My mini review of my new crossplane R1.

[jwm2k3]

Here is where we differ......if I felt as you with that bike it would already be gone.

Aint nobody got time fer dat...

I ride for pleasure. Not commuting, not to and from work, just fun rides.

Shit, Ive traded in bikes for less reasons than you give....


Having said all that, the crossplane sound gives me wood....Id try one out.

[Eric Baker]

The thing I find funny is that you know getting the bike tuned will fix most of your "issues", but you still haven't had it done, and are still complaining about them.

I also agree with John. If you have so many things you really don't like about it, be gone with it.

[boosten lebaron]

i havent mapped it for the simple fact i havent had time or the itching desire. Ive only got 1200 miles on it and with it going in gor warranty work to fix the cct i think it would be a poor idea on my part to pretty much void the warranty right off the bat. I have plenty of other bikes i ride too. This is the last one of mine i want to do anything with.
Im not really complaining about it either, im stating it. The problem with so many reviews (especially with the r1) is people just gloss over its issues. Whats the point of an honest review if i dont give it a fair chance? This bike has alot of issues and probably 99% of the reviews i read just give you a quick blurb about them. Very, very few say what its like to deal with them on a constant basis. Alot of people wouldnt even know about the ecu changes needed or think its not really needed. Even less want to buy a new bike and drop money into it instantly to get it to behave properly. I know i dont but i will have to at some point.
No luck getting rid of these bikes either. even though i got a good deal on it its hard to sell it for even close to what i paid. When you can still get new leftovers for $9000 it really hurts the used market.
Im sure i will update this again later.

[csmutty]

i havent mapped it for the simple fact i havent had time or the desire. i have plenty of other bikes i ride. This is the last one of mine i want to do anything with. im not really complaining about it either, im stating it.
no luck getting rid of these bikes either. even though i got a good deal on it its hard to sell it for even close to what i paid. when you can still get new leftovers for $9000 it really hurts the used market.

It takes 2 seconds to take the ecu out and send it out to have it flashed...really not hard to do or time intensive.

[boosten lebaron]

But it isnt free.

[csmutty]

But it isnt free.

It's way less than an exhaust.

[Jim]

that bike is junk. sell it to me for $1

[boosten lebaron]

It's way less than an exhaust.

The exhaust was pretty cheap actually. Under $300 if i remember right. Granted its still more than the flash but the hear is a real issue on the bike. Its so bad on even a warm day. I decided to try to lessen the bigger of the issues for me. The heat issue won out and its still crazy hot. Im gonna go for a midpipe that does very little for these bikes performance wise but is supposed to take alot of heat away before i do the ecu too.

[R7]

It'd be an entertaining read to see your review of anything Italian...I'd even offer to swap the RSV4 for your R1 for a week just to confirm my thoughts on how much better the R1 is than the RSV4

[Pigman]

It'd be an entertaining read to see your review of anything Italian...I'd even offer to swap the RSV4 for your R1 for a week just to confirm my thoughts on how much better the R1 is than the RSV4

PFFFFFFFFFFFFFTTT......swap with me and my GSXR 1K and you will be sold I am sure of it....

[R7]

PFFFFFFFFFFFFFTTT......swap with me and my GSXR 1K and you will be sold I am sure of it....

I'm working at the same job in Mass one day the end of this week, should I bring the bike?

[Pigman]

HMMMMMMMM or I could bring Keiths (Kman) Pengaliasasadkajsdadasdsasdada Duck bet that you get you all hot and botherd.

[R7]

HMMMMMMMM or I could bring Keiths (Kman) Pengaliasasadkajsdadasdsasdada Duck bet that you get you all hot and botherd.

I think your gixxer will get me more excited than Keith's Duck..haha

[Pigman]

I think your gixxer will get me more excited than Keith's Duck..haha

It does for me.....

[jwm2k3]

An ecu flash isn't going to void the warranty.

[CBR929RE]

did you get the exhaust used? every Leo I've seen has been great quality and my full system is awesome. and I'm not just saying that because they sponsor me. I had a slip on before I got the sponsorship and it was nice.

