Yamaha News,ENG,No.5,2007,1月,1月,The Art of Engineering,Inside the Yamaha Booth at the INTERMOT Cologne motor show,Motorcycle,Up Front,The Art of Engineering,INTERMOT Show,Toyoshi Nishida,YZF-R1,Germany,Cologne,The world looks to the Cologne show,Press Conference — bringing Yamahaʼs voice to the world,YZF-R1 Project Leader Nishida answers questions at the press conference,A gallery for the Art of Engineering,G.E.N.I.C.H. — another face of the Art of Engineering,The Yamaha Tales - Vol. 6,Yamaha pumps support agriculture in arid regions of Africa,Water pump system,YP20G,Senegal,The voices of farmers who depend on Yamaha pumps,YP30G,Delivery ceremony for new Yamaha YP30G water pump systems,Racing Express,2006 MotoGP Review Rossi and the YZR-M1 take 2nd in the season ranking,Racing,MotoGP,Valentino Rossi,YZR-M1,Colin Edwards,World Topics,Introducing The Drive by Yamaha!,Golf Car,Yamaha Golf-Car Company,Akira Sano,U.S.A.,Stan Miser,Newly accredited Silver technicians visit Japan,Mexico,Yamaha Technical Academy,Yamaha Service Managers Gather on St. Thomas,Marine,OFFSHORE MARINE SERVICES INC.,Virgin Islands,Asia, Middle East distributor meeting encourages PWC events,PWC,Malaysia,Grand Opening Ceremony for YPMV,Yamaha Motor Parts Manufacturing Vietnam,Vietnam,Chairman Hasegawa honored with the Priyadarshni Global Award,Priyadarshni Global Award,Toru Hasegawa,India,International training course for marine service instructors,Japan,Train The Trainers,“The Two Yamahas” meet in Taipei showroom,2006 Yamaha Band Contest,Yamaha Motor Town facility,CUXI,Taiwan,Yamaha KHS Music,Marine Technician Grand Prix Raises the Bar,Marine Technician Grand Prix,Yamaha Motor Australia,Australia,Yamaha TechnicalAcademy,A mechanic contest benefits participants and spectators alike,Yamaha Technical Academy Contest,Yamaha Motor Vietnam,Dealer meeting sets positive mood for 2007 season,1,200 fans delight to vintage Yamaha bikes,Tadahiko Taira,Shizuoka,Fukuroi test course,First YRA course for ATVs in West Africa,Senegal,Yamaha Riding Academy,What's New,Taking a 4-stroke Challenge to Worldʼs Top Snowmobile Competition,Snowmobile,MFJ All-Japan Snowmobile Championship,YAMAHA RACING TEAM,Robbie Malinoski,WPSA Power Sports Snowmobile Tour,YAMAHA BOSS SNOCROSS RACING TEAM,Yuji Nakazawa,The Power of the Future,International Battery, Hybrid and Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle Symposium & Exposition,FC-AQEL,Yamaha Hydrogen Fuel Cell System,Zoom In,Breathing new life into the market with a “Neo-Fashion Automatic”,MIO FINO,“MIO FINO” (Thai market name), “MIO Classico” (Vietnam market name),MIO Classico

YAMAHA MOTOR CO., LTD.JANUARY 1, 2007 ENGLISH

No.5BIMONTHLY

The Art of EngineeringInside the Yamaha Booth at the INTERMOT Cologne motor show

2 YAMAHA NEWS JANUARY 1, 2007

UP FRONT

YAMAHA NEWS JANUARY 1, 2007 3

Press Conference — bringingYamaha’s voice to the worldOn October 10, the day before the publicopening of the INTERMOT Cologneshow, a press conference was held at theYamaha booth for an eager gathering ofjournalists and media from around theworld. The flood of camera flashes thatgreeted each new model appearing infront of the press was a clear expression ofthe intensity of interest surrounding thenew Yamaha releases. Amidst the excitement, however, it wasalso clear that an especially large amountof interest was focused on the new YZF-R1. On stage, the R1’s development Pro-ject Leader Toyoshi Nishida was clearlyfull of confidence as he explained the con-cepts that his team had worked from inengineering this 5th-generation R1. Andfrom the response of the gathered journal-ists it was evident that his message wasgetting across.

For Yamaha, “art”is not limited to thethings you see inan art gallery ormuseum. If the word art is used to describe“things that achieve to excellence” or“achieving new forms of expression”or “the finest creations of humanhands” or “the skills of great masters,”then it is something that anyone canstrive for. Ever since the company’sfounding, Yamaha Motor has soughtto achieve “art” in its product cre-ation. The products of those effortswere on full view at the INTERMOTshow in Cologne, Germany, thisautumn where the theme of the Yama-ha booth was “The Art of Engineer-ing.” In this issue of Yamaha News welook at the INTERMOT show and theproducts that drew the attention ofmotorcycle fans from throughoutEurope and the world.

The world looks to the CologneshowFrom October 11-15, 2006, one of theworld’s largest motor shows for 2-wheel-ers, the “INTERMOT Cologne” - 5thInternational Motorcycle and Scooter Fair,attracted attention from throughoutEurope and the world on the city ofCologne, Germany. Among the highlightsof the Yamaha booth were the new YZF-R1 featuring the revolutionary YCC-I(Yamaha Chip Controlled Intake), the new“FZ6 (Fazer) spec 2” with a new ride anda refined new look, the remake of the air-cooled naked model XJR1300, now out-fitted with fuel injection. Together, thesemodels and others showed the latest evo-lutions in Yamaha’s “Art of Engineering.” The official attendance for the show’s fivedays was 187,000 people from 120 coun-tries. At the Yamaha booth, visitors sawnot only the popular Yamaha motorcyclesbut also ATVs and snowmobiles. And,every Yamaha model was displayed toshow the art in their sculptured form, theirtechnological excellence, their overallproduct quality and the unity of rider andmachine they are designed to bring. The

booth was truly a showcase for Yamaha’sunique type of product creation that does-n’t rely only on spec numbers and speed.

TThhee AArrtt ooff EEnnggiinneeeerriinnggTThhee AArrtt ooff EEnnggiinneeeerriinnggIINNTTEERRMMOOTT SShhooww iinn CCoollooggnnee,, GGeerrmmaannyy,, OOcctt.. 1111--1155,, 22000066

The new YZF-R1 was the centerpiece of the Yamaha models on display. As the “face” of the Yamaha booth it attracted largecrowds of visitors

Visitors of all ages weredrawn to the Yamahabooth to see, touch andstraddle the various displaymodels

The booth was a total Yamaha experi-ence with not only motorcycles butsnowmobiles, side-by-side vehicles andATVs on display

The show venue was the Cologne Messe near the RhineRiver. This 5th INTERMOT show was held in Cologne forthe first time

YZF-R1 Project Leader Nishida answers questions at the press conferenceQ: How long a period was spent on the new R1’s development project?

A: It is hard to draw a line exactly, but roughly speaking it was more than a 2-year

project. We spent more time on this model’s development than we have for models

in the past. That is why there are so many new technologies built into it.

Q: What were the main goals you set for this model?

A: First of all, our goal was to bring the handling performance to a new level, espe-

cially the performance when going into a turn. And then, we worked to get perfect

throttle control when exiting a turn.

Q: What do you personally like about this model?

A: Personally … well, of course I like the huge power this machine delivers, but

what I really like most of all is its fusion of the technology that gives it its power and

handling performance and the beauty of its styling. It is that great balance and inte-

gration of the two that really speaks of Yamaha’s unique Art of Engineering.

At the press conference Yamaha riders rode the new models onto the stage, creating an exciting feeling of intimacy with machines and the brand

Press and media from around the world crowded thevenue. Their words and images will now be sent all overthe globe

2 YAMAHA NEWS JANUARY 1, 2007

UP FRONT

YAMAHA NEWS JANUARY 1, 2007 3

Press Conference — bringingYamaha’s voice to the worldOn October 10, the day before the publicopening of the INTERMOT Cologneshow, a press conference was held at theYamaha booth for an eager gathering ofjournalists and media from around theworld. The flood of camera flashes thatgreeted each new model appearing infront of the press was a clear expression ofthe intensity of interest surrounding thenew Yamaha releases. Amidst the excitement, however, it wasalso clear that an especially large amountof interest was focused on the new YZF-R1. On stage, the R1’s development Pro-ject Leader Toyoshi Nishida was clearlyfull of confidence as he explained the con-cepts that his team had worked from inengineering this 5th-generation R1. Andfrom the response of the gathered journal-ists it was evident that his message wasgetting across.

For Yamaha, “art”is not limited to thethings you see inan art gallery ormuseum. If the word art is used to describe“things that achieve to excellence” or“achieving new forms of expression”or “the finest creations of humanhands” or “the skills of great masters,”then it is something that anyone canstrive for. Ever since the company’sfounding, Yamaha Motor has soughtto achieve “art” in its product cre-ation. The products of those effortswere on full view at the INTERMOTshow in Cologne, Germany, thisautumn where the theme of the Yama-ha booth was “The Art of Engineer-ing.” In this issue of Yamaha News welook at the INTERMOT show and theproducts that drew the attention ofmotorcycle fans from throughoutEurope and the world.

The world looks to the CologneshowFrom October 11-15, 2006, one of theworld’s largest motor shows for 2-wheel-ers, the “INTERMOT Cologne” - 5thInternational Motorcycle and Scooter Fair,attracted attention from throughoutEurope and the world on the city ofCologne, Germany. Among the highlightsof the Yamaha booth were the new YZF-R1 featuring the revolutionary YCC-I(Yamaha Chip Controlled Intake), the new“FZ6 (Fazer) spec 2” with a new ride anda refined new look, the remake of the air-cooled naked model XJR1300, now out-fitted with fuel injection. Together, thesemodels and others showed the latest evo-lutions in Yamaha’s “Art of Engineering.” The official attendance for the show’s fivedays was 187,000 people from 120 coun-tries. At the Yamaha booth, visitors sawnot only the popular Yamaha motorcyclesbut also ATVs and snowmobiles. And,every Yamaha model was displayed toshow the art in their sculptured form, theirtechnological excellence, their overallproduct quality and the unity of rider andmachine they are designed to bring. The

booth was truly a showcase for Yamaha’sunique type of product creation that does-n’t rely only on spec numbers and speed.

