2004 Blue Yamaha Sx230 Twin Engine on 2040-motos

Moto blog

Yamaha Reveals YZR-M1 50th Anniversary Grand Prix Livery

Yamaha marks its 50th year in World Championship Grand Prix racing this year, and what better way to celebrate the anniversary than with a special edition livery? The special edition WGP50th Anniversary Yamaha YZR-M1 livery reaches back into Yamaha’s past for its classic red-and-white colors inspired by its first factory team in 1961. Reigning MotoGP Champion and current points leader Jorge Lorenzo and 2010 MotoGP Rookie of the Year Ben Spies will ride the special edition WGP50th Anniversary livery on their Yamaha YZR-M1 racebikes at the June 25 Assen round and the July 24 U.S.

Lorenzo Signs Two-Year Extension with Yamaha

Two-time MotoGP Champion Jorge Lorenzo has signed a contract extension with Yamaha to see him race on the company’s factory team through the 2016 season. The signing comes as no real surprise, following similar two-year contract extensions for teammate Valentino Rossi and Repsol Honda’s Marc Marquez and Dani Pedrosa. Ducati also confirmed it would field Andrea Dovizioso and Andrea Iannone next season, so unless Lorenzo wanted to spend a season or two developing Suzuki‘s or Aprilia‘s new prototypes, Lorenzo’s only option for a factory ride was to re-sign with Yamaha.

BSB 2012; Mystic Mac investigates

In my opinion, the smartest move in the BSB off season has to be Michael Laverty moving from Swan Yamaha to HM Plant Honda. With a ban on electronics for 2012, and in particular traction control, WFR's Graham Gowland has already proved to Laverty how competitive an EVO spec Fireblade can be - so I’m tipping both these riders to be bang on the money at the Brands Hatch season opener in April. Unlike BMW, Kawasaki and Yamaha, Honda have deliberately developed their road-going Superbike without electronics to give a user friendly feel with good mechanical traction, so it’ll be interesting to see how the opposition copes with their high-tech trickery stripped off.