Yamaha News,ENG,No.2,2007,6月,6月,Street Smart,Motorcycle,Majesty 250,Up Front,A Next-generation Majesty 250 is Born,Majesty,Yamaha Chip Controlled Automatic Transmission,Mounting the fourth major G.E.N.I.C.H. concept feature, YCC-AT,In pursuit of a next-generation ride and performance,Explanations of terms,Explanation of features,The Majesty 250 challenge, a story of technology and design,Revolutionary design,Functions that speak of premium quality,Racing Express,The road to reclaiming the title,Racing,MotoGP,FIAT Yamaha Team,Makoto Tamada,YZR-M1,Coppins running away in series lead!,MX1,Dunlop Tech3 Yamaha Team,Sylvain Guintoli,YZ450FM,Yamaha headed toward seventh consecutive championship,MX2,Yamaha Motocross Team,Valentino Rossi,Cairoli sweeps first five rounds!,Colin Edwards,Joshu Coppins,Marc de Reuver,Antonio Cairoli,World Topics,Latin American Distributor Meeting held in Miami,Marine,Yamaha Marine Distributor Meeting,Latin America,Miami,Marine Distributor Meeting held in Miami,Caribbean and Central America Marine Meeting,Caribbean and Central America,TYM enhances competitive advantage with new Parts and Service Center,Thai Yamaha Motor,Thailand,Parts and Service Center,Engine,Ford Taurus SHO,U.S.A.,Building a stronger spare parts supply network,KBA,Noritaka Shibata of,Indonesia,Yamaha Motor Distribution Singapore Pte. Ltd.,Trainees to become official ATV instructors under YRA program,ATV,United Arab Emirates,Umm Al Quiwain Emirate,Yamaha Riding Academy,Thai Yamaha Motor supports social contribution activity under royal patronage,HRH Princess Sirindhorn,Nouvo,2007 Yamaha Race Training program helps put national race teams in pole position,Yamaha Race Training,Yamaha Europe's Racing Division,Spain,Bay Breeze Marina & Storage Ltd. opens new showroom,Bay Breeze Marina & Storage Ltd.,XJ900P,The Bahamas,5th Yamaha European Technician Grand Prix,5th Yamaha European Technician Grand Prix,Yamaha Motor Europe,The Netherlands,What's New,ANew Challenge, Life Science,Astivo,Yamaha Motorʼs Life Science Business,Astaxanthin PURESTA,PURESTA Oil 80,PURESTA W-05,Astaxanthin “ASTIVO”,Zoom In,Yamahaʼs new V-ixion redefines the basic street model,V-ixion

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

No.2BIMONTHLY

Street Smart

Yamaha has raised the bar in the big scooter

category with a completely redesigned and re-

engineered Majesty 250. New systems based

on Yamaha’s G.E.N.I.C.H. engineering ideal

take performance to the next level and blend

with the new styling based on a “seamless”

and low look concept to create a unique new

Majesty with an air of premium quality.

2 YAMAHA NEWS JUNE 1, 2007

UP FRONT

YAMAHA NEWS JUNE 1, 2007 3

to develop another pair of revolutionarysystems based on the G.E.N.I.C.H. designideal of employing electronic control sys-tems to achieve greater rider-machineunity. The new systems are called theYamaha Chip Controlled AutomaticTransmission (YCC-AT) and the accom-panying Intelligent Shift (I-S) mecha-nism. YCC-AT is a system that allows the riderto change the functioning characteristicsof the CVT automatic transmission basedon the riding conditions simply by press-ing the mode switch. The rider choosesbetween three modes, a Drive Mode, anAssist I Mode and an Assist II Mode. To further bring out the effectiveness ofthis YCC-AT system, the I-S system isadded. This system uses an I-S switch onthe left handlebar to enable an “I-ShiftDown” function and an “I-Shift Up”function that is activated with a quickaction of the throttle when running in the“Assist II Mode.” Taira explains the aim in developing thissystem: “On a manual transmission bike,the rider will downshift at times likewhen passing another vehicle or whencoming out of a turn in order to be able toaccelerate at will. We wanted to develop asystem that could do this as easily andefficiently as possible, as fitting for anautomatic transmission model.” The biggest difference between this I-Ssystem and conventional systems is thatthere is no concept of shifting between2nd, 3rd and 4th gears. With I-ShiftDown, the rider simply presses the I-S

