'ALTERING THE CHARACTER OF SUPERBIKES'

+ Click to Enlarge IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Yamaha's YZF-R1 took the 2009 MCN Bike of the Year award thanks to its innovative "big bang" engine.

November 30, 2009

Britain's weekly biking newspaper Motor Cycle News has announced its 2009 Bike of the Year – the Yamaha YZF-R1. The verdict from the panel of judges headed by editor Marc Potter was unanimous.

"It's a no-brainer," said one. "You simply couldn't give the award to any other bike."

Potter said: "Yamaha took a huge gamble when it launched the 2009 YZF-R1, by altering the character of superbikes, abandoning the headline-grabbing power war and asking riders to relearn how to get the best from their bike.

"But it worked – the 'big bang' R1 with its asymmetrical crossplane crank is a genuine innovation that's been rewarded with championship wins worldwide.

"Yamaha has set an example to other manufacturers by finding something new in a class that had become conservative as it approached the limits of conventional performance."

The YZF-R1 also took the award for Best Sportsbike larger than 601cc - and the little Yamaha Vity was voted best scooter!

Yamaha UK managing director Andrew Smith said: "The MCN awards are benchmarks for our industry and this accolade tops a great year for Yamaha with five World championships."