Ein Bericht ueber die neue Yamaha.. sorry, fuer alle nicht-englisch-
sprechenden Leser.

*1996 Yamaha YZF1000R Thunderace*:

Ten years ago, at the birth of hypersports bikes in the middle '80s,
Yamaha contributed to the new wave with the FZR1000 -- and for five years
they ruled the roost of ultimate sports machinery. In 1992, Honda's
legendary Fireblade stole the show on sales floors around the world, and
now Yamaha is vying to win back their claim to produce the fastest,
quickest, best-handling -- and best-selling -- motorcycle coming out of
Japan. With Suzuki bringing the the ultra-light 1996 GSXR750 to the field,
it's a three-way battle for the title. Sportbike enthusiasts have never
had it so good.

The Thunderace is actually a bit of a mongrel, the 5-valve four-cylinder
mill was spawned from an FZR1000 mold, and the frame was adapted from the
vastly underrated YZF750R. The Genesis engine has undergone some changes
aimed at improving mid-range power rather than the maximum output, which
remains 145 bhp. The rotating mass of crankshaft and pistons have been
lightened to improve throttle response, and new carburetors equipped with
"Throttle Position Sensors" give the ignition some more data to help
control the EXUP valve in the exhaust pipe. The engine spins freely and
quickly, producing usable power from as low as 2000 rpm. At 3500 rpm it
gets serious, and by 5000 the big Yamaha launches you into orbit, pulling
cleanly with seamless, linear power all the way up to its 11,500 rpm
redline.

Carburetion is good, with no flat spots or hesitation as the bike launches
down the road to show 70 mph in first gear and 100 mph in second. All this
power is delivered through a five speed gearbox that was still a bit tight
but performed faultlessly throughout the test.  Keep on redlining it in
each of the gears and you'll find yourself heading for what feels like a
world landspeed record with an indicated 170 mph showing on the dials flat
out in top gear. Yamaha claims the fairing fitted to the Ace is the
slipperiest ever worn by any of their street bikes, with a drag
coefficient of only 0.29 -- very close to their YZR500 GP bike -- but it
seems to do little to improve top speed, or fuel consumption for that
matter. At the speeds the YZF is capable of the bike develops a thirst
that will have you calling in at most of the gas stations along the
journey; while managing a sensible 33 mpg at regular speeds, this drops to
less than 23 mpg at speeds above 120 mph.  Riding two-up, you might not
even reach the next gas station.

The best strategy for avoiding frequent gas stops is to take to the
backroads, since, capable though it is at long distances on the freeway,
it is even better in squid territory.  One of the objectives of the design
team was to come in lighter than the FZR1000, and at 198 kilos (435
pounds), the Ace weighs in as the leanest litre class bike.  This, coupled
to the shorter wheelbase chassis (only 10mm more than the YZF750), has
done wonders for the handling of the bike, which now cuts through the
corners as quickly as one of the sports 600s.  But it takes a little
getting used to, as you are initially aware of the mass of the bike and
the wide fuel tank makes it difficult to grip with your legs.

But put this out of your mind, flick the bike hard into a bend and it will
track through without dramatics.  Although steering might be judged a tad
slower than the GSXR750 and the CBR900RR, it's more than adequate, and the
bike feels very stable and settled. The Dunlop D204 Sportmax IIs suit the
bike well, giving good grip, sliding some under radical conditions, but
without the feeling they will let go completely. Blitzing corners is made
even more fun by the phenomenally powerful four-piston front brake
calipers on 298mm rotors that are better than the YZF750's and Kawasaki
ZX7R's binders.  Leave the gas on a little too late and you'll still be
okay, although mid-corner braking will have the bike wanting to stand up
some and hustling it through the rest of the corner is more work than
usual.  The twin-pot brakes on the rear were great, providing heaps of
feel and not cramping a foot throughout either of our tests.

It seems that the fashion for upside-down front forks is waning; the YZF
comes equipped with conventional telescopic front forks. At 48 mm in
diameter, they are plenty stiff for any street-legal tire.  Full
adjustment of bump and rebound damping, as well as the usual spring
preload adjustment, is possible on both forks and rear shock. The
suspension comes set up a little on the hard side, but can be softened out
for relaxed rides over uneven surfaces.  In fact the complete bike is
remarkably relaxed for a 145 bhp sport machine, making lane splitting
through the morning gridlock and the slow trickle through suburbia less of
a pain than could be expected. Throttle and clutch are light, the brakes
one-finger sensitive and the steering light even at low speeds.

One thing that did bother us was the vibrating mirrors; an important
consideration on a bike like this if you intend to keep your licence.
Steps have been taken to minimize the discomfort vibration may cause the
rider, with large weights on the ends of the bars and rubber grips on the
footrests.  These work well, with the rider aware of the vibration, but
not uncomfortably so. The seating position and relationship to the bars
and pegs is quite comfortable, striking a good balance between the bike's
intended roles of sports riding and touring.

