2007 Yamaha V Star 1100 Silverado on 2040-motos

Moto blog

1973 Yamaha TZ750 Works Prototype #409-100001 Up For Auction

For just $120,000, you too can be the owner of a special piece of motorcycling history. Up for grabs on eBay is the 1973 Yamaha TZ750 that started it all. Claimed by the current owner to be the test mule of none other than Kel Carruthers in 1973, this TZ carries the number #409-100001. Yamaha Works GP rider Sadeo Asami cared for the motorcycle for much of its racing life until it was returned to Yamaha USA where it was destined for the crusher.

Simon and Leo

If you are a track day regular this year, you may well have bumped into former racer and friendly Kiwi, Simon Crafar. I first met him in Malaysia in 1990 when he was riding for a Yamaha dealer team, sweating his way round circuits like Shah Alam and Johor Bahru but with a long term plan to make it onto the World scene. And he didn’t take long as after riding for Honda in the UK in 1992 he moved to WSB in 1994 and enjoyed success with both the Honda and Kawasaki factory teams.

Yamaha Focusing on Developing Model Platforms

Following the success of its MT platform, Yamaha says it will continue to develop new models based on shared platforms, allowing for a choice of multiple models while reducing overall costs. Speaking in a presentation on the company’s business operation, Yamaha Motor President Hiroyuki Yanagi reiterated the strategy of developing multiple models sharing the same engine and frame. Honda has followed a similar strategy with its NC models, seeing the platform evolve to include the CTX700 and NM4.