TThhee AArrtt ooff EEnnggiinneeeerriinnggTThhee AArrtt ooff EEnnggiinneeeerriinnggIINNTTEERRMMOOTT SShhooww iinn CCoollooggnnee,, GGeerrmmaannyy,, OOcctt.. 1111--1155,, 22000066

The new YZF-R1 was the centerpiece of the Yamaha models on display. As the “face” of the Yamaha booth it attracted largecrowds of visitors

Visitors of all ages weredrawn to the Yamahabooth to see, touch andstraddle the various displaymodels

The booth was a total Yamaha experi-ence with not only motorcycles butsnowmobiles, side-by-side vehicles andATVs on display

The show venue was the Cologne Messe near the RhineRiver. This 5th INTERMOT show was held in Cologne forthe first time

YZF-R1 Project Leader Nishida answers questions at the press conferenceQ: How long a period was spent on the new R1’s development project?

A: It is hard to draw a line exactly, but roughly speaking it was more than a 2-year

project. We spent more time on this model’s development than we have for models

in the past. That is why there are so many new technologies built into it.

Q: What were the main goals you set for this model?

A: First of all, our goal was to bring the handling performance to a new level, espe-

cially the performance when going into a turn. And then, we worked to get perfect

throttle control when exiting a turn.

Q: What do you personally like about this model?

A: Personally … well, of course I like the huge power this machine delivers, but

what I really like most of all is its fusion of the technology that gives it its power and

handling performance and the beauty of its styling. It is that great balance and inte-

gration of the two that really speaks of Yamaha’s unique Art of Engineering.

At the press conference Yamaha riders rode the new models onto the stage, creating an exciting feeling of intimacy with machines and the brand

Press and media from around the world crowded thevenue. Their words and images will now be sent all overthe globe

UP FRONT

4 YAMAHA NEWS JANUARY 1, 2007 YAMAHA NEWS JANUARY 1, 2007 5

A gallery for the Art of EngineeringThe phrase “The Art of Engineering” thatwas taken as the theme of the Yamahabooth in Cologne this time stands for theunique Yamaha ideal of not relying sim-ply on speed or specs but concentrating onemotional performance in all aspects ofthe motorcycle, from the quality of its rideto the design of its form.

G.E.N.I.C.H. — another face of theArt of Engineering The booth’s black box also had a displayof state-of-the-art technologies born ofYamaha’s G.E.N.I.C.H. engineering idealthat applies the latest electronic controltechnologies to achieve ever higher levelsof rider-machine communication andunity, such as the YCC-I (Yamaha Chip

To express this Art of Engineering con-cept with optimum clarity, a special dis-play space was prepared. To contrast thebright lighting of the surrounding boothareas, a “black box” was constructed atthe center of the Yamaha booth to create aquieter, stiller space. There in the box,three separate stages were built to displaythe new YZF-R1, a cut model of the YZF-

R1 and the FJR1300AS. The staging andthe lighting gave these inanimatemachines an almost organic glow, accent-ing their expressive faces and dynamicform, like an animal about to spring intoaction. Like the lighting of an art gallery,everything was focused on bringing outthe full artistic beauty of these Yamahamotorcycles.

Controlled Intake) and the YCC-T (Yama-ha Chip Controlled Throttle). This exhibitgave visitors a vivid visual introduction tothese revolutionary technologies and theG.E.N.I.C.H. ideal of using electroniccontrol technologies to bring rider andmachine into closer harmony than everbefore.

UP FRONT

4 YAMAHA NEWS JANUARY 1, 2007 YAMAHA NEWS JANUARY 1, 2007 5

A gallery for the Art of EngineeringThe phrase “The Art of Engineering” thatwas taken as the theme of the Yamahabooth in Cologne this time stands for theunique Yamaha ideal of not relying sim-ply on speed or specs but concentrating onemotional performance in all aspects ofthe motorcycle, from the quality of its rideto the design of its form.

G.E.N.I.C.H. — another face of theArt of Engineering The booth’s black box also had a displayof state-of-the-art technologies born ofYamaha’s G.E.N.I.C.H. engineering idealthat applies the latest electronic controltechnologies to achieve ever higher levelsof rider-machine communication andunity, such as the YCC-I (Yamaha Chip

To express this Art of Engineering con-cept with optimum clarity, a special dis-play space was prepared. To contrast thebright lighting of the surrounding boothareas, a “black box” was constructed atthe center of the Yamaha booth to create aquieter, stiller space. There in the box,three separate stages were built to displaythe new YZF-R1, a cut model of the YZF-

R1 and the FJR1300AS. The staging andthe lighting gave these inanimatemachines an almost organic glow, accent-ing their expressive faces and dynamicform, like an animal about to spring intoaction. Like the lighting of an art gallery,everything was focused on bringing outthe full artistic beauty of these Yamahamotorcycles.

Controlled Intake) and the YCC-T (Yama-ha Chip Controlled Throttle). This exhibitgave visitors a vivid visual introduction tothese revolutionary technologies and theG.E.N.I.C.H. ideal of using electroniccontrol technologies to bring rider andmachine into closer harmony than everbefore.

YAMAHA NEWS JANUARY 1, 2007 76 YAMAHA NEWS JANUARY 1, 2007

of the plants at the different stages oftheir growth to get more stable produc-tion.

a region where it is absolutely essen-tial. And that has not been easy to do. “Irrigating the fields manually withwell water using buckets is very hardwork. We used to start at 4:00 in themorning and carry water to the fieldsconstantly until about 2:00 in the after-noon. Then we would take a rest andstart carrying the buckets again at 5:00in the evening. My farm covers about7,000 sq.m. of carrot, onion, cabbageand green pepper fields, so irrigationin that way was very demanding. Wehad to bring in workers from other vil-lages to help with the work, and sincethere is no public transportation wehad to provide them with lodging andmeals as well. That was a bigexpense,” he says. That all changed when Mr. N’diayeintroduced a Yamaha pump and drip-ping irrigation system. With this sys-tem, water is pumped up to feed a sys-tem of tubes laid out across the fields.The tubes are laid in parallel at about60-70 cm intervals across the field andsmall holes are opened in the tubes at50-70 cm intervals to supply waterdirectly to the roots of each plant.“Thanks to this system we are freedfrom the hard work of manual irriga-tion under the hot sun,” says Mr. N’di-aye. What’s more, we can now adjustthe amount of water to meet the needs

There have also been other unexpectedbenefits. “When we relied on manualwatering, there was always irregularityin the amount of water each plantreceived and therefore in their growthrate. For crops like onions, there wouldbe a considerable difference in the sizeof the onions when harvested. But withthis new system the difference in sizehas been eliminated, so we get a betterprice for the harvest and that price hasalso become more stable.” Thus, thepump irrigation system has not onlyimproved production but also stabi-lized the selling price. Mr. N’diaye squints into the brightsunlight as he returns to his weeding.Now that he is freed from the work ofmanual irrigation, he has time to weedand increase the efficiency of the farmeven more.

Yamaha pumps support agri culture in arid regions of Africa

Vol.6

The Yamaha

Tales

arid region. Thewater fills a networkof long tubesstretching across thefields and drips from

small holes in thetubes to bring life-giv-

ing water to the crops. At one of these

farms, the owner,Mr. Gora N’diaye, stops

his weeding to talk to us. “Inthis region we have a rainyseason from July to Septem-ber, but the rest of the yearis one long dry season. Dur-ing the dry season we usewell water to irrigate ourcrops. In the past we reliedon manual labor for this irri-gation but now I use thisYamaha pump. It is a realblessing for us.” In this area

The voices of farmers whodepend on Yamaha pumpsIf you visit the rural town of Gabar,some 40 km south of the old Senegalcapital of St-Louis in western Africa,you will hear the quiet purr of a Yama-ha YP20G pump as it pumps up wellwater under the hot mid-day sun tonourish the crops in the fields of this

with its year-round temperature rangeof 20 to 35 degrees C., crops likepeanuts have been grown from thecolonial period. Now, with governmentsupport, the farmers are able to grow awider range of crops. Although thereare other regions of the world wherewell water is used for irrigation, this is

The vibrant voices of healthy children drown out the purr of the Yamaha pump

Besides Mr. N’diaye, several other farm-ers in his area have introduced Yamahapump systems with equal success begin-ning about two years ago. This has beenmade possible by the local aid organiza-tion MECZOP. Since it began operationsin 1999 with support from the Belgium-based NGO named AQUADEV, the orga-nization has provided education and fund-ing for fishery, agriculture and dairy farm-ing projects in about 30 towns and vil-lages. Operators who register under theorganization’s programs receive assis-tance in acquiring equipment and loansas well as instruction for developing theirindustries. “Agriculture in this region is dependent onwell water. Until recently we had a hardtime finding partners to supply us withequipment, but since we started using

Yamaha pumps two years ago we havehad no mechanical problems and thefarmers have come to trust the products.The Yamahas are easy to service andthere is a solid supply system for spareparts and service. That is why we plan toprovide local farmers with 15 more Yama-ha systems this year. Today we are cele-brating the delivery of six of those systemsto new farmers in the area,” explains Mr.Moustapha Diop, the MECZOP represen-tative. The delivery ceremony held at theMECZOP office this day gathered localfarmer recipients and agricultural officialsfrom the local government. The farmersalso received instruction in the use of theYamaha pumps from representatives ofthe Yamaha distributor CFAO Senegal.Afterward, the farmers loaded their newpumps on horse carts to return home.

