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2001 Yamaha YZF-R1 reviews

4.2 (9 reviews)
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Reliability
4.2
Overall quality
4.2
Performance
4.2
Comfort
4.2

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Voted most helpful review

Smithers

Burnsville, Minnesota

Reviewed on February 12, 2004

Motorcycle reviewed 2001 Yamaha YZF-R1 view listing

5.0
Capable of pulling a wheelie anywhere from 15-80mph. It is possible to wheelie at higher speeds too. Once the wheel is up it's no problem reaching speeds over 100mph on 1 wheel. This bike is also capable of reaching speeds of over 175mph off of the show room floor with no modifications. If it's attention you ... read more
Capable of pulling a wheelie anywhere from 15-80mph. It is possible to wheelie at higher speeds too. Once the wheel is up it's no problem reaching speeds over 100mph on 1 wheel. This bike is also capable of reaching speeds of over 175mph off of the show room floor with no modifications. If it's attention you seek the R1 is the answer. It seems everyone takes notice of my R1.
Reliability
5.0
Quality
5.0
Performance
5.0
Comfort
5.0
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Voted most helpful review

rob johnston

newcastle upon tyne, United Kingdom

Reviewed on July 5, 2003

Motorcycle reviewed 2001 Yamaha YZF-R1 view listing

5.0
great bike,great looks,mind blowing performance,the best bike i have ever had.i just cant stay off it.i just wish the weather in the uk was as good.... read more
great bike,great looks,mind blowing performance,the best bike i have ever had.i just cant stay off it.i just wish the weather in the uk was as good.
Reliability
5.0
Quality
5.0
Performance
5.0
Comfort
5.0
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Voted most helpful review

Kazuya Mishima

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Reviewed on March 28, 2003

Motorcycle reviewed 2001 Yamaha YZF-R1 view listing

5.0
This bike feels like it has UNLIMITED POWER. Even at 111mph it has plenty of power to give. If you want it just turn the trottle and it's there. 100mph is fast but what's really amazing is how quickly you get there with little effort from the bike. I still haven't seen this bike's true power because I'm still... read more
This bike feels like it has UNLIMITED POWER. Even at 111mph it has plenty of power to give. If you want it just turn the trottle and it's there. 100mph is fast but what's really amazing is how quickly you get there with little effort from the bike. I still haven't seen this bike's true power because I'm still breaking in the engine. It has become a task to calm this SAVAGE BEAST. After the engine is broken in pretty well is when I will no longer try to calm the R1 down. This machine was ment to be driven very fast. The bike in not very heavy at all. It's the size of a 600 (R6) and can maneuver with incredible agility. I do notice the vibration (this seems to be common with the R1) around 5000rpm and the clutch complaints that I've read about. I think that clutch is just a Yamaha thing because I noticed that same thing with my YSR50. It doesn't bother me at all, it's just noticable. I think that the R1 is very comfortable for a sports bike, but after holding on for dear life I find that I need a break to stretch a bit. I've been on other bikes that are less confortable. I haven't ridden very many bikes, but so far the R1 is by far the best!
Reliability
5.0
Quality
5.0
Performance
5.0
Comfort
5.0
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Voted most helpful review

Everardo

Los Angeles, California

Reviewed on November 22, 2002

Motorcycle reviewed 2001 Yamaha YZF-R1 view listing

1.0
I purchased a 2001 YZF R1 brand new in 2001 from a local dealer. When I rode the bike home for the first time I noticed that the power delivery did not seem right for this type of bike.It felt weak and slow. At first I thought it was just that I had to get use to the bike. But I noticed 3 weeks after I had pu... read more
I purchased a 2001 YZF R1 brand new in 2001 from a local dealer. When I rode the bike home for the first time I noticed that the power delivery did not seem right for this type of bike.It felt weak and slow. At first I thought it was just that I had to get use to the bike. But I noticed 3 weeks after I had purchased the bike, all of a sudden it woke up! This thing was suddenly fast, smooth and responsive and had lots of torque especially in the 4000-5000 RPM range.It was a totally different bike. But it went back to its crapy mode about 10 miles later. I constantly does this and it is frustrating. Just to prove how low on tourque this thing can get, I can't even whillie the dam thing in 1st gear. No it is not the clutch slipping, I had that checked. I have taken it all the way up to 8000 RPM and tride to power whillie it and it just won't come up.I hate this bike because it is so inconsistent I. I have taken it back to the dealer several times and all that YAMAHA has to say is that there is nothing wrong with it. You tell me. Does this sound like an R1 to you.
Reliability
1.0
Quality
1.0
Performance
1.0
Comfort
1.0
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Voted most helpful review

