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2015 Yamaha VMAX Carbon launched


200bhp V4 engine, a bunch of carbonfibre bits and Mad Max issue styling; That's the 2015 Yamaha VMAX Carbon

Yamaha have launched the special edition VMAX Carbon for 2015, with the dragster-inspired machine fitted with carbonfibre front and rear fenders, carbon side covers and a set of Akrapovic slip-on mufflers. The VMAX’s 1679cc, 200-horsepower V4 engine, aluminium diamond-type twin spar chassis, suspension and shaft drive system remain unchanged. The standard VMAX will still be available alongside the Carbon edition, albeit at a reduced price.
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EICMA 2014 Faster and Faster Motorcycle News News Yamaha

2015 Yamaha YZF-R1M joins the 200bhp club

2015 Yamaha YZF-R1 2015 Yamaha YZF-R1 image host image host image host image host
Yes, that's the all-new 200bhp Yamaha YZF-R1, with a 1:1 power-to-weight ratio. Boom!

Yamaha have unveiled the hugely anticipated 2015 YZF-R1 at the EICMA in Italy. The 2015 Yamaha R1 gets a new crossplane crank inline-four, new aluminium twin-spar chassis with shorter wheelbase, and upgraded electronics. The R1’s 998cc engine now produces 200PS (that’s 197 horsepower) at 13,500rpm and 112Nm of torque at 11,500 revs. With a wet weight figure (including oil and fuel) of 199 kilos, that should mean the new R1 has tremendous performance potential.

If you think a 197bhp/199kg YZF-R1 isn’t, somehow, enough, Yamaha have something else in their arsenal that might make you happy – the 2015 Yamaha YZF-R1M. While the power output remains the same, the R1M only weighs 180 kilos – that’s 19kg less than the regular R1! Plus, like the new R1, the R1M also gets a brand-new ‘6-axis inertial measurement unit’ (IMU, which sense chassis movement in 3D) that integrates and unifies the bike’s traction control system, wheelie control, braking and launch control.

There’s a communication control system with integrated GPS that gives you precise lap times (which you can access on an Android-based tablet provided with the bike!), carbonfibre bodywork, Öhlins electronic racing suspension (ERS), and a 200-section rear tyre as compared to the regular R1’s 190-section rubber. Yamaha have announced “limited availability” for the YZF-R1M, without saying anything about what that really means. Will production be limited to a certain number of units? Will the bike only be available for a certain period of time? We don’t know at this time.
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Faster and Faster Motorcycle News News Yamaha

2015 Yamaha YZF-R3 finally gatecrashes Kawasaki, Honda, KTM party

2015 Yamaha YZF-R3 2015 Yamaha YZF-R3 2015 Yamaha YZF-R3 2015 Yamaha YZF-R3
The 2015 Yamaha YZF-R3 looks good, but can it take on the Ninja 300 and the KTM RC390…?

Yamaha have taken the wraps off their brand-new YZF-R3, which is powered by a new 321cc DOHC 4-valve parallel twin that uses forged aluminium pistons and carburized conrods, and produces 41 horsepower and 30Nm of torque. "The concept behind this was to create a supersports machine you can ride every day, and the architecture of the new powerplant is designed to ensure good rideability in the low to mid-speed range, together with a strong and responsive character at higher rpm," says a press note from Yamaha.

The new YZF-R3 gets a diamond-type tubular steel chassis which, according to Yamaha, has been developed using the latest structural analysis technology. Using the bike's engine as a stressed member, the chassis is supposed to offer predictable handling that's ideal for riders who might just be stepping up from the 125cc class. The Yamaha R3 weighs 169 kilos, features 50:50 front:rear weight distribution, rides on 17-inch alloy wheels (shod with 110/70 and 140/70 rubber), and gets 41mm front forks and 'monocross' rear suspension. Braking duties are handled by a single 298mm disc at the front and 220mm disc at the back, while ABS is standard.

Yamaha are actually late to the 250cc sportsbike category. Kawasaki, with the Ninja 250, and Honda, with the CBR250R, have already staked a claim in this segment for quite some time now. These two have already moved things forward with the Ninja 300 and the CBR300, while KTM have upped the ante in a very big way with the RC390. We have to admit, the new Yamaha R3 also looks quite good, but will it be able to take on the other three – especially the RC390 – remains to be seen. Expect to see the R3 in Yamaha showrooms worldwide, in April 2015.
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