‘Theoretically’, climatic conditions such as snow, ice, frost and the likes are not exactly ideal for most bikers. This unwritten rule is particularly obvious when it comes sportsbikes, which rely on the best possible road grip to unleash their full potential in their neverending quest for maximum performance.

However, there are some ‘practical’ exceptions to that rule, and one of them is featured in the above video. All you need to do is provide your sportsbike (an all-black Yamaha YZF-R1 in this case) with a nice pair of specifically prepared rubber with spikes, and then you will be ready for the unthnkable. Just take a look at what the man in black can do in this clip..

This is certainly not a new idea (we have already seen another R1 taking on the ice in a video we published last year), but since the ‘good season’ is still so far away right now, it’s just nice to know that there is actually somebody out there who knows how to have fun on two wheels even when - ‘theoretically’ - it shouldn’t be possible.

It was 1978 when the Grand Prix World Championship last showed up at the Nurburgring for what was the West Germany GP, and we are not talking about the modern-day short version of the track, we mean the terrible layout of the old Nordschleife, the notorious 20+ km long ‘Green Hell’. On that year it was Italy’s Virginio Ferrari to clinch victory with the Suzuki RG500 of the Gallina Team, right in front of the Yamahas of Johnny Cecotto and Kenny Roberts, also recording the lap record of 8′29 “50 at an average speed of 161.346 km/h (100.260 mph).

A long time has gone by since then, and a new hero has come out of nowhere to record the new lap record of the Nurburgring on two wheels, and this awesome guy - whose amazing performance on the Nordschleife can be appreciated in full on the footage above - goes by the name of Andy ‘AndyPath’ Carlile, an Englishman who describes himself as a “a 33-year-old ex-moped mayhem double champion of Cumbrian descent” and lives by the Nurburgring. Having completed a lap in 7’26”6 , Mr.Carlile is now the fastest man ever to lap the 20,832 meters Northloop on two wheels.

The lap has been completed with a well-tweaked 2005 Yamaha YZF-R1 that Mr.Carlile bought crash damaged in 2007 for something like £4000 (roughly 6,200 $ - 5,000 €) to replace his no-longer-good-enough Kawasaki ZX-6R. Just note that since 1984 the new Nürburgring got shortened by a couple of miles but, regardless of that, watching this video of the super fast ‘AndyPath’ thrashing his R1 on those mighty roads is just awesome. Take a look and see how it is done.

via | BridgeToGantry

Stéphane Peterhansel - living legend of the Dakar Rally with 6 wins on two wheels (all of which with Yamaha) and 4 wins in the car class - was getting a little bored while waiting for the next edition of the famous rally raid, hence he decided to go out for a spin with his Yamaha YZF-R1. The thing is, he did that in the desert.

Even though it’s been a few years since Peterhansel was the ruler of motorcycle racing on the dunes, the Frenchman obviously still has it: riding an R1 with special tyres on the sandy hills of Merzouga, Morocco, Peterhansel showed off his skills for a special issue of French magazine L’Integral, and here are a few pics documenting his performance.

It goes without saying that the desert is not the kind of habitat that the R1 designers had in mind for their baby, but with a top-notch specialist like Peterhansel on board, even the awesome road-racer from the three diapason house can make the right impression.

American company Graves Motorsports - which produces special parts and has an important history in racing - has created a special version of the Yamaha R1 designed for drifting and dubbed Graves Drift R1, and to show what their new machine is capable of they’ve called up proficient stuntman Bill Dixon and a professional TV crew to shoot a nice video at the Willow Springs Racetrack. The resulting footage is really great, featuring breathtaking images taken with Go-Pro cameras and special guest such as a Nissan GT-R and even an helicopter.

It is fair to say that Dixon just loved every minute of it: “When Chuck Graves told me there were no limits to what Graves Motorsports could do - he said afterwards - I had no idea he meant it literally. The bike is the epitome of badass“. Graves Motorsports’ boss, Mr. Chuck Graves, is almost as happy with it as the rider: “Bill had so much fun drifting the Yamaha, I was jealous. Projects like this are the driving force at Graves“. Surely one of the best videos we have seen this year.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.