Reaching beyond the Sports Sedan bike category pioneered by Yamaha itself Everything in the areas of design, drivability, stability and equipment was completely reviewed in order to build the next-generation Majesty 250 and raise the bar to new heights in this category. Here is a look at the engineering and technologiesthat gave birth to the new Majesty.

models with value-added features likebutton-operated manual transmissions toincrease product value. In the face of these trends, Yamaha choseto develop a new Majesty 250 that tookall the performance aspects of the bigscooters to a completely new level. Oneof the primary objectives was to improvethe machine’s drivability. This involved asearch for a uniquely Yamaha type ofmanual transmission with a different feelfrom those of the other makers. Says the new Majesty’s developmentProject Leader, Tomoo Taira, “The other

makers that have brought out manualtransmission models are makers who ini-tially developed such systems for theirautomobiles. We, as a motorcycle makerprimarily, wanted to come up with some-thing different that was truly motorcycle-specific.” He adds, “We returned to thebasic fact that a motorcycle is a vehiclethat involves more direct, physical humanaction to ride than a car, and based on thatwe set a development policy of ease ofoperation to enable greater concentrationon the act of riding.”To realize this aim, Yamaha’s answer was

AA NNeexxtt--ggeenneerraattiioonnMMaajjeessttyy 225500 iiss BBoorrnnAA NNeexxtt--ggeenneerraattiioonnMMaajjeessttyy 225500 iiss BBoorrnnMMoouunnttiinngg tthhee ffoouurrtthh mmaajjoorr GG..EE..NN..II..CC..HH.. ccoonncceepptt ffeeaattuurree,, YYCCCC--AATT

In pursuit of a next-generation rideand performanceThe first Majesty debuted in 1995. Initial-ly it was developed to target riders in their30s and 40s, but its outstanding ridingcomfort and utility as well as its sportyride and refined good looks soon won it adevoted following among a broad spec-trum of users ranging from under-20s toover-60s. And almost overnight it hadestablished a whole new category of bikein Japan known as the big scooters. Asthe new category grew in popularity andsales, the various makers introduced new

switch whenever they feel that they wantto accelerate and the system automatical-ly downshifts to the most suitable rpmbased on the running conditions at thatmoment. Another unique characteristic of this sys-tem is that the button shifting is only usedfor the downshifting function. “With con-ventional systems the up-shift button wasseldom used because riders simply foundit to be bothersome. In other words, it did-n’t fit the sensibilities of an automaticbike rider. So, we decided that a button-shift function would only be used for thedown-shift operation, when the will of therider to accelerate is strong, and the up-shift function would be operated naturally

from the throttle. We felt that fit the sensi-bilities of the automatic bike rider best.”This how Yamaha’s unique manual sys-tem was created. Initially it was decided what to have therider do and what to have the machine doin order to achieve the convenience andcomfort to enable the rider to concentrateon riding. The YCC-AT and I-S systemswere developed as the central functions.Then a variety of other features wereworked into the engine and the chassis.The result is a true “next-generation”Majesty 250 that not only offers greaterutility but also adds the satisfaction ofbeing able to accelerate at will and reallysavor the joys of riding.

Explanations of termsDrive Mode: This mode provides an automatic transmission character that is set forthe optimum balance of enjoyment, smoothness and fuel economy. It is designed toaccommodate all types of normal riding conditions. Assist I Mode: In this mode the transmission is set at somewhat lower gear ratios inthe low- to mid-speed range and the engine rpm higher so that the rider enjoys amore direct feeling of engine power. Assist II Mode: While maintaining the same transmission setting as Assist I Mode,this mode has the added function of allowing the rider to up-shift at will by an actionof opening the throttle up sharply for an instant. This provides a sportier riding feelingwhere the rider can enjoy “changing gears” as running speed increases.

