Video: 2009 Yamaha R1 vs Honda Fireblade

Michael Neeves says the new Yamaha R1 engine with crossplane crank gives the bike all the top-end rush of an inline-four, with the low down grunt of a twin and at the launch of the bike in Australia, he was singing its praises.

But how does the all-new R1 compare to the latest Honda Fireblade? Neeves and National Superstock racer Steve Mercer put the two head-to-head on the roads of Southern France to see which will rule the 1000cc class in 2009