In recent years it seemed that the decline of the super-sports market, as motorcyclists have turned to adventure bikes and other less high-performance alternatives, might result in some Japanese firms abandoning the sector altogether. Yamaha's launch of a new, race-developed YZF-R1, the successor to the famed 1998 model of the same name, is an emphatic statement to the contrary.
Indeed, the new R1 is more like Valentino Rossi's YZR-M1 MotoGP racer than any of its predecessors. Yamaha's research showed that riders who continue to buy super-sports bikes tend to be hardcore enthusiasts who use their bikes on a racetrack. Hence the decision to shift the emphasis from road to circuit performance, and base this R1 not on the previous model but on the M1 racer.
With a maximum output of 197bhp, and weighing 199kg with fuel, the Yamaha has a power-to-weight ratio fractionally higher than that of BMW's class yardstick, the S1000RR. Equally importantly, the R1 incorporates an M1-derived electronics package that is arguably the most sophisticated yet on a production bike.
Yamaha YZF-R1 (2015)
Tested: 998cc four-cylinder four-stroke, six-speed gearbox
Price/on sale: £14,999/now
Power/torque: 197bhp @ 13,500rpm/83lb ft @ 11,500rpm
Top speed: 185mph (estimated)
Range: 140 miles @ 40mpg (estimated)
Verdict: Exhilarating, MotoGP-inspired superbike that combines a powerful four-cylinder engine, compact chassis and ultra-sophisticated electronics to impressive effect