Delivery ceremony for new Yamaha YP30G waterpump systems

Using large volumes of well water for agriculture brings the danger of wells drying up, but the Yamaha pump and tube system usingYamaha pumps ranging from the YP20G to the YP30G provides the most efficient agricultural use of the limited water resources

The water pumped fromthe well flows into tubes withsmall holes that bring the life-giving water directly to the roots ofeach plant. This system has also been used in the Middle East

Checking the Yamaha pump are the farm owner, Mr. N’diaye (right), Mr. Diop of theagricultural aid organization MECZOP (center) and a local employee of the Yamahadistributor CFAO Senegal

YAMAHA NEWS JANUARY 1, 2007 76 YAMAHA NEWS JANUARY 1, 2007

of the plants at the different stages oftheir growth to get more stable produc-tion.

a region where it is absolutely essen-tial. And that has not been easy to do. “Irrigating the fields manually withwell water using buckets is very hardwork. We used to start at 4:00 in themorning and carry water to the fieldsconstantly until about 2:00 in the after-noon. Then we would take a rest andstart carrying the buckets again at 5:00in the evening. My farm covers about7,000 sq.m. of carrot, onion, cabbageand green pepper fields, so irrigationin that way was very demanding. Wehad to bring in workers from other vil-lages to help with the work, and sincethere is no public transportation wehad to provide them with lodging andmeals as well. That was a bigexpense,” he says. That all changed when Mr. N’diayeintroduced a Yamaha pump and drip-ping irrigation system. With this sys-tem, water is pumped up to feed a sys-tem of tubes laid out across the fields.The tubes are laid in parallel at about60-70 cm intervals across the field andsmall holes are opened in the tubes at50-70 cm intervals to supply waterdirectly to the roots of each plant.“Thanks to this system we are freedfrom the hard work of manual irriga-tion under the hot sun,” says Mr. N’di-aye. What’s more, we can now adjustthe amount of water to meet the needs

There have also been other unexpectedbenefits. “When we relied on manualwatering, there was always irregularityin the amount of water each plantreceived and therefore in their growthrate. For crops like onions, there wouldbe a considerable difference in the sizeof the onions when harvested. But withthis new system the difference in sizehas been eliminated, so we get a betterprice for the harvest and that price hasalso become more stable.” Thus, thepump irrigation system has not onlyimproved production but also stabi-lized the selling price. Mr. N’diaye squints into the brightsunlight as he returns to his weeding.Now that he is freed from the work ofmanual irrigation, he has time to weedand increase the efficiency of the farmeven more.

Yamaha pumps support agri culture in arid regions of Africa

Vol.6

The Yamaha

Tales

arid region. Thewater fills a networkof long tubesstretching across thefields and drips from

small holes in thetubes to bring life-giv-

ing water to the crops. At one of these

farms, the owner,Mr. Gora N’diaye, stops

his weeding to talk to us. “Inthis region we have a rainyseason from July to Septem-ber, but the rest of the yearis one long dry season. Dur-ing the dry season we usewell water to irrigate ourcrops. In the past we reliedon manual labor for this irri-gation but now I use thisYamaha pump. It is a realblessing for us.” In this area

The voices of farmers whodepend on Yamaha pumpsIf you visit the rural town of Gabar,some 40 km south of the old Senegalcapital of St-Louis in western Africa,you will hear the quiet purr of a Yama-ha YP20G pump as it pumps up wellwater under the hot mid-day sun tonourish the crops in the fields of this

with its year-round temperature rangeof 20 to 35 degrees C., crops likepeanuts have been grown from thecolonial period. Now, with governmentsupport, the farmers are able to grow awider range of crops. Although thereare other regions of the world wherewell water is used for irrigation, this is

The vibrant voices of healthy children drown out the purr of the Yamaha pump

Besides Mr. N’diaye, several other farm-ers in his area have introduced Yamahapump systems with equal success begin-ning about two years ago. This has beenmade possible by the local aid organiza-tion MECZOP. Since it began operationsin 1999 with support from the Belgium-based NGO named AQUADEV, the orga-nization has provided education and fund-ing for fishery, agriculture and dairy farm-ing projects in about 30 towns and vil-lages. Operators who register under theorganization’s programs receive assis-tance in acquiring equipment and loansas well as instruction for developing theirindustries. “Agriculture in this region is dependent onwell water. Until recently we had a hardtime finding partners to supply us withequipment, but since we started using

Yamaha pumps two years ago we havehad no mechanical problems and thefarmers have come to trust the products.The Yamahas are easy to service andthere is a solid supply system for spareparts and service. That is why we plan toprovide local farmers with 15 more Yama-ha systems this year. Today we are cele-brating the delivery of six of those systemsto new farmers in the area,” explains Mr.Moustapha Diop, the MECZOP represen-tative. The delivery ceremony held at theMECZOP office this day gathered localfarmer recipients and agricultural officialsfrom the local government. The farmersalso received instruction in the use of theYamaha pumps from representatives ofthe Yamaha distributor CFAO Senegal.Afterward, the farmers loaded their newpumps on horse carts to return home.

Delivery ceremony for new Yamaha YP30G waterpump systems

Using large volumes of well water for agriculture brings the danger of wells drying up, but the Yamaha pump and tube system usingYamaha pumps ranging from the YP20G to the YP30G provides the most efficient agricultural use of the limited water resources

The water pumped fromthe well flows into tubes withsmall holes that bring the life-giving water directly to the roots ofeach plant. This system has also been used in the Middle East

Checking the Yamaha pump are the farm owner, Mr. N’diaye (right), Mr. Diop of theagricultural aid organization MECZOP (center) and a local employee of the Yamahadistributor CFAO Senegal

EXPRESSRA

CIN

GEXPRESS

RA

CIN

G

On October 29, 2006, the 17th and finalround of the 2006 MotoGP season, theValencia GP, took place in Spain. Afterround 16 of the series, the Portugal GP,defending champ Valentino Rossi stood atopthe season ranking with an 8-point lead over2nd-place Nicky Hayden (Honda).After winning pole position in the qualifying,it looked as if Rossi was in good position toride his late-season comeback to yet anotherchampionship title. But, as has happened timeand again this season, the unexpected lay in

wait here at Valencia to foil those plans andthe hopes of Rossi’s fans. On lap five Rossitook a fall, and although he was able torestart, he could only finish the race in 13thposition. That gave the season title toHayden, who finished 3rd on the day, and leftRossi just five points behind in 2nd place forthe series. The 2006 MotoGP season started off omi-nously for champ Rossi when he crashed inthe opening round. In round two at Qatar,however, Rossi came back to score his first

win of the season. Everyone thought that thechamp was back to his winning ways untilbad luck in round four in China and roundfive in France caused him to no-point tworaces in a row and fall 43 points behindHayden in the season ranking. Rossi was down but not out, and from roundsix his comeback began. Beginning with hishome race, the Italian GP, Rossi charged tothree wins and one 2nd place by round 10,the German GP. This hot streak brought himup to 2nd place in the season ranking, just 26

Road Racing World Championship - MotoGP

points behind the leader. Then misfortunestruck once again at round 11, the U.S. GP,where he was forced to drop out of the racewith just one lap remaining. This widened thegap in the season ranking to 51 points, thebiggest advantage yet. This 51-point deficit looked too large to over-come, even for Rossi. But, he and the teampledged that they would not give up until itwas over. In round 12 Rossi finished 2nd andin the next round, the Malaysian GP, hescored his fifth win of the season. In round

15, the Japan GP, Rossi finished 2nd andclosed the gap on Hayden to 12 points. Thenat round 16 in Portugal Rossi finally stoodatop the ranking for the first time. It had beena long road back from his early-season trou-bles and the disaster at the U.S. GP, but nowhe stood poised to bring Yamaha its thirdconsecutive MotoGP title. This brought Rossito the last round and the fateful fall that madehim lose the title by the slimmest of margins.Still, his never-give-up attitude and brilliantriding continued to thrill so many fans and

bring real Kando*, right down to the final lapof the season. The 2006 MotoGP season is over now andthe coming 2007 season will bring a new reg-ulation that reduces machine displacement to800cc. Since its start in 2002, Yamaha haswon the MotoGP title twice. And, as in 2006,Yamaha will compete in the MotoGP in 2007with Valentino Rossi and Colin Edwards asits works riders and a new 800cc machine.Next year the Yamaha challenge will go on.

2006 MotoGP Review Rossi and the YZR-M1 take 2nd inthe season ranking

2006 MotoGP Review Rossi and the YZR-M1 take 2nd inthe season ranking

Rd.1, Spanish GP: In the important opening race ofthe 2006 season with Rossi looking to win his sixth con-secutive title, he took a fall on the opening lap and fin-ished 14th

Rd.2, Qatar GP: Rossi scored hisfirst win of the season

Rd.3, Turkey GP: Rossi finished 4th despite a mistake in the second lap that lefthim far back in the pack

Rd.4, China GP:Edwards got a podium finishfor the first time in the sea-son. Rossi retired from therace with machine trouble

Rd.5, French GP: Edwards was the top Yamaha finisher in6th place. Rossi was forced to drop out again.

