Road test: 2004 Yamaha R1

For the first time in the [motorcycle's] development, Yamaha engineers have put racetrack performance as a priority in what it calls its QFD (quality, function and design), in which each category gets assigned a point value. Hence, this is the first R1 to receive a ram-air system and a close-ratio gearbox that gives a first-gear top speed of nearly 100 mph! (See, I can't stop pressing the "!" button!)