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Yamaha Racing News
Get the latest Yamaha Racing News with the Yamaha Owners Club
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The Camel Yamaha Team launched its 2006 campaign today, with the first of three-days of testing in Sepang, Malaysia. After a six-week holiday the team is back at its favourite testing venue alongside other MotoGP Teams from Yamaha, Ducati, Honda, Kawasaki and Suzuki. A cloudy morning with a few spots of rain at one stage gave way to a sunny afternoon and Yamaha's Factory Team riders Valentino Rossi and Colin Edwards were able to complete a full day of testing on their new 2006-spec YZR-M1s.
Both riders concentrated on getting a feel for the new version of the M1, which they first tested in November last year. According to the unofficial lap times, Rossi was fastest with a time of 2'02.14, after 74 laps. Edwards meanwhile had a fall in the afternoon at turn nine, but was unhurt and able to continue for the rest of the afternoon on his second bike, setting a best lap of 2'02.61 after 69 laps. Valentino Rossi (2'02.14, 74 Laps) "It's always a little difficult to start again after the holidays, and I am never sure if I will be able to ride well straight away! Today however everything has felt good right from the start and I am already quite fast. The new M1 is a good bike, I like it and I can see that Yamaha has worked very hard over the winter. We had a few problems with it today; some chattering, but in reality it is good for this stage of the year. We still have a lot of work to do on it of course. The new bike is not so different from the 2005 bike, but still we have to understand completely its character and I have to get more confidence in it, then we can begin to make the modifications needed in order to improve it. Today has just been about understanding the bike, tomorrow we will concentrate more on tyres with Michelin." Colin Edwards (2'02.61, 69 Laps) "I came out this morning and felt good immediately. Straight away I felt happy on the bike and could notice all the improvements that Yamaha has made. I'm so accustomed to the 2005 bike at this track, but it was clear today that the new one is better in many ways. I am a bit out of practice after the holiday but once I got going I felt very comfortable to be back on the bike. After a few laps we began to play around with some fork settings and spring rates and in doing so we lost a little bit of feel. Then after lunch I had the crash.it was at turn nine and I just lost the front on the brakes. It all happened pretty slowly and I was fine, luckily. After that we didn't have time to go back to our good fork setting but anyway the times were still okay. Despite the mishap today I feel like I want to go faster and faster, so I'm looking forward to tomorrow."
Davide Brivio - Camel Yamaha Team Director "We begin this test with many new things, but the most important is that the new bike is at a good starting point and the riders have been able to do good work straight away. Of course we have many jobs ahead of us to work on the set-up and to test tyres for Michelin, but it has been a good start. Colin's crash was unfortunate and also something new, since he doesn't do it very often! Despite this we have had a more than satisfactory day and we hope to get some more important work done over the next two days." Unofficial Lap Times: 1. Valentino Rossi (ITA) Yamaha 2'02.14 2. Marco Melandri (ITA) Honda 2'02.21 3. Nicky Hayden (USA) Honda 2'02.23 4. Dani Pedrosa (SPA) Honda 2'02.46 5. Loris Capirossi (ITA) Ducati 2'02.55 6. Colin Edwards (USA) Yamaha 2'02.61 7. Sete Gibernau (SPA) Ducati 2'02.77 8. Casey Stoner (AUS) Honda 2'03'57 9. Shinya Nakano (JPN) Kawasaki 2'03.77 10. Toni Elias (SPA) Honda 2'03.80 11. Randy de Puniet (FRA) Kawasaki 2'03.90 12. Alex Hoffman (GER) Ducati 2'04.63 13. James Ellison (GBR) Yamaha 2'06.40 14. Jose Luis Cardosa (SPA) Ducati 2'07.70 Sepang Lap Record: Nicky Hayden (Honda) 2005 - 2'02.993 Sepang Best Lap: Loris Capirossi (Ducati) 2005 - 2'01.731
Ambient temperature: 30 degrees Track temperature: 49 degreesumidity: 49%