The I-S switch is positioned on the left handlebar andmakes it possible to down-shift with a simple touch of theswitch

This is the mode switch that enables the new YCC-ATtransmission. With this switch on the right handlebar, therider can choose freely between running modes basedon road conditions or rider taste

*Majesty 250 is a Japanese market model only

2 YAMAHA NEWS JUNE 1, 2007

UP FRONT

YAMAHA NEWS JUNE 1, 2007 3

to develop another pair of revolutionarysystems based on the G.E.N.I.C.H. designideal of employing electronic control sys-tems to achieve greater rider-machineunity. The new systems are called theYamaha Chip Controlled AutomaticTransmission (YCC-AT) and the accom-panying Intelligent Shift (I-S) mecha-nism. YCC-AT is a system that allows the riderto change the functioning characteristicsof the CVT automatic transmission basedon the riding conditions simply by press-ing the mode switch. The rider choosesbetween three modes, a Drive Mode, anAssist I Mode and an Assist II Mode. To further bring out the effectiveness ofthis YCC-AT system, the I-S system isadded. This system uses an I-S switch onthe left handlebar to enable an “I-ShiftDown” function and an “I-Shift Up”function that is activated with a quickaction of the throttle when running in the“Assist II Mode.” Taira explains the aim in developing thissystem: “On a manual transmission bike,the rider will downshift at times likewhen passing another vehicle or whencoming out of a turn in order to be able toaccelerate at will. We wanted to develop asystem that could do this as easily andefficiently as possible, as fitting for anautomatic transmission model.” The biggest difference between this I-Ssystem and conventional systems is thatthere is no concept of shifting between2nd, 3rd and 4th gears. With I-ShiftDown, the rider simply presses the I-S

Reaching beyond the Sports Sedan bike category pioneered by Yamaha itself Everything in the areas of design, drivability, stability and equipment was completely reviewed in order to build the next-generation Majesty 250 and raise the bar to new heights in this category. Here is a look at the engineering and technologiesthat gave birth to the new Majesty.

models with value-added features likebutton-operated manual transmissions toincrease product value. In the face of these trends, Yamaha choseto develop a new Majesty 250 that tookall the performance aspects of the bigscooters to a completely new level. Oneof the primary objectives was to improvethe machine’s drivability. This involved asearch for a uniquely Yamaha type ofmanual transmission with a different feelfrom those of the other makers. Says the new Majesty’s developmentProject Leader, Tomoo Taira, “The other

makers that have brought out manualtransmission models are makers who ini-tially developed such systems for theirautomobiles. We, as a motorcycle makerprimarily, wanted to come up with some-thing different that was truly motorcycle-specific.” He adds, “We returned to thebasic fact that a motorcycle is a vehiclethat involves more direct, physical humanaction to ride than a car, and based on thatwe set a development policy of ease ofoperation to enable greater concentrationon the act of riding.”To realize this aim, Yamaha’s answer was

AA NNeexxtt--ggeenneerraattiioonnMMaajjeessttyy 225500 iiss BBoorrnnAA NNeexxtt--ggeenneerraattiioonnMMaajjeessttyy 225500 iiss BBoorrnnMMoouunnttiinngg tthhee ffoouurrtthh mmaajjoorr GG..EE..NN..II..CC..HH.. ccoonncceepptt ffeeaattuurree,, YYCCCC--AATT

In pursuit of a next-generation rideand performanceThe first Majesty debuted in 1995. Initial-ly it was developed to target riders in their30s and 40s, but its outstanding ridingcomfort and utility as well as its sportyride and refined good looks soon won it adevoted following among a broad spec-trum of users ranging from under-20s toover-60s. And almost overnight it hadestablished a whole new category of bikein Japan known as the big scooters. Asthe new category grew in popularity andsales, the various makers introduced new

switch whenever they feel that they wantto accelerate and the system automatical-ly downshifts to the most suitable rpmbased on the running conditions at thatmoment. Another unique characteristic of this sys-tem is that the button shifting is only usedfor the downshifting function. “With con-ventional systems the up-shift button wasseldom used because riders simply foundit to be bothersome. In other words, it did-n’t fit the sensibilities of an automaticbike rider. So, we decided that a button-shift function would only be used for thedown-shift operation, when the will of therider to accelerate is strong, and the up-shift function would be operated naturally

from the throttle. We felt that fit the sensi-bilities of the automatic bike rider best.”This how Yamaha’s unique manual sys-tem was created. Initially it was decided what to have therider do and what to have the machine doin order to achieve the convenience andcomfort to enable the rider to concentrateon riding. The YCC-AT and I-S systemswere developed as the central functions.Then a variety of other features wereworked into the engine and the chassis.The result is a true “next-generation”Majesty 250 that not only offers greaterutility but also adds the satisfaction ofbeing able to accelerate at will and reallysavor the joys of riding.

