Jonathan Rea, now an official Yamaha rider, has quickly adapted to his new team, as evidenced by his initial tests with the Yamaha R1. He humorously noted that the blue color of Yamaha matches well with his eyes. However, his focus has shifted towards Ducati, the dominant force in the World Superbike Championship (WSBK), indicating a change in his stance since joining Yamaha.

In WSBK, as in MotoGP, Ducati is often the target due to its strong performance. This rivalry extends beyond the track to the off-season, as demonstrated by Rea during a visit to the Milan Motorcycle Show. He commented on the weight handicap of 7 kilograms that Alvaro Bautista will have to carry on his Ducati Panigale V4R in the upcoming WSBK season. Rea expressed skepticism about the impact of this weight penalty, believing that Bautista’s fitness and Ducati’s capabilities would allow them to remain competitive.

Rea stated, “Seven kilos of ballast? Alvaro Bautista is super trained and prepared, and with the Ducati, they will find a solution to stay ahead.” He further explained that in the Superpole Race, the bikes might use about seven kilos less than in longer races, so the impact would be minimal, and Bautista would manage well.

Rea also raised concerns about the cost disparity between motorcycles in the series. He pointed out that it’s problematic to have bikes costing 44,000 euros competing against those priced at 20,000 euros, especially when the rules are close to standard production. He emphasized the need for Dorna, the organizing body of WSBK, to address this issue. Rea hopes to be competitive with the Yamaha R1, but he also questioned whether it’s Ducati’s fault that Yamaha doesn’t produce a more expensive superbike to match Ducati’s pricing.

Rea’s comments reflect the ongoing debate in WSBK about balancing competition and maintaining fairness in a series that features production-based motorcycles. His move to Yamaha and his observations on the competitive landscape indicate a new chapter in his career and in the dynamics of the WSBK championship.

O conteúdo Jonathan Rea goes public with his war against Ducati: ‘We cannot let motorcycles that cost 44,000 euros race against motorcycles that cost 20,000’ aparece primeiro em Motorcycle Sports.

Much has been said about concessions and whether they should be allowed to Honda and Yamaha, two of the manufacturers with the longest history in MotoGP. Marc Marquez is clear and argues that this is essential, especially with the riders in mind, as they could have more options in their careers, as well as increasing levels of competitiveness in general.

The former world champion, who will be leaving one of the most difficult manufacturers at the end of the year to join Gresini on a Desmosedici, spoke about how important it is for him that the two Japanese manufacturers have concessions: ‘Yes, it’s important for me that they have them. For me it’s important to equalise the manufacturers, above all because I believe it’s better for the riders. If you have a bike that has a big difference (to the competition), the riders will look for that bike. If you have a few manufacturers and bikes with a similar level, then the riders will be more important’ and he clarified:

– Of course all the riders are important. In the end there are eight Ducatis and the riders have more or less the same weapons but, yes, it’s good for the championship to have different manufacturers [being competitive]. Even if you’re a big manufacturer, if in the end you don’t have results, they should keep working and be in MotoGP.

On the question of whether having concessions this year would have helped him – as a Honda rider – the spaniard explained: ‘It’s one thing to have concessions, it’s another to find a way to use them properly, and that’s not easy. In the end it’s not easy to use the concessions in the right way but, when I made my decision, I already knew that I was 90 to 95 per cent sure that Honda would have concessions for 2024’.

He concluded: ‘Of course it would help. Of course having the possibility to develop the engine, to change more parameters, you have more options to reach the level and of course that would help, not only me, but the whole Honda and Yamaha project’.

O conteúdo Marc Marquez defends concessions for Honda and Yamaha: ‘It’s best for the riders, they’ll be the most important thing’ aparece primeiro em Motorcycle Sports.

Yamaha’s philosophy with GYTR – Genuine Yamaha Technology Racing – is always to take the research and development work carried out by official racing teams and use it to create the highest specification performance parts available to any Yamaha owner.

