Velocette Records

GYTR: our racing DNA

With the same winning DNA the company has had since its founding and the same knowledge applied to all R-series machines, Yamaha engineers have brought cutting-edge technology to every performance accessory they’ve designed for over 40 years. years, and today these components are known as Yamaha Technology Racing Genuine Parts (GYTR®).

GYTR Racing parts are engineered in tandem with your Yamaha for unparalleled integration, using advanced materials like carbon fiber and aircraft-grade aluminum. Once the design is complete, GYTR items undergo the highest level of performance and durability analysis. This makes GYTR Accessories the only performance products expertly developed and backed by Yamaha – specifically designed for your Yamaha, by Yamaha.

A 2023 Yamaha YZF-R1 GYTR. Photo courtesy of Yamaha Motor Europe.

From the earliest days, GYTR technology has helped propel Yamaha racing teams to numerous podiums and successes. Today, the link between motorsport business development and customers has become even stronger, thanks to a reinforcement strategy aimed at securing Yamaha Racing technology for every customer who wants to get the most out of their R- Series.

GYTR PRO SHOPS: from racing to customers

Winning world championship titles is not the only ultimate goal. Yamaha is customer-centric, which means the brand always aims to give customers the best service and experience. From that statement, Yamaha created the GYTR PRO SHOPS concept in 2021: the first and only place anyone from pro racers to track riders can go for all their racing needs. It’s where they can connect with experts and race techs, get their hands on high spec components and have their bikes tuned and customized to the highest standard.

A 2023 Yamaha YZF-R1 GYTR. Photo courtesy of Yamaha Motor Europe.

There are now 17 GYTR PRO SHOPS across Europe, with plans to grow to 25 in the coming months, and they are all connected to race programs and offer bespoke solutions for R1, R6 bikes , R7 and R3 from customers. Starting December 2022, these GYTR PRO SHOPS will be the only place to get the new 2023 R1 GYTR.

Concept R1 GYTR 2023

The Yamaha R1 is a proven race bike, winning championships and races at the top of production motorcycle racing, WorldSBK and national series around the world. Its unique and responsive CP4 engine delivers linear torque with excellent feel, while its distinctive chassis delivers unrivaled handling, further enhanced by KYB 43mm front forks. The electronic IMU package, ride-by-wire throttle, brake control and engine brake management further amplify the smooth driving experience.

The 43mm KYB front fork and Brembo front brake calipers of a 2023 Yamaha YZF-R1 GYTR. Photo courtesy of Yamaha Motor Europe.

Like the R6 GYTR, the new R1 GYTR 2023 is made for racing. Designed for customers looking for performance and quality, the R1 GYTR is prepared specifically for track use (not homologated for road use). Designed to be faster and more precise than ever, the R1 GYTR is the ultimate canvas for customizing your own superbike machine. Designed to provide an efficient package for riders and racers on the track, it comes with only the parts needed for the track and equipped with over 25 carefully selected GYTR parts and an Akrapovic muffler and link pipe system .

Other benefits for riders include improved power output and handling, making it the perfect race bike for all ability levels, with fine-tuned performance across the rev range. The wide variety of ECU tuning options makes it easy to drive to your limits, delivering optimized speed and agility through a range of lightweight parts. In accordance with FIM Stock 1000 regulations, the R1 GYTR offers improved braking and aerodynamics with the ideal riding position to get the most out of your experience. It is completely keyless and comes with a rear kickstand for added convenience.

The 2023 GYTR Yamaha YZF-R1 comes with a 520 chain and sprockets kit, shark fin, swingarm mount receivers, rear swingarm mount, and more. Photo courtesy of Yamaha Motor Europe.

Technical Highlights R1 GYTR

ENGINE

• Akrapovic Race silencer and mid-pipe system

• Set of AIS sockets

• Engine cowl clearance

ELECTRONIC

• GYTR-ECU

• Wiring harness

• PC interface cable

• GYTR ABS Emulator

• GYTR on/off switch

DRIVING SYSTEM

• 15/42T 520 sprockets

• GYTR R-Series 520 Race Chain

FRAME

• BS R11 tires

• GYTR Racing fuel cap

• GYTR stainless steel brake line set

• Calipers with GYTR steel piston kit

• Brembo Z04 brake pads

• Racing handlebar

• Steering stops

• Shark Fin rear sprocket guard

• Billet front brake lever guard

• Race Rear Set with reverse shift option

• Rear stand hooks

• R-series racing rear kickstand

BODY

• Complete racing hood kit in primer white

• Race screen

• GYTR racing seat

The combination of factory modifications, GYTR parts and GYTR PRO SHOP know-how makes the R1 GYTR faster and more accurate than ever. The Yamaha experience doesn’t end when a customer purchases their motorcycle. GYTR PRO SHOP can offer much more: additional parts, custom tuning (suspension, engine, braking, etc.), advice for races and track days.

For riders who always want more, Yamaha is releasing a very special new line of racing components to the public: the GYTR PRO line.

The 2023 GYTR Yamaha YZF-R1 comes with rearsets that allow for a reverse shift pattern. Photo courtesy of Yamaha Motor Europe.

The GYTR PRO range: closer than ever to the R1 WorldSBK

After the historic Triple Crown in 2021, four Yamaha Racing teams compete in the FIM Superbike World Championship with the Yamaha R1: Team Toprak Razgatlıoğlu won the world title with – Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK – as well as GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team, GIL Motorsport Yamaha WorldSBK Team and Motoxracing Yamaha WorldSBK Team. All bikes are equipped with GYTR parts to increase the performance of the R1 and components developed by Yamaha Racing engineers specifically for machines that race at the highest level. Today, Yamaha is offering these components, in limited quantities, to all Yamaha riders at GYTR PRO SHOPS.

