2003 Yamaha Kodiak on 2040-motos

Moto blog

2014 Yamaha MT-09 Three-Cylinder Street Bike Announced for Europe – to be Named FZ-09 in US

A couple of weeks ago, Yamaha Europe released a video called “Dark Side of Japan” teasing a new street bike it claimed would “change the sport motorcycle world.” Today, the company revealed its new model, introducing a new naked sportbike powered by a “Crossplane” three-cylinder engine called the MT-09. (EDIT: and we can now reveal that the North American version will be known as the Yamaha FZ-09.) The 2014 Yamaha MT-09 is powered by a new 847cc three-cylinder engine first teased at Intermot last year. According to Yamaha, the MT-09′s engine produces 113.4 hp at 10,000 rpm and 64.5 ft-lb.

Infamous Canadian Motorcyclist Found Not Guilty in 186-mph Highway Stunt

We don’t know if this is a case of a guilty man going free or of a braggart facing trial for something he didn’t do. Either way, Randy Scott, 26, was found not guilty of a Trans-Canada Highway run at 299 km/h in April 2012. The viral YouTube video of a Yamaha R1 rider weaving in and out of traffic was used by police to track down Scott with the help of a concerned neighbor’s tip.

Rumor: Yamaha Developing Inline Three Roadster

French motorcycle outlet Moto Revue reports Yamaha is developing a new three-cylinder middleweight. Citing an internal Yamaha document, Moto Revue reports the new naked model will feature an inline Triple engine, aluminum perimeter frame, upside-down fork and a triple-pipe exhaust like the MV Agusta F3 and Brutale 675. Yamaha has produced a Triple before, offering the XS750 from 1976-1979 before replacing it with the XS850 in 1980 and 1981 (pictured above is the 1981 Yamaha XS850.) The potential new model is still likely to be years away, so its look is yet to be determined, though Moto Revue does have a rendering that borrows some of the design elements from the FZ8.