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Round one of the series takes place at the Losail circuit in Qatar on Saturday 25 February with Phillip Island playing host to the second round eight days later. Kevin Curtain "I'm really, really happy with how it's gone. The difference between this bike and the 2005 one is night and day. The energy it takes us to do the same lap times is just so much less and overall the package is far better. The weather has been good to us as well. There wasn't much wind and this morning (Wednesday) was the best I've ever seen Phillip Island. There was not a cloud in the sky and virtually no wind. The ocean looked beautiful and it was a magical experience riding around there." Broc Parkes "After hurting my ankle in Valencia it took me a day to get back into the swing of things but by the second day I felt comfortable again. Luciano Zaza (suspension technician) brought over so much stuff and although we've found a pretty good base there's still a bit more to come from the suspension. I'm not at my best riding around on my own so on the last day Kevin and I did a race simulation together. I was able to run right with him and run the same lap times. We had a bit of a battle, so that was good for my confidence. We've had three really good days and the lap times have been good. I don't want to get carried away though. We've done the times in perfect conditions but there was no one else here to compare ourselves to, so the proof will only come in Qatar. One thing is for sure though, we are much further ahead of where we were at this time last year." Terrell Thien (Team Manager) "We made a good decision to come to Phillip Island as we have found perfect testing conditions. The first day was maybe a little too hot, but better too hot than too cold, although and after that the temperatures were just right. We've tried four different (specification) of front forks internals and even more rear shocks. The team worked well together and I was happy to arrive and find both riders in really good shape. We came with a big test schedule and were able to get through everything we needed to get a good base setting."
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Colin Edwards (2'02.54, 62 Laps) "In the morning we worked a lot on tyres and setting, and made some progress to get rid of the chatter we had yesterday. This afternoon I did a long run and was quite pleased with it. It was much faster than I was in the race last year, so that's proof that we've made some progress. The tyre I used is maybe not the one I would have chosen for the race, but it worked okay all the same and we've found some other good new stuff with Michelin. Overall I think it's been a good first test. It's helpful to have the chance to get used to the new bike at a track we know well and I'm pretty excited about it. Everything has improved and the package seems to work. We've had a few problems this week, and we need to understand why they happened, but we've got plenty more time before the first race. I'm looking forward to going to Qatar, a track I really like, and seeing how the bike goes there." Davide Brivio - Camel Yamaha Team Director "It has been a good first test and we have some positive results for both riders. They both managed to complete many laps and made some excellent progress with the new bike. It's been very important to test the new bike here to check that everything is okay and it was also useful to end with the long run. Now we go to Qatar where it will be interesting to see our bike at a different circuit." Tech 3 Yamaha Team The Tech 3 Team have completed the three-day test in Sepang despite an ill James Ellison. Being the first chance for Ellison to ride the 2006-spec YZR-M1, the focus was mainly on gathering data for Dunlop and getting a feel for the new version of the M1. Herve Poncharal - Tech 3 Yamaha Team Director "It's been a hard test, but in the end it's been quite important for us. We've done a lot of tyre testing, which was our main aim for the week and we are quite happy with the directions we've found for the front and rear. James has done a really good job, especially considering that he's been ill, and it hasn't been easy for him. Our main mission for this year is to develop with Dunlop and this has just been the start of a long year's work. We're very happy with the new M1, it seems that Yamaha has done an excellent job over the winter and this new bike is a big step forward from the old one. Obviously the main thing is for Dunlop to get as much data and laps done as possible. With this in mind and as everyone knows, we are still hoping to have a second rider and we are working as hard as possible to try to find a solution and a way to attend the test in Qatar with two riders." James Ellison (2'04.17) "I got sick over a week ago and I really hoped it would be okay by now but I was at my worst on Monday for the first day of the test! It was really disappointing because we had so much to do! Yesterday and today were better and we managed to get a lot of laps done and make some progress. I am pretty knackered after the three days! The bike is really good, the main difference I can see from the one I rode last year is in the power.there's more of it! This circuit is not