Rd.6, Italian GP: Rossi outran Hayden and Capirossi to winhis second race of the season and begin chasing the title again

Rd.7, Catalunya GP: Rossigrabbed his 3rd win of the season

Rd.8, Dutch TT: After taking a fall in the quali-fying and hurting his right wrist and left leg, Rossistarted the race from the back row. He finished 8th

Rd.9, British GP: Rossi got 2nd place despite the fact that his injuries from the Dutch TT had not yet healed

Rd.10, German GP: Rossi moved into 2nd in the season ranking with his winin this race

Rd.11, U.S. GP: Carlos Checa finished 7th, which wasthe best result among the Yamaha riders. Rossi had to retirefrom the race, which dropped his season ranking to 4th

Rd.12, Czech GP: Rossi mounted thepodium in 2nd and was ready to chase theleaders in the season ranking again

Rd.13, Malaysian GP: Rossi scored a dramatic 5th win of the season by grabbing the lead on the final lap

Rd.14, Australian GP: Rossiplaced 3rd to mount the podium for thethird consecutive round

Rd.15, Japan GP: Rossi took2nd place and closed the gap onHayden to 12 points

Rd.16, Portugal GP: Rossi’s2nd-place finish gave him top posi-tion in the season ranking whenHayden’s took a fall

*Kando is a Japanese word for the simultaneous feeling of deep satisfaction and intense excitement that people experience when they encounter something of exceptional value

Rd.17, Valencia GP: Rossi took a fall while running in 7th on lap five. He restarted, and finished 13th, which droppedhim to 2nd in the season ranking

EXPRESS

RA

CIN

G

EXPRESSRA

CIN

G

On October 29, 2006, the 17th and finalround of the 2006 MotoGP season, theValencia GP, took place in Spain. Afterround 16 of the series, the Portugal GP,defending champ Valentino Rossi stood atopthe season ranking with an 8-point lead over2nd-place Nicky Hayden (Honda).After winning pole position in the qualifying,it looked as if Rossi was in good position toride his late-season comeback to yet anotherchampionship title. But, as has happened timeand again this season, the unexpected lay in

wait here at Valencia to foil those plans andthe hopes of Rossi’s fans. On lap five Rossitook a fall, and although he was able torestart, he could only finish the race in 13thposition. That gave the season title toHayden, who finished 3rd on the day, and leftRossi just five points behind in 2nd place forthe series. The 2006 MotoGP season started off omi-nously for champ Rossi when he crashed inthe opening round. In round two at Qatar,however, Rossi came back to score his first

win of the season. Everyone thought that thechamp was back to his winning ways untilbad luck in round four in China and roundfive in France caused him to no-point tworaces in a row and fall 43 points behindHayden in the season ranking. Rossi was down but not out, and from roundsix his comeback began. Beginning with hishome race, the Italian GP, Rossi charged tothree wins and one 2nd place by round 10,the German GP. This hot streak brought himup to 2nd place in the season ranking, just 26

Road Racing World Championship - MotoGP

points behind the leader. Then misfortunestruck once again at round 11, the U.S. GP,where he was forced to drop out of the racewith just one lap remaining. This widened thegap in the season ranking to 51 points, thebiggest advantage yet. This 51-point deficit looked too large to over-come, even for Rossi. But, he and the teampledged that they would not give up until itwas over. In round 12 Rossi finished 2nd andin the next round, the Malaysian GP, hescored his fifth win of the season. In round

15, the Japan GP, Rossi finished 2nd andclosed the gap on Hayden to 12 points. Thenat round 16 in Portugal Rossi finally stoodatop the ranking for the first time. It had beena long road back from his early-season trou-bles and the disaster at the U.S. GP, but nowhe stood poised to bring Yamaha its thirdconsecutive MotoGP title. This brought Rossito the last round and the fateful fall that madehim lose the title by the slimmest of margins.Still, his never-give-up attitude and brilliantriding continued to thrill so many fans and

bring real Kando*, right down to the final lapof the season. The 2006 MotoGP season is over now andthe coming 2007 season will bring a new reg-ulation that reduces machine displacement to800cc. Since its start in 2002, Yamaha haswon the MotoGP title twice. And, as in 2006,Yamaha will compete in the MotoGP in 2007with Valentino Rossi and Colin Edwards asits works riders and a new 800cc machine.Next year the Yamaha challenge will go on.

2006 MotoGP Review Rossi and the YZR-M1 take 2nd inthe season ranking

2006 MotoGP Review Rossi and the YZR-M1 take 2nd inthe season ranking

Rd.1, Spanish GP: In the important opening race ofthe 2006 season with Rossi looking to win his sixth con-secutive title, he took a fall on the opening lap and fin-ished 14th

Rd.2, Qatar GP: Rossi scored hisfirst win of the season

Rd.3, Turkey GP: Rossi finished 4th despite a mistake in the second lap that lefthim far back in the pack

Rd.4, China GP:Edwards got a podium finishfor the first time in the sea-son. Rossi retired from therace with machine trouble

Rd.5, French GP: Edwards was the top Yamaha finisher in6th place. Rossi was forced to drop out again.

Rd.6, Italian GP: Rossi outran Hayden and Capirossi to winhis second race of the season and begin chasing the title again

Rd.7, Catalunya GP: Rossigrabbed his 3rd win of the season

Rd.8, Dutch TT: After taking a fall in the quali-fying and hurting his right wrist and left leg, Rossistarted the race from the back row. He finished 8th

Rd.9, British GP: Rossi got 2nd place despite the fact that his injuries from the Dutch TT had not yet healed

Rd.10, German GP: Rossi moved into 2nd in the season ranking with his winin this race

Rd.11, U.S. GP: Carlos Checa finished 7th, which wasthe best result among the Yamaha riders. Rossi had to retirefrom the race, which dropped his season ranking to 4th

Rd.12, Czech GP: Rossi mounted thepodium in 2nd and was ready to chase theleaders in the season ranking again

Rd.13, Malaysian GP: Rossi scored a dramatic 5th win of the season by grabbing the lead on the final lap

Rd.14, Australian GP: Rossiplaced 3rd to mount the podium for thethird consecutive round

Rd.15, Japan GP: Rossi took2nd place and closed the gap onHayden to 12 points

Rd.16, Portugal GP: Rossi’s2nd-place finish gave him top posi-tion in the season ranking whenHayden’s took a fall

*Kando is a Japanese word for the simultaneous feeling of deep satisfaction and intense excitement that people experience when they encounter something of exceptional value

Rd.17, Valencia GP: Rossi took a fall while running in 7th on lap five. He restarted, and finished 13th, which droppedhim to 2nd in the season ranking

YAMAHA NEWS JANUARY 1, 2007 1110 YAMAHA NEWS JANUARY 1, 2007

U.S.A.

On October 20, 2006, Yamaha Golf-Car Companyintroduced its new golf car, a vehicle that is revolu-tionizing the golf industry. The new car is manufac-tured on an entirely new assembly line built specifi-cally for this new car located at Yamaha MotorManufacturing Corporation’s assembly plant inNewnan, Georgia. The new car is called quite simply, The Drive. “Wefeel this name embodies what our new golf car isabout” said Will Scoggins, Marketing Manager ofYamaha Golf-Car Company. Scoggins goes on tosay that the name lends a distinctive personality tothe car. The unveiling occurred at Yamaha Golf Car’s 2007National Business Meeting held at the famous LaCosta Resort & Spa in Carlsbad California. Inattendance were several members of the pressand an anticipating audience of over 300 golf cardistributors and dealers. The car was revealed fol-lowing keynote speeches by Mr. Akira Sano, Pres-ident of Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA and Mr.Rocky Atarashi, President of Yamaha Golf-CarCompany. “You could literally feel the energywhen the car was unveiled” said Stan Miser, Divi-sion Manager of Yamaha Golf-Car Company.“Since The Drive is the company’s first all new golfcar since 1995, everyone was very excited to seeit.” Miser adds that Yamaha expects this vehicle tobe one of the key elements that takes the compa-ny to the next level.The idea behind the new vehicle was to build afleet golf car for today’s market. Miser explains:“Golf cars represent more to a course than just amember or guest convenience. In many casesthey are a major capital or lease expense andmost often the first or second largest revenue pro-ducer for a course. We feel that The Drive satisfiesthe legitimate needs of today’s golf course opera-tions while being a vehicle that is also fun to drive.”To support The Drive from a marketing perspec-tive a multi-tiered advertising campaign and newcollateral have been produced. To effectively com-municate what sets The Drive apart from the com-petition, a grass roots marketing approach focus-ing on the top 57 reasons the vehicle is superiorwas implemented. “We know we have a strongproduct” says Scoggins “This approach allows usto provide the customer with The Drive’s superiorfeature and benefit information, allowing them tomake an educated purchasing decision”.

Introducing The Driveby Yamaha!

We always welcome your contributions. Write to the editorial staff Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd.

2500 Shingai, Iwata, Shizuoka 438-8501 Japan, <yamahanews@yamaha-motor.co.jp>

Another benefit of The Drive is its low cost of own-ership. “We have the lowest maintenance require-ments in the industry” says Joel Cheek, NationalService Manager. “We have even eliminated allthe grease fittings on our car, resulting in a signifi-cant labor savings for the course”. Cheek addsthat The Drive has better fuel mileage and reducedelectrical power consumption than the competition.“Our testing shows that our competitor’s electriccars consume as much as 10% more electricalpower and our competitors use as much as 38%more fuel per round than The Drive gas. That hasa huge impact on the bottom line.”“We know what a great product we have. The truetest will be how it is received by the market” says

Rocky Atarashi. “We are anxiously watching tosee what impact the release of The Drive will haveon the market.” Atarashi adds “We are very confi-dent about this new model. Our engineering, man-ufacturing, and marketing divisions formed a unit-ed front in the concurrent development of not onlyThe Drive, but also the accessories. With this newmodel, we now have an opportunistic environmentthat will help us succeed in the electric golf carmarket and make our traditionally strong positionin the gas golf car market even stronger.To learn more about the 57 reasons The Drive isthe best golf car ever made visit the website atwww.discoverthedrive.com.From Robert Kirby, Yamaha Golf-Car Company

Mexico

From September 19 to 25, a group of 15 dealer technicians accredited inMexico’s first Yamaha Technical Academy (YTA) Silver Class trainingcourse visited Japan on a study tour and incentive package trip. Withtours of the Yamaha factories and new Global Parts Center, technicaltraining seminars and a chance to see a MotoGP race, the visiting deal-er technicians had a very meaningful trip. We want to thank everyoneinvolved in making this trip a success. From Usuda, YMMEX

Newly accredited Silver technicians visit Japan

Malaysia

On September 20 and 21, aYamaha personal watercraft(PWC) distributor meetingwas held near KualaLumpur, Malaysia, for repre-sentatives from 20 distribu-torships in Asia and the Mid-dle East. In addition to intro-ductions for the 2007 mod-els, order taking and expla-nations of business policiesfor the coming year, the distributors also attended well organized seminarson how to hold successful PWC events. Everyone pledged to help promotethe worldwide spread of PWC owner events with the eventual aim of boost-ing sales in the coming season.From Itakura, ME Company, YMC

Asia, Middle East distributormeeting encourages PWC events

All the technicians gathered for aphoto in front of the new GlobalParts Center

The 15 dealer technicians focused on acquiring newservice skills

The Asia-Middle East distributor meeting offered seminarson how to hold successful PWC events

Vietnam

On October 24, a grand open-ing ceremony was held for thenew Yamaha Motor group com-pany Yamaha Motor PartsManufacturing Vietnam(YPMV). After receivingapproval for establishment ofthe new company in January of2005, the new company, withfull support from YMC and the other group companies, began shipments ofits first aluminum parts in March of 2006 and steel parts in July of 2006.Now in full operation, the company held its grand opening ceremony withattending dignitaries including YMC’s President Kajikawa, Japanese

Ambassador to Vietnam, Mr. Hat-tori and representatives from theVietnamese government. With thecooperation of staff from YamahaMotor Vietnam the ceremony wasa big success. From Koichi Matsunaga, YPMV

Grand Opening Ceremony forYPMV

The tape cutting at the opening ceremony

YMC’s President Kajikawa addressing the gatheredguests

Virgin Islands (U.S.)

