looking for some info on these bikes.  If anyone has one how do you like it.  I know they are powerful but is it a manageable bike.  I am shopping around so any info is good.  thanks

It's not an R1, but a good buddy of mine just picked up a brand-new 2001 YZF-R6 yesterday afternoon.  He was only able to put about 50 miles on it, but he says it's a VERY controllable bike.  NO handling problems at all and very nimble due to the light weight.  Of course, I think he'll have to put a few more miles on before saying too much more, but the first impression was a good one.

There is only ONE mailing list to find out about the Yamaha R1, and that is the exupbrotherhood list on Yahoo Groups.
You can subscribe direct at the following email address:
[url]
[email protected][/url]
The Yahoo Groups web site is:
[url]http://groups.yahoo.com/group/exupbrotherhood[/url]
They used to have a web page, I think it's down for a re-write.

There is also the R1 Forum, they are very knowledgeable about the R1 and have lots of info. I think that they are a bunch of snobs myself.
[url]http://www.yzf-r1-forum.com:8080/~yzfr1[/url]

Just remember to let them know that you are NEW to the R1, and if you try to bullshit them they will know.
hint: A stock R1 makes about 123 rear wheel hp on a Dyno Jet dyno, anyone tells you anything more than that is full of shit. The new GSXR1000 stock makes about 138 rear wheel hp on a Dyno Jet dyno. Proven.

They know who is bullshitting and who is not.
Kind of like what AR15 members do if they catch a poser on the AR15 forum!

There is one other website, I don't care for the guy who runs it, I am giving you the info just to be "fair", that www is:
[url]www.exupbrotherhood.com[/url]
Be forewarned that it is nothing but an advertising front for his busisness, and that the web page has not undergone a change in over 3 years.
[img]http://members.tripod.com/~r1forum/scott2.jpg[/img]

I just bought a 2001 gsxr 750 after my prvious 600 was stolen I love the new bike and it handles great it will outperform the r1.The price is also cheaper than the r1.

I usually ride a 93 CBR600F2, very forgiving bike, fast enough, stable as hell, easy to ride.

I had a chance to ride a 2000 R1 this past week, this bike was a dream.  The power band and high end is absolutely amazing.  Taking it thru the turns, it was easy to kick out the rear end.  High speed turning is not a problem if you let the machine take care of it and you keep your r's high.  

I was raised on Hondas and I love them, if you're considering getting a bike in the 1000cc range I'd look at the R1 or the 929RR, or the RC51.  If you have the cash, get an R7, they start around 23k but will kill anything on the road, but they're not street legal.  Back to the subject, I've ridden a 2000 R1 and a CBR929RR.  I'd personally give the nod to the 929 because Honda is what I've come to trust.  

The R1 is an awesome bike for the money, you will have zero regrets other than maybe the speeding tickets.

BUY BUY BUY!!!!

You have to watch out for those people who don't know shit about bikes.
The R7 is not offered for sale to anyone in the USA unless you submit an application to Tom Halvrson at Yamaha USA. One of the requirements is that you have an AMA professional roadracing liscense and have placed within the top 10 of an AMA National Superbike race.
Stock the R7 is also a slow bike. On top of buying the bike for around $23 grand you need to lay out another $7-12 grand for the factory race kit, and even then this will only bring the bike up to a "D" class bike, World Superbike factory supported bikes being "A" class (except that Yamaha pulled out of WSB this year) and Japanese Homeland Superbike racing gets the "B" bikes, the US AMA gets last years "A" bike parts or "C" kit parts.
The RC51 stock is a slow heavy bike. The price was right last year (under 10 grand MSRP), this year they went up in price by $1100.
You can expect to lay out about $12 grand to make it a backmarker in the US Superbike races, around $32 to bring it up to "A" class privateteer specs.
The 929 is normal Honda perfection, a great street bike as always. They do work really well out of the box, however, once you put a pipe and a jet kit on the R1 or the ZX-9 then it's see ya 929. The GSXR1000 needs none of that!
Check out who just won the AMA Formula Extreme race today....Jason Pridmore on a GSXR1000. It was an all GSXR1000 podium sweep today!

For the big bikes it can be said:

The R1 has handeling and power and comfort.
The GSXR1000 had power and handeling and even more power.
The 929 has comfort, down on power, great handeling, and street ability.
The ZX-9 had power, lacks in the handeling, and is a really comfortable street bike.

You can't go wrong with any of these if you are looking for a street bike.

Don't forget that the Suzuki TL1000R can be made to smoke the 929 and keep up with the ZX-9 and the R1 up to 140 mph or so.
Lose about 60 pounds, put a pipe on it, get the Yosh or Suzuki reprogramer for the fuel injection system and you should be able to make 130 rear wheel hp no problems.