[darkduc7]

Bike reviews are so subjective. You may hate the bike for X reason, the next dude loves the bike for that same reason. I love Ducati v twins for their quirkyness and vibrations and raw beauty...other guys say they are peices of crap. If the bike sucked ass like you say, Yamaha wouldn't have produced it. I sure hope every bike review is taken with a grain of salt, as everyone focuses and picks up on different things. It irritates me when an individual sees themselves as such an expert on the manufacturing of motorcycles, and says shit like, Yamaha made this clutch wrong. YOU just don't like it so change it or sell it, don't ruin it for someone else that may love the bike if they would just ride it.

[boosten lebaron]

It'd be an entertaining read to see your review of anything Italian...I'd even offer to swap the RSV4 for your R1 for a week just to confirm my thoughts on how much better the R1 is than the RSV4

Didnt you have a crossplane and switch to the aprilia? I believe you posted saying that you thought the r1 was still a better bike.
The aprilia was one of the bikes i considered when buying a new bike. It was also the first one i could easily rule out. Dealers are far from me, it was alot more money than the others for the most part and i didnt really care for the styling. I had an old aprilia rsv from 2000 and loved it but the new ones just didnt do it for me.

[boosten lebaron]

An ecu flash isn't going to void the warranty.

Depends on the dealer and flash. Some i have talked to automatically void the warranty as soon as they start it and see it starting in A mode. The dealership i bought it from didnt really have a problem with it but im worried about later on down the road and im at a distant dealership. My last gsxr had the warranty voided after just a slipon when i brought it in for regular service. It was late in the warranty period so i didnt care much but i had already used the factory warranty alot to fix some major things. I got a replacement frame, swingarm, most plastics and all electronics within a few months of owning it. If i didnt have the warranty coverage for those things id be in jail for murder right now.

[boosten lebaron]

did you get the exhaust used? every Leo I've seen has been great quality and my full system is awesome. and I'm not just saying that because they sponsor me. I had a slip on before I got the sponsorship and it was nice.

Exhaust was brand new. They were the Italia black series that they are trying to unload. Under $400 is the norm but i got it on sale and with a discount. If you saw this thing when it arrived youd never recommend an leo either. Still looks like shit when you look at it but not as bad. Know what leo said when i tried to get it fixed? Its a lower grade exhaust and isnt going to be as nice as the high end ones. They offered to send me another but said the defects may or may not be there since they were all built the same.

[boosten lebaron]

Im simply stating whats wrong. Yamaha clearly has produced it with its issues and its a poor seller for those reasons. Im not even really picking on it, im just stating the obvious. I say nothing about terrible gas mileage that barely breaks 30mpg if i take it easy, the miserable storage space that can barely hold my paperwork, or the tiny bar end weights that would surely be better if they were bigger. Im just telling you what to expect. All my thoughts and opinions mirror pretty much what everyone has said about these bikes. I cant and am not the only one to see these things.
People like yourself are the ones that tell people all is fine and the bike is great knowing its quirky and odd but dont tell them that. That doesnt really help anyone now does it.

[R7]

Didnt you have a crossplane and switch to the aprilia? I believe you posted saying that you thought the r1 was still a better bike.
The aprilia was one of the bikes i considered when buying a new bike. It was also the first one i could easily rule out. Dealers are far from me, it was alot more money than the others for the most part and i didnt really care for the styling. I had an old aprilia rsv from 2000 and loved it but the new ones just didnt do it for me.