On September 7 and 8, aservice managers meetingwas convened on the islandof St. Thomas in the U.S.Virgin Islands, gathering 17representatives from 12 dis-tributorships in the

Caribbean. After presentations on the Yamaha service policies and lec-tures on specific service operations, the managers made a tour of the St.Thomas marine market and the local distributorship, OFFSHOREMARINE SERVICES INC., which boasts top-level service staff and facili-ties and was certainly informative for the managers. Everyone cameaway with a renewed consciousness of Yamaha’s “customer first”approach to service and dedication to efforts to further strengthen theservice organization and operating methods in the Caribbean region. From Minoru Fukuda, OMDO, YMC

Yamaha Service ManagersGather on St. Thomas

India

On September 19, Priyadarshni Academy, a non-profit, socio-cultural and educational organiza-tion headquartered in Mumbai, India, held The Priyadarshni Global Award ceremony at theHilton Hotel in Mumbai. YMC Chairman Toru Hasegawa was honored as one of the award’s 12recipients for his contribution in promoting CSR activities through business. The recipients areselected among those who have made outstanding contributions to humanity and the globalcommunity in 12 areas including education, culture, science, the environment, human rights,and global collaboration.In his recipient speech, Chairman Hasegawa talked about YMC’s history, profile and vision forthe future as well as the company’s CCS (Customer and Community Satisfaction) program andthe medium-term management plan “Next 50 – Phase II.”

Chairman Hasegawa honored with thePriyadarshni Global Award

Chairman Hasegawa receiving the trophy at the ceremony also attendedby India’s Minister of Commerce and Industry, Mr. Kamal Nath, (secondfrom left)

The Caribbean region Service Man-agers on St. Thomas island

YAMAHA NEWS JANUARY 1, 2007 1110 YAMAHA NEWS JANUARY 1, 2007

U.S.A.

On October 20, 2006, Yamaha Golf-Car Companyintroduced its new golf car, a vehicle that is revolu-tionizing the golf industry. The new car is manufac-tured on an entirely new assembly line built specifi-cally for this new car located at Yamaha MotorManufacturing Corporation’s assembly plant inNewnan, Georgia. The new car is called quite simply, The Drive. “Wefeel this name embodies what our new golf car isabout” said Will Scoggins, Marketing Manager ofYamaha Golf-Car Company. Scoggins goes on tosay that the name lends a distinctive personality tothe car. The unveiling occurred at Yamaha Golf Car’s 2007National Business Meeting held at the famous LaCosta Resort & Spa in Carlsbad California. Inattendance were several members of the pressand an anticipating audience of over 300 golf cardistributors and dealers. The car was revealed fol-lowing keynote speeches by Mr. Akira Sano, Pres-ident of Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA and Mr.Rocky Atarashi, President of Yamaha Golf-CarCompany. “You could literally feel the energywhen the car was unveiled” said Stan Miser, Divi-sion Manager of Yamaha Golf-Car Company.“Since The Drive is the company’s first all new golfcar since 1995, everyone was very excited to seeit.” Miser adds that Yamaha expects this vehicle tobe one of the key elements that takes the compa-ny to the next level.The idea behind the new vehicle was to build afleet golf car for today’s market. Miser explains:“Golf cars represent more to a course than just amember or guest convenience. In many casesthey are a major capital or lease expense andmost often the first or second largest revenue pro-ducer for a course. We feel that The Drive satisfiesthe legitimate needs of today’s golf course opera-tions while being a vehicle that is also fun to drive.”To support The Drive from a marketing perspec-tive a multi-tiered advertising campaign and newcollateral have been produced. To effectively com-municate what sets The Drive apart from the com-petition, a grass roots marketing approach focus-ing on the top 57 reasons the vehicle is superiorwas implemented. “We know we have a strongproduct” says Scoggins “This approach allows usto provide the customer with The Drive’s superiorfeature and benefit information, allowing them tomake an educated purchasing decision”.

Introducing The Driveby Yamaha!

We always welcome your contributions. Write to the editorial staff Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd.

2500 Shingai, Iwata, Shizuoka 438-8501 Japan, <yamahanews@yamaha-motor.co.jp>

Another benefit of The Drive is its low cost of own-ership. “We have the lowest maintenance require-ments in the industry” says Joel Cheek, NationalService Manager. “We have even eliminated allthe grease fittings on our car, resulting in a signifi-cant labor savings for the course”. Cheek addsthat The Drive has better fuel mileage and reducedelectrical power consumption than the competition.“Our testing shows that our competitor’s electriccars consume as much as 10% more electricalpower and our competitors use as much as 38%more fuel per round than The Drive gas. That hasa huge impact on the bottom line.”“We know what a great product we have. The truetest will be how it is received by the market” says

Rocky Atarashi. “We are anxiously watching tosee what impact the release of The Drive will haveon the market.” Atarashi adds “We are very confi-dent about this new model. Our engineering, man-ufacturing, and marketing divisions formed a unit-ed front in the concurrent development of not onlyThe Drive, but also the accessories. With this newmodel, we now have an opportunistic environmentthat will help us succeed in the electric golf carmarket and make our traditionally strong positionin the gas golf car market even stronger.To learn more about the 57 reasons The Drive isthe best golf car ever made visit the website atwww.discoverthedrive.com.From Robert Kirby, Yamaha Golf-Car Company

Mexico

From September 19 to 25, a group of 15 dealer technicians accredited inMexico’s first Yamaha Technical Academy (YTA) Silver Class trainingcourse visited Japan on a study tour and incentive package trip. Withtours of the Yamaha factories and new Global Parts Center, technicaltraining seminars and a chance to see a MotoGP race, the visiting deal-er technicians had a very meaningful trip. We want to thank everyoneinvolved in making this trip a success. From Usuda, YMMEX

Newly accredited Silver technicians visit Japan

Malaysia

On September 20 and 21, aYamaha personal watercraft(PWC) distributor meetingwas held near KualaLumpur, Malaysia, for repre-sentatives from 20 distribu-torships in Asia and the Mid-dle East. In addition to intro-ductions for the 2007 mod-els, order taking and expla-nations of business policiesfor the coming year, the distributors also attended well organized seminarson how to hold successful PWC events. Everyone pledged to help promotethe worldwide spread of PWC owner events with the eventual aim of boost-ing sales in the coming season.From Itakura, ME Company, YMC

Asia, Middle East distributormeeting encourages PWC events

All the technicians gathered for aphoto in front of the new GlobalParts Center

The 15 dealer technicians focused on acquiring newservice skills

The Asia-Middle East distributor meeting offered seminarson how to hold successful PWC events

Vietnam

On October 24, a grand open-ing ceremony was held for thenew Yamaha Motor group com-pany Yamaha Motor PartsManufacturing Vietnam(YPMV). After receivingapproval for establishment ofthe new company in January of2005, the new company, withfull support from YMC and the other group companies, began shipments ofits first aluminum parts in March of 2006 and steel parts in July of 2006.Now in full operation, the company held its grand opening ceremony withattending dignitaries including YMC’s President Kajikawa, Japanese

Ambassador to Vietnam, Mr. Hat-tori and representatives from theVietnamese government. With thecooperation of staff from YamahaMotor Vietnam the ceremony wasa big success. From Koichi Matsunaga, YPMV

Grand Opening Ceremony forYPMV

The tape cutting at the opening ceremony

YMC’s President Kajikawa addressing the gatheredguests

Virgin Islands (U.S.)

On September 7 and 8, aservice managers meetingwas convened on the islandof St. Thomas in the U.S.Virgin Islands, gathering 17representatives from 12 dis-tributorships in the

Caribbean. After presentations on the Yamaha service policies and lec-tures on specific service operations, the managers made a tour of the St.Thomas marine market and the local distributorship, OFFSHOREMARINE SERVICES INC., which boasts top-level service staff and facili-ties and was certainly informative for the managers. Everyone cameaway with a renewed consciousness of Yamaha’s “customer first”approach to service and dedication to efforts to further strengthen theservice organization and operating methods in the Caribbean region. From Minoru Fukuda, OMDO, YMC

Yamaha Service ManagersGather on St. Thomas

India

On September 19, Priyadarshni Academy, a non-profit, socio-cultural and educational organiza-tion headquartered in Mumbai, India, held The Priyadarshni Global Award ceremony at theHilton Hotel in Mumbai. YMC Chairman Toru Hasegawa was honored as one of the award’s 12recipients for his contribution in promoting CSR activities through business. The recipients areselected among those who have made outstanding contributions to humanity and the globalcommunity in 12 areas including education, culture, science, the environment, human rights,and global collaboration.In his recipient speech, Chairman Hasegawa talked about YMC’s history, profile and vision forthe future as well as the company’s CCS (Customer and Community Satisfaction) program andthe medium-term management plan “Next 50 – Phase II.”

