Motorcycle specifications YamahaYZR-M1 2017 M1 on the title?

This is the new weapon entrusted to Valentino Rossi and his new teammate Maverick Vinales for the 2017 season. The young Spaniard joins the legend and takes the factory handlebar vacated by his compatriot Jorge Lorenzo, himself on transfer to the Ducati team.

Presented in Madrid on January 19, 2017 at the premises of Movistar, the team's flagship sponsor, the new 2017 YZR-M1 has just one ambition: The title. Led by the most experienced rider on the grid still in search of his 10th title, and by this season's most promising rider, we know we can count on the Yamaha to liven up the proceedings.

For 2017, the YZR-M1 of course features a new engine, chassis and swingarm. But in the manufacturer's own opinion, the 2017 M1 is more of an evolution than a true revolution, the aim being to retain the machine's philosophy.

Visually, the new YZR-M1 is very similar to its predecessor. Apart from the regulatory disappearance of the controversial fins democratized by Ducati, which appeared on the Japanese model at the end of the 2015 season, the new-generation M1 is distinguished above all by its deeper blue color, and the change in color of the lower fairing, which is also blue.

while the decision to do away with the fins this year was taken for safety reasons, it does in fact remove a great deal of aerodynamic work (estimated at around forty kilos of additional downforce on the front). Compared to rival Ducatis, where these appendages had played a decisive role, the disappearance of these should be less of a handicap for the company with the tuning forks, which had not entered the race for the biggest... However, Yamaha's engineers were well aware of the contribution these fins could make, and during pre-season testing in Sepang at the end of January, we caught a glimpse of discreet fins hidden inside the M1's fairing to counteract the loss of downforce. It's still too early to say whether this countermeasure to the regulations will be implemented...or even authorized! In any case, the engineers had to return to the quintessence of their machine: handling. The M1 is renowned for its homogeneity, so this was the area in which work was carried out.

Engine-wise, there have been no obvious changes. Introduced on the M1 in 2004, the crossplane-type crankshaft timing has been retained. (crankshaft crankpins positioned at 90° to each other, with an asynchronous ignition sequence). The engine is fuller at low and mid-rpm than a traditional 4-cylinder with 180° timing, but less explosive at the top end. It's easily recognized by its husky, cavernous sound, quite different from the usual multi-cylinder.

On the technical side, not much has changed, given the data provided. Although the engine, braking and suspension have been revised compared to last season, the M1 retains its aluminum chassis, enabling it to keep within the 157kg weight limit (the maximum permitted by the regulations). All of which supports a whopping 240 horsepower. Exactly the same as in 2016. The engineers specify that the M1 reaches speeds of over 350km/h and 60 degrees of angle.

As for the rest, there's nothing new: damping is still handled by Ohlins (without electronic adjustment), as for the rest of the line-up (except KTM, which uses WP). Braking is Brembo, with 320 to 340mm carbon discs at the front (steel discs at the rear). A single Magnetti Marelli electronic control unit is used throughout the line-up. It will supervise the various steering aids (traction control, anti-wheeling....).

So, will 2017 be Rossi's 10th title? Or will we witness the consecration of the young Maverick? We'll find out on March 26, when the Qatar GP kicks off the new season.

gentlemen, start your engine!