Explanations of termsDrive Mode: This mode provides an automatic transmission character that is set forthe optimum balance of enjoyment, smoothness and fuel economy. It is designed toaccommodate all types of normal riding conditions. Assist I Mode: In this mode the transmission is set at somewhat lower gear ratios inthe low- to mid-speed range and the engine rpm higher so that the rider enjoys amore direct feeling of engine power. Assist II Mode: While maintaining the same transmission setting as Assist I Mode,this mode has the added function of allowing the rider to up-shift at will by an actionof opening the throttle up sharply for an instant. This provides a sportier riding feelingwhere the rider can enjoy “changing gears” as running speed increases.

The I-S switch is positioned on the left handlebar andmakes it possible to down-shift with a simple touch of theswitch

This is the mode switch that enables the new YCC-ATtransmission. With this switch on the right handlebar, therider can choose freely between running modes basedon road conditions or rider taste

*Majesty 250 is a Japanese market model only

UP FRONT

4 YAMAHA NEWS JUNE 1, 2007 YAMAHA NEWS JUNE 1, 2007 5

Revolutionary designThe most distinctive feature of thenew Majesty’s design is its “seam-less” look and low-slung shape.These qualities are achieved byusing the same color for the sectionsextending from the cowling to thefront compartment, along the floortunnel and on through the tail end ina way that gives a seamless impres-sion. It also creates a sense ofsculptured volume that gives visualexpression to the sportiness andsmoothness of the new Majesty’sperformance. There is also the “center console”design concept that groups themeters and switches near themachine’s center l ine and addsaccent touches of metal-like paintfinishes to give a look of both func-tionality and high quality. In developing the new Majesty theexterior design was viewed from thebeginning as another form of perfor-mance that helps achieve higher lev-els of utility, comfort and sportiness.This combines with the quality of theride and the environment-friendlyperformance to add a heightenedsense of premium product quality.

The Majesty 250 challenge, a storyof technology and designThe features that have given the newMajesty the enjoyable and smooth ridethat sets it apart from any existing modelin the big scooter class are more than justthe YCC-AT and the I-S system. Featuresof the newly designed engine and framesuch as the new progressive pivot enginemounting system and the newly adoptedMonocross suspension also contributegreatly to the quality of the ride. And, atthe same time they also make possiblenew functions and design aspects that fur-ther heighten the overall product value ofthe new Majesty. Among the numerous improvements, theprogressive pivot type engine mountingsystem is a central feature. This systemwas made possible by a Yamaha-exclu-sive anti-vibration concept. Numerous bigscooters until now have adopted linkedtype engine mounts to reduce vibration.Unlike these, however, the new Yamahasystem mounts the engine unit directly tothe chassis in a position that is close to thecenter of motion of the machine as awhole, so that engine vibration andmachine motion resulting from things like

bumps in the road can be dealt with as asingle set of forces in a way that reducesvibration very effectively. This new mount system also opened upspace in the rear assembly that made itpossible to adopt a Monocross suspension.This further increases rider comfort byreducing the vibration in the vertical direc-tion that is particularly uncomfortable forthe rider and re-directing vibration fromthe road surface from the vertical to thehorizontal direction of forward motion. These mount system and suspensionchanges also provided greater design free-dom in terms of the overall chassis layoutthat enabled a more compact body designand a lower center of gravity that alsoimproves leg reach to the ground. It alsomade possible a generous 60 liters worthof storage compartment space in an easy-to-use configuration. These are just someof the examples of how Yamaha is con-stantly applying innovative ideas and newtechnologies to the ongoing challenge ofbuilding products that exceed the expecta-tions of our customers.

