2006 Yamaha Raptor 350 on 2040-motos

Moto blog

Yamaha to Cut Motorcycle Production in 2009

With mounting inventories coupled with a drop in demand, Yamaha will be cutting its motorcycle production in Japan by 24 percent this year or to about 260,000 total units; one newspaper reported this would be a 40-year low for the manufacture. Yamaha plans to cut production for motorcycles and other products by 30 percent in the Americas, 20 percent in Europe but will maintain production levels in Asia where demand has not dropped off. The company is forecasting its group sales to fall 22 percent with an operating loss of about $300 million.

MotoGP to Re-Visit Rookie Rule

MotoGP organizers are re-opening discussion for the series’ rookie rule which prevents new riders from entering the series with factory teams. Introduced following the 2009 MotoGP season, the rule was designed to give satellite teams the chance to field young up-and-coming talents  they otherwise wouldn’t have been able to sign. The theory was the rule would protect the satellite teams and spread out the talent pool.

You. Call. That. Lean

Jean Philippe Ruggia, 1988, Coppice at Donington Park, Sonauto-Yamaha 250. This is elbow lean action. There was a previous blog entry of Ben Spies and his elbow grazing the tarmac onboard the M1 Yamaha, I admit it is impressive but I find myself admiring the horizontal angles that Ruggia submitted his 250 Yamaha to, with the above image taken at Coppice as a prime example.