Yamaha R1 4th Gen (2007-2008) Maintenance Schedule and Service Intervals
This is the maintenance schedule and associated service intervals for the 2007-2008 Yamaha R1 4th Gen replacing the previous generation R1 that was from 2004-2006.
Here are all the Yamaha YZF-R1 maintenance schedules in case you’re looking for one of those:
- Yamaha YZF-R1 1st gen (1998-2001) (The original, carburettor-fed, 5 valve per cylinder)
- Yamaha YZF-R1 2nd gen (2002-2003) (Fuel injection, more muted design)
- Yamaha YZF-R1 3rd gen (2004-2006) (Braking improvements, ram air, Anniversary model)
- Yamaha YZF-R1 4th gen (2007-2008) (4 valves per cylinder, RbW / YCC-T)
- Yamaha YZF-R1 5th gen (2009-2014) (Crossplane crank, TC from 2012)
- Yamaha YZF-R1 and R1M 6th gen (2015+) (6-axis IMU, more power / track focus)
The 4th gen Yamaha R1 brought with it significant changes, both internally and externally.
Internally, Yamaha ditched the 5-valve-per-cylinder design for a more traditional 4-valve-per-cylinder engine block. This gave the motorcycle better mid-range and better road manners — for better or worse.
The chassis also gets updated by way of new frame, swingarm and suspension.
The 2007 Yamaha R1 also got full ride by wire, with Yamaha Chip-Controlled Throttle (YCC-T) governing fuelling.
The 2007-2008 Yamaha R1 was replaced by the 2009 Yamaha R1 “Crossplane”.
This site has links for things like oil and spark plugs from which we earn a commission (which unfortunately nobody can save, not even us). If you appreciate this work, then please use those links. Thanks!
Yamaha YZF-R1 (2007-2008) Service Intervals
Like most modern liquid-cooled Yamaha sport motorcycles, service intervals for the Yamaha 2007-2008 4-valve-per-cylinder YZF-R1 are every 4000 miles or 6000 km, or 6 months, in the US manual, or 10000 km / 12 months in the European / rest-of-world manual.
At every service, you do an oil change, plus check for leaks and lubrication of moving parts.
Every two services, Yamaha recommends you change the oil filter and spark plug. And every 26600 miles (US) / 40000 km (Europe), Yamaha suggests you inspect the valves of the YZF-R1.
You should also keep the fluids up to date, regularly replacing the brake fluid and the coolant.
You can see more about the difference between Europe and US service intervals for Yamaha motorcycles here.
See below for items you’ll need to do a service on your Yamaha R1, plus the full maintenance schedule.
What you need to service a 2007-2008 Yamaha R1 4th Gen
Below is a list of consumable items you may need to service your 2007-2008 4th generation Yamaha R1.
| Part/consumable | 2007-2008 Yamaha R1 4th Gen specification. |
|---|---|
| Engine oil | Yamaha recommends using their own motor oil, which is affordable and good. Yamalube 10W-40 covers a huge range of operating temperatures, from below freezing to above 100 degrees F / 40 degrees C. You can also use a high-grade synthetic like Motul 7100 10W-40.
|
| Oil filter | Replace every 2nd oil change. Many 4th gen R1 owners use a Hiflofiltro HF204RC for easy replacement (you can use a normal wrench). |
| Spark plugs | You need four spark plugs for the YZF-R1, NGK CR9EK for the 2007-2008 Yamaha R1. |
| Air filter | Use K&N air filter YA-1007 for the 2007-2008 model. |
| Chain lubricant | A really popular chain lubricant that’s low-mess and highly effective is Motul chain paste. |
| Brake Fluid | Yamaha requires DOT 4 brake fluid. Castrol DOT 4 is a good option. The 2007-2007 YZF-R1 has a cable clutch. |
| Coolant | Valvoline Zerex G05 meet’s Yamaha’s requirements for an ethylene-glycol anti-freeze with corrosion-prevention properties. |
| Cable lubricant | Keeping good clutch action depends on having a well-lubricated cable. You can use engine oil, but Protect All Cable Life is an affordable and well-used staple of maintenance. |
| Mechanical grease | It’s important to grease moving parts, like the sidestand and sometimes bearings, to keep them from getting notchy or seizing. Valvoline moly-fortified grease meets a lot of needs. |
Yamaha R1 4th Gen Maintenance Schedule
Below is the maintenance schedule for the 2007-2008 Yamaha R1 4th Gen. It’s the same content as the manual, but simplified for easy legibility.
Notes:
- Yamaha recommends that you get a dealer or mechanic to service everything other than the brakes, chain, and lubricating the controls.
- There is a maintenance schedule from the US manual, and one from the European manual. The US manual has 4000 mile / 6 month service intervals, where as the European one has longer 10000 km / 12 month service intervals.
- After the last maintenance interval, continue repeating the schedule in the pattern shown.
