Yamaha builds ‘GYTR VR46 Tribute’ R1 for Valentino Rossi

To acknowledge Valentino Rossi’s stellar career at the pinnacle of motorcycle road racing competition, Yamaha has produced a one-off YZF R1 for the nine-time World Champion.

Created in honour of the MotoGP Legend following his retirement after 26 seasons of grand prix racing, the ‘R1 GYTR VR46 Tribute’ is also a showcase of Yamaha racing technology in what’s been a dominant year for the brand.

In 2021, Yamaha achieved the riders’ world championship in MotoGP and dominated World Superbikes, taking out the riders’, teams’ and manufacturers’ championships; the latter their first since 2007. Yamaha were also the top independent team in WSBK this year.

In World Supersport, Yamaha claimed the riders’, teams’ and manufacturers’ championships in 2021, as well as numerous national-level road racing championships.

Yamaha also enjoyed a successful 2021 in motocross and off-road, with titles in AMA MX and SX, MXGP and various national-level competitions, including the PRO MX1 title here in Australia.

Ultimate Trackday Bike

Yamaha Motor Europe are calling the R1 GYTR VR46 Tribute the highest-spec R1 GYTR ever produced for trackday use, as it features componentry and technology developed under Yamaha’s championship-winning World Superbike programme, as well as a bunch of GYTR (Genuine Yamaha Racing Technology) parts that are the result of Yamaha’s involvement in WSBK.

Completing the R1 GYTR VR46 Tribute is a unique livery created by Aldo Drudi, Rossi’s longtime helmet designer.

The bike was presented to Rossi at ‘One More Lap’, a live action event at the EICMA show in Milan this November, which the MotoGP Legend attended this year for the first time.

WSBK Parts

Components on the R1 GYTR VR46 Tribute born from Yamaha’s World Superbike programme include Brembo brake discs and calipers, Öhlins factory racing-spec front and rear suspension, an adjustable triple clamp kit, Öhlins steering damper, factory-spec engine tuning with Marelli ECU and a dedicated Marelli wiring harness, engine sensor kit, WSBK-spec air filter, a fuel tank that’s upsized from the road bike’s 17 litres to 22 litres for WSBK application, underslung swingarm assembly and a carbon fibre subframe, with a racing windscreen and carbon fibre fairing completing the WSBK-derived kit.

GYTR Parts

GYTR gear for the R1 GYTR VR46 Tribute has been taken from the 2022 GYTR catalogue and includes an engine head gasket, electronic throttle, slipper clutch, radiator kit and air funnel set, front brake protector, handlebars, switchgear and adjustable rearsets, as well as Marchesini wheels and an Akrapovic factory exhaust system that are available under the GYTR banner.

For Valentino Only

Created specifically as a gift to Valentino Rossi, the R1 GYTR VR46 Tribute is a one-off - at least for now.

But if the demand from (very) cashed-up buyers is there, Yamaha just might offer this ultimate trackday bike as a premium limited-edition in the future.