Yamaha may discontinue the road-going models of the iconic R1 in Europe, according to several reports. Rumours have been going around that both the Yamaha R1 and Yamaha R1M road models are set to be discontinued. Now there’s more clarity on the issue with a statement purported to be from Yamaha Europe confirming that the road versions of the R1 and R1M may not be updated for the latest Eu5+ regulations. This move will mean that Yamaha may not have a production-model in the litre-class category in the near future and bring an end to the run of the iconic R1, which was first launched in 1998.
According to an official comment quoted in several reports from Yamaha UK, “Yamaha Motor Group have taken the decision not to develop an EU5+ version of the R1 or R1M, instead focussing on other mid-term business and product strategies that will provide future opportunities.”
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The cut-off for the sale of non-Euro5+ compliant bikes will be 2025, while Euro6 regulations aren’t expected to arrive much later in the decade. The statement however, leaves room for some other models which are in the pipeline, among them the possibility of a much-rumoured Yamaha R9, which is believed to be under development.
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This doesn’t mean that race bikes based on the R1 will go away very soon. The Yamaha R6 was discontinued in 2021 as a road-going model, but it’s still available on sale as a track-only bike in the UK, underscoring its popularity among track-day and racing enthusiasts owing to its sharp handling and high-revving engine. The same could be the future for the R1 and R1M, considering they are quite popular in several international racing series, like the WSBK, BSB and MotoAmerica. Time will tell which way the wind blows, considering some regulations require a road-legal homologation to compete in the championship. More details are likely in the coming months.
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In India, Yamaha pulled the plug on its big bike line-up since the Bharat Stage VI (BS6) emission regulations came into effect on April 1, 2020. In fact, in 2021, India Yamaha had decided to focus on smaller capacity motorcycles only, and the scooter segments. But with the launch of the new Yamaha YZF-R3 and MT-03 last year, the focus seems to be changing once again on bigger, more performance-oriented models for India.
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Brought in as CBUs, both the R3 and MT-03 are however priced quite high, and Yamaha is also testing the waters to introduce its middleweight sports bikes, the R7 and MT-07 as well in India. Both the R7 and MT-07 have been showcased in India several times since last year, and at the recently concluded Bharat Mobility Expo in February 2024, Yamaha also showcased the R1, as well as the NMax 155 maxi-scooter.