MaroSpeed2000

New York, New York

Reviewed on November 8, 2002

Motorcycle reviewed 2001 Yamaha YZF-R1 view listing

4.0
I kept the bike basically stock except for a slip-on D&D polished aluminum muffler (the stock ones were too quiet). It's still basically brand new with only a thousand miles on the clock. The first thing I noticed when I picked this bike up from the dealer was that the transmission made a metallic ... read more
I kept the bike basically stock except for a slip-on D&D polished aluminum muffler (the stock ones were too quiet). It's still basically brand new with only a thousand miles on the clock. The first thing I noticed when I picked this bike up from the dealer was that the transmission made a metallic "clunk" during shifts esp. going into 2nd gear. No problem with the rest of the gears (I don't even clutch from 2nd). Also, the digital trip meter goes to zero when your fuel switches to reserve...I think the warning light would have been sufficient. Everybody's complaint? Yes, there is that infamous front end shake during rapid acceleration...something that can easily be cured by a steering damper. My oil? Mobil 1 10W-30 Pure Synthetic. The clutch works fine with it, thank you. Why pay 4x more for Yamalube? Ergonomics? Trust me, it's worth the pain. Long trips? You may want to shake your wrists every 15 minutes to allow blood to circulate through your hands. Maintenance? Almost none required aside from oil changes but do check the chain for lubrication and proper tension; all those burn-outs tend to cause it to slacken a bit. Get off the highway (that's for cruisers) and check out the small country roads in the Poconos.
Reliability
4.0
Quality
4.0
Performance
4.0
Comfort
4.0
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Voted most helpful review

Jake Stern

Charleston, South Carolina

Reviewed on October 22, 2002

Motorcycle reviewed 2001 Yamaha YZF-R1 view listing

5.0
This bike is awesome stock. It has great suspension, flickability, and even great carburetion with the stock setup. Bike begs to get the front wheel airborne. I found the Ergonomics fine for all day rides - I am 5' 9", 215 lbs. The 5 valve per cylinder setup makes a strange "tapping" noise,... read more
This bike is awesome stock. It has great suspension, flickability, and even great carburetion with the stock setup. Bike begs to get the front wheel airborne. I found the Ergonomics fine for all day rides - I am 5' 9", 215 lbs. The 5 valve per cylinder setup makes a strange "tapping" noise, but you get use to it fast. I can think of 0 negatives of any significance. With Heli-bars, a corbin seat, and luggage, it could even be a great weekend sport-tourer.
Reliability
5.0
Quality
5.0
Performance
5.0
Comfort
5.0
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Kinobi

Boulder, Colorado

Reviewed on September 29, 2002

Motorcycle reviewed 2001 Yamaha YZF-R1 view listing

4.0
So I've put 7800 miles on my R1 before I wrecked it. I hope the insurance company doesn't total it, but thats another story. Basically this bike is fantastic. It is smooth and fairly tame for a newer rider, but if you open up the throttle, stuff will go down. You can wheelie this bike with ease, (I live... read more
So I've put 7800 miles on my R1 before I wrecked it. I hope the insurance company doesn't total it, but thats another story. Basically this bike is fantastic. It is smooth and fairly tame for a newer rider, but if you open up the throttle, stuff will go down. You can wheelie this bike with ease, (I live in CO and for some reason it is slightly more difficult here, I think because I didn't have the carbs adjusted quite right). I made 160MPh on this bike too, and it is stable as a rock. At 6'4" 230 lbs, this bike works well for me. It took a while to get used to the position, but it is fairly comfortable. Get a corbin seat for any long rides, and a double bouble windshield. Now for the problems with the bike. For one thing, it is carborated. Now some people may like this, but for me I think I would prefer the new 02 model with fuel injection. You just have less adjustment issues (I hope). There is also some vibration in the handle bars in the 4-5K rpm range wich can be anoying... my solution is to ride faster than that, ;). Next, the infamous R1 ticking noise. My bike has this, and many people I've read about have it as well. No one seems to really know what it is or even if it is bad. Basically it sounds like valve noise on the left side of the bike. Finally the transmition. It is notchy, especially shifting from first to second. I have on a few occasions shifted into neutral instead of second, but moving the shifter down helps this alot. I have used this bike for canyon carving , commuting, and even touring. Touring at around 100 is pretty fun, but get a radar detector. This bike is solid as a rock, and really inspires confidence.
Reliability
4.0
Quality
4.0
Performance
4.0
Comfort
4.0
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Voted most helpful review