Chairman Hasegawa honored with thePriyadarshni Global Award

Chairman Hasegawa receiving the trophy at the ceremony also attendedby India’s Minister of Commerce and Industry, Mr. Kamal Nath, (secondfrom left)

The Caribbean region Service Man-agers on St. Thomas island

Japan

Over the five days of October 23-27, YMC’s ME (Marine Engine) Com-pany held and intensive training session for 16 marine service represen-tatives from 12 Yamaha distributorships in 12 Middle East, Asian andSouth American countries. Called Train The Trainers (TTT), this pro-gram supports the tiered Yamaha Technical Academy (YTA) techniciancertification system, which aims to ensure ever higher levels of Yamahaservice throughout the world. Said Mr. Supangan of Philippine distributor ALS MARINE, “YTA not onlyhelps service people acquire technical skills but also stresses the impor-tant business aspects of the serviceperson’s job. We want to use it toincrease all-around customer satisfaction.” For participants intending toestablish the YTA program in their countries, this was a very fruitful fivedays. From Sugimoto, Service Div., ME Company

Taiwan

With 1.71 motorcycles per household, Taiwan is one of the biggest commutermotorcycle markets in the world. On October 28, a collaborative eventbetween the Yamaha Motor brand and the Yamaha music brand called the“2006 Yamaha Band Contest” was held. The venue for the event was theYamaha Motor Town facility in the capital, Taipei, which opened two years agoas a model showroom and information center for the Yamaha Motor brand inTaiwan. The contest was the final play-off for 22 young bands that had quali-fied in regional contests organized by Yamaha Corporation’s Taiwan companyYamaha KHS Music and its regional dealers, like the Taipei instrument dealerShin li sheng Musical Instrument Co., Ltd. that arranged this collaboration withYamaha Motor Town. Looking at the large young audience gathered for theevent, Manager of Yamaha Motor Taiwan’s PR Div., Mr. Max Chen, said,

“Events like this are meaningful forboth of us and should be contin-ued in the future as a way to pro-vide trendy new events for theyouth in Shi men ding.”From Max Chen, PR Div., YMT,Taiwan

“The Two Yamahas” meet inTaipei showroom

There was active Q&A exchange in the technical training sessions. Some of the participantswill be initiating YTA programs in their countries before year’s end

12 YAMAHA NEWS JANUARY 1, 2007 YAMAHA NEWS JANUARY 1, 2007 13

To have your topic included in Yamaha News World Topics:

1) Send us your text or an outline of the contents, making sure to specify who, what, when, where, why

and how details.

2) Also send 1 or 2 high-resolution photos with explanations.

3) Submissions received in Japan by the 20th of odd-numbered months will be considered for the next

issue.

Mexico

On October 13 and 14, Yamaha MotorMexico (YMMEX) hosted its 16th deal-er convention in Riviera Maya, locatednear the famous resort city of Cancunon the Gulf of Mexico. The conventionwas rescheduled here after last year’shad to be moved to another site due toa hurricane. Blessed by good weatherthis year, the event attracted 120 par-ticipants from 38 dealerships, includingguests and staff. Among the guestswere Mr. Nagashima, vice president ofYMUS, Mr. Uekawa, manager of YMC's Commuter Vehicle Operations andMr. Sawayanagi, manager of Parts Operations. With a theme of “It is Yamaha that makes the difference,” the convention

Dealer meeting sets positive mood for 2007 season

Notice of when your article will appear in YN will be made after

the editing process. Send your articles to us by e-mail, the edi-

torial staff, at the address below. E-mail: yamahanews@yamaha-motor.co.jp

International training coursefor marine service instructors

The crowd of music and bike fans who gath-ered for the “2006 Yamaha Band Contest”spilled out into the street in front of theYamaha Motor Town showroom

The contest venue was decorated with dis-plays of instruments and bikes like the newlyreleased “CUXI” scooter

Australia

Yamaha Motor Australia (YMA) has successfully conducted its third Yamaha TechnicalAcademy (YTA) Marine Technician Grand Prix, and the event has been hailed as thebest ever. The 2006 Marine Tech GP held at YMA headquarters in Sydney is the cul-mination of two years of YTA training activities aimed at raising the proficiency of allYamaha technicians in the Oceania market and ensuring that customers receive out-standing after-sales service. The event involved a computerised theory examinationand 11 practical tasks that covered subjects such as fault diagnosis, product knowl-edge and customer service undertaken by 11 technicians selected from over 200 appli-cants working in Yamaha dealerships across Australia and New Zealand. Following theexaminations, the technicians were treated this year to a “Yamaha Experience” wherethey sampled the products they have spend so much time working with. From Komori, Service Div., ME Company

Marine Tech GP participants are surrounded byYamaha marine service staff, YMA Director Mr.Toshizumi Kato (bottom right) and special guest,YMC Service Manager, Mr Komori (bottom left)

Marine Technician Grand PrixRaises the Bar

Perseverance pays off for Tech GP winner Bob Thomp-son who made the finals of the inaugural event in 2002

Vietnam

On October 4, the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi was the site ofthe country’s first mechanic contest with the holding of aYamaha Technical Academy Contest (YTAC). Yamaha MotorVietnam (YMVN) selected service mechanics from 14 dealer-ships (28 mechanics) from around the country to participate inthe contest, where they competed in the four categories of awritten service test, a measurement test, practical serviceskills and customer service skills. Already everyone is looking forward to next year’s contest,which will have improvements in each category and itemsinvolving CS (customer satisfaction) knowledge and skills. From Akira Nakatsuka, YMVN

The contestants takingthe written test

A mechanic contest bene-fits participants and spec-tators alike

agenda featured projected results of2006 business and plans for 2007, whichwere introduced with a message of “Let’screate attractive shops and service thatexceed customer’s expectations in orderto differentiate Yamaha from the low-priced Chinese products (currently repre-senting 70% of market) as well as theother Japanese brands.” The dealerssaid they appreciated this clear policygoal. Among the new model introduc-tions, the 2007 YZF-R1 won high

acclaim. At the test rides, dealers lined up for a chance to try out the XTZ250and later expressed their solid satisfaction.From Paula Ospina, YMMEX

Dealers and guests pose for a photo in front of YMMEX

Japan

On November 4, YMC hosted a vintage Yamaha motorcycle demo andexhibition at the company’s Fukuroi test course in Shizuoka Pref. not farfrom the YMC headquarters. This year marked the 8th holding of thisannual event aimed at keeping a group of the historic Yamaha models inrunning condition while also helping to pass on the tradition of Yamahaproduct creation and craftsmanship. At this event, some 1,200 Yamaha bike fans were thrilled to see an arrayof 20 historic production models ranging from Yamaha’s very first model,the YA-1 (1955) to the company’s first 4-stroke model, the XS-1 (1970)run the track along with race models including the 1983 GP factory racerYZR500 (OW70) and the 2005 YZR-M1 MotoGP racer.

1,200 fans delight to vintageYamaha bikes

Senegal

Over the two days of November9 and 10, the distributor inSenegal, CFAO Senegal, heldthe regional first Yamaha RidingAcademy (YRA) course forATVs on the outskirts of theSenegal capital, Dakar. This firstcourse was held for the localpolice who recently acquired aninitial order of thirty YamahaATVs to patrol the coastal areas against illegal immigrants. The 32 partic-ipating officers made rapid progress and gained confidence in using theATVs over sandy terrain. The day after this course concluded, CFAO Sene-gal held an off-road riding session for general owners and dealers of Yama-ha ATVs. In all, 30 participants gathered to receive one-point lessons andthen join an ATV touring event at a nearby lake.From Hideo Ishibashi, OMDO

First YRA course for ATVs inWest Africa

In front of a large crowd ofYamaha fans the vintage modelstoured by in force, led by the firstYamaha model YA-1

Several-time All-Japan GP champand World GP rider, TadahikoTaira, put the 1983 YZR500through its paces on the testcourse

The YRA participant police and the YamahaATVs they use to patrol the coasts for illegalentrants

Off-road riding event participants at Lake Rose, the goalof the famed Dakar Rally

Japan

Over the five days of October 23-27, YMC’s ME (Marine Engine) Com-pany held and intensive training session for 16 marine service represen-tatives from 12 Yamaha distributorships in 12 Middle East, Asian andSouth American countries. Called Train The Trainers (TTT), this pro-gram supports the tiered Yamaha Technical Academy (YTA) techniciancertification system, which aims to ensure ever higher levels of Yamahaservice throughout the world. Said Mr. Supangan of Philippine distributor ALS MARINE, “YTA not onlyhelps service people acquire technical skills but also stresses the impor-tant business aspects of the serviceperson’s job. We want to use it toincrease all-around customer satisfaction.” For participants intending toestablish the YTA program in their countries, this was a very fruitful fivedays. From Sugimoto, Service Div., ME Company

Taiwan

With 1.71 motorcycles per household, Taiwan is one of the biggest commutermotorcycle markets in the world. On October 28, a collaborative eventbetween the Yamaha Motor brand and the Yamaha music brand called the“2006 Yamaha Band Contest” was held. The venue for the event was theYamaha Motor Town facility in the capital, Taipei, which opened two years agoas a model showroom and information center for the Yamaha Motor brand inTaiwan. The contest was the final play-off for 22 young bands that had quali-fied in regional contests organized by Yamaha Corporation’s Taiwan companyYamaha KHS Music and its regional dealers, like the Taipei instrument dealerShin li sheng Musical Instrument Co., Ltd. that arranged this collaboration withYamaha Motor Town. Looking at the large young audience gathered for theevent, Manager of Yamaha Motor Taiwan’s PR Div., Mr. Max Chen, said,

“Events like this are meaningful forboth of us and should be contin-ued in the future as a way to pro-vide trendy new events for theyouth in Shi men ding.”From Max Chen, PR Div., YMT,Taiwan

“The Two Yamahas” meet inTaipei showroom

There was active Q&A exchange in the technical training sessions. Some of the participantswill be initiating YTA programs in their countries before year’s end