I had an 09 R1, first year of the crossplane. My biggest problem with the Aprilia VS the R1 is the engine. Both bikes from what I've read, have similar gearing..the RSV4 being slightly higher in the lower gears. My R1 made smooth power pretty much from idle, to the redline and you could slip the clutch out without even giving any throttle to take off from a stop. Try that with the Aprilia and it will stall..try rolling on the throttle below 5k rpm and it bogs and studders...then it's hold the fuck on when it kicks in ( I should bring it back to have that checked). I think the overall fit and finnish is MUCH better on the R1 than the Aprilia, though I kinda like the looks and style of the Aprilia a bit more. Honestly, the only thing that wow's me with the Aprilia are the front brakes.
I agree with the dealers with Aprilia, it sucks they are so spread out. One of the kick ass things about Seacoast Sportcycle where I bought mine, pick up and delivery for service was $20 each way when I asked last fall...so the distance doesn't bother me..I'm 112 miles from door to door.
All that being said, if I had a chance to dump the Aprilia without taking a huge bath, and get back on an R1, I'd do it in a second!

Depends on the dealer and flash. Some i have talked to automatically void the warranty as soon as they start it and see it starting in A mode. The dealership i bought it from didnt really have a problem with it but im worried about later on down the road and im at a distant dealership. My last gsxr had the warranty voided after just a slipon when i brought it in for regular service. It was late in the warranty period so i didnt care much but i had already used the factory warranty alot to fix some major things. I got a replacement frame, swingarm, most plastics and all electronics within a few months of owning it. If i didnt have the warranty coverage for those things id be in jail for murder right now.

Sorry Piggy, after reading this, the gixxer deal is off I have to think real hard if I have ever even used a Yamaha warranty? A couple minor recalls, yes..but I don't recall ever going in for warranty work.

Exhaust was brand new. They were the Italia black series that they are trying to unload. Under $400 is the norm but i got it on sale and with a discount. If you saw this thing when it arrived youd never recommend an leo either. Still looks like shit when you look at it but not as bad. Know what leo said when i tried to get it fixed? Its a lower grade exhaust and isnt going to be as nice as the high end ones. They offered to send me another but said the defects may or may not be there since they were all built the same.

What's funny is people demand a low cost product from a company and in return get a low cost product with low quality to go with it. Then they bitch about the quality? Not really pointing you out here, just seems to be what's happening in the current economy. Honestly, if I bought slip-ons for an R1, that were brand new, for less than $400..I wouldn't expect much of anything with quality.
I had the Leo SBK's on my R1, got them on a group buy from the R1 forum at the time for about $800 and the quality was awesome. They were on my bike for 3 years, nothing faded, nothing wore out, nothing rattled, no leaks...they looked like the day I put them on when I sold the bike 3 years and 14k miles later

[fr333zy]

Bike reviews are so subjective. You may hate the bike for X reason, the next dude loves the bike for that same reason. I love Ducati v twins for their quirkyness and vibrations and raw beauty...other guys say they are peices of crap. If the bike sucked ass like you say, Yamaha wouldn't have produced it. I sure hope every bike review is taken with a grain of salt, as everyone focuses and picks up on different things. It irritates me when an individual sees themselves as such an expert on the manufacturing of motorcycles, and says shit like, Yamaha made this clutch wrong. YOU just don't like it so change it or sell it, don't ruin it for someone else that may love the bike if they would just ride it.

+1

I'm going to have to respectfully disagree with Boosten's appraisal of the R1, at least on several points. I'm biased, I have an 09, but I think presenting nothing but criticism doesn't help anyone. I found myself irritated by just wantonly bashing a bike (no matter that it's the one I have or otherwise).
If you're going to be constructive and offer a balanced opinion, then cool. But it's really not a review if you just bash everything and don't present a fair opinion. Several of the criticisms are completely subjective, or a matter of rider skill. To insinuate that with less than 1500 miles on the clock that you somehow ride or know the bike better than the test riders at Yamaha (enough to say that X,Y,Z needs to be changed) is...unfortunate.
Yamaha obviously tries to make the best bike they can, and with thousands of hours of R&D, millions of dollars in development I have to say I'm skeptical of someone who finds so many flaws with no positives. Maybe you're a pro level rider though, and I don't know what I'm talking about. I'm open minded to that being the case.

I mean no disrespect to you Boosten, and I'll stick to what was said rather than going in another direction, but I want to say a few things.