Rob

Williamstown, New Jersey

Reviewed on July 19, 2002

Motorcycle reviewed 2001 Yamaha YZF-R1 view listing

4.0
I went from a '99 Ninja ZX6R to an '01 YZF-R1 in Decmber of 2001. The R1 is an amazing bike! It feels like riding a 600 with an awsome amount of power in reserve! The gearbox definately feels different than the Kawasaki. Each shift is much more positive. You can actually feel every shift in your foot, unlike ... read more
I went from a '99 Ninja ZX6R to an '01 YZF-R1 in Decmber of 2001. The R1 is an amazing bike! It feels like riding a 600 with an awsome amount of power in reserve! The gearbox definately feels different than the Kawasaki. Each shift is much more positive. You can actually feel every shift in your foot, unlike the Kawasaki where you just kind of lift your foot 'til it stops. The mid-range power hit is insane!! The front wheel of this bike loves to be in the air! One thing that took some getting used to was, you can run 100+ mph in third or fourth gear with the throttle cracked wide-open and hit a very small bump in the road, just enough to give a little push up on the front tire, and she starts to sail! It's amazing to feel a bike that will just start to creep up in the air at those speeds but I love it. The other cool thing about this bike is, you can controllably slide the rear tire around the corner once you get used to the bike. Some people say they don't like the Dunlop D207's on the R1, but I like them. There are better tires though. The best set I have ever ridden on was my old Ninja ZX750R. I had Bridestone Battlax's on it and that stuck like glue. When the R1 needs tires I will go with the Battlax tires again. When the throttle is wide open and you climb up close to 100 mph the headshake can be a little unsettling, but can be fixed easily. I increased the preload on the front forks and it disappeared. You will, most likely, need to play with the suspension settings on the bike but once you get it dialed in the R1 feels like it's on rails! I know what you're thinking.....Why did I give it a "4" rating if all I have to say is such great things about the R1? Well, this bike has a vibration felt in the grips pretty much all the time, but is at it's worst around 4500 to 5500 rpm. I put Pro-Grip gels on it and it helped alot, but it's still felt. It's not real bad but took some getting used to. I have ridden other sportbikes, like the Ninja's, that have little to no vibration to speak of. The choice was only 1,2,3,4 or 5 but my rating is more like a 4.75, If it wasn't for the vibration it would be a "6"!! The R1 is definately the best bike I have ever ridden!
Reliability
4.0
Quality
4.0
Performance
4.0
Comfort
4.0
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Voted most helpful review

Mike

Venice, Florida

Reviewed on April 27, 2002

Motorcycle reviewed 2001 Yamaha YZF-R1 view listing

5.0
Close to 9000 miles on the R1 and no problems. This is a wicked fast bike. Ditch the slow steering and slippery D207s and fit Rennsports, these tires have loads of grip and go to full lean with minimal effort. Headshake is a problem, any quality damper will correct this. I have read numerous gripes about the ... read more
Close to 9000 miles on the R1 and no problems. This is a wicked fast bike. Ditch the slow steering and slippery D207s and fit Rennsports, these tires have loads of grip and go to full lean with minimal effort. Headshake is a problem, any quality damper will correct this. I have read numerous gripes about the gearbox but I have never missed a shift.
Reliability
5.0
Quality
5.0
Performance
5.0
Comfort
5.0
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