Going up for auction to support the Papageno Foundation that helps autistic children will be this special edition Yamaha YZF-R1 signed by motorcycle legend and 15 time World Champion Giacomo Agostini.

On display at the Hotel Hilton in Amsterdam until December 24th, this one off R1 has the spectacular red and white graphics of Yamaha’s 50th Anninversary editions and also replicates Agostini’s famous yellow #1 plate and the bike has a number of special parts.

The auction is organized by Netherlands BV-Automotive through the special www.R1-Agostini.nl website and bids can be placed from Sunday February 12th to Sunday February 26th, 2012 and the highest bidder will also receive an AGV Ago Replica helmet.

Source | nieuwsmotor.nl via motoblog.it

Continue reading: Giacomo Agostini Yamaha R1 'Ago' special edition up for auction

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The new Yamaha YZF-R1 for the year 2012 is obviously at the 2011 EICMA too, showing a bunch of electronic and aerodynamic upgrades inspired by their MotoGP experience. The model is powered by a 998 cc in-line 4-cylinder engine using an innovative crossplane crankshaft and irregular firing intervals, confirming R1’s status as one of the hottest sportsbikes around.

The new design of the front-end emphasizes R1’s racing attitude, and the advanced TCS (Traction Control System) helps the rider to build up his confidence, regardless of weather and road surface conditions. ECU mappings have been revised too in an attempt to improve cornering and overall performance at low and mid revs, while the MotoGP-inspired re-designed yoke and footpegs also add up to the rider’s confidence.

Yamaha YZF-R1 WGP 50th Anniversary uses the captivating white-red-black livery adopted on several occasions this year by the official MotoGP team, but will also be available with Matt Gray, Yamaha Blue and Competition White color schemes.

View the full Yamaha R1 EICMA2011 photo gallery

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Keep your eyes peeled for two very pink Yamaha R1s and Jorge Lorenzo’s 2010 TT tribute Yamaha, the WarrierR1. because Danny John Jules (Cat from Red Dwarf), Steve Keys (owner of the UK’s first Yamaha Dealer) and BBC’s MotoGP presenter Matt Roberts will be taking a 1200 mile trip for Riders for Health, Viva Valencia! charity.

This unlikely and very visible trio will making their way from London’s famous Ace Cafe on Sunday 30th October and will ride across France and Spain to reach the Ricardo Tormo circuit, Valencia, Spain for the last race of the 2011 MotoGP championship season.

The road trip will be filmed for a TV documentary and when they arrive in Valencia on November 3, they will be meeting up with local supporters of Riders for Health and then lead approximately 200 bikes into the circuit for a parade lap, followed by Spain’s very own Day of Champions where they will be auctioning for the charity some of the exclusive items they have gathered during their trip.

You can follow the Viva Valencia road trip and donate at the motoventures.co.uk website.

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Back in 2009 Yamaha had Ben Spies and crew chief Tom Houseworth explain the Yamaha R1 for fans and now they have rookie Eugene Laverty doing it with his 2011 R1, but with a lot less technical info, but it’s still a tour.

Laverty is currently fourth in the standings heading into the ninth round of the championship at Silverstone next weekend and the Irishman has a double win at Monza on his WSBK scorecard so far and a very fond memory of beating Kenan Sofuoglu on the last lap of the 2010 Supersport race at the British circuit.

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Marco Melandri’s shoulder surgery just before Christmas left many in doubt if he would able to ride his Yamaha R1 during the Portimao test, but the former MotoGP rider who was at the Portuguese circuit for the first time finished 2nd and 3rd in the wet sessions.

Here’s Superbike’s new rookie talking (in Italian) about his shoulder, his rehabilitation, but we posted the video so you could see some testing action.

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Marco Melandri and Eugene Laverty are currently testing at Phillip Island and we can now give you a video courtesy of Italy’s Superbike.TV, who followed the former MotoGP rider to Valencia earlier this month and filmed his first outing on Yamaha’s R1 superbike and interviewed the 28-year old Italian after his debut and feelings on the bike.

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There is so much motorcycle eye candy in this sports bike of the year test that it gets difficult to pick which is the best, unless you’re a die-hard fan of one particular brand or another. The guys from Fast Bikes and Bike Channel teamed up to test each and every 2010 sports bike they could get their hands on, namely: the Kawasaki ZX-6R, Suzuki GSX-R 750, KTM RC8 R, Yamaha R6, Triumph Daytona 675, BMW S1000RR, Ducati 1198S, Aprilia RSV4 R, Yamaha R1 and the Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade.

