Fiat Yamaha Team rider Jorge Lorenzo will take part in this week’s MotoGP test in Qatar, four weeks after breaking a bone in his right thumb during a training incident. The 22-year-old has spent the time recuperating at home in Barcelona and he has now been given the all-clear by his doctor to get back on his bike. The recovery has gone well and the hand is no longer swollen, but he needs to continue with physiotherapy in order to keep repairing the muscle around the break. His doctor has confirmed that there is no risk to the broken bone from riding, but he will need to wait until ...Read more.

After teasing us time and time and time again, Yamaha Europe has taken the wraps off its 2010 Yamaha FZ8 (and it’s cousin the 2010 Yamaha Fazer8). As was expected, the FZ8  is a 779cc naked street bike that borrows its heritage from the FZ1, and replaces the FZ6 in the European line-up. While the FZ8 looks well and good, Yamaha has proven that a copy of a copy never carries over well. The FZ8 motor is in essence a smaller bored FZ1 motor, which is itself a de-tuned R1 powerplant. As such the Yamaha FZ8 puts out a solid 104hp, which may disappoint many riders. Torque lovers rejoice ...Read more.

Joining the existing XJ6 Diversion and XJ6 models, the new XJ6 Diversion F further expands the Yamaha model range in Europe. The latest addition to Yamaha’s middleweight lineup is a commuter bike, that addresses touring bikers who enjoy weekend leisure riding. The new fully-faired XJ6 Diversion F is also available in an ABS version, for riding in cold and wet weather. The machine is powered by a 600cc liquid-cooled parallel 4-cylinder engine, developing 57.0 kW (75.5PS) at 10,000 rpm and a peak torque of 59.7 Nm (6.1 kg-m) at 8,500 rpm. Other highlights of the new model include a ...Read more.

It wasn’t an easy start for Cal Crutchlow and James Toseland today at the season opening race in Phillip Island Australia. Race one saw both riders crash out, Crutchlow losing the front having run wide on onto a dirty section of track on lap two and Toseland highsiding on the fifth lap. Race two saw a fiercely contested battle for points with both riders fighting off riders including Biaggi, Corser and others to stay within the top ten. Combined with a less than perfect set up on both bikes and struggling for grip the riders put in an incredible ride to bring their bikes home in the ...Read more.

Here’s another look at the 2010 Yamaha Fazer range. The new Yamaha YS 250 Fazer replaces the YBR250 and joins the larger models in the Fazer line-up. It has a new look in keeping with the latest naked models from Yamaha, and will be released first in Brazil, to be then released in Europe late this year on a selective basis. The YS 250 Fazer has new, redesigned rear suspension and new instrumentation with LCD feature on the handlebars. The exhaust has also received an overhaul and it gets new graphics, but it’s still recognisable as coming from YBR stock. The price for the Brazilian ...Read more.

Another fascinating day of testing was completed at the Sepang International Circuit on Friday, with Valentino Rossi’s best lap of 2’00.271 setting the standard as the second official test finished. The Italian – who was quickest on Thursday and also at the first test at the track three weeks ago – was 0.247s seconds faster than the time he set to qualify on pole position for the 2009 Malaysian GP. The Fiat Yamaha rider was followed on the timesheet by Ducati Marlboro pair Casey Stoner (2’00.512) and Nicky Hayden (2’00.703), both of whom felt the benefit of the new engine in ...Read more.

Ben Spies and Colin Edwards recorded the fifth and sixth fastest times respectively on Thursday at Sepang. The Monster Yamaha Tech3 team ended the first day of the second test at Sepang in high spirits after a good display from riders Ben Spies and Colin Edwards. Riding their respective M1 machines the two riders came inside the top six times on Thursday, both showing improvements on their best laps from the first test three weeks earlier. Continuing his learning process on board the MotoGP machine Spies’ time of 2’01.843 was the fifth quickest of day one, as the American carried on ...Read more.

With its latest bik the Yamaha XT1200Z Super Ténéré, Yamaha is stepping up its game and getting serious about the adventure-tourer motorcycling segment. The Dakar inspired Super Ténéré is a ground-up production for Yamaha, making it the first Japanese manufacturer to get serious about this emerging (and very profitable) market segment. With 1,199cc under the hoood, the XT1200Z Super Ténéré is aiming its sights on the class-leading BMW R1200GS and new-comer Ducati Multistrada 1200. The powerplant features a parallel twin motor with four valves per cylinder, and makes 108hp @ 7,250 ...Read more.

Three weeks after the first official test of the year at the Sepang International Circuit the MotoGP riders will return to the Malaysian track this week to carry on with the developments of their respective prototypes, ahead of the start of the World Championship season in Qatar on April 11. Scheduled for three days from February 24-26 the opening day on Wednesday will be for test riders only, with Thursday and Friday offering valuable time for the team riders to further the customisation of their 2010 machines. Valentino Rossi set the standard at the first test with the only sub-2'01" ...Read more.

When a young Kenny Roberts first ventured to Europe in 1978 to ride in the 500cc World Championship, no one was expecting him to be a title contender. But he was armed with the brutal Yamaha YZR500 OW35K, and created history by winning the 500 cc crown at his first attempt. He became the first American to take the title, despite having never ridden the European circuits before. Part of this is obviously due to his machinery. The original OW35 appeared in 1977; it was Yamaha’s first new 500cc factory racer since the OW23 of 1975, which Giacomo Agostini rode to World Championship glory. ...Read more.