Both Visordown and Asphalt & Rubber say Yamaha’s got something up their sleeve, which could turn out to be a new R1.
Apparently, Yamaha has been filing for trademark and patent applications around the globe, nailing down the rights for the names R1M, R1S and YZF-R1M. This seems to mean they’ve got something in mind, but what? A new model name doesn’t mean a brand-new bike is en-route – it could simply mean a slightly different configuration is coming, with different options or paint.
It could also mean Yamaha is following the path taken by Ducati and BMW in recent years, with the Panigale 1199 and S1000RR bikes, respectively. Both those superbikes were brought to market, then followed up with announcements a few months later that the machines just weren’t super enough – they both had higher-spec machines released afterwards, with premium parts (and premium pricing).
Or, it could mean Yamaha really does have a brand-new model just around the corner – maybe a three-cylinder litrebike, or something else. Or it could all prove to be a long-drawn waiting game, like the R3. Maybe Yamaha is just trademarking names, to keep everyone else guessing?
