The Bikes of 2010: Yamaha YZF-R1
A new design of exhaust, lighter but also more free flowing, and some intake mods gave the increase in power. The Akrapovic pipe was a 4-2-1-2 unit, complicated, but keeping the road bike's twin exhaust exit design intact. A new camshaft came along to match these changes, to make the bike better at the very top.
A narrower radiator compared to 2009, a new design of rear seat/tank unit that is also the rear sub-frame and a carbon fibre tank, acting as a stressed member, were other main changes.
The winter development was not translated to results very early in the year, and there was a rush to get back to some 2009 parts and settings. Tyre life was an issue sometimes, the opposite of what should happen with their particular bike, with its cross-plane firing order. When settings matched to tyre choices, competitiveness was at hand.
The Marelli system used in 2010 was much like the 2009 version, with improved maps, but the same basic ECUs. Yamaha were enthusiastic Öhlins users, running a TTX40 rear shock (RSP40) and the TRVP25 front forks. Race distance was the issue for the Yamaha, but with Crutchlow scoring six poles it clearly had pace to spare, while Brembo brakes took care of scrubbing off speed.
