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News

Red Bull to Enter MotoGP with Honda? Repsol to Sponsor Yamaha?

By Jensen Beeler 06/17/2009 8 Comments

If that title didn’t illicit a “huh?” from you, then let us be the first to say the MotoGP rumormill has kicked it up a notch now that we’re about a third of the way through the 2009 season. The first rumor up to bat is the talk that Red Bull, the maker of the energy drink with wings, is looking to sponsor a MotoGP team. Early speculation places Red Bull flying into premiere motorcycle racing with the factory Honda team, which is currently Repsol Honda.

That brings us to our next rumor in this double-header, Repsol is rumored to be considering a move to Yamaha next year. Displeased with the performance Honda has given them in bringing a Spanish MotoGP Champion into fruition, the Spanish Oil company is looking for new tune at the Piano making company. More bizzaro after the jump.

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Bikes

2009 Yamaha FZ1 Limited Edition

By Jensen Beeler 06/10/2009 1 Comment

Taking another cue from the R1, FZ1 will be getting the Limited Edition treatment. The Yamaha FZ1 Fazer ABS Limited Edition is painted with a similar scheme as the R1 LE, but this time done up in red and white. Besides the bodywork, the bike will come with a special windscreen, rim stripes, and rear seat cowl.

No word on price. But it does seem sort of anemic for a “limited edition” Fz1; afterall, the R1 LE got Öhlins suspension, Marchesini rims, and a slipper-clutch. We also can’t help but think Yamaha didn’t have to go far for .

Price and availability when we have it, but we suspect the Abarth would look nicer in your garage.

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Banter

Colin Edwards’ Leathers on eBay for Charity

By Jensen Beeler 05/28/2009 3 Comments

The Texas Tornado is putting up his leathers on eBay to benefit Yamaha’s charity fundraising. The auction runs until May 28th, and includes his leathers, helmet, boots, and gloves. The winning bidder also receives a pair of tickets and a hotel room for the duration of the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix held July 3rd-5th.

Edwards will personally hand over the race items in a Saturday ceremony at the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. All funds raised will go to Feed the Children.

Source: MotoGP

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News

Yamaha Follows Other Japanese Manufacturers in Reported Sales Drops

By Jensen Beeler 05/15/2009 No Comments

Our day wouldn’t complete if we didn’t bring you gloom from all four of the Japanese manufacturers; and yes, even Yamaha wasn’t spared the wraith of the global economic slowdown. Yamaha Motor Corporation is reporting double-digit percentage sales drops in its two-wheeled and four-wheeled retail sales.

Yamaha said its U.S. motorcycle retail sales of 21,000 units is a 30% dip from last year’s numbers. Similarly, its U.S. ATV retail sales fell 26% to 17,000 units. This number is at least better than the ATV industry average of a 33% sales decrease. Overall for its worldwide operations, Yamaha reported a sales decline of 35.5% from the year-ago quarter, and a net loss of $189 million for its first quarter, which ended March 31.

Source: PowerSports Business

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News

Valentino Rossi To Do an Exhibition Lap at the 2009 Isle of Man TT

By Jensen Beeler 04/29/2009 2 Comments

In what will be his first visit to the Isle of Man, six-time MotoGP world champion Valentino Rossi will do an exhibition lap at the start of this year’s IoM TT. Rossi will ride a 2009 Yamaha R1 alongside multi-time motorcycle GP racing world champion, Giacomo Agostini. Don’t expect any hot laps though. The pair will be parading around the course behind a safety car, and followed by a crew of as many as eight race marshals. A team of PR reps will be on hand to freak out in case Rossi crashes on the , and unable to compete in the following weekend’s GP race in Barcelona.

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Bikes

2009 Yamaha R1 Reportedly Heavier and Less Powerful than the 2007 R1

By Jensen Beeler 04/15/2009 No Comments

Performance Bikes magazine is reporting that their independently conducted dyno tests show that the 2009 Yamaha R1 makes less power and torque than the 2007 R1. Furthermore, Performance Bikes also got a chance to throw the 2009 R1 onto a scale, and found that the bike weights more than the 2007 version as well. In the liter-bike class its all about stronger and lighter, crossplane crankshaft or not, so is the 2009 R1 all its cracked up to be?

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News

Toseland Breaks His Silence About Colin Edwards

By Jensen Beeler 04/05/2009 1 Comment

In these last months, some serious events at Monster Tech3 Yamaha have occurred. First, there was the pits that separated James and Colin from each other. And despite all this, James Toseland has kept a very low profile and refused to talk about the events that have surrouneded him, that is, until now. Continue reading to hear what Toseland had to say about himself, and the current state of the Tech3 camp.

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News

Tech3 Erects the Proverbial Yamaha Wall in the MotoGP Paddock

By Jensen Beeler 03/26/2009 3 Comments

Yamaha Tech 3 team have erected a wall dividing the garages of Colin Edwards from that of James Toseland. As we reported earlier in the year (), the two riders had a falling out after swap in crew chiefs occurred. Following the conclusion of the 2008 MotoGP season, James Toseland was granted Colin Edwards’ crew chief Gary Reynders, an incident that Edwards was opposed to and has stopped the teammates from working together.

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Racing

Ben Spies Wins Second Superpole in Qatar

By Jensen Beeler 03/13/2009 No Comments

Our very own Ben Spies has done it again and won the Superpole for the second time this year at the second round of World Superbike in Qatar, braking the lap record at the Losail circuit. Spies took his Yamaha YZF-R1 to a best time of 1.57.280 ahead of Guandalini Ducati rider Jakub Smrz,the Czech earning his first front-row start of the season. Aprilia’s Max Biaggi also put the RSV4 on the front row for a second successive race.

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Racing

Monster To Sponsor Tech3 Yamaha in MotoGP

By Jensen Beeler 03/04/2009 No Comments

After locking in Valentino Rossi on a for title sponsor status.

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News

Yamaha to Cut Production by 24 Percent

By Jensen Beeler 02/26/2009 No Comments

Yamaha Motors has announced it will cut motorcycle output at its Japanese factories by almost a one quarter, or nearly 87,000 units, this year. This will mean that Yamaha will produce just over 260,000 units for the year, Yamaha’s lowest output level in nearly forty years. According to Reuters, the Japanese firm will halt production at its main assembly plant, to reduce output by 13,000 motorcycles as a starting point, with further reductions in production expected over the coming months. It is unclear what model bikes will be reduced the most, but certainly the reductions will touch every segment.

Source:

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