Bikers love a motorcycle that speaks to their tastes. More often than not, they enjoy a ride that comes with aggressive looks and a sporty character. In so many words, that’s what you’ll get with the Yamaha FZ8. The bike’s "mass-forward" styling is accentuated by an aggressive headlight design while an FZ1-style instrument cluster features a great looking tachometer with a white face.
It’s not enough that the bike looks good, which it does, but it also has to come with real-world performance that sports bikes of this caliber are capable. Other bikes will offer you entry-level performance to get you acclimated to the seats, but the FZ8 is different. This is one bike that has naked sportsbike grit with matching power and bucket’s worth of attitude. The FZ8’s muscular stance speaks to the aggression of the machine while a comfortable and upright riding position matches up with a compact design that contributes to the bike’s first-rate handling. In so many words, this bike excels in just about every road it travels.
More than just its stunning good looks, the FZ8 is powered by a 779cc liquid-cooled, 4-stroke, inline 4-cylinder, 4-valve engine that delivers smooth power delivery and gobs of torque in the low to mid rpm range. Likewise, a cast aluminum frame and a lightweight Controlled-Fill aluminum swingarm provides the ideal rigidity balance for outstanding
cornering performance.
Suffice to say, the Yamaha FZ8 is a bike that oozes confidence. It packs plenty of attitude and adrenaline with all of Yamaha’s renowned build and finish quality, resulting in a street sports machine that screams performance riding anytime and anywhere.
Find out more about the full specs of the Yamaha FZ8 after the jump.
Full story
For every earth-shattering sportsbike on the market, there’s an entry level version that won’t give you the hardcore performance you’re looking for, but will provide the kind of real-world riding that everybody just falls head over heels for.
The 2012 Yamaha FZ6R is the latter one of those bikes and it has a special feel that makes you comfortable the minute you swing a leg over the seat. It is a sports bike that does not make any earth shattering claims; just a machine that will leave you smiling after each and every ride.
The FZ6R comes with features that make it easy for beginner riders to get started, including a low seat height, a beautiful diamond-steel frame, a sleek fairing, and a Yamaha R6 style exhaust, among other things. The bike also has a built-in lap timer that’s controlled by a right-handlebar switch; there’s also a multi-function digital and analog instrumentation that includes a programmable shift light; a digital speedometer; an analog tachometer; dual tripmeters with miles-on-reserve function; an odometer; water temp gauge; and lights for neutral, high beam, low fuel and turn signals.
The bike is powered by a 599cc DOHC 16-valve, liquid-cooled titanium-valved four-cylinder engine with a compression ratio of 13.1:1, providing great response for a bike of its stature. On top of that, it’ also one of the first Yamaha bikes to come with a Yamaha Chip Controlled Throttle
system for flawless response under all conditions and a Yamaha Chip Controlled Intake for excellent cylinder filling and a broader powerband.
To give the FZ6R the kind of performance handling a bike of this quality requires, Yamaha used a Deltabox aluminum frame that incorporates GP thinking in terms of engine positioning and rigidity for the ultimate
in 600-class handling.
Get full specs on the Yamaha FZ6R after the jump.
Full story
Yamaha has been on quite a roll lately, hasn’t it? After scoring their second AMA Pro Racing American SuperBike Championship in many years, Yamaha wants to build on that momentum by introducing the new YZF-R1.
The model already comes with plenty of MotoGP technology so it’s worth pointing out that with the 2012 model comes all sorts of new updates and innovations that are derived from the company’s rich racing heritage. All bets are off as to how awesome the bike is going to be.
Even better is that the YZF-R1 will also spawn a special World GP 50th Anniversary Edition that will celebrate the company’s aforementioned racing heritage. Only 2000 of these special edition models will be sold and they will come in the company’s race-winning Pearl White/Rapid Red livery with plenty of other unique additions reserved only for the special edition model.
There’s plenty to like about the Yamaha YZF-R1, and there’s no reason for anybody to turn their backs against it, especially when a special edition model is staring right at you at the dealerships.
Find out more about the 2012 Yamaha YZF-R1 after the jump.
Full story
The 2012 Yamaha V-Max is the kind of bike that should be on top of everybody’s wish list. It’s not so much the fact that it’s an awesome ride in itself, but the bike’s combination of advanced sportbike technology and forward thinking style makes it a definite must-have.
Sure, some people have had mixed reactions as far as the bike’s design is concerned, but make no mistake about it, when it comes to pure, torque-bending performance, the V-Max is in a class of its own.
Crank the throttle and you’ll be unleashing a 1,679cc, 65-degree, liquid-cooled, fuel-injected four-valves-per-cylinder, DOHC engine that pumps out 174 horsepower, enough to literally make you drive the seat off of your pants. On top of that, the V-Max also has both the Yamaha Chip Controlled Intake (YCC-I) technology and the Yamaha Chip Controlled Throttle (YCC-T) technology, providing the kind of smooth and crisp response riders have long looked for.
As far as its design, the V-Max’s looks remain relatively unchanged since its major redesign in 2009. About the only changes you’ll see is that it comes with a new color, Matte Black, as well as new side-cover finishes that match the bike’s distinctive intake cover, and gray stitching on the seat cover.
The bike also features a lightweight aluminum chassis - weight is reduced to 683 lbs because of it - that puts the engine low and forward for mass centralization, resulting in a machine designed to handle just about any road surface. Likewise, the suspension system - cartridge-damper-type front forks that have substantial 52mm inner tubes with oxidized titanium coating and a link-type Monocross rear suspension - allows the bike to handle particularly well, even for the high standards of a tried-and-true muscle bike.
Find out more about the full specs of the Yamaha V-Max after the jump.
Full story
America has waited enough, Honda. Now the Japanese company is finally dropping the wait after announcing the arrival of the 2012 HRC NSF250R. Developed for the FIM GP road racing competition in the Moto3 class, the NSF250R promises to live up to the hype - and so much more.
It’s powered by an all-new liquid-cooled single-cylinder 249cc four-stroke engine that has been specifically designed for racing. The sleek design features technical highlights that include a front-intake and rear-exhaust configuration with a high charging efficiency. To be able to generate strong power throughout the high-rpm range, the NSF250R also comes with titanium valves for both the intake and exhaust to reduce friction and lighten the valve train.
Furthermore, the NSF250R’s design reduces friction between piston and cylinder, improving the bike’s overall durability by offsetting the cylinder centerline and applying nickel silicon carbide (Ni-SiC) for the cylinder surface treatment. Lightweight and well-balanced, the NSF250R offers impressive power output and superb handling to achieve a great blend of high performance plus rider-friendly traits well suited to up-and-coming racers.
"This is a great opportunity for people who want to start road racing with a full-on track bike," said Keith Dowdle, Assistant Manager Honda Riders Club of America. "Now riders have the option of buying a purpose-built race-ready motorcycle right out of the box, as an alternative to modifying a street bike—all at a reasonable price of $28,599."
Orders for the bike are now open so if you’re planning to purchase bikes to race in 2012 moto-racing series, now’s the time do so.
