Moto blog
50th Anniversary Yamaha Special Edition R1? Yes Please!
Fri, 09 Sep 2011When Yamaha unveiled its 50th anniversary edition red and white livery for its M1 MotoGP machines in May, one question came immediately to mind: when can we get the special edition R1? The red and white design was created to celebrate Yamaha‘s 50th year in Grand Prix racing. Yamaha factory racers Jorge Lorenzo and Ben Spies debuted the livery at the Assen round in June, which saw the American Spies nab his first a career MotoGP win.
James Toseland Announces Retirement from Racing
Fri, 09 Sep 2011Two-time World Superbike Champion James Toseland announced his immediate retirement from motorcycle racing due to a debilitating injury to his right wrist. Signed with the BMW Motor Italia racing team, Toseland has been limited to just seven of 20 races in this season’s WSBK Championship due to the wrist injury initially suffered during a private test at Spain’s Aragon circuit in March. After undergoing an operation for the injury, Toseland made two attempts at returning to racing, first at the Miller Motorsports Park round in May and again at the Silverstone round in July.
Wayne Rainey Visits Yamaha Racing HQ
Thu, 08 Sep 2011Racing legend and three-time 500cc Grand Prix Champion Wayne Rainey paid a visit to Yamaha Motor Racing’s headquarters just outside of Milan, Italy. The 1990-1992 World Champion met with employees of Yamaha Racing, Yamaha Motor Italy and Yamaha Motor RD Europe and officially opened a new boardroom named in his honor. Rainey, along with current Yamaha factory MotoGP racers Jorge Lorenzo and Ben Spies, took time to take photographs and sign autographs with the Yamaha staff.
2012 Yamaha YZF-R15 Revealed for India
Tue, 06 Sep 2011Yamaha unveiled an updated YZF-R15 for the Indian market featuring a R1- and R6-inspired facelift. The original Yamaha R15 was released in India in 2008, representing market’s first premium sport bike. While other major manufacturers are now bringing their own premium models to the country, the early introduction gave Yamaha R15 a solid fan base and even a spec racing series.
2011 AMA Pro National Guard Superbike Champion Josh Hayes
Tue, 06 Sep 2011Josh Hayes has won his second consecutive AMA Superbike title, clinching the championship in a tightly contested Race One at the 2011 season finale at New Jersey Motorsports Park. The lead changed hands several times before Hayes emerged with the win, his third of the season. The Monster Energy Graves Yamaha R1 rider was consistent all season, finishing with three wins and 12 podium finishes in 14 races, and finishing fourth in the two times he missed the podium.
2011 AMA Pro Daytona Sportbike Champion Danny Eslick
Tue, 06 Sep 2011Danny Eslick won his second career AMA Daytona Sportbike Championship, adding another #1 plate to the one he won in 2009. The Geico Powersports RMR Suzuki GSX-R600 rider won three races this season and added another five podium finishes to win the title by a 275-256 margin over Monster Energy Graves Yamaha’s Josh Herrin. Eslick clinched the title after finishing sixth in the first race of the 2011 season finale at New Jersey Motorsports Park.
Suzuka Eight Hour capers
Mon, 05 Sep 2011Chatting to TT legend John McGuiness recently about his first Suzuka Eight Hour experience got me thinking of a few capers the boys and me managed a few years back at what is still Japan's most important race of the season. It is a unique event that starts at 11am and finishes at 7pm making it a pukka endurance race as the last hour is run with headlights on in the dark. It is essentially an eight hour sprint that showcases the trickest endurance machinery and manufacturer’s sales can be affected the following year depending on who wins or loses.
Colin Edwards Joins Forward Racing CRT Squad for 2012
Fri, 02 Sep 2011Colin Edwards will join the Forward Racing team to compete in the 2012 MotoGP season as a Claiming Rule Team entry. Edwards, known as a good development rider and an even better quote machine, is the first rider to officially sign on with a CRT. Forward Racing may be more familiar to some race fans by its former name, Hayate Racing, the outfit that ran the Kawasaki ZX-RR with Marco Melandri in 2009 after Kawasaki pulled out of MotoGP racing.
Win tickets for Donington Park BSB
Thu, 01 Sep 2011The Showdown for the MCE British Superbike Championship kicks off next weekend at Donington Park (9-11 September) as the circuit hosts the start of the three round fight for the title between the top six riders. We've teamed up with Donington Park to offer ten pairs of weekend tickets (worth £30 each). To be in with a chance of winning head to Facebook.com/Visordown and answer the question.
Zero Announces Canadian Dealer Network
Tue, 30 Aug 2011Zero Motorcycles announced its expansion into Canada with a network of nine dealerships. The announcement follows the launch of Zero’s U.S. dealer network in July.