The new progressive pivot mount system thatenabled a high-level fusion of excellent handlingstability, increased storage space and a lowercenter of gravity

The 250cc liquid-cooled 4-stroke, SOHC, single-cylinder 4-valve engine with fuel injection ensuressporty performance as well as comfortable ridingin around-town use

Explanation of features

To achieve smarter, moreefficient operability, themain operative functionsare gathered toward thecenter of the front panel.The 3-in-line meters dis-play running mode infor-mation and trip informa-tion in easy-to-read formthat is not only pleasingin design but also morepractical in use

The revolutionary exteriordesign with its completely newconcept of a seamless look andlow-slung shape also contributesto greater ease of leg reach tothe ground (700 mm), easiermounting and dismounting,increased on-board comfort andmore effortless maneuverability

Functions that speak of premium qualityOne of the notable new functions is the two-way opening maintrunk. The front- and rear-opening seat sections give a fuller view ofthe contents of the storage compartment and make for easier pack-ing and unpacking. Also adopted is Yamaha’s first smart key system. When the ownercarrying the smart key on his or her person comes near the machine,the system automatically performs a verification process and then all the owner needs to do is press the main switch to bring theMajesty 250 to life. The lock on the main trunk and the front trunk onthe left-hand side can also be unlocked from the key. What’s more,by eliminating the need for a key cylinder, the smart key system alsoenables a cleaner left-right symmetrical design to the front panel thatincreases the sense of unity and the look of quality finish.

Below the front- and rear-opening seat is a storage space 107 cm in length and witha total volume of 60 liters

The main switch in the center of the console turns the elec-trical system on and off and the opening switches on theright and left operate the left-hand side front compartmentlock, the seat lock and the fuel tank lid lock

The smart key performs avariety of functions with asingle action

UP FRONT

4 YAMAHA NEWS JUNE 1, 2007 YAMAHA NEWS JUNE 1, 2007 5

Revolutionary designThe most distinctive feature of thenew Majesty’s design is its “seam-less” look and low-slung shape.These qualities are achieved byusing the same color for the sectionsextending from the cowling to thefront compartment, along the floortunnel and on through the tail end ina way that gives a seamless impres-sion. It also creates a sense ofsculptured volume that gives visualexpression to the sportiness andsmoothness of the new Majesty’sperformance. There is also the “center console”design concept that groups themeters and switches near themachine’s center l ine and addsaccent touches of metal-like paintfinishes to give a look of both func-tionality and high quality. In developing the new Majesty theexterior design was viewed from thebeginning as another form of perfor-mance that helps achieve higher lev-els of utility, comfort and sportiness.This combines with the quality of theride and the environment-friendlyperformance to add a heightenedsense of premium product quality.

The Majesty 250 challenge, a storyof technology and designThe features that have given the newMajesty the enjoyable and smooth ridethat sets it apart from any existing modelin the big scooter class are more than justthe YCC-AT and the I-S system. Featuresof the newly designed engine and framesuch as the new progressive pivot enginemounting system and the newly adoptedMonocross suspension also contributegreatly to the quality of the ride. And, atthe same time they also make possiblenew functions and design aspects that fur-ther heighten the overall product value ofthe new Majesty. Among the numerous improvements, theprogressive pivot type engine mountingsystem is a central feature. This systemwas made possible by a Yamaha-exclu-sive anti-vibration concept. Numerous bigscooters until now have adopted linkedtype engine mounts to reduce vibration.Unlike these, however, the new Yamahasystem mounts the engine unit directly tothe chassis in a position that is close to thecenter of motion of the machine as awhole, so that engine vibration andmachine motion resulting from things like

bumps in the road can be dealt with as asingle set of forces in a way that reducesvibration very effectively. This new mount system also opened upspace in the rear assembly that made itpossible to adopt a Monocross suspension.This further increases rider comfort byreducing the vibration in the vertical direc-tion that is particularly uncomfortable forthe rider and re-directing vibration fromthe road surface from the vertical to thehorizontal direction of forward motion. These mount system and suspensionchanges also provided greater design free-dom in terms of the overall chassis layoutthat enabled a more compact body designand a lower center of gravity that alsoimproves leg reach to the ground. It alsomade possible a generous 60 liters worthof storage compartment space in an easy-to-use configuration. These are just someof the examples of how Yamaha is con-stantly applying innovative ideas and newtechnologies to the ongoing challenge ofbuilding products that exceed the expecta-tions of our customers.

