2012 Yamaha Zuma 50f on 2040-motos

Moto blog

Kenny Roberts Return to the Indy Mile [video]

In a year that saw Yamaha riders James Stewart, Valentino Rossi, and Ben Spies capture the perfect “trifecta” of World Championships, perhaps one of the most memorable moments for race fans around the world, was “King” Kenny Roberts’ return ride at the infamous Indy Mile in late August. As a year end surprise, Yamaha is pleased to offer race fans around the world a video of this monumental occasion. The video features both archival footage from Kenny’s victory in 1975 as well as the events surrounding this recent monumental motorcycling event.

Rumor Mill: Yamaha To Make R400 and R650

Yamaha is set to put into production two new sporty bikes — the R400 and R650 —  according to “Young Machine” a Japanese motorcycle magazine. If true, this would fill a huge void in the manufacturer’s beginner sportbike bike lineup. It would make sense, considering the success of Suzuki’s SV650 (which later morphed into the Gladius and is now the SFV650), Kawasaki’s Ninja 650 (ER-6 in other markets), and even Honda’s CBR500R.

NHTSA Launches Recall Look-up by VIN Tool

The U.S. Department of Transportation and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have launched a new free online tool that should make it easier for consumers to inspect their vehicles’ safety recall histories. The new search tool, available at http://www.safercar.gov/vinlookup, allows people to look for recall campaigns by entering Vehicle Identification Numbers.