GYTR parts have all been developed using racing bikes, as teams battle for victory at the highest level. And now, following the success of the Yamaha Rally Team, GYTR reaches the Adventure segment for the first time, with the launch of a dedicated range that includes performance kits for the Ténéré World Raid, with parts also available separately for the standard Ténéré 700.

Yamaha Motor Europe P&A, with Yamaha Motor Europe Research & Development, in collaboration with the Ténéré World Rally Team and its riders Pol Tarres and Alessandro Botturi, have worked meticulously to develop this exciting new range of parts, which is the result of the development of a twin-cylinder adventure bike capable of competing with and outperforming lighter 450cc prototypes.

This was recently proven at the TransAnatolia races, where the development Ténéré World Raid equipped with the full GYTR kit finished first and second in class B2.

Offering an 8.5% increase in engine performance and a chassis tuned to deliver true rally potential, the GYTR Performance Kits come in three distinct phases, which combine to create the ultimate Ténéré World Raid.

Developed to exploit the full adventure potential of the Ténéré 700 World Raid’s 689 cc CP2 engine, the GYTR Performance kit uses the original wiring harness, but adds a lightweight Akrapovič racing exhaust system built entirely from titanium.

Designed to optimize the flow of exhaust gases, the system works in conjunction with the GYTR air filter kit, consisting of a custom-made filter housing and element, and the GYTR ECU, which adjusts the ignition and fuel mapping to maximize power and torque. The GYTR performance parts combine to increase performance by up to 9 hp.

Along with the engine tuning parts, the kit also contains a rally-spec seat and footpegs kit. The one-piece GYTR Rally seat replaces the standard two-piece unit. Featuring the GYTR logo, the seat is made of grippy material for maximum control even in the toughest conditions. As standard, the Rally seat increases the seat height by 25 mm, but is designed to allow the rider to cut the foam and create a customized shape to meet their own ergonomic requirements. The Rally seat works in conjunction with the wider GYTR footpegs, which feature a highly toothed design to aid grip and an open pattern designed to reduce mud build-up in extreme conditions.

The final component of the Performance kit is a clutch cover upgrade, with a GYTR-branded aluminum split cover that allows easy access to the inner workings of the clutch for quick maintenance between rally stages.

The GYTR Performance kit has been developed for easy installation, allowing the wiring, wheels and ABS system to be retained.

For more information, visit the official GYTR Yamaha website.

O conteúdo Yamaha GYTR Ténéré 700 World Raid – top-level performance aparece primeiro em Motorcycle Sports.

When Yamaha first announced what it planned to bring to the Japan Mobility Show 2023, without a doubt the vehicle that attracted the most attention on display was the Motoroid2 reference prototype. This is an evolution of the original Motoroid that was first presented at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2017.  

Since that show was the predecessor to the JMS, it’s fitting that the first JMS event should be the place where Yamaha saw fit to showcase the advances it has made over the past six years. The first iteration of the Motoroid heralded the prototype’s ability to recognize its owner and interact with him “like a living being”. It’s a concept that probably seemed more distant in 2017 than in 2023. 

To show the capabilities of the Motoroid2 in 2023, Yamaha created this video. The theme of this year’s presentation, which is supposed to encompass everything Yamaha brought to the show, is “feeling life”.

You’re not just supposed to look at life. You’re supposed to live it, and Yamaha’s products are supposed to enhance your enjoyment in many ways.

O conteúdo Video – Yamaha Motoroid2 prototype – ‘personal mobility concept’ aparece primeiro em Motorcycle Sports.

The 2007 Yamaha R6 was a very radical bike, built to win on the track, but which also ended up being a success on the road, despite all its aggressiveness in terms of ergonomics and engine behavior. The one we have here is in excellent condition.

Produced (and registered) between 1999 and 2020, the Yamaha R6 was a model that immediately set itself apart from what had previously been produced in the 600 cc class. Instead of producing yet another sport-touring model, ideal for a 50-50 split between road and circuit, the Japanese brand chose to create a much more radical model to win on the track. Several evolutions were launched, and the 2003 generation received fuel injection, in a model that was still relatively easy to drive and comfortable, but already very fast on the track.