So is the Thunderace king of sport bikes?
For many it is. The combination of awesome mid-range grunt, with excellent
handling and braking as well as a good roomy riding position make it the
best all-round hyper-sports package available for a comparison of six
open-class bikes, check our 1995 At the same time the Fireblade and the
new GSXR will continue to sell well, but mostly to those more sharply
focused on the sports label and not interested in any compromises in their
demand for street racers.  Yamaha, however, might have taken the first
step in sewing up the sports market once and for all. With the YZF750
reportedly due for an upgrade in '97, the Ace has given them the freedom
to produce a street racer that will have headbangers the world over
queuing up to buy.  Judging by the achievements of the Ace design team,
that bike will be stunning.

Manufacturer.... YAMAHA
Model..........: 1996 YZF1000R Thunderace
Price..........: $15,750 (Holland), $15,999 (Australia)
Engine.........: Liquid-cooled, 4-stroke, DOHC 5-valve, parallel 4-cylinder
Bore x stroke..: 75.5 x 56.0 mm.
Displacement...: 1002 cc
Compr. Ratio...: 11.5:1
Carburetion....: Mikuni BDSR38/4
Transmission...: 5-speed
Claimed power..: 145 HP (106.7kW) @ 10,000 rpm
Claimed torque.: 11 kg/m (108.3Nm) @ 8500 rpm
Wheelbase......: 1430 mm
Seat Height....: 790 mm
Fuel Capacity..: 20 L
Cl. dry Weight.: 198 Kg. (436 lbs)

*Riding Impressions*:

Colin MacKellar, Dutch Desk
I found the Ace to be really at home on the Autobahn, cruising along at
two-miles-a-minute without fuss.  The riding position is quite aggressive
with low handlebars that put quite a lot of weight on my arms, but making
it easy to crouch behind the roomy bubble of the fairing. When I left the
suburbs and started to blow out some of the cobwebs, the bike's only
serious flaw manifested itself: From about 4500 rpm there is serious
vibration that varies in intensity through the rev range from a vague
tremor through the bars to a resonance bad enough to blur the mirrors.
This was particularly annoying on the freeway as the outside mirror was
unusable at speeds just above the legal maximum, making it especially
tricky to watch out for the cops in their dayglo Porsches!
There are many facets to the excitement of riding bikes and every rider
will attach a different level of importance to each of them.  For me, the
critical characteristic of a bike is its ability to flip-flop through a
fast set of bends -- exhilarating when you get it right.  In the past,
this has been the domain of the sports middleweights, their light steering
making squid territory a joy to visit.  The times are changing and the
Ace, and a couple of rivals, can blitz a set of bends with the best of
them.  Combine this with an engine that has such a strong mid-range power
delivery and we may be looking at the perfect bike.  Next time I come to
trade bikes, the Ace will definitely be on the short list.

Ken Edwards, Australian Desk
Yamaha's new flagship was a bike I have been looking forward to.  You see,
the YZF750 was already one of the best handling production bikes around
(and I own one). The advertising states that the 1000 can do a standing
quarter mile in 10 seconds flat and has a power-to-weight ratio of 0.73 hp
per kilo.  I rode out onto the road with all this in mind.  Bike felt
comfortable, the switch gear fell readily to hand. Now was the time to see
this baby grunt.  And grunt it did!  Pulling cleanly from two grand with
real power kicking in at 3500 rpm, I let the bike have its head, and with
little effort had the front wheel soaring.  Does this thing go or what?
Yee harrr!!
Overall this is one of the best motorcycles I have sampled.  It is more
than able to be punted hard with the go fast crowd and for the first time
on a liter class bike, is not left wanting in the corners.  Additionally,
I found it comfortable on a long ride.  Value for money is great as the
bike can take on so many roles and can perform admirably in all of them.
Yamaha is on to a winner here, and I'm seriously considering trading in
the old 1995 YZF750 on an Ace (providing the minister of finance -- my
better half -- allows it!)

Nigel Wines, Guest Tester (Australian Racing Commentator)
It was with some trepidation that I climbed aboard the new Yamaha YZF1000.
The bike's reputation had preceded it; I knew it would be fast - but just
how fast?  Indescribable. The power came on strong from 2000 rpm,
progressed to a wicked, arm wrenching rush about 5000 rpm from there to
9000 rpm took off like the space shuttle - the 11,500 rpm redline was on a
different planet.
Handling and brakes are as you'd expect for such a horny bike.  The light
weight of the bike came through and it was quite nimble in the Cotter
Twisties. I did find the front suspension a bit stiff probably because of
the newness of the bike, and it needed a set up more suited to me. Still,
it was a bit disconcerting to have the front wheel shaking its head over
some of the bumps when you have a bit of power on; I had to get out of the
seat a few times.  The YZF1000 is a bike that only skilled, competent,
experienced riders can enjoy -- anything less, and you'll just scare
yourself silly. Or worse.  If you haven't got experience on big bikes and
raced a bit, go for something else.

                [Quelle:  http://www.motorcycle.com]


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