DR Moto - The Ultimate Yamaha R1 Track Bike

The Yamaha YZF-R1 is a fantastic machine, in just about any iteration you can find. A potent weapon on the track, the R1 might not have all the bells and whistles that are found on European superbikes, but the Japanese liter-bike makes up for it with precision handling, great reliability, and gobs of tractable power.

This is great for two-wheeled enthusiasts, who ride the twisties or at local track days, but Yamaha’s crown jewel poses as a tough mark to beat when someone goes looking for something “more” from the design. DR Moto might have that answer though, for track enthusiasts who want something closer to what they see on Sunday’s race day, without the compromises that come with production/street machines.

Making over 200hp out of its British Superbike-spec engine, the real beauty of the DR Moto is its custom chassis; as it should be, since behind the project is British engineering firm Reynolds Engineering, which supplies hard parts to teams in BSB, WSBK, and MotoGP, along with Barry Ward, who worked with Kenny Roberts Sr.’s MotoGP team.

At £89,500 (~$150,000), the DR Moto isn’t for everyone…not even close. Reynolds Engineering says that the DR Moto comes with MotoGP-spec equipment (CRT-level, that is), and you will find all the usual suspects in the build: Brembo monoblock calipers, Marchesini forged magnesium wheels, and Öhlins shock (TTX36) and forks (FG 386), while the traction control is done by MoTeC.

While that price range won’t buy you true MotoGP-spec equipment that Reynold’s is touting in its marketing (the Factory Option equipment is near unobtanium), the DR Moto certainly comes with some impressive top-shelf kit, and an “affordable” price tag for what those components go for on the open market.

The 200+ horsepower is a real piece of work, with its Nova close-ratio gearbox. Able to handle clutchless downshifts and upshifts, as well as auto-blipping the throttle when going down through the gears, the DR Moto brings the extra race-bike only features that you don’t see on street-going machines.

If you want to impress your friends with what could have been a great CRT package, here’s your chance. We doubt you’ll see too many of them at your local track day, and that’s sort of the point.