The new progressive pivot mount system thatenabled a high-level fusion of excellent handlingstability, increased storage space and a lowercenter of gravity

The 250cc liquid-cooled 4-stroke, SOHC, single-cylinder 4-valve engine with fuel injection ensuressporty performance as well as comfortable ridingin around-town use

Explanation of features

To achieve smarter, moreefficient operability, themain operative functionsare gathered toward thecenter of the front panel.The 3-in-line meters dis-play running mode infor-mation and trip informa-tion in easy-to-read formthat is not only pleasingin design but also morepractical in use

The revolutionary exteriordesign with its completely newconcept of a seamless look andlow-slung shape also contributesto greater ease of leg reach tothe ground (700 mm), easiermounting and dismounting,increased on-board comfort andmore effortless maneuverability

Functions that speak of premium qualityOne of the notable new functions is the two-way opening maintrunk. The front- and rear-opening seat sections give a fuller view ofthe contents of the storage compartment and make for easier pack-ing and unpacking. Also adopted is Yamaha’s first smart key system. When the ownercarrying the smart key on his or her person comes near the machine,the system automatically performs a verification process and then all the owner needs to do is press the main switch to bring theMajesty 250 to life. The lock on the main trunk and the front trunk onthe left-hand side can also be unlocked from the key. What’s more,by eliminating the need for a key cylinder, the smart key system alsoenables a cleaner left-right symmetrical design to the front panel thatincreases the sense of unity and the look of quality finish.

Below the front- and rear-opening seat is a storage space 107 cm in length and witha total volume of 60 liters

The main switch in the center of the console turns the elec-trical system on and off and the opening switches on theright and left operate the left-hand side front compartmentlock, the seat lock and the fuel tank lid lock

The smart key performs avariety of functions with asingle action

Coppins running awayin series lead!

EXPRESSRA

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GEXPRESS

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Over 5.3 billion people are said to watch the MotoGP in the course of a year. On this grand stage, Yamaha shows the world its technological power

The road to reclaiming the titleThe road to reclaiming the title

The 2007 MotoGP series will be one roundlonger than last season, and it is being com-peted under a new regulation with smallerdisplacement 800cc machines, compared tothe 990cc machines used up until last sea-son. This means that the MotoGP hasentered a new era. After losing the champi-onship title in the last round of the 2006 sea-son, Yamaha’s mission is to reclaim the titlein 2007. Four Yamaha riders and the newYZR-M1 are taking on this challenge, thereturning riders Valentino Rossi and ColinEdwards of the newly sponsored FIATYamaha Team, and the new riders MakotoTamada and Sylvain Guintoli riding for theDunlop Tech3 Yamaha Team. The 2007 series got underway on March 10with the Qatar GP. Here at the Qatar openerlast season, Rossi crashed once and finishedin 12th in an inauspicious season start. This

year he managed to finish2nd. In round two, theSpanish GP, Rossi got hisfirst win of the season andEdwards finished 3rd to putboth teammates on the podi-um for a great season start. But in racing you never knowwhat is going to happen next.In round three, the TurkishGP, Edwards crashed andcouldn’t finish the race, whileRossi developed a problem inhis rear tire and could onlyhold on to finish 10th. Theteam got a good taste of justhow tough racing can be. In round four, the China GP in Shanghai,Rossi rode in 2nd position for most of racebehind the leader C. Stoner (Ducati). Using

the agility of his YZR-M1in the turns, Rossi man-aged to pass the AustralianStoner numerous times,only to be re-passed on theback straight. In the end,Rossi had to settle for 2ndplace. This put Rossi 15points behind Stoner in thechampionship ranking atthe end of four rounds,with Edwards sitting in 7th

position. In round five, the French GP, ColinEdwards outran Stoner to take the pole posi-tion in the qualifying. But the race was fullof upsets as rain began to fall and many rid-ers had to return to the pit to change tires,while others crashed out of the race. Thewin went to Australian rider C. Vermeulen(Suzuki), with Stoner finishing 4th againstRossi’s 6th to expand his series lead to 21points. Still, the season has really only just begunand there will be plenty of exciting battlesahead for the Yamaha riders as they makethe long run to regain the title.

