RIDEFAST AUG 21

Engine:
With an extra 42cc over the outgoing Tracer models,
you’d expect the updated CP3 triple to have more
power and torque. You’d be correct, but thanks to Euro
5 compliance, there’s not a lot in it with just around 3%
more at the top end.
It is, however 2kg lighter than the motor used on the
outgoing MT-09 and provides 6% more peak torque, 3%
more peak output and, they say 9% more efficiency. The
fuel injection system is heavily revised, with new injector
banks squirting fuel more or less directly onto the tops of
the intake valves, rather than further upstream in the inlet
tracts. This is claimed to improve fuel atomisation and
reduce the amount of fuel that resists combining with the
incoming air and simply ‘sticks’ to the intake tract wall.
The 6-speed transmission has an assist-and-slipper
clutch and a new quickshifter.
We are not too enthralled with the new square exhaust
boxy type system that sits beneath the engine. We are
pretty sure that that will make way for an aftermarket
pipe straight away and we’d guess that this will unleash
a few more horsepower. Despite the weird pipe it really
does sound the business. The fact that Yamaha has
managed to drop weight, meet Euro 5 emissions targets
and still find a small increase in power tells us that
Yamaha knows their stuff!
Electronics and stuff: It’s a lot but have a read...
Electronics on this bike includes brake, slide and traction
control and are all funnelled through a new 6-axis IMU
that is more compact than the hardware used on the R1.
New for this year is KYB semi-active suspension front
and rear. It’s not the most sophisticated system in the
world, it doesn’t alter preload for example, just damping
but it’s still a nice touch. They tell us that the IMU runs
125 calculations per second, continually feeding data
to the suspension, which electronically adjusts rebound
and compression damping in the fork and rebound in the
rear shock in real-time to suit the terrain and conditions.
It also stabilizes the chassis under braking and
acceleration and offers two modes, (Sport and Comfort).
The IMU also feeds data to the new rider aids which
can be adjusted to preference or completely turned off.
These include lean angle-sensitive traction control, slide
control, wheelie control, and cornering lights. The ABS
is newly equipped with a brake control system, and
riders can choose between two levels of intervention.
Yamaha’s YCC-T throttle-by-wire system now includes
Accelerator Position Sensor Grip, (ASPG), which uses a
sensor and a magnet to detect throttle opening and send
corresponding signals to the throttle valves. ASPG uses
a spring, slider, and gear to produce variable resistance
to the grip creating a natural throttle feel.
You have a choice of 4 different engine modes, Mode
1 is full power and sharpest delivery, through to Mode
4 which makes it feel like it’s only using two out three
cylinders, and three rider aid modes namely TCS 1, TCS
2 and Manual, all accessed via the left-hand switchgear.
TCS 1 is lowest intervention on all aids, TCS2 ramps it
up a bit, and Manual allows you to tailor the whole lot to
your tastes, with a choice of three intervention levels for
each, plus the option to turn the Slide Control and LIF
off while keeping some Traction Control. There’s also an
option to just turn the whole lot off.