To address the criticisms-
Weight: No surprises here, the bike isn't as light as any of the other literbikes, but it's right there on the spec sheet. If you have issue with the spec sheet, then don't buy it. It's like buying a house and complaining about the location (one of the things you can't change). It was stated in the original post that you really can't lighten the bike. If weight is an issue for you, then don't buy it. There are much lighter bikes out there, but bashing on it for something that is right up front in writing is not an objective criticism. No one fooled you with the weight, it was right there in the open.
Mine doesn't feel heavy in the garage, nor on the road. Hell, it's only about 40 pounds heavier than my R6 was. Switching out the stock exhaust did save 15-20 pounds, and last time I checked, that's a significant difference (though it was implied that it's not). New exhaust also lowers the CG, as most of that weight is carried fairly high.

Power: Again, it's right in the specs. If it's not what you're looking for, you have plenty of other options. I don't think you'll find much sympathy if you bought it in spite of (widely known) lower numbers since the Crossplane debuted.
However, to say: "im still breaking it in so im not really pushing but i know it wouldnt keep up" is just random speculation. Every bike makes power differently. The low down grunt that this bike has indeed makes it (in my opinion) deceptively fast. Last time I checked, the rider makes the speed, not the bike. Just as much as I've passed a ZX-14, S1000rr's, and a Panigale on the front straight of Louden, I've been passed by R6's and SV's at other times.
Again, I would suggest reading the fine print if numbers are what you care about. Not doing your homework and then complaining about it unfortunately won't change the situation, and it doesn't help anyone else reading the review who knows the numbers up front.

Engine Output: It sounds like your gripe is primarily with "A" mode, which is a "race" or "sport" mode for throttle sensitivity. Yes it's more sensitive, but undriveable? Hardly. I got used to Standard mode over the first year I had the bike, then started playing with the different modes. A mode is really handy at the track, where you have wide swings in how open the throttle needs to be at any given time. It can seem touchy at first, but I haven't found any issues with it, and neither have several friends I have met on R1forum.com who have the same bike. I found that if you aren't gripping the tank correctly with your legs, having that extra pressure on your wrists can definitely exaggerate the effect, so if it's not seeming right, make sure that you are gripping with your legs, not your arms/hands. You should be putting only light pressure through the bars, and as such, fine motor control (no pun intended is much easier.
The engine braking is a bit more than other liter bikes, but that's a characteristic of the engine from my understanding. I don't find it difficult to deal with, and have put a few more miles on mine. It's definitely not as bad as it was made out to be, and besides, with the tall gearing, you can wind gears out pretty far, and the bike is well within operating rpm's at just about any speed in any gear (at least on public roads)

Clutch: I've had no problems, and can launch pretty darn quickly. The first gear is really tall, in fact you're going about 14mph before you usually have the clutch out all the way. It takes some getting used to, but it's just part of the bike. The plus side for me with such tall gearing is that at Louden I can ride 2nd pretty much around the whole track, always in the power, except having to bump up to 3rd and 4th on the straight.
Coming from my R6, I feel the clutch action and engagement felt pretty much identical, just with a much taller first gear to get used to.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I wouldn't think you're battling the slipper when you launch. I thought a slipper is engaged when wheel speed is faster than engine rpm (the larger the margin the more it's used). I could be wrong, but I know it works fine when I downshift a gear or two on the main straight, dump the clutch and lean it over.

Sound: An area where we agree! It's kind of a cross between a small block V8, and a Ducati for me. Uncorking it with pipes made mine sound downright awesome.

Ride quality: I just want to point out that this is a very subjective thing. Things like rider experience, body positioning, road surface (bumpy, smooth, cracks), suspension tuning (or lack of), grace with the throttle, and even clothing can make a big difference. I don't know if you've read any reviews of the last few years of R1's, but as much as there is generally a panning of it's comparative performance, there is usually a large praise for it's rider position (comfortable for a sportbike). One of the reasons that contributed to me buying mine was how comfortable it was (again, for a sport bike). I haven't had issues with my legs getting painfully hot. I used to commute from Salem, NH to Cambridge every day in the summer via the bike, and once in a while I'd get pretty hot sitting in traffic (especially when the cooling fans turned on and blew the radiator air over me), but painful? Not in my experience. I also want to point out that several other bikes have similar issues, including most underseat exhaust bikes, the Panigale, and even some Harleys. It's part of the price of admission I guess. Never been much of an issue for me though. I always wear full gear though (even if it's 100+ outside), so your mileage may vary if you dress differently.


