The 2023 Yamaha YZF-R1M Sports Bike was created to represent the pinnacle of sport bike performance and quality, and it comes with a comprehensive electronics suite and high levels of fit and finish, all topped with a serial-numbered badge that highlights the exclusivity of the R1M and its owners. That’s why the motorcycle is among the list of Top Ten Best Sports Bikes in 2023 and its review is given below.
2023 Yamaha YZF-R1M Sports Bike – Features and Specs
Suspension
Öhlins Electronic Racing Suspension (ERS) is a crucial feature of the 2023 Yamaha YZF-R1M Sports Bike chassis, with the NPX pressurized front fork including a gas cylinder built into the new front fork axle bracket and rear shock settings complementing the front fork’s performance.
Also Read: 2023 Yamaha YZF-R1 Sports Motorcycle Review
The Suspension Control Unit adjusts front and rear damping in real-time, whether braking, cornering, or accelerating, providing dynamic tuning modes for both street and track and manual modes for conventional suspension tuning with fixed damping.
Engine
The 2023 Yamaha YZF-R1M Sports Bike features a cutting-edge 998cc inline-four-cylinder CP4® engine, incorporating Yamaha’s exclusive cross-plane crankshaft technology derived from the YZR-M1 MotoGP® race motorcycle. By equalizing inertial forces at the new crankshaft, the CP4 motor offers a direct feeling of linear torque, offering the rider the ultimate connection between the new throttle grip and the rear wheel.
The engine is built with high-output technology, including titanium connecting rods manufactured using Yamaha’s accurate fracture-split method to guarantee maximum reliability with minimal weight, as well as titanium intake valves and forged pistons, which help the CP4 engine achieve a high redline and over-rev capability. The new cylinder block is also offset from the crankshaft to reduce friction loads on the pistons and bores.
The high-performance intake system, which consists of the cylinder head, fuel injectors, intake system, and airbox, works together to enhance part-throttle performance by creating a smaller and shorter intake tract, allowing new injectors to spray fuel directly against the intake valves for improved fuel atomization.
The engine also features a refined rocker-arm valvetrain, using compact rocker-arm valve actuation with optimized geometry to allow for larger valve lifts than conventional cam-driven systems while reducing friction losses with lower cam lobes and reduced spring pressure. Lightweight components such as titanium engine internals, magnesium outer covers, and aluminum fasteners are used throughout the engine to reduce weight.
The titanium exhaust system is another weight-saving feature, with a compact midship muffler and heat shields made primarily from titanium, centralizing mass low in the frame for optimal handling. A 6-speed compact stacked transmission features close-ratio gearing to match the high-revving engine, and the input/output shafts are stacked to centralize mass and shorten the engine’s length, which optimizes engine placement in the frame for outstanding weight balance. The advanced assist and slipper clutch ensures smooth engine torque handling and allows for more confident downshifts when entering corners aggressively.
Chassis/Suspension
The 2023 Yamaha YZF-R1M Sports Bike features Öhlins® gas-charged NPX fork system, which uses a pressurized nitrogen chamber similar to a rear shock to eliminate oil cavitation and deliver consistent damping under the most challenging conditions, ensuring unmatched ride quality and feel.
The advanced Öhlins® Electronic Racing Suspension (ERS) system is integrated with the IMU, sending vehicle data such as vehicle speed, lean angle, acceleration, and brake pressure to a dedicated Suspension Control Unit (SCU), which rapidly adjusts front and rear damping in real-time to maintain optimum suspension performance in different riding conditions, whether braking, cornering, or accelerating.
The ERS provides streamlined, dynamic tuning modes for both street and track and manual modes for conventional suspension tuning with fixed damping. The R1M also includes a Brake Control (BC) System with ABS, developed on racetracks worldwide. This system uses ABS to minimize brake slip during aggressive braking or on less-than-ideal surfaces. It uses the IMU to offer progressive brake force intervention as lean angle improves , which boosts overall rider confidence when braking mid-corner.
The R1M’s supersport braking components include 4-piston radial-mounted front calipers riding on large 320mm rotors, providing excellent stopping power. A 220mm rear disc with a compact floating caliper ensures responsive braking.
The ABS hydraulic unit is lightweight and compact, and the brand-new high-quality braided stainless steel front lines give firm, responsive control and feel. The R1M mounts the latest Bridgestone® RS11 tires for racetrack-ready traction with balanced road feel and handling. The 10-spoke cast magnesium wheels reduce rotational mass compared to conventional aluminum cast alloy rims, decreasing unsprung weight for quicker direction changes and better handling.
