Yamaha WR Motorcycles in Hurst, page #61

Moto blog

Lovely new R1 cans from Harris

Harris Performance has just unveiled their new slip-on silencers and carbon composite heat shield for the 2009/10 Yamaha R1. Made to the usual Harris standards the cans are created from stainless steel and titanium. The silencers have fully removable baffles helping your R1 to breathe more easily and produce a fruity exhaust note.

A crater looking for a grid reference?

THIS IS the 'Black Devil' - the latest traffic jam-busting, kamikaze two-wheel nutcase who seems to have little respect for not only his own life but eveyone else on the road, too. The rider in question has filmed himself tearing up Moscow's roads in a suicidal fashion, diving between lines of traffic in a bid to impress viewers of his hi-speed antics aboard a Yamaha R1. If he keeps this kind of activity up expect a report on his untimely demise sometime in the near future.

Bazzer at Oulton by Niall Mac

There is no question that the BSB paddock has been split over the radical new points scoring system introduced for 2010. That said, no one can argue that the formula hasn't worked as we are in for the most exciting season end at the Oulton Park triple header on the 9th/10th of October. There may only be six riders in the final shoot out but there are at least another six that can win races, ultimately spoiling the party for the championship hopefuls.

Rossi's TT Yamaha R1 up for sale on eBay

THE YAMAHA YZF-R1 ridden by nine-time motorcycle world champion Valentino Rossi at the 2009 TT has gone up for sale on eBay for £25,000.The 998cc 182bhp machine was ridden by Rossi when he lapped the Isle of Man TT course during a parade lap for Yamaha and Dainese in 2009. Authenticated by Yamaha Motors UK, this unique 181-mile machine has been signed by the multiple world champ and is being sold by Oldham-based Highbarn Motorcycles. Any takers?

Supe up the Super Ténéré

Remus are offering a slip-on exhaust for the 2010 Yamaha Super Ténéré. The new Super Ten exhaust from Remus comes in two options, the stainless steel hexacone retails at £370 and offers 1.6kg of weight saved on the stock OEM exhaust with a power increase of 7.5bhp. The second choice for the Yamaha's big adventure bike is the lighter titanium hexacone, the can offers the same increase in power but saves 1.81kg in weight.

An Island tour with a legend

What you are watching is a highlight of Mike Hailwood's segment from the racing documentary Take it to the Limit - A Motorcycle Odyssey. The Yamaha - built by the extraordinary Kel Carruthers - that Hailwood is riding in the clip featured a unique frame with the camera housed within. The voice-over recording provided by Hailwood was done by taping a small mic to the bottom of his lip so he could dictate his guide to the 37.73 mile route.

Niall Mackenzie Blog number 3

This picture of me chasing Foggy on the Daytona banking in 1991 brought back some bitter sweet memories recently. I did half a season as his team mate on the Silkolene RC30s before scurrying off to Japan to ride a factory Yamaha Superbike. I’ve never been a quitter but I felt the team that year was gear stretched running two riders so it was a case of last in first out.

You want a nice little car, you do.

We ran a couple of stories last week - both, coincidentally, about new Kawasakis. One was the first peek of the new ZX10R – hot stuff you’d imagine – the other, the new W800 retro parallel twin. I suppose it shouldn’t have shocked us, which story was most popular in terms of hits but it really does mark a seismic shifts in British biking attitudes that the W800 story doubled the hits of the ZX10 piece.

The horrendous reality of restoring a 'classic'

It was with much excitement – displaced or not – that my freshly rebuilt 1976 SR500 Yamaha fired into life at the second kick this weekend. I say second kick. It was actually the thirty second kick – thirty of those spent frothing up a heady sweat until I realised the main fuel pipe was kinked to buggery.

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.