Racing
Team

Monster Alex
22
Yamaha Lowes
Tech 3 38 Bradley 8
 Smith

Pol
44 7
Espargaró

Movistar 46 Valentino 4
Yamaha Rossi
MotoGP Jorge
99 1
Lorenzo

2017 M QAT

Monster Johann
5 Re
Yamaha Zarco
Tech 3 23 Broc
 Parkes

Kohta
31
Nozane

Michael
60 van der
Mark

Jonas
94 10
Folger

21
Yamalube Katsuyuki
Yamaha Nakasuga
Factory
 Racing
Team

25 Maverick 1
Movistar
Viñales
Yamaha
MotoGP
46 Valentino 3
Rossi

2018 M QAT

Monster Johann
5 8
Yamaha Zarco
Tech 3 55 Hafizh 14
 Syahrin

25 Maverick 6
Movistar
Viñales
Yamaha
MotoGP
46 Valentino 3
Rossi

89
Yamalube Katsuyuki
Yamaha Nakasuga
Factory
 Racing
Team

2019 M QAT

Monster 12 Maverick 7
Yamaha Viñales
Factory
Racing 46 Valentino 5
Rossi

Petronas Fabio
20 16
Yamaha Quartararo
SRT 21 Franco 11
 Morbidelli

QAT

Monster 12 Maverick
Energy Viñales
Yamaha
2020 M MotoGP 46 Valentino
Rossi

Fabio
Petronas 20
Quartararo
Yamaha
Franco
SRT 21
Morbidelli
* Season still in progress.

Notes
a. Non-bracketed number refers to the
number accumulated with the
motorcycle, with number in brackets
referring to the total accumulated for
the season.
b. Due to tobacco advertising, the team
was known as Yamaha Factory Racing
at the United States and Valencian
Grands Prix.
References
1. "History of 990cc" . Yamaha Racing.
Yamaha Motor Company. Archived
from the original on 2008-03-22.
Retrieved 2008-03-21.
2. "YZR-M1(0WM1)" . Yamaha Motor Co.
Retrieved 15 December 2015.
3. "Mission One: Introducing Yamaha's
awesome YZR-M1" . Crash.net. 2001-
05-14. Retrieved 2008-04-16.
4. "Evolution of the YZR-M1 – part one" .
Crash.net. 2006-11-19. Retrieved
2008-04-16.
5. Birt, M.: Yamaha chatter finished
Archived 2007-02-25 at the Wayback
Machine motorcyclenews.com, 2007-
02-21.
. "Rossi wins Motegi, MotoGP
championship" . Crash.net. Crash
Media Group. 28 September 2008.
Retrieved 19 January 2016.
 7. Irish, Oliver (14 April 2008). "Thrilling
Lorenzo maintains his upward
trajectory" . The Guardian. Guardian
Media Group. Retrieved 19 January
2016.
. "MotoGP changes for 2012" .
motogp.com. MotoGp News. 11
December 2009. Retrieved 10 May
2017.

External links
 Wikimedia Commons has media
related to Yamaha YZR-M1.

The current YZR-M1

Yamaha Explains Use of Carburettors on
M1
Yamaha Spills the Beans on YZR-M1 GP
Racer

Retrieved from
"https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?
title=Yamaha_YZR-M1&oldid=932654231"
 Last edited 4 months ago by TheriusRooney

Content is available under CC BY-SA 3.0 unless

otherwise noted.