2006 Yamaha R1 50th Anniversary On Sale
Like most special editions, the most notable difference between the standard R1 and this one was the livery. The 50th anniversary R1 donned a special tricolor livery comprising OG Yamaha racing colors – yellow, white, and black – which also paid homage to Kenny Robert’s YZR750 race bike.
Livery aside, the bike featured bespoke Ohlins suspension at both ends tuned by Yamaha’s MotoGP engineers
This wasn’t all, though. Yamaha also equipped the special edition with bespoke fully adjustable Ohlins suspension at both ends, tuned by none other than Yamaha’s MotoGP engineers. In addition, the bike rolled on top-shelf forged aluminum Marchesini wheels finished in gold, matching it with the suspension.
It goes without saying the Ohlins suspension and the forged wheels were put in place to make it handle better than ever and bring it closer to the riding experience of the YZR-M1, which we completely believe it will.
There were no major engine upgrades, though, and the bike pumped out over 170 horsepower from its 998cc engine
Yamaha kept away from up-specing the 998cc, inline-four engine which made over 170 horsepower. The only engine-wise notable upgrade was the addition of a slipper clutch to the six-speed gearbox, helping make downshifts smoother.
apart from this, the 2006 R1 boasted a radical design with twin projector headlights and twin underseat exhausts. This design still ranks among the most iconic and popular motorcycle designs, even after nearly 20 years of its existence. The cockpit, meanwhile, had a semi-digital instrument cluster with all the necessary readouts and no electronic rider aids.
What’s the price?
This is a 2006 Yamaha R1 50th anniversary edition. Only 500 such bikes were built, each bike boasting this special tricolor livery
Being an auction, there’s no fixed price here and we suggest you head to Iconic Motorbike Auctions to put in your bid. In case you get to take it home, you’ll be happy to know the bike comes with a special Yamaha toolbox, a 50th-anniversary key chain, all original paperwork, and one original key.
While all this makes it ready to ride the moment it reaches you, we suggest you swap the OEM Pirelli Diablo rubber with fresh tires before doing so.
Source: Iconic Motorbike Auctions