1996 Yamaha Timber Wolf on 2040-motos

Moto blog

Last Year’s Surprise Podium Finisher Katsuyuki Nakasuga to Wild Card at Japanese GP

Katsuyuki Nakasuga, the surprise podium finisher at last year’s MotoGP finale in Valencia, will have the chance to catch lightning in a bottle once again, after being granted a wild card entry to the 2013 Japanese Grand Prix at Motegi. Nakasuga shocked the racing world with a second-place finish at the Valencian Grand Prix last November as an injury replacement for then-Yamaha factory rider Ben Spies. Nakasuga made the cagey decision to run slick tires in the wet race.

2014 Yamaha MT-09 Three-Cylinder Street Bike Announced for Europe – to be Named FZ-09 in US

A couple of weeks ago, Yamaha Europe released a video called “Dark Side of Japan” teasing a new street bike it claimed would “change the sport motorcycle world.” Today, the company revealed its new model, introducing a new naked sportbike powered by a “Crossplane” three-cylinder engine called the MT-09. (EDIT: and we can now reveal that the North American version will be known as the Yamaha FZ-09.) The 2014 Yamaha MT-09 is powered by a new 847cc three-cylinder engine first teased at Intermot last year. According to Yamaha, the MT-09′s engine produces 113.4 hp at 10,000 rpm and 64.5 ft-lb.

Canadian Speeder’s Yamaha R1 Seen in Now-Famous YouTube Video Sold in Auction

The Vancouver Sun is reporting on its website today that the Yamaha R1 made famous in a YouTube video featuring the rider speeding along the Trans-Canada Highway was sold recently for $4,651 in an online auction. According to the Sun the auction was conducted by B.C.’s Civil Forfeiture Office, which can seize property believed to have been used for unlawful activity. The winning bidder, 4x4albert, beat more than 70 bids to claim the 2006 R1.