- The break-in service is not shown (as this bike is no longer sold new, so they’re all broken in).
Both maintenance schedules refer to a common set of maintenance ops in the “inspection checklist” below.
Yamaha R1 4th gen (2007-2008) Maintenance Schedule — North America
Below is the North American maintenance schedule with 4000 mile / 6000 km and 6 month maintenance intervals.
See further below for the Europe/Oceania maintenance schedule.
| mi x 1000 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 16 | 20 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| km x 1000 | 7 | 13 | 19 | 25 | 31 | |
| months | 6 | 12 | 18 | 24 | 30 | Every |
| Conduction inspection checklist (see below) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Change engine oil (Motul 7100 10W-40) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Replace oil filter cartridge (HF204RC) | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
| Check spark plug condition. Adjust gap and clean | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Replace spark plugs (NGK CR9EK) | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
| Check and adjust valve clearance | 26600 mi (42000 km) | |||||
| Check EXUP system operation, cable free play and pulley position | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
| Check evap control system for damage. Replace if necessary | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
| Replace air filter (YA-1007) | 24000 mi (37000 km), more often when riding in dust/wet | |||||
| Replace brake hoses | 4 years | |||||
| Replace brake fluid (Castrol DOT 4) and internal parts of caliper and master cylinders | 2 years | |||||
| Moderately repack swingarm pivot bearing with with lithium soap-based grease | 30000 mi / 50000 km | |||||
| Check chain slack, alignment and condition. Adjust and lubricate chain (Motul chain paste) | Every 500 mi (800 km), or after riding in rain/wet | |||||
| Check steering bearing assemblies for looseness | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Repack steering bearings with lithium-soap based grease | ✓ | |||||
| Check steering damper operation and for oil leakage | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Check rear suspension link pivot operation. Correct if necessary. | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
| Change coolant (Valvoline Zerex G05) | ✓ |
Yamaha R1 4th gen (2007-2008) Maintenance Schedule — Europe/Oceania
Below is the European / Australian / New Zealand / Asian maintenance schedule with longer 10000 km / 6000 mile or 12 month service intervals.
| km x 1000 | 10 | 20 | 30 | 40 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| mi x 1000 | 6 | 12 | 18 | 24 | Every |
| Conduction inspection checklist (see below) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Year |
| Change engine oil (Motul 7100 10W-40) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Year |
| Replace oil filter cartridge (HF204RC) | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Check spark plug condition. Adjust gap and clean | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Replace spark plugs (NGK CR9EK) | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Check and adjust valve clearances | ✓ | ||||
| Check mufflers/exhaust pipes for looseness. Tighten if necessary. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Replace air filter (YA-1007) | ✓ | More often when riding in dust/wet | |||
| Replace brake hoses | 4 years | ||||
| Replace brake fluid (Castrol DOT 4) and internal parts of caliper and master cylinders | 2 years | ||||
| Lubricate swingarm pivot bearing with with lithium soap-based grease | 50000 km / 30000 mi | ||||
| Check chain slack, alignment and condition. Adjust and lubricate chain (Motul chain paste) | Every 800 km (500 mi), or after riding in rain/wet | ||||
| Check steering bearings play and for roughness. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Lubricate steering bearings with lithium-soap based grease | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Check steering damper operation and for oil leakage | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Check operation of rear suspension relay arm and connecting arm pivot points. | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Change coolant (Valvoline Zerex G05) | 3 years |
Standard inspection checklist — 2007-2008 YZF-R1
Below is the checklist of items to do at every service per the schedules above.
| Yamaha YZF-R1 (2007-2008) Standard Inspection Checklist |
|---|
| Check throttle grip operation and free play, and adjust if necessary. |
| Lubricate throttle cable and grip housing (Protect All Cable Life). |
| Check the air induction cut-off valve, reed valve, and hose for damage. Replace any damaged parts if necessary |
| Check clutch operation. Adjust or replace cable. |
| Lubricate moving parts and cables thoroughly (lithium soap-based grease, Protect All Cable Life). |
| Check lights, signals, and switches operation. |
| Check side stand switch operation and replace if necessary. |
| Check brake switch operation, front and rear. |
| Check / adjust headlight beam (if necessary) |
| Check and adjust fuel injection synchronization. |
| Check fuel hoses for cracks or damage. Replace if necessary. |
| Check brake hoses for cracks or damage, and for correct routing and clamping. |
| Check coolant level and vehicle for coolant leakage. |
| Check cooling system hoses for cracks or damage. Replace if necessary. |
| Check front brake operation, fluid level, and for fluid leakage. Replace brake pads if necessary. |
| Check rear brake operation, fluid level, and for fluid leakage. Replace brake pads if necessary. |
| Check wheels for runout and for damage. Replace if necessary. |
| Check tire (tyre) tread depth and for damage. Replace if necessary (see spec below). |
| Check and adjust tyre pressure as necessary. |
| Check front fork operation and for oil leakage. Rebuild/ replace if necessary. |
| Check shock absorber operation and for oil leakage. Replace if necessary. |
| Check wheel bearings for smooth operation, looseness, or damage. Replace if necessary. |
| Check swingarm pivot bearing operation and for excessive play. |
| Check all chassis fitting and fasteners, and tighten/replace as necessary |
| Lubricate brake lever pivot shaft with silicone grease lightly. |
| Lubricate brake pedal, clutch lever, and shift pedal pivot shafts with lithium soap-based grease lightly |
| Check side stand pivot operation. Lubricate with lithium soap-based grease lightly. |
| Check crankcase breather hose for cracks or damage. Replace if necessary |
| Check exhaust system for leakage. Tighten and/or replace gaskets as necessary. |
Yamaha YZF-R1 Chain Maintenance
It’s important to maintain your chain on the YZF-R1, as the chain on a superbike gets a lot of abuse. Use a good-quality chain lubricant like Motul chain paste, or a Motul chain care kit which comes with a couple of handy tools to maintain the chain.
