Yamaha - RoadRUNNER

2021 Yamaha Tracer 9 GT—Motorcycle Review

Review: 2021 Yamaha Tracer 9 GT

Hwy 2 connects what Los Angeles used to be with what it is today, cutting a confused line through dozens of disparate neighborhoods as it climbs from the Santa Monica coast to the high desert, past seven-figure homes and the glowing edges of the Sunset Strip. On the way, it

Nov/Dec '21

Yamaha Ténéré 700 vs KTM 990 Adventure

Rally-Inspired Adventure BikesThere are varying approaches to designing a motorcycle, and naturally, there are people that prefer each approach. Some prefer sport bikes, while others prefer cruisers, but regardless of the flavor, it’s becoming common to see motorcycles equipped with more and more technology. Many are equipped with a

2021 Yamaha Ténéré 700 Motorcycle Review

Nov/Dec '20

Review: 2021 Yamaha Ténéré 700

New Standard for Adventure Research and development for a new motorcycle takes several years. OEMs usually give us a few months’, maybe even a year’s heads-up about a new model. Yamaha went against the grain and announced the Ténéré 700, or T7, four years ago, right around the same

May/Jun '20

Review: 2020 Yamaha MT-03

Revving for Your YouthOur senior readers (ahem—no offense) will recall the thrills Yamaha delivered in small displacement motorcycles through the late ’70s and into the ’80s. Lightweight twins were quickly tweaked, raced, and became a key part of our culture. In fact, the new 2020 Yamaha MT-03 harks back

Jan/Feb '20

2020 Yamaha MT-03

Yamaha has released a stylish new naked sports motorcycle to appeal to junior riders. The MT-03 takes the bones of the YZF-R3 sportbike and repackages them into this sassy new model. Its aggressive, mass-forward appearance gives the MT-03 a leg up over some of its mundane-looking competition. A centrally located

Jul/Aug '19

2019 Yamaha Niken GT: Two Swords

Few motorcycles elicit such strong emotional responses from riders and nonriders alike. Whether it’s interest, confusion, anger, or excitement, I was on the receiving end of the whole range while testing the Yamaha Niken GT over a two-day period on the wet roads of California’s Central Coast. Yamaha’

Jan/Feb '19

2019 Yamaha Tracer 900 GT: Triple-Powered Sport-Tourer

Ahead of me, a runaway train of 2019 Yamaha Tracer 900 GTs barrels up the winding road. I’m wringing out second gear in between connecting corners to keep up, the screech of the bike’s inline triple reaching its highest register. Wind River Road is ideal testing ground for

Nov/Dec '18

2018 Yamaha Star Venture vs. 2018 Honda Gold Wing

Transcontinental touring has become a significant category in motorcycling, so named to describe the many two-wheeled wanderers out there who lean toward long-haul, high-mileage outings. To accommodate this free-spirited mindset, Honda and Yamaha have steadily refined the machines in their respective luxury stables, producing two motorcycles which, though designed for

Jul/Aug '18

The 2018 Star Venture: Tradition Meets the Future

2018 will be remembered as the year Yamaha unveiled a new range of luxury touring in the form of the Star Venture. The bike is a deliberate cross between tradition and modernity with an alluring mix of big bore V-twin character augmented with the latest in technical gadgetry. And the

May/Jun '18

2018 Yamaha Star Eluder: Eluding Convention

Elude: to evade or escape from, as by daring, cleverness, or skill.The allure of escape has always been synonymous with motorcycles. The appointed destination of any trip often holds less importance than the act of traveling the roads between points A and B. A motorcycle will do that to

Mar/Apr '17

2017 Yamaha FZ-10: Activate Your Fazer

Yamaha’s FZ1 has had a good run since 2001, but it has been replaced by the FZ-10 this year. Still, with a YZF-R1-based engine at the center, the most notable change is a visual one. This doesn’t look like your dad’s FZ1. Welcome to the future, FZ-10.