An all-new slim aluminum Deltabox frame, magnesium subframe, and polished aluminum swingarm contribute to the bike’s compact chassis design. At the same time, the motor mounts uses its engine as a stressed member of the frame for superb rigidity balance and fantastic cornering performance on the race track.
Additional Features
The 2023 Yamaha YZF-R1M Sports Bike features beautifully integrated bodywork and sleek, stylish lines that create an unmistakably aggressive, aerodynamic profile. The full carbon-fiber bodywork, featuring a carbon windscreen fairing, front fender, side fairings, and tail section, adds to the bike’s lightweight and aerodynamic efficiency, while the polished aluminum swingarm and the unique serial-numbered Yamaha YZF-R1M badge on top of the airbox cover add to its premium appearance.
The styling update for 2022 Yamaha YZF-R1M further accentuates the premium carbon fiber bodywork, including a stunning aluminum fuel tank. All-LED lighting is used throughout, with lightweight and compact LED headlights offering excellent visibility and a broader illumination spread, integrated front turn signals in the mirrors to improve aerodynamics, and a stylish, highly visible LED tail light.
The full-color TFT meter includes performance feedback such as front brake pressure and fore/aft G-force readouts, and features both street and track modes. Track mode focuses on performance information, including YRC settings such as Engine Brake Management (EBM) and Brake Control (BC) systems, a zoomed-in view of the tachometer, lap timers, a gear position indicator, and speed.
Electronics
The 2023 Yamaha YZF-R1M Sports Bike features Yamaha’s ride-by-wire throttle system. It utilizes the Yamaha Chip Controlled Throttle (YCC-T®) system with the Accelerator Position Sensor with Grip (APSG), which eliminates throttle cables and precisely senses throttle input from the rider. This system actively controls intake volume, enabling cutting-edge computerized engine management.
The R1M’s Variable Intake System (YCC-I®) actively adjusts the length of the intake to broaden the power spread across the entire rpm range. The motorcycle is equipped with MotoGP®-Level controllability via the Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU), which combines a gyro sensor and accelerometer to measure all six axes of movement in 3-D space at a rate of 125 calculation-per-second. This data is fed into the ECU, powering the bike’s Yamaha Ride Control (YRC) system.
The 2023 Yamaha YZF-R1M Sports Bike’s Communication Control Unit is a factory-level GPS data logging system that allows riders to record vehicle data, course mapping, and lap times, which can be wirelessly downloaded to an app for analysis. The rider can then adjust the system settings and upload the changes to the bike for the next track session.
Additionally, the Up and Down Quick Shift System (QSS) features a sensor on the shift linkage to handle power during shifting, enabling clutchless upshifts and downshifts for nearly instantaneous gear changes with minimal chassis disruption. The QSS offers three settings, including independent downshift control.
2023 Yamaha YZF-R1M Sports Bike – Price
The new 2023 Yamaha YZF-R1M Sports Bike is available at $26,999 only.
2023 Yamaha YZF-R1M Sports Bike – Technical Specifications
Engine
| Type | 998cc, liquid-cooled inline 4 cylinder DOHC; 4- valves per cylinder |
| Bore x Stroke | 79.0 mm x 50.9 mm |
| Compression Ratio | 13.0:1 |
| Fuel Delivery | Fuel injection with YCC-T and YCC-I |
| Transmission | 6-speed; wet multi-plate assist and slipper clutch |
| Final Drive | Chain |
Chassis
| Suspension / Front | 43mm Öhlins® Electronic Racing Suspension NPX fork, fully adjustable; 4.7-in travel |
| Suspension / Rear | Öhlins® Electronic Racing Suspension single shock, fully adjustable; 4.7-in travel |
| Front Brakes | Dual 320 mm of hydraulic disc; Brake Control System & ABS |
| Rear Brakes | 220mm hydraulic disc; Brake Control System andABS |
| Tires / Front | 120/70ZR17 Bridgestone® BATTLAX RACING STREET RS11F |
| Tires / Rear | 200/55ZR17 Bridgestone® BATTLAX RACING STREET RS11R |
Dimension
| L x W x H | 80.9-inch x 27.2-inch x 45.9-inch |
| Seat Height | 33.9 in |
| Wheelbase | 55.3 in |
| Rake (Caster Angle) | 24.0° |
| Trail | 4.0 in |
| Maximum Ground Clearance | 5.1 in |
| Fuel Capacity | 4.5 gal |
| Fuel Economy | 33 mpg |
| Wet Weight | 450 lb |
| Warranty | 1 Year (Limited Factory Warranty) |
| Color | Carbon Fiber |
