2007 Yamaha Road Star Midnight on 2040-motos

Yamaha Road Star tech info

Type:Cruiser Phone:(888) 647-4179

Moto blog

Motorcycle Live and a few of my favourite things for 2013

There is lots of shiny new metal on show at Motorcyclelive this year but for me it’s the new Triumph Daytona 675 that steals the show.  We’ve been starved of brand new models in the Supersports segment for years but for me the latest Trumpet has made the wait worthwhile. And if its performance matches its looks then I reckon the 2013 bike of the year is a foregone conclusion.  The sleek curvy nose contrasts perfectly with the more pointy angular rear end and new side mounted silencer. It is lighter, more powerful and revs harder with much work on on mass centralisation to further improve handling.  Few of us have a whole lot of spare cash these days but £8899 for the standard model seems a fair price for such an awesome bike. That said I’d have to consider selling the granny and granddad to find the extra £1700 for the 675R.  Available early next year, and surely the perfect all round track day tool, this beauty comes with upgraded suspension, brakes, ABS, a quickshifter and some nice carbon detailing. The white 675R on display at the show looked even better in the flesh than previous images I’d seen so be careful or you might find yourself handing over a deposit. With no money left from the Triumph stand you’ll need your six special numbers to come up for my second favourite show item the AGV Pista GP Project 46. Although road legal this extremely light, full carbon helmet is designed especially for racing with a huge field of vision, extensive ventilation and superb ergonomics. It also comes with earplugs which suggests there may be some compromise in the noise department but it is still an incredible piece of engineering. At £799, this special Pista is also an incredible price but there will only be one hundred available and Raceways Yamaha reckon they are going fast.        

Yamaha 350LC ProAm, Mallory Park 1981

So Kenny Roberts Jnr think traction control is ruining racing? Having watched this 1981 ProAm race from Mallory Park, I'm forced to agree. Racing should be a spectacle.

Yamaha Names Olivier Pain and Michael Metge to 2015 Dakar Team

Yamaha has retained Olivier Pain and Michael Metge to race for its official factory team in the 2015 Dakar Rally. Pain and Metge will ride a new WR450F Rally currently being developed for the 2015 rally. Both riders raced for the Yamaha team in this year’s rally; Pain finished third overall behind KTM Red Bull team’s Marc Coma and Jordi Viladoms while Metge rode as a support rider for fourth-place finisher Cyril Despres.