yamaha yzf1000w studio front rectangular profile Yamaha Japan currently sells this Race Base model called the YZF1000W. New FIM homologation list may suggest a new 2023 YZF-R1 is on the way too.Yamaha are rumored to be heading for a 2023 Yamaha R1 after a new FIM-approved machine name appeared on the competition list - but no evidence as clear as it seems at first glance. The debate began when the FIM released a list on June 15th titled "Competition Vehicles (Motocross/Dual Purpose) - All Manufacturers" which surprisingly listed the Yamaha YZF1000W as a 998cc race bike, model year 2023. Its presence on the list is confusing for a number of reasons ; first is the fact that it's a self-proclaimed road bike, not a motocross or dual purpose bike. If anything, the bike was on the wrong list. Perhaps in recognition of this mistake, the listing was quickly removed from the FIM website, leaving only the previous version, which lacked any reference to the YZF1000W. The name of the YZF1000W is not immediately known. In Yamaha's current road-going range, the YZF-R1 model designation is the YZF1000, while the R1M is the YZF1000D. There is no YZF1000W, at least in the US. However, this is not a new name. The YZF1000W is already on the market in Japan. In fact, it has been available for several years. Known as the "YZF-R1 Race Base", it is marketed purely for track use and is aimed at racing teams. Compared to the normal R1, the YZF1000W comes without front lights, headlights, mirrors, passenger seat or pegs or rear fender. The bodywork is black and lacks any graphics as teams will surely repaint it, or more likely replace it entirely with racing bodywork. The image Yamaha uses to illustrate the bike - shown here - isn't actually quite representative of the real thing, as it shows components such as lights and mirrors that are missing from the actual YZF1000W. Buyers of YZF1000W Race Base bikes also get just the race ECU and wiring harness, specifically for circuit use, and since the bike lacks any road equipment, it's about $800 cheaper, before tax, than the showroom R1 in Japan. the FIM listing for the 2023 YZF1000W has disappeared from its original position, the bike is still present on another document posted on the FIM website. This time it's more appropriate on the "List of Imported Competition-Specific Models", which also includes the YZF600W, which is the Yamaha Race Base version of the YZF-R6. The VIN listed in the document — JYACN07C — reflects the bike's competitive nature. The current-generation R1 road car's VIN starts with JYARN65: "JYA" identifies it as a Japanese Yamaha, "R" stands for sports bike, "N" means it's between 751cc and 1,000cc, and "65" is the project serial number of the current R1 (consequently sometimes known as "RN65" - previous generation was RN49, previous RN32). The VIN of the Race Base model also begins with JYA, but is followed by a "C" for competition, then an "N" for 751cc-1000cc, and the project number is "07", indicating that this is a seventh generation competition-only model. be developed in this capacity class. Interestingly, the FIM lists the YZF1000W as a 2023 model, but that's not necessarily an indication that the 2023 road R1 will be significantly different from the current design. In previous years, Race Base R1 versions have been announced in Japan in September ahead of production, with order books opening at the same time, but when a new or updated road model is launched, the Race Base version usually appears after the showroom version. In terms of timing, the current "RN65" R1 was launched for the 2020 model year, the "RN49" was the 2017-2019 version, and the "RN32" ran from 2015-2016. This suggests that an update is planned for 2023, but the FIM YZF1000W documents are not necessarily proof that this is definitely happening. We'll keep our fingers crossed.
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