2013 Yamaha Zuma 125 Cc 200 Miles (south Beach) on 2040-motos

Moto blog

Dirt First By MotoVentures

MotoVentures, the long-running (since 1998) dirt bike riding instruction company is changing its name from simply MotoVentures to the more descriptive Dirt First by MotoVentures. The new moniker more appropriately describes the company’s training activities and philosophy about the best way to learn how to ride a motorcycle begins in the dirt. “Our Dirt First training curriculum is very practical with no ceiling or limitations,” says MotoVentures President, Gary LaPlante. ”Our highly qualified, well-trained instructors are capable of teaching everyone from kids to adults and beginners to experts.

Yamaha XJ Series: New Online Campaign [Pics and Video]

Yamaha Motor Europe has just posted a video up on YouTube to promote their new XJ-Series bikes.  The XJ6 and the XJ6 Diversion. And the XJ6 Diversion: Virtually every feature on this attractive new 600 has been designed to ensure that the new XJ6 Diversion delivers all of the style, fun and ease of use that today’s middleweight rider is looking for. Its newly-developed 600 cc liquid-cooled 4-stroke inline 4-cylinder engine has been designed to deliver a smooth band of easy-to-handle power, making the XJ6 Diversion an ideal machine for new and experienced riders.

I can die happy!

As an eighteen year old Kenny Roberts was my bike racing God.  I loved Barry Sheene but as a Yamaha FS1E rider I always wanted the little American to win simply because his bike resembled mine.  The coverage of Grand Prix in the late seventies was sketchy but I clearly remember watching the epic Sheene/Roberts battle unfold at the Silverstone GP on my council estate telly.  The Dutchman, Wil Hartog was hanging in there for a while but as the laps unfolded it became a two way battle with Sheene looking favourite to win.  Sheene lost the most time as the pair lapped a certain George Fogarty so my hero Roberts eventually won by just three hundredths of a second.  I’m not sure what happened next but being a Sunday we would no doubt be skidding around later in the day at the Pines chippie pretending to be Roberts and Sheene.  Fast forward thirty four years and a boyhood fantasy came true as I headed out on Chris Wilson’s 1980 Roberts machine for the Barry Sheene tribute laps at last weekend’s Moto GP.  It crackled into life instantly and felt as sharp as any of the more modern 500s I used to race.  The temperature gauge had a maximum marker on 60 degrees so to begin with I was nervous as it didn’t move but being a hot day (although still keeping my hand on the clutch) I convinced myself it wasn’t working.    The bike felt tiny, not helped by the fact I only just squeezed into my 1989 Marlboro Yamaha leathers.  It still felt rapid though as I played out the 1979 classic in my head while getting tucked in down the Hanger straight.  Steve Parrish was also out there on one of Barry’s 500cc Heron Suzukis so we did our best to copy the famous last lap at Woodcote Corner where Sheene came so close to winning his home GP. As a lad I would have said the chances of me riding round Silverstone on a GP winning Kenny Roberts machine were zero, but in the words of Gabrielle, dreams can come true!