Yamaha XSR700 Motorcycles, page #55

Moto blog

Wayne Rainey to Appear at Misano for First Time Since Career-Ending Crash

Wayne Rainey will return to the Misano circuit for the first time since he suffered a career-ending crash that left him paralyzed from the chest down. The Sept. 5, 1993 crash at the circuit then-known as the Circuito Internazionale Santamonica brought a sudden end to what had been an incredibly successful Grand Prix racing career.

MSF Begins Year-long Real World Motorcycle Safety Study

The Motorcycle Safety Foundation has started what it calls the first-ever naturalistic study of motorcycling, with 100 motorcycles equipped with data logging equipment to record real-world riding situations over the course of a year. The information will valuable data that will help shape the MSF’s rider education and rider training program and other safety initiatives. “Our priority with this research is to observe the participants on a day-to-day basis,” says Dr.

Yamaha Celebrating 50 Years of Racing at Indianapolis Grand Prix

Yamaha announced a slate of activities for the Aug. 26-28Indianapolis Grand Prix to mark the manufacturer’s 50th anniversary of Grand Prix racing. While Yamaha factory racers Jorge Lorenzo and Ben Spies wearing the special red and white 50th anniversary livery, race fans can purchase matching 50th anniversary gear and other merchandise and souvenirs.

Kenny Roberts R1 Auction Nets $87,000 for Charity

The one-off GYTR-equipped Yamaha YZF-R1 ridden by “King” Kenny Roberts at this year’s U.S. Grand Prix at Laguna Seca was auctioned for $87,000. Roberts and late night television star Jay Leno were the special guest auctioneers for the R1 at Mecum’s Motorcycle Auction in Monterey, Calif.

Simon and Leo

If you are a track day regular this year, you may well have bumped into former racer and friendly Kiwi, Simon Crafar. I first met him in Malaysia in 1990 when he was riding for a Yamaha dealer team, sweating his way round circuits like Shah Alam and Johor Bahru but with a long term plan to make it onto the World scene. And he didn’t take long as after riding for Honda in the UK in 1992 he moved to WSB in 1994 and enjoyed success with both the Honda and Kawasaki factory teams.

Yamaha to Open Plant in Pakistan

Yamaha is reportedly planning to open a new manufacturing facility in Pakistan. According to the Associated Press of Pakistan, Yamaha would invest $150 million in the new 50 acre facility, to be located in Karachi, Pakistan’s main seaport and financial hub. The plant would produce motorcycles for the Pakistani market, as well as models to be exported to other Commonwealth of Independent States nations.

Yamaha Reports Q2 2011 Results

A drop in net sales, an appreciating yen and the fallout from the March 11 earthquake and tsunamis in Japan contributed to a 4.6% drop in profit for Yamaha Motor Co. over the second quarter of 2011. Over the quarter ended June 30, 2011, Yamaha saw a 5.9% drop in net sales compared to the same period in 2010.Yamaha reports sales of 344.5 billion yen (US$4.48 billion) over the second quarter, compared to the 366.3 billion yen (US$4.77 billion) reported in the same quarter in 2010.

Yamaha Quitting World Superbike Racing After 2011 Season

Yamaha announced it is withdrawing its factory World Superbike Championship race team following the end of the 2011 season. The news comes as a bit of a surprise, just a week after reports the team had re-signed racer Marco Melandri for the 2012 season. On the other hand, the team has struggled to find a title sponsor this season, as has Yamaha’s MotoGP team.

US Motorcycle Sales First Half 2011 Results

The U.S. motorcycle industry saw a 4.6% decrease in year-on-year sales over the first six months of 2011, thanks mostly to a 17.3% drop in ATV sales. Motorcycle and scooter sales however saw a 1.7% bump in the first half .

Yamaha Racing Legends in 50th Anniversary Video

In what’s become an annual tradition, Yamaha Motor USA has released a new video featuring its MotoGP stars as they stopped by California for the U.S. Grand Prix at Laguna Seca. In the latest video, Yamaha factory riders Jorge Lorenzo, Ben Spies, and Monster Tech 3 satellite riders Colin Edwards and Cal Crutchlow are joined by Yamaha legends and champions Eddie Lawson, Wayne Rainey, and Kenny Roberts.