Yamaha recommends you follow the following chain maintenance schedule every 500 mi / 800 km and after washing the motorcycle, riding in the rain, or riding in wet areas.
| Chain maintenance item |
|---|
| Check drive chain lubrication condition, lubricating if necessary (Motul chain paste) |
| Check drive chain slack, alignment, and condition, adjusting / replacing if necessary Target chain slack: 30-40mm |
Naturally, if you track or race your YZF-R1, then attend to your chain more often.
To measure chain slack on the YZF-R1, put the motorcycle on its side stand, put it in neutral, and check the total vertical divergence of the chain from bottom to top when pushing it with a finger, at the middle spot between the two sprockets.
If the slack is out of spec, you need to adjust it.
To adjust the chain on the YZF-R1, follow this procedure (refer to this diagram).
- Loosen the axle nut
- Loosen the adjuster lock nuts
- Turn the adjuster lock nuts in the directions shown to tighten or loosen the chain. Keep checking chain slack.
- refer to the adjuster marks to make sure you’re tightening / loosening by the same amount.
- When you’re done, tighten the axle nut to 150 Nm / 110 lb-ft, and the lock nuts to 16 Nm / 12 lb-ft.
About the 2007-2008 Yamaha YZF-R1
Yamaha announced the 2007 model YZF-R1 in late 2006.
It continued the general story of the YZF-R1: A “no-compromises” approach to a sports bike that’s built for the track first but with some street-legal parts on it for the rest of the world.
Fundamentally, the YZF-R1 remained the same: a literbike based on an inline four-cylinder 998cc engine.
But Yamaha modified the 2007 model, giving it an all-new top-end. They ditched the 5 valve-per-cylinder Genesis layout, and moved to a traditional 4-valve-per-cylinder design, like the majority of modern motorcycles.
It’s a short-stroke engine, with a 77mm bore and 53.6mm stroke, letting it rev high for more top-end power. The 2007 R1 makes a claimed 132.4 kW / 180 hp at 12500 rpm, with peak torque of 112.7 Nm / 83 ft-lb arriving at 10000 rpm.
That’s a lot of power for a bike with no rider aids other than the pilot’s self control!
Yamaha also gave the 2007 YZF-R1 a Yamaha Chip Controlled Intake (YCC-I) electronic variable-length intake funnel system and Yamaha Chip Controlled Throttle (YCC-T) fly-by-wire throttle system.
Other changes include a slipper-type clutch (ok fine, that’s a rider aid), all-new aluminum Deltabox frame and swingarm, six-piston radial-mount front brake calipers (up from four… though Yamaha would revert back to four in later model years) with 310mm discs, a wider radiator, and M1 styling on the new large ram-air ports in the front fairing.
Like most modern superbikes, the 2007-2008 YZF-R1 only starts making serious torque around 6000 rpm, and then reaches the peak around 9-10K — at which point you’re doing freeway speed limits in first gear. So it’s a very top-end bike that doesn’t really like to play nice at low speeds.
To help you come down to low speeds are two big 310mm discs up front and 6-piston calipers. Yamaha later reduced this back down to 4-piston calipers — these days, 6 pistons setups are rarely (if ever) seen.
And the suspension on the 2007-2008 R1 is fully adjustable. The shock is adjustable for high and low-speed compression damping, and has a piggyback reservoir to boot.
These days, we know the 2007-2008 Yamaha YZF-R1 4th gen as being the last of the R1 line before the “crossplane crankshaft” engine format took over in the 2009 Yamaha R1.
Manual for the 2007-2008 Yamaha R1
The above information was gleaned from the owner’s manual for the 2008 Yamaha YZF-R1. We also consulted various parts fiches for other info, and confirmed it’s the same schedule as the 2007 model year.
You can download it from Yamaha’s website here.
