Video: Watch Yamaha building its new 2015 R1 superbike

Behind the scenes look at the process of building the latest generation R1 superbike in preparation for the first MotoAmerica series race at the Austin MotoGP

Yamaha has won the past five AMA Superbike championships, and it certainly wasn’t by dumb luck. Yes, having four-time champion Josh Hayes and former champion Josh Herrin in the rider’s saddle certainly helped, but both pilots often stated that it would never have been possible without the help of a well-sorted and very competitive bike. Meticulous preparation by the Monster Energy Graves Yamaha team led by crew chief Jim Roach was the key to Hayes’ four AMA Superbike titles, and Mississippi native Hayes was always keen to give them credit for his success. Five years of constant development and refinement made the Yamaha YZF-R1 superbike one of the most dominant mounts in the AMA series.

With the arrival of the stunning latest generation R1, the Monster Energy Graves Yamaha crew must start from square one as they prepare a brand new machine for superbike competition. This means stripping the bike down, taking precise 3D measurements of the frame and swingarm, prepping and modifying the engine (including constant dyno testing), prepping and modifying the suspension, etc. It’s a huge and laborious task, and with the season opener at the Austin MotoGP event at Circuit of the Americas coming up in April, the Monster Energy Graves Yamaha team have already been hard at work since September getting the new R1 ready for competition.

This video from Yamaha provides a nice quick behind-the-scenes look into the team’s preparation of the new R1 for battle...