Video: Yamaha Tests New 2015 R1 Superbike

Yamaha has just released the third video in a series that documents the race team’s “Road to Austin,” as in Austin, Texas, where the new R1 superbike will make its racing debut during the first-ever MotoAmerica event. In this video, Yamaha’s Racing Division Manager Keith McCarty talks alongside Josh Hayes and Cameron Beaubier about some of the more important updates for the 2015 R1, which according to the team, have taken the platform a massive step in the right direction. Namely, Hayes and Beaubier talk about the size of the bike, weight (or lack thereof), and how easy it is to ride.

That’s not to say, of course, that Hayes or Beaubier were at a disadvantage in 2014. Hayes racked up a total of seven race wins last year, while Cameron Beaubier, in his rookie season, took home a total of three wins. Only one other rider—Roger Hayden on a Suzuki—won a single race in the 2014 AMA Pro Superbike class.

The upcoming season doesn’t look like it’ll be any easier on the competition, with Hayes and Beaubier already showing some real speed during off-season tests at Thunderhill Raceway, in Willows, Ca, and sounding like they're getting along well with the new bike.

To hear Yamaha’s R1 superbike come to life for the first time, and hear more about the bike from the guys who know it best, be sure to watch the video below in its entirety.

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