That’s some mighty equipment sitting on the track and frankly, we’re jealous of just how much fun these guys must have had. The bikes are a real mix of everything that Japan and Europe has been able to throw at the sportbike/superbike sector. There are a couple of surprises in the final three and one big un-surprise as well. The word on the winner is: “you just wouldn’t believe what you can get away with on this bike”. Watch the video to see which one it is.

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Our cousins at Motosblog.fr are big connoisseurs of fast motorcycles (France has a controversial 100bhp limit law on street bikes) and beautiful women as this gallery of sexy biker babe Amanda with a Yamaha R1 can confirm. Enjoy the gallery.

Continue reading: Yamaha R1 goes sexy with Amanda

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With the debate is still on if Yamaha will allow Valentino Rossi to test the Ducati Desmosedici after the final race at Valencia, team Gresini Honda has already made their choice and have denied Marco Melandri’s request to test Yamaha Sterilgarda’s R1 before the end of the MotoGP season when he’ll officially be joining the World Superbike series in 2011.

The Italian rider who will be teamed up with Eugene Laverty, however will get a chance to test the YZF-R1 in a private one day test session organized at the Ricardo Tormo circuit in Valencia on November 11th, before the second official WSBK tests (the first will be on Monday after the Magny-Cours round) that takes place at Phillip Island, Australia in November.

Source | Motosprint magazine issue no. 39

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Never ride a motorcycle in Russia. That’s the lesson we’ve taken from this video and while it would be morbid to take bets on how long this motorcyclist will live, the guy is clearly a total nutcase. The Yamaha R1 might be one of the fastest bikes around but when you ride like an idiot, it won’t do much for your invincibility. We can’t figure out which is more dangerous in this crazy motorcycle video - the wheelies with oncoming traffic or the high speed dodging of cars that are turning corners.

Clearly someone who thinks they’re a hotshot. The music (a kind of techno version of Stravinsky) combines with a caption that apparently reads: “A couple minutes of my life could be more interesting than the whole life of the other people.” We hope that this particular rider is truly a one-off fool….

Source | Autoblog.com

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Hilda Wright may just be Valentino Rossi’s oldest living fan ever. This 102-year-old English lady (that’s right 102!) celebrated her birthday by sitting and revving the engine of Rossi’s Yamaha YZF-R1 which he used for a parade lap at the Isle of Man TT circuit in 2009.

This was made possible by her grand-daughter’s husband Steve Shaw, who owns Highbarn Motorcycles and tracked down the R1 for his high spirited grandmother.

Apparently Hilda was turned on to watching motorcyle racing by Shaw and has become a MotoGP fan and cheers for Rossi. “She really enjoyed getting on the motorbike and said ‘aren’t I lucky to be sitting on Rossi’s bike?’ reported her daughter to Oldham Chronicle News.

We hope that Valentino will get wind of this and maybe go out of his way to meet Hilda, which would be another great birthday present.

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The current FIM rules prohibit testing with official machines on circuits that are on the MotoGP calendar during the racing season, but that doesn’t mean that riders can’t ride on tracks with street bikes, like Jorge Lorenzo did yesterday at the new Motorland Aragon circuit with a Yamaha R1.

Lorenzo has joined the number of MotoGP riders that have already gotten a feel of the new Spanish track that will host the 13th round of the MotoGP championship September 19th. Randy de Puniet, Hector Barbera, Loris Capirossi, Alvaro Bautista, Nicky Hayden, Mika Kallio and Aleix Espargaro have already learned the Aragon circuit at the beginning of July, all rigorously riding their marques superbikes.

Here’s what Jorge Lorenzo had to say from his Facebook page, “Hi everybody, today I’ve had my first contact in Motorland Aragon, less than three hours from Barcelona. Is a good track, very nice for my Yamaha. Today with the R1, I would like to test with my M1 just now” and this is what he told the official MotoGP website, “It is a fun circuit with very different turns. The first turns are similar to Turkey and others seem like Misano. I hope that people who live close to here come and support the Spanish riders. I’m looking forward to racing here.”

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