Total Motorcycle

Yamaha launched the YZF-R1 after redesigning the Genesis engine to offset the crankshaft, gearbox input, and output shafts. This "compacting" of the engine made the total engine length much shorter. This allowed the wheelbase to be shortened significantly, resulting in much quicker handling and an optimized center of gravity. The bike had a compression ratio of 11.8:1 with a six-speed transmission and multi-plate clutch.