In the Spanish GP (round two), Yamaha teammates Rossi and Edwards mounted the podiumtogether

Dunlop Tech3 Yamaha Team riders Guintoli and Tamada stood 16th and 17th in the rankingat the end of round five

At the end of round five Josh Coppins has a 43 point lead in the sea-son title race

Coppins running awayin series lead!Yamaha headed toward seventhconsecutive championship

After the retirement last season of perhapsthe greatest motocross rider ever, 10-timeWorld Motocross Championship winnerStefan Everts, everyone is anxious to seewho will step up to take his place in theMX1 class. Replacing Everts in the riderseats and racing the YZ450FM for theYamaha Motocross Team are NewZealander Joshu Coppins and Marc deReuver of the Netherlands. Coppins missed the first half of the 2006series but still ended the season ranked 7th.But in the 2005 season he had been one ofEverts’ top rivals. As for De Reuver, heraced in MX2 last season and is known to beone of the sport’s fastest improving youngriders. Together, the two riders have onlyone goal: to keep the title that Yamaha andEverts have held for the past six years.

Considering the fast improvement shown bya corps of young MX1 riders in recent years,no one knew who would be in the runningfor the title when this year’s season began. Coppins soon showed everyone the answer,however. After taking the overall win in theopening round of the season, the BeneluxGP, Coppins won both heats in round two,the Spain GP. In this way he showed that hewas going to be the man to beat for thechampionship this year. In the third round in Portugal, Coppins fin-ished 2nd overall, but he came back in

round four, the Italian GP with another per-fect two-heat win. Needless to say, this gavehim a commanding lead in the point rank-ing. It looked like he would dominate againin round five in Germany when he won thefirst heat, but a crash in the second heat costhim the overall win. Still he was able toextend his series lead to a healthy 43 points.With 10 rounds remaining in the series, it isstill too early to draw conclusions, butCoppins is certainly well on his way tobringing Yamaha its seventh consecutivechampionship title in MX1.

MX1 rookie Marc de Reuver has yet to score a podium finish but heproved his potential by finishing 2nd to Coppins in heat one of roundfive

Cairoli is untouchable with five straight wins since the season opener. He is runningstraight toward the title

In the MX2 class of the WorldMotocross Championship that isheld together with MX1, anotherYamaha rider is dominating thecompetition. Last season’s 2ndranked Antonio Cairoli has gotten aperfect start toward winning the2007 title. The Italian phenomenon Cairolihas won the first five rounds of theseason to claim a whopping 66point lead in the series ranking.With Yamaha now headed for double titles, in MX1 and MX2, this is developinginto a truly exciting season for Yamaha fans.

Cairoli sweeps first five rounds!Cairoli sweeps first five rounds!

Coppins running awayin series lead!

EXPRESS

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EXPRESSRA

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Over 5.3 billion people are said to watch the MotoGP in the course of a year. On this grand stage, Yamaha shows the world its technological power

The road to reclaiming the titleThe road to reclaiming the title

The 2007 MotoGP series will be one roundlonger than last season, and it is being com-peted under a new regulation with smallerdisplacement 800cc machines, compared tothe 990cc machines used up until last sea-son. This means that the MotoGP hasentered a new era. After losing the champi-onship title in the last round of the 2006 sea-son, Yamaha’s mission is to reclaim the titlein 2007. Four Yamaha riders and the newYZR-M1 are taking on this challenge, thereturning riders Valentino Rossi and ColinEdwards of the newly sponsored FIATYamaha Team, and the new riders MakotoTamada and Sylvain Guintoli riding for theDunlop Tech3 Yamaha Team. The 2007 series got underway on March 10with the Qatar GP. Here at the Qatar openerlast season, Rossi crashed once and finishedin 12th in an inauspicious season start. This

year he managed to finish2nd. In round two, theSpanish GP, Rossi got hisfirst win of the season andEdwards finished 3rd to putboth teammates on the podi-um for a great season start. But in racing you never knowwhat is going to happen next.In round three, the TurkishGP, Edwards crashed andcouldn’t finish the race, whileRossi developed a problem inhis rear tire and could onlyhold on to finish 10th. Theteam got a good taste of justhow tough racing can be. In round four, the China GP in Shanghai,Rossi rode in 2nd position for most of racebehind the leader C. Stoner (Ducati). Using