one of my favourites and I find it quite hard, but I am a little disappointed with my times over the days. Obviously I am much faster than I was in the race last year but I am still off the pace a bit - I thought I could be a bit closer to the main group. I am definitely not fast enough considering that I am on a factory Yamaha. With Dunlop the main problem is traction - with qualifying tyres it's great but with race tyres we have some problems and some chatter in the rear. I hope that in Qatar - a track I really like and where Dunlop performs well - we can do better and make more progress." Unofficial lap times 1. Sete Gibernau (SPA) Ducati 2'01.03 2. Loris Capirossi (ITA) Ducati 2'01.08 3. Marco Melandri (ITA) Honda 2'01.12 4. Dani Pedrosa (SPA) Honda 2'01.51 5. Valentino Rossi (ITA) Yamaha 2'01.60 6. Nicky Hayden (USA) Honda 2'01.69 7. Shinya Nakano (JPN) Kawasaki 2'01.78 8. Randy de Puniet (FRA) Kawasaki 2'02.18 9. Toni Elias (SPA) Honda 2'02.30 10. Chris Vermeulen (AUS) Suzuki 2'02.43 11. Colin Edwards (USA) Yamaha 2'02.54 12. Casey Stoner (AUS) Honda 2'02.67 13. K. Akiyoshi (JPN) Suzuki 2'02.80 14. John Hopkins (USA) Suzuki 2'03.05 15. Alex Hofmann (GER) Ducati 2'03.20 16. Kenny Roberts (USA) KR Honda 2'03.37 17. Jose Luis Cardoso (SPA) Ducati 2'03.50 18. S. Ito (JPN) Ducati 2'03.60 19. James Ellison (GBR) Yamaha 2'04.17 Ambient temperature: 29.2 degrees Track temperature: 49 degrees Humidity: 63.8%
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2006 YZF-R1 LE Key Features: The R1 LE is a special, limited-edition version of our awe-inspiring liter-bike—packed with premium components in addition to the standard tremendous firepower of the R1. Öhlins suspension units front and rear, custom-developed for the R1 LE by the same people who work on the YZR-M1 MotoGP bike, provide the ultimate ride and handling. Custom, YZR-M1-style forged aluminum Marchesini wheels designed specifically for the LE add style while removing nearly a pound of unsprung weight. Back torque-limiting slipper clutch greatly aids downshifting from speed, helping the rider exploit all the R1 LE’s tremendous braking power. New intake port modifications increase output by three horses, to 183 at 12,500 rpm. New for 2006: Special 50th Anniversary Yellow/Black paint with a numbered serial plate and gold Marchesini wheels; only 500 of these machines will be produced. GP tech trickles down: Revised rigidity of the main frame between the engine mounts and steering head, a new, more rigid lower triple clamp and a 20mm longer swingarm produce the best-handling R1 ever. Öhlins 43mm front fork and rear shock, fully adjustable, with hydraulic preload adjuster at the rear, provide ultimate handling on the track and the street. Slipper clutch for smooth downshifts; revised clutch boss for increased oil flow. Shorter valve guides increase intake flow and reduce friction, for more power. Adjustable rear-shock linkage allows 10mm of ride height adjustability; the longer swingarm accepts a greater range of rear tire sizes. Integrated lap timer switch on the right handlebar for track days. Gold drive chain, gold M1-style tuning fork fuel tank badge, define this special R1 as a production racer. Engine: Short-stroke 998cc, DOHC, 20-valve, liquid-cooled, inline four-cylinder engine now produces 183 horsepower (with Ram-Air) at an amazing 12,500 rpm. Dual-valve fuel injection system uses motor-driven secondary throttle valves and 32-bit ECU for super-responsive, instantaneous power delivery. Two-piece ergonomically designed fuel tank carries fuel in the rear section, for good centralization of mass, while the front half contains a Ram-Air-fed airbox for increased power. Lay-down design cylinder head – 40° forward – optimizes weight distribution, straightens intake tracts for improved cylinder filling, and allows frame to pass over instead of around the engine for great strength and a narrow chassis. Closed-deck cylinder block provides great strength while allowing a narrow engine in spite of big, 77mm bores. Narrow-angle five-valve combustion chambers produce a highly efficient 12.4:1 compression ratio. Big valves and high-lift cams flow plenty of air. Carburized connecting rods with fractured big ends produce a quick-revving engine with excellent high-rpm durability. High silicon-content ceramic-composite cylinder sleeves ensure great heat dissipation for consistent power delivery and reduced friction. Titanium underseat exhaust system (except for stainless steel midpipe with catalyst) contains a titanium EXUP valve for a broad, seamless powerband. High-efficiency curved radiator and an aluminum liquid cooled oil cooler maintain stable operating temperature. Direct ignition