Nov/Dec '16

2016 Yamaha XSR900: Two Wheels, Three Cylinders, High Fives!

With its latest XSR900 model, Yamaha has spawned an exciting sibling from the FZ-09, one with a neo-retro look that’ll make you nostalgic for the ‘70s.The reason for the XSR900’s styling is to appeal to young—and young at heart—riders who want an old-school look with

Jul/Aug '16

2016 Yamaha FJR1300A and ES: Sport Touring Just Got More Refined!

Sport Touring Just Got More Refined! With the introduction of the new 2016 FJR1300A and FJR1300ES models, Yamaha’s flagship sport-touring line has again been upgraded.Let’s start with a little history review. The FJR1300 series was originally introduced in Europe in 2001, but wasn’t imported to the

Mar/Apr '16

2016 Yamaha and Star Anniversary Lineup

In October of last year, Yamaha Motor Company unveiled more of its 2016 offerings at the Marconi Automotive Museum in Tustin, CA. Having already released a few models months prior—60th anniversary edition dirt bikes, the YZ250F, and YZ450F—it was high time to get the news out about the

Jul/Aug '15

2015 Yamaha YZF-R3: The Little Engine That Can

Major manufacturers build motorcycles for one reason—to sell them. Lots of market research goes into determining a manufacturer’s product portfolio, and Yamaha recognized their lineup had a hole in it. The sub-500cc motorcycle class has been growing of late. Prior to the introduction of the all-new R3, Yamaha

May/Jun '15

2015 Yamaha FJ-09: When Less Is More

Last year, Yamaha introduced the FZ-09 (known as the MT-09 in Europe) which, despite its initial flaws, has grown to be the maker’s number one seller for 2014—an MVP right out of the gate. Building upon the FZ’s price and performance success, Yamaha unveils the touring-minded FJ-09

Mar/Apr '15

2014 Yamaha Super Ténéré: Rugged, Yet Refined!

Many motorcyclists have discovered that adventure-touring motorcycles offer an excellent combination of on- and off-road performance, comfort, and practical utility. As this do-it-all market segment gains more competition and models, Yamaha has upped its game with significant improvements on a late-release 2014 Super Ténéré. There are more than a dozen

Jul/Aug '14

Comparison: BMW R 1200 GS vs Triumph 1200 Explorer XC vs Yamaha Ténéré

Just as the number of sport touring riders in the last decade or so has risen, a similar growth spurt is currently happening in the dual-sport market. Gone are the days of overnighting a CB400 to the local woodlands or piling the camping kit on your dirt bike. Currently in

Mar/Apr '14

Comparison: 2013 Yamaha FJR1300 vs 2013 Kawasaki Concours 14 Sport: Touring Title Fight

We’ve been testing two of the most popular sport-touring motorcycles across the country over the past year. A mix of interstates, rural country byways, and the tight and chaotic roads of the Smokies provided the perfect testing grounds.HistoryThe FJR was first sold in the States in 2002 and

Mar/Apr '13

2013 Yamaha FJR1300A: A Sportbike for Grownups!

Yamaha has launched its FJR1300A model for 2013 with some notable improvements that dyed-in-the-ballistic-nylon aficionados of sport touring should appreciate.It’s been a whole decade since this Yamaha model first appeared on our shores, and the bike’s capabilities, reliability, and comfort have made it a popular choice among

May/Jun '11

2011 Yamaha FZ8

As the market changes and so-called "middleweight" sportbikes creep toward quadruple-digit CCs, Yamaha's latest addition joins the party already in progress. Having been released to the Euro market last year to great success, can it attract American riders?Snagging much of the technology developed for its supersport division, Yamaha continues

Mar/Apr '11

2012 Yamaha Super Ténéré

Yamaha has been selling this new Super Ténéré adventure-touring model in Europe for several years now and is finally bringing it to North America. Ténéré (pronounced like "tay-nay-ray") is the word for "desert" in the language of the Tuareg tribe that resides in the region of the Sahara where Timbuktu

Nov/Dec '09

2009 Yamaha TMAX 500

Right after a rider on a black-and-orange, big-twin cruiser scoffed at the bike I was on, we both took off from the traffic light onto the highway, his blaring, straight exhaust pipes no doubt saving many lives as we whisked ahead. Only much to his mortification, the TMAX scooter was

May/Jun '09

2009 Yamaha FZ6R

Despite gloomy economic news, there are some bright spots to be found. As budgets tighten and used car lots fill to overflowing with once coveted gas guzzlers, two-wheel alternatives are now beginning to appeal to a much wider cross section of folks.Motorcycling as an efficient, economical form of transportation

Jan/Feb '09

2008 Yamaha FZ6

Life, as we know, is full of compromises. In a perfect world, each of us could afford a bike for going to work, one for track days, one for touring and another for carving canyons on the weekends. But then again, since Transformers would have to be real in this