![]() ![]() The S-NK class allowed for machines displacing 1,000cc or more and its X-Formula sub-class permitted a wide range of modifications. Beginning in 1999, the S-NK (“Super Naked”) class was established and run together with the existing 750cc Superbike class in the All Japan Road Race Championship. With Honda, Suzuki, Kawasaki and Yamaha all in Japan, it was the first country to get the ball rolling. ![]() With superbike racing rules still only allowing 750cc fours, 900cc triples and 1,000cc twins to compete, it was only a matter of time until steps would be taken to incorporate 1,000cc 4-cylinder machines into production motorcycle racing. Benefitting from subsequent upgrades and revisions, the R1 became a leader in the large-displacement supersport segment and other manufacturers soon followed. Featuring a dry weight rivalling that of 600cc machines at 177 kg and a powerful 150 PS 4-cylinder engine, the R1 took the motorcycle world by storm as a fun-to-ride litre bike made for carving corners. The 1,000cc YZF-R1 supersport model debuted in 1997 at the Milan Motorcycle Show (also commonly known as EICMA). Yamaha riders Shinichi Nakatomi (left) and Wataru Yoshikawa (current team manager for Yamaha’s All Japan factory team) during a pit stop Nakatomi (left) and Yoshikawa took 1st in the JSB1000 class and finished 2nd overall.
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