Little bikes are awesome. Small, nimble, agile – these were the founding ethos of motorcycling. The concept of small, affordable and simple transport is a cornerstone the entire motorcycling industry; at the other end: speed and performance. So it stands to reason that a mix of these seminal concepts would ignite the minds of motorcycle fans eve

I think the tachometer is mocking me. Whenever the revs climb past the 6,000 mark the bar-graph readout switches from a dull black to a vivid green. It’s as if the tach is saying, “THIS is good!” and then when I shift gears, “This is lame!” It’s really not my fault, Mr. Tachometer. I promise. It’s just that unless I ride around in first or secon

Originally published on Canada Moto Guide: Test Ride: 2018 Yamaha Star Eluder I wonder if they make fireproof pants? It’s strange the things that go through your head when stuck in a traffic quagmire on the 401. Toronto’s notorious highway was in fine congested form as I slogged across the city after picking up the Star Eluder from Yamah

Have you ever seen a kid who didn’t love to play in the dirt? One who didn’t find joy in splashing in puddles, or getting covered in mud? [For] buyers who need their utility vehicle to balance work and play in equal measures. Me neither. Most kids grow out of that as they mature, but for those – like me – who don’t, there are ATVs an

Originally published on Canada Moto Guide:   Test Ride: 2019 Yamaha R3, on road and track Photography by Ben Quinn There’s a gratification that comes with being able to get the most out of a motorcycle on a racetrack that’s hard to beat, and small bikes can make that happen. Being able to hold the throttle wide open until the very last m

There’s nothing more user-friendly than easy to understand simple picture icons. Which is why there are few things simpler to sort out than the settings on the electronically controlled “linked” suspension of this 2017 Yamaha Super Tenere. It’s not hard to understand why people love the Tenere. A helmet, a helmet and a suitcase, or tw

Michael Bay’s lawyers are surely sharpening their pens. Yamaha’s latest foray into rampant, naked aggression carries with it a visage that is indistinguishable from the metal aliens depicted in his movie adaptation of Transformers . It’s a wild, over-wrought styling treatment that makes BMW’s once-controversial motorcycle designs look benign. S

The 2015 Yamaha FZ-07 might well be a stunter’s dream. Not that I’m a stunter of course; I barely even know how to wheelie. But I’m pretty sure this bike wants to teach me. With a tiny 1,400 mm wheelbase and a compact centre of gravity the FZ-07 thinks little of hiking the front wheel off the deck – the rear wheel, too if you squeeze those wave-rot

Review by Jacob Black, photos by Sabrina Giacomini and Jacob Black The first thing you notice taking off on the 2015 Yamaha FJ-09 is the power – it’s surprising. This is the same engine as the FZ-09 after all, allegedly down-tuned a tad for this application. Down-tuned isn’t really the right word though. Sure, it’s a bit softer than the more

The violence is astounding. The cross-plane crank gives the 2015 Yamaha YZF-R1 a brutality that can’t adequately be described – but when I flick my wrist and rip open the throttle for the first time the bike hurtles forward angrily, spinning up fast through the tall first gear and shaking its head the whole way towards the rapidly approaching sto

“Moooommm!!! Dad’s hooning again!” – I can imagine my daughter yelling back to her Mom as I take off down the street on the 2016 Yamaha XSR900. The best part is, Mom isn’t likely to believe her. The Yamaha XSR900 just looks so innocuous. So clean-cut, so mild-mannered. It’s the sort of bike your parents or spouse will look at approvingly. Whi

“Zippity-doo-dah, zippity-eh, my oh my what a wonderful day! Plenty of sunshine coming my way, zippity-doo-dah, zippity-EH!” The pedestrians crossing the road in front of me looked bemused by my singing. Or frightened. Or both. The thing is, I didn’t care. There’s something incredibly cheerful about pootling around on a scooter. The Yamaha BWS i

Yamaha is recalling a handful of 2017 YZF-R3 models in the US and Canada, and it's a bit of a sticky situation. Sorry, that's a sticker situation. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced a recall of 40 of the 321 cc mini-superbikes in the US. Turns out they were fitted with Canadian certification labels instead of the US o

Yamaha has launched its 2019 lineup of ATVs and side-by-sides. There are refinements, enhancements, and the all-new Wolverine X2. The Wolverine X2 takes last year's X4 and drops two seats. Yamaha calls it the ultimate two-seat trail-exploring vehicle. Losing two seats means a shorter wheelbase and a more compact chassis. That means it can better

They say that motorcycling in the rain isn’t any fun. They are wrong. Motorcycling in the rain is difficult, intense and dangerous. It’s immensely challenging. It’s also immensely rewarding. The problem is, I am currently too comfortable. After seven hours, my butt is still feeling good, my arms aren’t sore, my spirits are high. So too, on this