It was then in 2006 that the R6 underwent a radical change, with much more angular lines, much more aggressive ergonomics and more track-ready cycling, as well as an engine with a much greater appetite for high revs. There was even some controversy over the overly generous revs on the tachometer, which Yamaha later admitted was a mistake…

2007 MODEL

Despite having 2008 license plates, the bike in this article is from the 2007 generation, so it already had the YCC-T (Yamaha Chip Controlled Throttle) throttle system, but still didn’t have the YCC-I (Yamaha Chip Controlled Intake) which varied the length of the intake tunnels. Regardless, this was the basis on which the R6 won countless Supersport titles around the world (and several world championships). A bike with a smooth engine, like any in-line four-cylinder, but one that needed to be ridden aggressively and excellently on the track, so that the rider could take advantage of the punchy engine and high-quality cycling.

THE TESTED MOTORCYCLE

Nowadays it’s no longer possible to buy a new Yamaha R6 with a license plate (you can do it for closed-circuit use and even use the GYTR competition kit), so a well-maintained Yamaha R6 may well have added value these days. And while we still come across some in everyday life or on weekend rides, the truth is that many have spent the years doing what they’re most comfortable doing, on the track, so – even if well maintained – it’s not always easy to find an R6 with a 100% healthy “heart”.

This bike looks to be in excellent condition! It has 31,000 km on the clock, recently arrived from Madeira Island and doesn’t appear to have suffered from any abuse throughout its life. It comes pretty much as standard, with the exception of the darkened headlights, the protective “mushrooms”, the Michelin Power 5, the different tuners on the top of the fork and the fitting of a BMC air filter and iridium spark plugs.

With an excellent exterior, it’s amazing how light this bike is to handle. It feels like a 300 cc sports bike! Then, on the road, we were reminded of how aggressive this bike is for the body, with a very radical position through a very high seat and footpegs and low stanchions, which put weight on the wrists. The sound of the exhaust is loud but super appealing, and you don’t even have to push the gears very hard to hear it “scream”, although you do need to rev it above 8,000 / 10,000 rpm for this engine to show its worth! Of course, you can drive quietly on the highway below these speeds, but on the track forget it, you have to squeeze the 4-cylinder above the 5-digit mark on the tachometer!

If the engine feels like new, the braking needs a little more force than a current sports car, but it still delivers without a glitch, and as for the suspensions, they were also faultless, with an excellent reading of the asphalt, whether at a leisurely pace or a faster one. With a good feel for all the components – only the final drive showed signs of needing to be changed – this R6 is more than approved and still ready for many good rides on the road or on the track, before being well stored in a garage or living room (and later in a museum)!

Maintaining and preserving

Our reader Tiago Ramos (RS) kindly provided his Yamaha R6 for our test, but more than that, he came all the way from Peniche to the Estoril Autodrome, on purpose, on one of those very cold mornings in this aggressive winter.

Having had the bike for about a year, but very experienced and a fan of the tuning fork brand, Tiago reveals that “it was a deal that came up and I didn’t want to let it go. I think it’s a mythical bike and I was curious to ride it, so I did.” So far, due to lack of time, he’s only done a few road rides, but “in the future I’d still like to do some track days, but this will always be a bike just for a few laps.” “I’d like to keep it in the garage, although there are offers for me to sell it. And then eventually buy something more practical, like a Tracer 7 or 9 for example. But I’m in no hurry to sell it, as it’s a bike that won’t exist any more.” Thank you very much Tiago and keep on riding, if possible with this beautiful R6!

O conteúdo Review – used of the month – Yamaha YZF-R6 – for racing… with a license plate aparece primeiro em Motorcycle Sports.

Lots of differences. The completely new frame comes directly from the YZ450F that won several MXGP and Supercross races in its first season. A renewed geometry and a repositioned steering column, the lower center of gravity of the bilateral aluminum frame and the improved rigidity balance.

