1982 Yamaha Yz 490 on 2040-motos

Moto blog

And in my front room this evening...

NO IT'S NOT an illusion: you're looking at the 1981 Yamaha OW53, ridden by double World Champion Barry Sheene in the first three rounds of the '81 500GP championship. The bike's owner, aircraft engineering entrepreneur Chris Wilson, has lent the £100,000 GP machine to Visordown for our stand at this year's NEC Motorcycle Show - 27th November to 6th December 2009. Sheene raced the bike in the 1981 championship, where he finished fourth at Salzburgring, sixth at Hockenheim and third at Monza.

And it's goodbye from him

THIS IS Valentino Rossi's farewell letter to his Fiat Yamaha team following the announcement the flambouyant Italian is to head to Ducati MotoGP in 2011.The hand-written letter, mistakes and all, is written in almost a 'my first romance' kinda way. It's touching, if a little bizarre. Some of the letter reads:“Unfortunately even the most beautiful love stories finish, but they leave a lot of wonderful memories, like when my M1 and I kissed for the first time on the grass at Welkom, when she looked straight in my eyes and told me ‘I love you!'"Somehow, we can't see Casey Stoner gushing quite as freely when he leaves Ducati for Repsol Honda.

GPify the Yamaha Fazer FZ8 with LeoVince

Here is what LeoVince has to say about the new Fazer8 and FZ8 exhausts: Quick off the mark with 3 exhaust options launched for Yamaha's brand new 800cc Fazer and FZ8 models, LeoVince promise you less weight, better looks and improved performance. These new Fazers, with their R1 engines, albeit downgraded to a smaller 800cc capacity, have been designed by Yamaha to give more bottom end power.  LeoVince have finely tuned their new slip-on GP-PRO and SBK-FACTORY exhausts to further increase both power and torque throughout the whole rev range, and endow the bike with a much improved sports sound - plus a removable db baffle for increased throatiness.