coils, dual-electrode spark plugs and highoutput magneto deliver extremely accurate, reliable firing. AC generator behind cylinder block produces a narrow engine with excellent cornering clearance. Chassis/Suspension: Overall frame width of only 15.6 inches produces comfortable ergonomics as well as efficient aerodynamic penetration. Controlled Fill die cast, truss-type swingarm is very strong and long, for optimal traction and feedback. Controlled Fill die cast, detachable aluminum subframe is light, strong and allows easy rear shock access. Dual 320mm front disc brakes; light/strong, forged one-piece radial-mount calipers and Brembo radial-pump front master cylinder with adjustable lever delivers amazing braking power and controllability. Fully adjustable Öhlins inverted telescopic front fork settings were carefully developed by MotoGP Championship-winning technicians to provide track-tuned handling. Fully adjustable Öhlins rear shock was also developed by MotoGP technicians, and includes a super-convenient hydraulic preload adjuster. Additional Features: Two multi-reflector and two projector beam headlights provide great illumination and distinctive style. Adjustable LCD illumination and multi-function digital gauges: adjustable shift light, odometer, dual tripmeters, water temperature, air temperature, full-time clock, lap timer and large 15,000 rpm analog tachometer. Aggressive bodywork with twin Ram-Air intakes for increased engine performance. LED taillight is light, bright and highly efficient. Sticky 120/70-ZR17 and 190/50-ZR17 Pirelli tires for incredible grip and precise handling. Forged footpegs are extra durable and light. Extensive use of hollow bolts and lightweight fasteners helps trim overall weight. 8.2 AH battery is compact and light. Durable #530 O-ring–sealed drive chain. Standard toolkit located in convenient storage compartment under passenger seat.
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Valentino Rossi (1'57.36, 48 Laps) "It's always nice to be fastest, although of course here we don't have Honda or Ducati. Everything went very well today and I am pleased with this first day of work. As we're quite close to home I have no problem with jet-lag, unlike at Sepang, so I feel like I have plenty of energy for these three days! The temperature is about 15 degrees cooler than at the race last year and so we are able to have quite good grip and to use the tyres at 100%, enabling us to go quite fast. Anyway with the new bike we have much more grip than with the old M1, but as in Sepang we have a tiny bit of chatter, so we are doing a lot of work with Michelin to fix that. Michelin have come here with many new tyres and so we are working a lot with them to test as much as possible. The new bike is already at a good level and now we are working hard on finding the right settings for it. I'm looking forward to the next two days." Colin Edwards (1'57.52, 77 Laps) "Unlike Valentino I get pretty bad jet-lag here, coming from the US, so I felt pretty tired today! I hope to get a good night's sleep tonight and to have a bit more energy tomorrow. The track is getting cleaner by the minute as more rubber gets laid down, so the grip is improving all the time; it's already much better than in the race last year. Michelin have a lot of new tyres here so we're spending a large part of our time on testing the new stuff with them. I really like this track, I've always gone good from the first time I came here so it's an enjoyable place for me to test, plus the weather is great. The new bike really is better in every way and now I've just got to build my confidence with it. At the moment I am feeling stronger with every lap. It was a good first day and I was pleased to be able to get going so well so quickly." Daniele Romagnoli - Colin Edwards' Crew Chief "We very quickly found a good base-setting here today, much better than what we had at the race here last year. We've improved the front-end grip a lot and therefore Colin has much more confidence already in the front. It seems the new bike works well at this track and the lap times were good today. We made a good start." Unofficial Lap Times: 1. Valentino Rossi (ITA) Yamaha, 1'57.36 2. Colin Edwards(USA) Yamaha, 1'57.52 3. John Hopkins (USA) Suzuki, 1'57.66 4. Carlos Checa (SPA) Yamaha, 1'57.94 5. Chris Vermeulen (AUS) Suzuki, 1'58.62 6. S. Ito (JPN) Ducati, 1'58.90 7. James Ellison (GBR) Yamaha, 1'59.81 8. Olivier Jacque (FRA) Kawasaki, 2'00.43 Losail Lap Record: Nicky Hayden (Honda) 2005 - 1'57.903 Losail Best Lap: Loris Capirossi (Ducati) 2005 - 1'56.917 Ambient temperature: 24.7 degrees Track temperature: 38.0 degrees Humidity: 73%
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