The compact fairing is completely new with ultra-thin fairings, a flatter seat profile. A new high-efficiency air management system and a revised ECU, and the new version of the Power Tuner App includes an intuitive “Quick Tuning” function.

About the new YZ250F :

 – The retail price is €9,950 (VAT included at the legal rate in force). To this price are added the costs of eco-value and transportation.

– The YZ250F will be available at the end of 2023.

– Color: Icon Blue

Accessories: https://www.yamaha-motor.eu/pt/pt/motorcycles/competition/pdp/yz250f-2024/

The 2024 video can be viewed and shared: https://youtu.be/aKYNfOnbRik?si=oXAXYJfy3wcRJ_Bg

The P.V.P.R. for the 50th Anniversary Edition version is €10,150 (VAT included at the legal rate in force). To this price are added the costs of eco-value and transportation. The YZ250F 50th Anniversary will be available at the end of 2023 in Anniversary White.

Accessories:https://www.yamaha-motor.eu/pt/pt/motorcycles/competition/pdp/yz250f-50th-anniversary-edition-2024/

O conteúdo Yamaha YZ250F – lighter, faster and more advanced aparece primeiro em Motorcycle Sports.

2023 was an incredible year for Indian motorcycling. Not only did we see the launch of some much-anticipated 300-400cc bikes, such as the Harley-Davidson X440, the Triumph Speed 400 and the 2024 KTM 390 Duke, but we also had MotoGP come to the country for the first time. And it was amidst all the excitement of Indian MotoGP at the Buddh International Circuit in Noida that Yamaha showed off its next models – the Yamaha MT-03 and the Yamaha R3

The R3 is Yamaha’s mid-engined supersport bike, equipped with a liquid-cooled 321 cc twin-cylinder engine that produces 42 hp and 29.5 Nm. This bike will compete with models such as the KTM RC 390 and the soon-to-be-launched Aprilia RS 457. The Yamaha MT-03 shares its engine and base components with the R3, but in this naked, the engine produces 0.1 Nm more torque. The MT-03 will take on the recently launched KTM 390 Duke, the Triumph Speed 400 and the TVS Apache RTR 310.

Yamaha had already presented the new MT-03 and R3 at a dealer event in April 2023 and had announced plans to launch these bikes, along with the R7 and MT-07 in India soon. But the fact that the MT-03 and R3 were presented once again at the Indian MotoGP race leads us to believe that Yamaha will launch them in the coming months. In fact, sources close to the brand have hinted that they could arrive in showrooms in December 2023.

There is no official information that these models could arrive in Europe or Portugal. We’ll keep an eye out for any new information and news about the Japanese models in the near future.

O conteúdo Yamaha MT-03 and R3 presented at the BIC exhibition aparece primeiro em Motorcycle Sports.

On September 13, 2023, Yamaha officially announced the 2024 WR450F, which is new for next year. The fast enduro bike shares many elements in common with Team Blue’s current YZ450F motocross model, but retains its own character designed to give enduro riders what they want most. 

The 2024 Yamaha WR450F has the same engine as the current YZ450F. This engine has many new internal components, from 39-millimeter intake valves to a new piston, connecting rod and bearings. Special attention has been paid to optimizing weight and strength, resulting in an engine that is 1.08 kg lighter than the previous version. Yamaha also adds that it has tuned the engine control unit (ECU) on this bike specifically to “offer traction at low speeds and high power at medium and fast speeds”. 

In addition to the new engine, the WR450F 2024 also gets a newer, more compact clutch. According to Team Blue, it has been optimized with the intention of providing a lighter feel in operation, as well as offering a more positive engagement point. These are the kind of features that look great on paper, but the real test is always in how riders feel them when they put them into practice.

Yamaha also worked to lower the WR450F 2024’s center of gravity by moving the head tube joint in the frame 15 millimeters down. Both rigidity and bending characteristics have been carefully considered and implemented in the design of the frame, and the compact fuel tank and shorter silencer also help in the seemingly endless quest for mass centralization. 

