Italian Stallion: Yamaha YZF1000R - Motorcycle.com
Motorcycle Online brings you the latest from those crazy guys at our Italian borough. In their never-ending quest for speed comes a high-tech urban assault weapon. A Yamaha YZF750 with an FZR1000 engine. Here's how it came to be.
THE DRAWING BOARD
"I have owned one of each of the Yamaha FZR1000's, starting with the 1989 model," says the owner of this hybrid bike, Lanfranco Penna. "But in 1993 I decided to buy a YZF750. I was attracted by its new chassis, although I was hesitant to step down to a 750 motor. The YZF has a really solid chassis, a great suspension, and an intuitive riding position, but once you've gotten used to the power of a 1000cc motor, you can't live without it. So I decided to combine the best of both bikes."
THE REAL WORLD
Since the bike is in Italy and the Motorcycle Online test tracks and dyno are in Southern California, we can only estimate (with stopwatches and indicated speed readers -- not the best test equipment) the performance capabilities of the bike. But the combination of a powerhouse FZR1000 motor in a lightweight, nimble YZF750 frame has to be, well, pretty damn fast. Here are some Chianti-influenced numbers from our Italian correspondent.
We can only guess at the top speed, but the bike was running away from a 1994 Suzuki GSXR1100 whose speedometer was pegged at 280kph.
IMPRESSIONS:
Giulio Meccoci, Italian Desk:This is a well-balanced bike with massive amounts of power. The YZF chassis is perfectly capable of maintaining its composure under the stress of an FZR1000 motor at full throttle, yet it still makes for a very streetable bike. I want one! Lanfranco:
I think I have finally found the total bike, the final weapon: It combines the grace and power of an FZR1000 engine (made even more powerful with a Yoshimura kit) and the first-rate YZF750 chassis. This machine feels rock steady in 200kmh sweepers, yet maintains superior driveability in the city thanks to enormous amounts of torque. I'm very happy with the way the bike turned out.
Special thanks to Lanfranco Penna.
More by Giulio Meccoci, Italian Desk.
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