Now I'd like to make a few comments in general. Commenting that something is "shitty", like the clutch, or that Leo Vince's are "complete shit" does two things. First, it's setting the stage as a very negative and subjective comment, and two, it shows a lack of understanding in a few areas. You elaborated later on by saying you bought $400 bargain pipes, and then are disappointed with them? I don't see the part that doesn't add up to you. You don't spend much, you don't get much.
Personally I'd ask why you'd put any low rate equipment on an expensive bike. Leo Vince makes some of the nicest exhausts out there, but you have to pay to play.
To each his own, but don't blame your dissatisfaction on the equipment when you're cheaping out. The clutch, I don't know what to tell you. I've had no issues with mine. Reading around on R1forum.com, and the fact that I have a few friends with 09's and 10's who've had no issues with their own (that I know of) might indicate that it's a rider finesse problem more than a mechanical defect. You could be a much better rider than me though, so maybe you are at the limits of what the clutch can do?

To offset the remarks from your "review", I'd like to point out a few great things about the R1 from my own experience with it (bought mine as a leftover in 2010).
Looks -
Everywhere I go, people compliment it. Most really dig the look, it's one of the best looking bikes from Japan IMO, but again I'm biased, and that's very subjective. On one of my most recent rides, I was stopped eating lunch, and a guy stopped, got out a tripod, and actually took a dozen or so photos of it. I got a picture of him somewhere on my iPhone. The bike stands out for sure.
*EDIT* Found the pic:


Sound -
Sounds great, 'nuff said

Comfy -
For a sportbike, it's pretty much as comfortable as it gets. I've ridden most of the other 09 contenders, and a few newer bikes, and the R1 is roomy, the seat is more plush, the rider compartment is spacious, and the rider triangle is actually the most relaxed of the big 4. I've done several 6-8 hour rides on mine up through the White Mountains, and I can actually walk after those rides (and I'm 6'4"). Actually, I'd also like to mention, that mine doesn't vibrate any more than my R6 did, and I've never had vibrations in any of my riding, especially enough that my hands would go numb. First, you may want to check that a wheel weight from balancing hasn't come off, and second if that hasn't happened, you may want to grip with your legs instead of using your arms so much. From my experience (again, maybe less than yours), what you describe sounds like you might have a death grip on the bike, and are wearing yourself out.

Fit and finish -
Top notch. Everything fits like it was built as one piece. No rattles, no wobbles, no shakes on any component. The gaps between bodywork are non-existent. This is something highlighted in most reviews as well, and is frequently rated even a bit higher than Honda, who we all know are leaders in this area.

Support -
I walked into a dealer, said I wanted the CCT replaced on the second week I had it. I had no symptoms, no issues. Part was replaced by Yamaha (free obviously) within a week, and it was no hassle at all. I've had good experiences at the dealership in Derry.

Traction -
The engine doesn't have the "hit" that most liter bikes (or most inline fours) have, however it builds power very well, and gets it to the ground in a very usable manner. Does it matter that it doesn't have as many HP? Not to anyone fast that I've seen ride it. Again, it's subjective, but I seem to plant a line pretty darn well while hard on the gas.

