2005 Yamaha YZF-R1 Sport Bike reviews

This was my old bike and just wanted to let everyone know that it has been very well taken care of. The full Arata sounds great and the GP style shifting coupled with the speed shifter is the best thing ever. Show less

I am a previous Honda RR 600 owner and have stepped up to a Yamaha R1. OMG! First of all, the seat is way more comfortable than the honda. The power is crazy. The bike just seems to want to go faster and harder. I love it and I am pretty confident in its abilities. You will be very satisfied with this bike as I am. I also am the owner of the exact bike in the picture. Enjoy and keep the wheel side down. Show less

I've owned a number of bike's (Super Sport Bikes), not to name any other companies. But Umm lets just say I owned at least one bike, from each of the 4 major Japanese companies. This bike is the maddest bike I owned so far. I got it about a month ago so I haven't really opened it, don't plan on it either but, damm it's SOOOO tempting. But on the other hand just having the R1 you get so much RESPECT, to where you don't have to open it, or even race any other bike on the street. I know that stands for San Jose CA... Seriously; the R1 is a bit uncomfortable in the groin section but, I'll trade that for the superior handling and braking, because that's choice. There's no power lag with a passenger. The R1 is built from a long line of legends, need I say more??? Show less

I bought this bike a couple months ago and have ridden it hard. The handling is very good, the suspension needed a little tweaking to get it right for my weight, but very nice overall. Comfort is another story; we ride long distances, (I know this isn't a cruiser) but you will never pull a wheelie at 80 on a cruiser. As for power, it will impress even the 14 or Busa owners, just go to the dragstrip and you'll see. I think this is one of the nicest bikes I have owned in a while. So if you are looking at this bike for a new ride go and try one. I believe you will like it. Just remember to keep your sense about you or the next thing you'll remember is the hospital room you're in. Show less

This is my third motorcycle, my second Yamaha, and my first liter bike. I love this bike. I'm happy I started with a 600 before jumping to this beast; it gave me a lot more respect for what this bike can do. I debated a Gixxer1000, but went with the R1, it just plain looked better. I definitely made the right choice. This bike handles well, looks great, and has the strongest engine I've ever felt. I'm definitely a Yamaha owner for life. Show less

I only have a few gripes about this bike. One being the throttle position sensor (TPS) and it's malfunctions. The bike dies occasionally, usually at a stoplight/stop sign, but the problem is soon fixed by just turning the key off and on again. Performance wise, I love it. I've had this bike completely wound out time and time again. I love it. It feels more stable at 185mph (speedo reading) than my V-Star does at 100mph less...on closed courses of course. I would never ride on public roads that fast. Comfort is pretty good. It leaves a little to be desired, but what sport bike doesn't, right? I find it to get a little hot down low near the legs when you are in the city, if traffic is slow. The under the seat exhaust can get a little hot, but when riding at night, it's a welcome side effect to the exhaust design. Show less

Just about any new bike evokes the "wow" reaction in its owner at first, but after a year of riding this thing I still can't get past it. Honda's supposed to be the fit and finish king, but this thing's build quality and fit & finish seem better than any Honda I've owned. I've ridden all of the '05 R1's class competitors; I'd give 2nd place to the Suzuki GSX-R1000, but nothing I've ridden this year or in any of my previous 18 years of riding really feels as balanced as this year's R1. This is a very refined package worthy of any engineer's deepest respect---and most people agree that it's also the best-looking thing going for now. Yamaha likes to gamble boldly with styling, and so far it seems to be paying off for them. Yamaha has come a long, long way in the last two decades. If you're after the perfect blend of refinement and fun-factor, the R1 deserves serious consideration. Show less

When I was at the dealer, I tried to shop for the Hayabusa. A salesperson then told me that there wasn't one anymore. So I just meandered around the place, looking at the dealer's other bikes simply because I was already there. Then, a red 2005 R1 caught my attention. It did that because for a middle-aged man, the R1 was stunningly refined. It wasn't a bike that had gaudy application of paint schemes. Plus, after asking permission to sit on it, I surprisingly found that it fit me well. After days passed of letting my emotions settle, I then came to a comfortable decision of buying one. 548 miles later, I'm more than happy with the R1's performance. Move the throttle just a few millimeters and you'll feel a surge of power. Even at the gentle pace of break-in, that power is very exciting. And it's smooth to haul down those 188 horsepower (Yamaha's claim the brakes are equally high performing. In fact, it's the best brakes I've ever experienced out of any vehicle, whether it is a motorcycle or automobile. The R1 is also reasonably comfortable for a bike that sits you in a racing tuck. And it gives all that performance while giving an overall 43.11 miles per gallon (548 miles / 12.711 gallons). My only complaint: There's no gas gauge. So instead of taking chances by waiting for the low-fuel warning light to come on, it's best to do some number crunching. It sure beats being ill prepared and becoming a pedestrian. Overall, the R1 is one of the better-unexpected finds of my life. Show less

This is quite possibly the best R1 ever and keeps getting better. I have also owned the 2003 GSXR 1000 and the motor is more powerful on the Suzuki but it did not have the looks of the new R1. This is my 3rd R1 throughout the years, and the looks on this are the best yet with the underseat exhaust. The exhaust does get warm around the legs if you are in traffic but it is tolerable. Great ONE PERSON bike. If your lady wants to ride on this to the beach she will feel like she is sitting on a wood plank after 50 miles. It has a good motor and refined handling. The R1 was great when it first came out and this one is the best yet. Show less

I just purchased the bike, it rides amazing. I formally had a CBRf4i 600, now I feel the power! This bike will look good for many years. The body shape and styling is like riding a Stealth Fighter, I can't stop looking at it. The ride is smooth and it gets in gear smooth as a babies bottom. It gets kinda warm around the legs while stopped, but I try to keep it moving, if you know what I mean. Over all I think this is the begining of a beautiful friendship. Show less