12 YAMAHA NEWS JANUARY 1, 2007 YAMAHA NEWS JANUARY 1, 2007 13

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Mexico

On October 13 and 14, Yamaha MotorMexico (YMMEX) hosted its 16th deal-er convention in Riviera Maya, locatednear the famous resort city of Cancunon the Gulf of Mexico. The conventionwas rescheduled here after last year’shad to be moved to another site due toa hurricane. Blessed by good weatherthis year, the event attracted 120 par-ticipants from 38 dealerships, includingguests and staff. Among the guestswere Mr. Nagashima, vice president ofYMUS, Mr. Uekawa, manager of YMC's Commuter Vehicle Operations andMr. Sawayanagi, manager of Parts Operations. With a theme of “It is Yamaha that makes the difference,” the convention

Dealer meeting sets positive mood for 2007 season

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the editing process. Send your articles to us by e-mail, the edi-

torial staff, at the address below. E-mail: yamahanews@yamaha-motor.co.jp

International training coursefor marine service instructors

The crowd of music and bike fans who gath-ered for the “2006 Yamaha Band Contest”spilled out into the street in front of theYamaha Motor Town showroom

The contest venue was decorated with dis-plays of instruments and bikes like the newlyreleased “CUXI” scooter

Australia

Yamaha Motor Australia (YMA) has successfully conducted its third Yamaha TechnicalAcademy (YTA) Marine Technician Grand Prix, and the event has been hailed as thebest ever. The 2006 Marine Tech GP held at YMA headquarters in Sydney is the cul-mination of two years of YTA training activities aimed at raising the proficiency of allYamaha technicians in the Oceania market and ensuring that customers receive out-standing after-sales service. The event involved a computerised theory examinationand 11 practical tasks that covered subjects such as fault diagnosis, product knowl-edge and customer service undertaken by 11 technicians selected from over 200 appli-cants working in Yamaha dealerships across Australia and New Zealand. Following theexaminations, the technicians were treated this year to a “Yamaha Experience” wherethey sampled the products they have spend so much time working with. From Komori, Service Div., ME Company

Marine Tech GP participants are surrounded byYamaha marine service staff, YMA Director Mr.Toshizumi Kato (bottom right) and special guest,YMC Service Manager, Mr Komori (bottom left)

Marine Technician Grand PrixRaises the Bar

Perseverance pays off for Tech GP winner Bob Thomp-son who made the finals of the inaugural event in 2002

Vietnam

On October 4, the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi was the site ofthe country’s first mechanic contest with the holding of aYamaha Technical Academy Contest (YTAC). Yamaha MotorVietnam (YMVN) selected service mechanics from 14 dealer-ships (28 mechanics) from around the country to participate inthe contest, where they competed in the four categories of awritten service test, a measurement test, practical serviceskills and customer service skills. Already everyone is looking forward to next year’s contest,which will have improvements in each category and itemsinvolving CS (customer satisfaction) knowledge and skills. From Akira Nakatsuka, YMVN

The contestants takingthe written test

A mechanic contest bene-fits participants and spec-tators alike

agenda featured projected results of2006 business and plans for 2007, whichwere introduced with a message of “Let’screate attractive shops and service thatexceed customer’s expectations in orderto differentiate Yamaha from the low-priced Chinese products (currently repre-senting 70% of market) as well as theother Japanese brands.” The dealerssaid they appreciated this clear policygoal. Among the new model introduc-tions, the 2007 YZF-R1 won high

acclaim. At the test rides, dealers lined up for a chance to try out the XTZ250and later expressed their solid satisfaction.From Paula Ospina, YMMEX

Dealers and guests pose for a photo in front of YMMEX

Japan

On November 4, YMC hosted a vintage Yamaha motorcycle demo andexhibition at the company’s Fukuroi test course in Shizuoka Pref. not farfrom the YMC headquarters. This year marked the 8th holding of thisannual event aimed at keeping a group of the historic Yamaha models inrunning condition while also helping to pass on the tradition of Yamahaproduct creation and craftsmanship. At this event, some 1,200 Yamaha bike fans were thrilled to see an arrayof 20 historic production models ranging from Yamaha’s very first model,the YA-1 (1955) to the company’s first 4-stroke model, the XS-1 (1970)run the track along with race models including the 1983 GP factory racerYZR500 (OW70) and the 2005 YZR-M1 MotoGP racer.

1,200 fans delight to vintageYamaha bikes

Senegal

Over the two days of November9 and 10, the distributor inSenegal, CFAO Senegal, heldthe regional first Yamaha RidingAcademy (YRA) course forATVs on the outskirts of theSenegal capital, Dakar. This firstcourse was held for the localpolice who recently acquired aninitial order of thirty YamahaATVs to patrol the coastal areas against illegal immigrants. The 32 partic-ipating officers made rapid progress and gained confidence in using theATVs over sandy terrain. The day after this course concluded, CFAO Sene-gal held an off-road riding session for general owners and dealers of Yama-ha ATVs. In all, 30 participants gathered to receive one-point lessons andthen join an ATV touring event at a nearby lake.From Hideo Ishibashi, OMDO

First YRA course for ATVs inWest Africa

In front of a large crowd ofYamaha fans the vintage modelstoured by in force, led by the firstYamaha model YA-1

Several-time All-Japan GP champand World GP rider, TadahikoTaira, put the 1983 YZR500through its paces on the testcourse

The YRA participant police and the YamahaATVs they use to patrol the coasts for illegalentrants

Off-road riding event participants at Lake Rose, the goalof the famed Dakar Rally

in Japan, Yamaha looks for its next bigchallenge in the world’s most competi-tive snowmobile race arena, the 2007WPSA series competed in the USA andCanada. The aims of this effort are clear:top level technological development thatwill eventually be fed back to Yamaha’sproduction models, while taking the firststep toward winning the world’s mostprestigious snowmobile race title andthus raising awareness of Yamaha’s 4-stroke models in the world’s largestsnowmobile market, North America. The name of the team that will spearheadthis challenge is the “YAMAHA BOSSSNOCROSS RACING TEAM.” Theteam riders are WPSA Pro Open Class

and Pro StockClass doublechampion inthe 2005/2006

“Yamaha Hydrogen Fuel Cell System.” Presently, YMC is continuing its fuel cellmotorcycle research and developmentefforts in the fields of both hydrogen andmethanol fuel cell systems in order to makeoptimum use of the merits of each systemin unique personal vehicles that achieveever higher levels of environmental friendli-ness and eventually lead to the pioneeringof new motorcycle markets.

class performance), which is now beingused on a lease basis by the prefecturalgovernment offices of Shizuoka Pref.where YMC’s headquarters are located. The recently unveiled FC-AQEL prototypeis a fuel cell motorcycle with 125cc classperformance that has been developedexclusively by Yamaha Motor utilizing ourstore of electric-drive technologies, controltechnologies and environment-friendlytechnologies and mounting our original

YAMAHA NEWS JANUARY 1, 2007 15

Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd.(YMC) has launched a pro-gram that will take on the newchallenge of full participationwith a 4-stroke race machine inthe world’s premier snowmo-bile race competition, the2006-2007 WPSA PowerSports Snowmobile Tour. Atthe same time Yamaha willalso continue its participationin Japan’s leading competition,the 2007 MFJ All-JapanSnowmobile Championshipseries.Yamaha’s 4-stroke snowmo-bile race program began in the2005 All-Japan Snowmobile Champion-ship under the slogan “挑 4” (4-strokeChallenge). The following year, 2006, anew “YAMAHA RACING TEAM” wasestablished with the goals of winning thetitle and focusing technical developmentof the 4-stoke machine. During that sea-son Yamaha’s ace rider, Yuji Nakazawa,raced his 4-stroke RSVector SP to com-plete dominance over the 2-stroke com-petitors and won the first season title fora 4-stroke machine in All-JapanSnowmobile Championship history.After that, there was no doubt in any-one’s mind about the great potential ofthe Yamaha 4-strokes.Now, while continuing its race activities

season, Robbie Malinoski, and thedefending MFJ All-Japan series champi-on in the Super Class, Yuji Nakazawa.The machine that they will ride in theirattempt to win the WPSA Pro OpenClass title in the world’s pinnacleSnocross competition is the new 4-strokeengine powered Yamaha “RSNytro.”This new race program represents yetanother Yamaha challenge to win andcreate Kando* with 4-stroke machines atthe very highest level of internationalmotor sports.

14 YAMAHA NEWS JANUARY 1, 2007

Yamaha’s hydrogen fuel cellsystem adopts a hybrid sys-tem employing a secondarybattery to achieve highly effi-cient power output. It alsoadopts metal separators in thefuel cells to achieve a morecompact, lightweight design.Mounting two high-pressure(35Mpa) fuel tanks, the FC-AQEL boasts plenty of run-ning distance between refuel-ing. The drive unit adoptstechnologies from the ultra-thin Yamaha Integrated Power

Unit (YIPU) developed for Yamaha’s electric commuter models. And, this unit is integrated into therear arm to help achieve drive performance and compactness that doesn’t compromise on the inher-ent ease of use you expect from a motorcycle.

