2012 Yamaha Stratoliner S on 2040-motos

Moto blog

Spies Second at Sepang Test Day Two; Lorenzo Third

Yamaha factory rider Ben Spies led for most to the second day of MotoGP testing at Sepang before settling for the second best lap the time sheets behind defending World Champion Casey Stoner. Spies rode 37 laps and recorded a time of 2:01.052, which stood as the fastest lap in the morning session. That time was surpassed later in the afternoon by Repsol Honda rider Stoner by 0.157 seconds.

Just for a moment; leading the British GP

Cal Crutchlow’s early exit at his home Moto GP last year meant we didn’t get to see his awesome potential at Silverstone. His two WSB race wins there in 2010 were pretty special as he dominated on the factory Yamaha R1, not least as he used some alternative lines and every inch of the track along the way. With his form matching the world's best in every event this year, on paper, this weekend should be his best chance so far to secure a podium or maybe even (making the dream come true!) take the first major class win in three decades.

Yamaha Files Trademark Application for FJ-09

Yamaha‘s next three-cylinder motorcycle may be a sport-tourer, if a recently-filed trademark application is any indication. The Tuning Fork brand filed a trademark application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office for the name “FJ-09” as it applies to “Motorcycles, scooters, three-wheeled scooters and structural parts for all the aforesaid goods.” Following Yamaha’s usual naming conventions, the signs indicate the trademark will be for a new sport-touring model using the same Triple as the FZ-09. Yamaha has made it clear it plans to introduce more three-cylinder engines following the FZ-09 (or MT-09, as it is known in Europe.) Previously-filed trademark applications for the YZF-R3 and R3 names raised speculation the next triple would be a sportbike, but as per Yamaha’s usual naming convention, the “3″ in R3 is likelier to refer to the engine displacement rather than the number of cylinders.