The 2024 Yamaha WR450F also gets all-new KYB suspension. It offers 300 mm of suspension travel at the front and 306 mm of travel on the rear shock, and also includes tool-free compression damping adjustment on the fork.  

Yamaha has also focused on centralizing mass and reducing weight in some of its other choices. Weight reduction was key everywhere, including in the rear wheel axle, the rear braking system (which is the same as that found on the YZ450F), the lithium-ion battery and other lighter components. In total, Yamaha says it has managed to save an additional 4 kg from the weight of the previous version of the WR450F. 

Other new features include a new airflow management system with the fairing, resulting in 50 mm narrower guards; a flatter seat with rounder edges to facilitate the rider’s movements; a new protection plate; new switches on the left-hand controls; a new multifunction meter; a new rear mudguard; and renewed, more resistant fork retainers. 

For more information, please visit Yamaha’s official website.

O conteúdo Yamaha WR450F with new updates for 2024 aparece primeiro em Motorcycle Sports.

CFMOTO and Yamaha have reached an agreement to establish a joint venture in Zhuzhou, China. The name of the new business will be ZHUZHOU CF YAMAHA MOTOR Co., LTD. (ZCYM). This joint venture is based on obtaining the necessary permits, licenses, etc. in accordance with competition laws and other laws and regulations. CFMOTO will discuss the direction of the joint venture with Yamaha, with the aim of further increasing competitiveness.

ZCYM Overview

– Planned start of the joint venture / Scheduled for November 2023

– Address:76 Jian Ya Road, Lusong District, Zhuzhou City, Hunan Province, China 412002

Shareholders

-CFMOTO 50% / Yamaha Motor 44.23% / TAIR YEA LIMITED 5.77%

Representative

– To be announced

Number of employees

– Approx. 500

Activities

– Production and sale of motorcycles

O conteúdo CFMOTO and Yamaha partnership – aim to increase competitiveness aparece primeiro em Motorcycle Sports.

Yamaha Motor Europe have just announced the departure of Jeremy Seewer from the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team at the conclusion of the 2023 FIM Motocross World Championship season. After a successful six-year partnership, both parties will part ways amicably, with Seewer choosing to pursue a new challenge in 2024. 

Following an impressive MX2 career, during which the Swiss star earned two FIM MX2 World Championship silver medals, Seewer joined Yamaha in 2018 to begin his career in the premier MXGP class. Since then, ’91’ has consistently showcased his talent and dedication in his pursuit of a maiden MXGP world title. 

During his tenure with Yamaha, Seewer has achieved an impressive record that includes 64 top-three race finishes, 28 podiums, 11 race wins, and seven Grand Prix victories. Most notably, his outstanding performances in the 2019, 2020, and 2022 seasons saw him finish as the runner-up in the MXGP World Championship, underscoring his exceptional talent and consistency. 

As the final two rounds of the 2023 MXGP season approach, both Yamaha and Seewer are determined to conclude their successful six-year collaboration on a high note by vying for race wins, podium finishes, and ultimately securing another championship medal.

Yamaha Motor Europe would like to extend its appreciation to Seewer for his immense contribution to the Yamaha family over the past six years and to wish him the best of luck in his future endeavours. 

Alexandre Kowalski: Off-Road Racing Manager, Yamaha Motor Europe

“As we reach the end of our journey with Jeremy, we would like to thank him for the immeasurable value he has brought to the Yamaha racing family over the last six years. Counting among his notable achievements on the YZ450FM, a haul of 28 podium finishes, 11 race wins, and seven Grand Prix victories, Jeremy’s record establishes a lofty benchmark many top motocross riders aspire to attain. While we are sorry to see Jeremy go, we wholeheartedly respect his decision to pursue new challenges and we wish Jeremy the very best for the future.”

O conteúdo Yamaha and Seewer to Part Company at End of 2023 MXGP Season aparece primeiro em Motorcycle Sports.