I'd like to close by just saying that I'm not an expert track rider (though I hold my own pretty well). I've been riding bikes for a long time, and still consider myself an apprentice at the art of dragging knees. But I will say that many of the concerns about power, and the bike being a "pig", and any other criticism about it not being fast enough or competitive enough don't really fly. The bike is hella fast, you just have to adapt, and learn how to ride it. Rome wasn't built in a day. You can't reasonably expect to rip on it day 1, or mile 1000. Josh Hayes has shown that having the "slowest" bike doesn't really mean much. I'm sorry, but the R1 is competitive in the right hands. If you truly are fast enough and skilled enough to ride the bike to its potential, then I apologize for not realizing it, but I don't think I've yet met anyone who can truly throw the bike around at the level of a pro rider, someone who honestly is affected by the smallest detail.



I'm sorry you haven't enjoyed yours, and that the grass is greener on the other side of the fence. Bashing a bike that thousands of others own without issue (or without huge issue), without having much seat time, seems like you are jumping to conclusions, or maybe not giving it a fair shake. The online forums for the bike are full of people willing to help you overcome any of the "issues" that you have, and I genuinely believe that Yamaha has built a great bike. I guess it could be too that it's just not the right bike for you, no problem in that either.
Maybe just don't slam the door so hard on others who are interested in the bike, when countless others have had no problems. I know my bike isn't perfect, but then again, no bike is. You just gotta find the one that checks the most boxes for you, and get that one.

I hope you get your bike sorted out, or you sell it and buy something you really want. Every bike has its own character, and maybe this one just isn't right for you.
See you on the track.

Obligatory pic from my last trackday:


-Fr333zy

[boosten lebaron]

thanks for your honest review. i know my review looks like bashing but im just bring up the highlights of the bike and its oddities. Hopefully yours can round mine out more.

I never bash the motor out right, i only state its down on power. Its fine for me and i bought it knowingly like that along with the weight of bike. Even though its clear on the spec sheets its still a very relative point to bring up when comparing the bike to others esprcially 1000's.
I know it doesnt show but i do like the bike. I just cant recommend to people off hand. In the world of liter bikes nearly every other bike is better in its own way. whether you look at the stats or read the reviews its simply behind the competition and yamaha knows it.
The thing about the exhaust and everyone telking i have to pay to play is getting old too. I hear it every time i say something about it or when people notice it on the bike and make the comment. Here's the thing, leo does or did in fact make nice exhaust systems. Ive seen them before and liked them. The fact that they bring in a low quality exhaust to the market is great too. The thing thats not great is the low quality of it and leo putting there name on it and still shipping it. Mine had all sorts of issues that should never have left the factory. Back in my maching days i would make really high end parts for robotics and i would do some lower end stuff. If the lower end stuff still didnt meet my own qc controls as my high end stuff i wouldnt sell it. My low end stuff may not have been as nice and streamlined as my high end stuff but its was functionally and cosmetically perfect. Machining seconds should be trashed, not sold at a lower price point. Selling poor quality items along high quality only hurts your image and in manufacturing image and quality are everything. Its was just a real dissappointment to end up with such a poor system from a top company. I could deal with the lower quality materials but not the poor build of it.
For what its worth there are a fair amount of low priced quality systems for this bike under 4-500. Brands like hawk, beowulf, mtc and tiger are all hand made and can be customized for little to no extra money. I just went with leo and got less than i expected from such a company with a great reputation. After there off handedness about the system i cant really recommend them to anyone either. Is that being to harsh or just complaining and bashing? Nope, its just old fashioned buyer beware. Im simply not going to recommend a product based on my experience. Thats really the way it should be too. If you get a bad product you dont recommend it. None of this "spend more money next time to get a nice one thats filled with faults and poor workmanship". Shouldn't have been poor workmanship to begin with.

end rant

[boosten lebaron]

Sorry Piggy, after reading this, the gixxer deal is off

My gsxr issues werent that bad but the damage was severe. The stator was bad from the factory and the dealership i bought it from misdiagnosed it as a battery. They put a new one in without checking the stator. The bad stator was overcharging the battery and it boiled over getting battery acid over everything. It all needed to be replaced. Everything. I think i had 500 miles on it. Its got 75K on it now and has never seen another issue. I just replaced the battery and has been the only issue i didnt self create. I would certainly buy anothet gsxr if i was in the market for one without a second thought. I just wanted something different.