So customers will be able to build an R1 with all the same parts as the R1 WorldSBK, using the new Yamaha GYTR PRO range. Yamaha first gave a taste of this range of special parts with the R1 GYTR PRO VR46, offered to Valentino Rossi in 2021 using a combination of parts from the future GYTR and GYTR PRO catalogs, and some high-end components from ‘Öhlins and Brembo.

400 parts have been developed for the entire GYTR PRO range, with targeted availability through GYTR PRO SHOPS from April 2023.

Some of the key components of the GYTR PRO line are:

• GYTR PRO swingarm

• Large capacity, low gravity GYTR PRO fuel tank

• GTTR PRO carbon rear subframe

• Triple clamp GYTR PRO

• GYTR PRO carbon fairing set

• GYTR Pro display

• GYTR PRO Dashboard

• Support for GYTR PRO Dashboard

• GYTR PRO handlebars

• GYTR PRO Handlebar Switches

• GYTR PRO Marelli electronics (customized)

• GYTR PRO air ducts for brake calipers

• GYTR PRO brake lines

• GYTR PRO Brembo wheel adapters (front and rear) to fit Öhlins FGR400 front forks and inverted swingarm

• GYTR PRO clutch

• GYTR PRO Side steering damper with bracket and clamp

• GYTR PRO MB Radiator

• GYTR PRO Akrapovic System

• GYTR PRO brake lever protector

With such an interesting parts list, Yamaha couldn’t help but demonstrate Yamaha GYTR PRO SHOPS expertise by building a few R1 GYTR PRO equipped bikes mirroring the R1 WorldSBK machine. A bike that customers can have built in their GYTR PRO SHOP.

The complete list of the full GYTR PRO range and their prices will be announced by the end of the year.

Interestingly, this is the second time we’ve featured a 1981 Yamaha SR500 that’s still new in its original factory crate in the last 12 months, so if you’re having a bit of deja vu, don’t be don’t worry, we do too.

The reason two essentially identical examples of the 1981 Yamaha SR500 have appeared for sale still in their shipping crates with 0 miles on the odometer is that they were both purchased by the same man when new , but unfortunately, his planned plan for them would never come to fruition.

Quick Facts – The Yamaha SR500

• The SR500 was first released in 1978, essentially as a road version of the popular Yamaha XT500 off-road motorcycle.
• The SR500 is powered by a renowned for its robust air-cooled single-cylinder engine with a single overhead camshaft, two valves per cylinder, a single carburetor and a 5-speed transmission.
• Thanks to the SR500’s affordability and indestructibility, it has become a popular commuter bike in Japan, Australia and Europe.
• In recent years, the SR500 and its stablemate the SR400 have become a mainstream choice for custom motorcycle builders around the world who turn them into cafe racers, scramblers, flat trackers and Brat-style bikes.

The Yamaha SR500

In 1981, you could walk into a Yamaha motorcycle dealership and buy yourself a road-legal street bike that was powered by the same engine that had propelled the Yamaha XT500 to victories in the Paris-Dakar Rally the previous two years. – 1979 and 1980.

Although the specs of the SR500 may not seem that impressive, the engine won the first two races of the Paris Dakar Rally and it became one of the longest lasting engine designs in Yamaha history.

On paper, the specs of the Yamaha SR500 don’t seem particularly interesting. It is powered by an air-cooled 500cc single-cylinder engine with a single overhead camshaft, two valves, single carburettor, single exhaust and an integrated 5-speed gearbox.

The motor is mounted on a tubular steel half-duplex cradle frame, it has standard telescopic forks up front and a pair of adjustable shock absorbers in the rear. There are seats and pegs for two and the usual assortment of turn signals, a headlight and taillight.

Despite the somewhat average sound specs, the SR500 and its stablemate, the SR400, would become cult classics in Japan and around the world.

The bike’s low weight and extreme reliability endeared it to urban riders, and custom motorcycle builders created a wide range of unusual bikes based on the SR500, including cafe racers, scramblers, flat trackers , brat-style bikes and a mid-steer wild creation. by Japanese Skull Motorcycles.

A wide variety of different versions of the SR500 have been offered from the factory, and custom motorcycle builders around the world have long favored the model as their starting point.

The SR500 was originally released in 1978 and it was sold until 1999 when it was replaced by the SR400. Even though the SR400 is powered by a slightly smaller engine at 400cc, power levels were similar and from 2010 it received fuel injection to meet modern emissions regulations.

How This SR500 Ended Up In A Crate

It’s a bit sad why two SR500s ended up in crates, but it has now presented two people with unique opportunities to purchase brand new examples of one of Yamaha’s most important models.

I’ll put it back here for the seller to tell you the story below:

“This bike, and a second matching bike, were both purchased new, in 1981, by a gentleman from Harrison Township, Michigan. He bought one for himself and one for his son and delivered them both in the crate as he planned to assemble them himself with his son.

“His son has never done motorcycles, time has passed and 41 years later he decided it was time to sell some stuff.”

The bike you see here is part of the original pair, and you can read more about the other here if you’re interested.

This one is currently offered for sale on Bring A Trailer out of Livonia, Michigan. If you want to know more or register to bid you can visit the list here.

Images courtesy of Bring A Trailer

Ben has had his work featured on CNN, Popular Mechanics, Smithsonian Magazine, Road & Track Magazine, the Official Pinterest Blog, the Official eBay Motors Blog, BuzzFeed and many more.

Silodrome was founded by Ben in 2010, in the years since the site became a global leader in the alternative and vintage automotive sector, with millions of readers around the world and several hundred thousand followers on social networks.