The FC-AQEL was exhibited at the 22nd International Battery,Hybrid and Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle Symposium & Exposition(EVS22) held from Oct. 23 to 28

Round 1 Nov. 26 Minnesota / Duluth Nationals

Round 2 Dec. 17 Michigan / Michigan Nationals

Round 3 Jan. 14 Minnesota / Air Force Canterbury Snocross

Round 4 Jan. 28 Colorado / Winter X-Games 11

Round 5 Feb. 11 New York / Eastern National

Round 6 Feb. 18 Quebec, Canada / Grand Prix de Valcourt

Round 7 Feb. 25 Wisconsin / Eagle River Snowcross National

Round 8 Mar. 11 Montana / West Yellowstone Snocross

Round 9 Mar. 18 Wisconsin / Neilson Enterprises Grand Final

2006-2007 WPSA Snocross race schedule

Photo from the 2006 All-Japan Snowmobile Championships

Taking a 4-stroke Challenge to World’sTop Snowmobile Competition Taking a 4-stroke Challenge to World’sTop Snowmobile Competition

Robbie Malinoski Yuji Nakazawa

At the Yamaha domestic 2006-07 racing team press introduction event*Kando is a Japanese word for the simultaneous feeling of deep satisfaction and intense excitementthat people experience when they encounter something of exceptional value

The Power of the FutureThe Power of the FutureYamaha Motor Co., Ltd. (YMC) has suc-ceeded in the development of a fuel cellmotorcycle named the “FC-AQEL” with asystem that runs on hydrogen gas fuel sup-plied from high-pressure tanks. This modelhas been introduced as a special exhibitionmodel at the 22nd International Battery,Hybrid and Fuel Cell Electric VehicleSymposium & Exposition held in Japan. Yamaha Motor believes that the spread ofcompact personal vehicles contributes tothe reduction of the overall environmentalimpact of today’s society, and based on thispolicy, we have developed and brought tothe market electric commuter vehicles likethe Passol and EC-02 that run solely onelectricity.Meanwhile, Yamaha has also beeninvolved in fuel cell research for more than20 years, which led to the introduction ofthe our exclusive “Yamaha DirectMethanol Fuel Cell System” in 2003. Andin 2005, we succeeded in the developmentof the fuel cell motorcycle “FC-me” (50cc-

RadiatorHydrogen tank

Air filter

Air pump

Fuel cell module

Battery

Water pump

Regulator

Yamaha Hydrogen Fuel Cell System

FC-AQEL: FC stands for Fuel Cell and AQEL is a combination of the Italianfor water, Acqua, and Electric

in Japan, Yamaha looks for its next bigchallenge in the world’s most competi-tive snowmobile race arena, the 2007WPSA series competed in the USA andCanada. The aims of this effort are clear:top level technological development thatwill eventually be fed back to Yamaha’sproduction models, while taking the firststep toward winning the world’s mostprestigious snowmobile race title andthus raising awareness of Yamaha’s 4-stroke models in the world’s largestsnowmobile market, North America. The name of the team that will spearheadthis challenge is the “YAMAHA BOSSSNOCROSS RACING TEAM.” Theteam riders are WPSA Pro Open Class

and Pro StockClass doublechampion inthe 2005/2006

“Yamaha Hydrogen Fuel Cell System.” Presently, YMC is continuing its fuel cellmotorcycle research and developmentefforts in the fields of both hydrogen andmethanol fuel cell systems in order to makeoptimum use of the merits of each systemin unique personal vehicles that achieveever higher levels of environmental friendli-ness and eventually lead to the pioneeringof new motorcycle markets.

class performance), which is now beingused on a lease basis by the prefecturalgovernment offices of Shizuoka Pref.where YMC’s headquarters are located. The recently unveiled FC-AQEL prototypeis a fuel cell motorcycle with 125cc classperformance that has been developedexclusively by Yamaha Motor utilizing ourstore of electric-drive technologies, controltechnologies and environment-friendlytechnologies and mounting our original

YAMAHA NEWS JANUARY 1, 2007 15

Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd.(YMC) has launched a pro-gram that will take on the newchallenge of full participationwith a 4-stroke race machine inthe world’s premier snowmo-bile race competition, the2006-2007 WPSA PowerSports Snowmobile Tour. Atthe same time Yamaha willalso continue its participationin Japan’s leading competition,the 2007 MFJ All-JapanSnowmobile Championshipseries.Yamaha’s 4-stroke snowmo-bile race program began in the2005 All-Japan Snowmobile Champion-ship under the slogan “挑 4” (4-strokeChallenge). The following year, 2006, anew “YAMAHA RACING TEAM” wasestablished with the goals of winning thetitle and focusing technical developmentof the 4-stoke machine. During that sea-son Yamaha’s ace rider, Yuji Nakazawa,raced his 4-stroke RSVector SP to com-plete dominance over the 2-stroke com-petitors and won the first season title fora 4-stroke machine in All-JapanSnowmobile Championship history.After that, there was no doubt in any-one’s mind about the great potential ofthe Yamaha 4-strokes.Now, while continuing its race activities

season, Robbie Malinoski, and thedefending MFJ All-Japan series champi-on in the Super Class, Yuji Nakazawa.The machine that they will ride in theirattempt to win the WPSA Pro OpenClass title in the world’s pinnacleSnocross competition is the new 4-strokeengine powered Yamaha “RSNytro.”This new race program represents yetanother Yamaha challenge to win andcreate Kando* with 4-stroke machines atthe very highest level of internationalmotor sports.

14 YAMAHA NEWS JANUARY 1, 2007

Yamaha’s hydrogen fuel cellsystem adopts a hybrid sys-tem employing a secondarybattery to achieve highly effi-cient power output. It alsoadopts metal separators in thefuel cells to achieve a morecompact, lightweight design.Mounting two high-pressure(35Mpa) fuel tanks, the FC-AQEL boasts plenty of run-ning distance between refuel-ing. The drive unit adoptstechnologies from the ultra-thin Yamaha Integrated Power

Unit (YIPU) developed for Yamaha’s electric commuter models. And, this unit is integrated into therear arm to help achieve drive performance and compactness that doesn’t compromise on the inher-ent ease of use you expect from a motorcycle.

The FC-AQEL was exhibited at the 22nd International Battery,Hybrid and Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle Symposium & Exposition(EVS22) held from Oct. 23 to 28

Round 1 Nov. 26 Minnesota / Duluth Nationals

Round 2 Dec. 17 Michigan / Michigan Nationals

Round 3 Jan. 14 Minnesota / Air Force Canterbury Snocross

Round 4 Jan. 28 Colorado / Winter X-Games 11

Round 5 Feb. 11 New York / Eastern National

Round 6 Feb. 18 Quebec, Canada / Grand Prix de Valcourt

Round 7 Feb. 25 Wisconsin / Eagle River Snowcross National

Round 8 Mar. 11 Montana / West Yellowstone Snocross

Round 9 Mar. 18 Wisconsin / Neilson Enterprises Grand Final

2006-2007 WPSA Snocross race schedule

Photo from the 2006 All-Japan Snowmobile Championships

Taking a 4-stroke Challenge to World’sTop Snowmobile Competition Taking a 4-stroke Challenge to World’sTop Snowmobile Competition

Robbie Malinoski Yuji Nakazawa

At the Yamaha domestic 2006-07 racing team press introduction event*Kando is a Japanese word for the simultaneous feeling of deep satisfaction and intense excitementthat people experience when they encounter something of exceptional value

The Power of the FutureThe Power of the FutureYamaha Motor Co., Ltd. (YMC) has suc-ceeded in the development of a fuel cellmotorcycle named the “FC-AQEL” with asystem that runs on hydrogen gas fuel sup-plied from high-pressure tanks. This modelhas been introduced as a special exhibitionmodel at the 22nd International Battery,Hybrid and Fuel Cell Electric VehicleSymposium & Exposition held in Japan. Yamaha Motor believes that the spread ofcompact personal vehicles contributes tothe reduction of the overall environmentalimpact of today’s society, and based on thispolicy, we have developed and brought tothe market electric commuter vehicles likethe Passol and EC-02 that run solely onelectricity.Meanwhile, Yamaha has also beeninvolved in fuel cell research for more than20 years, which led to the introduction ofthe our exclusive “Yamaha DirectMethanol Fuel Cell System” in 2003. Andin 2005, we succeeded in the developmentof the fuel cell motorcycle “FC-me” (50cc-

RadiatorHydrogen tank

Air filter

Air pump

Fuel cell module

Battery

Water pump

Regulator

Yamaha Hydrogen Fuel Cell System

FC-AQEL: FC stands for Fuel Cell and AQEL is a combination of the Italianfor water, Acqua, and Electric

Printed in Japanhttp://www.yamaha-motor.co.jp

YAMAHA MOTOR CO., LTD. Corporate Communication Dept. 2500 Shingai, Iwata, Shizuoka, 438-8501 Japan Tel: 81-538-32-1145, Fax: 81-538-37-4250

Z O O M I N

more fashionable look, and even milder,more pleasurable ride and a classicalmotor scooter appeal. This new modelwas given the name “MIO FINO” in theimportant Thai market and “MIO Classi-co” in the rapidly growing Vietnam mar-ket. The basic performance is a more maturedevelopment of the MIO, while thebiggest difference is all-new body lines.These are body lines that blend togethera “contemporary sense” and a “classicalimage” and integrate all the parts into aunified body design with a warm appealto its form that has not been seen in auto-matic models until now.In the ASEAN region’s automatic com-muter market dominated by models with“sporty” or “casual” design concepts, theMIO FINO and MIO Classico havearrived like a breath of fresh air. Andthey are sure to consolidate Yamaha’sposition as the leading maker in thegrowing automatic commuter market.

especially those entering the motorcyclemarket for the first time. And the resultwas that once again Yamaha found itselfthe leader of a popular new category ofits own making: the automatic commutermotorcycle. However, Yamaha did not stop long toenjoy this new success. No sooner hadthe MIO and this new category becomepopular than customers in the market-place began to ask for more automaticcommuter models with new value andproduct qualities. To answer this new call from the market,Yamaha created a new MIO with an even

The ASEAN region countries ofIndonesia, Malaysia, the Philip-pines, Thailand and Vietnam rep-

resent one of the most dynamic motorcy-cle markets in the world today, with acombined annual demand of over ninemillion units. In this giant market, one ofthe best-selling Yamaha models is theautomatic transmission commuter bike“MIO” that was released in 2004. In thismarket where mopeds had long been thepopular form of motorcycle, the MIOquickly won a strong following primarilyamong younger first-time customersthanks to its easy-to-handle size, the easeof ride and operation with its automatictransmission and its stylish design. All ofthese traits made the Mio popular amongactive, trend-conscious young people,

Z O O M I N

Breathing new life into the marketwith a “Neo-Fashion Automatic”“MIO FINO” (Thai market name), “MIO Classico” (Vietnam market name)

Breathing new life into the marketwith a “Neo-Fashion Automatic”“MIO FINO” (Thai market name), “MIO Classico” (Vietnam market name)

The photo shows “MIO FINO”