the agility of his YZR-M1in the turns, Rossi man-aged to pass the AustralianStoner numerous times,only to be re-passed on theback straight. In the end,Rossi had to settle for 2ndplace. This put Rossi 15points behind Stoner in thechampionship ranking atthe end of four rounds,with Edwards sitting in 7th

position. In round five, the French GP, ColinEdwards outran Stoner to take the pole posi-tion in the qualifying. But the race was fullof upsets as rain began to fall and many rid-ers had to return to the pit to change tires,while others crashed out of the race. Thewin went to Australian rider C. Vermeulen(Suzuki), with Stoner finishing 4th againstRossi’s 6th to expand his series lead to 21points. Still, the season has really only just begunand there will be plenty of exciting battlesahead for the Yamaha riders as they makethe long run to regain the title.

In the Spanish GP (round two), Yamaha teammates Rossi and Edwards mounted the podiumtogether

Dunlop Tech3 Yamaha Team riders Guintoli and Tamada stood 16th and 17th in the rankingat the end of round five

At the end of round five Josh Coppins has a 43 point lead in the sea-son title race

Coppins running awayin series lead!Yamaha headed toward seventhconsecutive championship

After the retirement last season of perhapsthe greatest motocross rider ever, 10-timeWorld Motocross Championship winnerStefan Everts, everyone is anxious to seewho will step up to take his place in theMX1 class. Replacing Everts in the riderseats and racing the YZ450FM for theYamaha Motocross Team are NewZealander Joshu Coppins and Marc deReuver of the Netherlands. Coppins missed the first half of the 2006series but still ended the season ranked 7th.But in the 2005 season he had been one ofEverts’ top rivals. As for De Reuver, heraced in MX2 last season and is known to beone of the sport’s fastest improving youngriders. Together, the two riders have onlyone goal: to keep the title that Yamaha andEverts have held for the past six years.

Considering the fast improvement shown bya corps of young MX1 riders in recent years,no one knew who would be in the runningfor the title when this year’s season began. Coppins soon showed everyone the answer,however. After taking the overall win in theopening round of the season, the BeneluxGP, Coppins won both heats in round two,the Spain GP. In this way he showed that hewas going to be the man to beat for thechampionship this year. In the third round in Portugal, Coppins fin-ished 2nd overall, but he came back in

round four, the Italian GP with another per-fect two-heat win. Needless to say, this gavehim a commanding lead in the point rank-ing. It looked like he would dominate againin round five in Germany when he won thefirst heat, but a crash in the second heat costhim the overall win. Still he was able toextend his series lead to a healthy 43 points.With 10 rounds remaining in the series, it isstill too early to draw conclusions, butCoppins is certainly well on his way tobringing Yamaha its seventh consecutivechampionship title in MX1.

MX1 rookie Marc de Reuver has yet to score a podium finish but heproved his potential by finishing 2nd to Coppins in heat one of roundfive

Cairoli is untouchable with five straight wins since the season opener. He is runningstraight toward the title

In the MX2 class of the WorldMotocross Championship that isheld together with MX1, anotherYamaha rider is dominating thecompetition. Last season’s 2ndranked Antonio Cairoli has gotten aperfect start toward winning the2007 title. The Italian phenomenon Cairolihas won the first five rounds of theseason to claim a whopping 66point lead in the series ranking.With Yamaha now headed for double titles, in MX1 and MX2, this is developinginto a truly exciting season for Yamaha fans.

Cairoli sweeps first five rounds!Cairoli sweeps first five rounds!

Latin America

A Yamaha Marine Distributor Meeting was held in Miami, Florida (USA), onFebruary 18 for representatives of nine distributorships in eight Latin Ameri-can countries. Timed to correspond with the Miami Boat Show, this meetingdealt primarily with measures aimed at working together with the distributorsto maintain Yamaha’s leading position in the outboard motor market amidstthe accelerating shift to 4-strokemodels. There were also reports bythe distributors about their currentbusiness programs and an activeexchange of opinions concerningways to strengthen the respectivesales networks. All the participantsagreed that it was a fruitful meeting. From Jin Matsuno, ME Company,YMC

Latin American DistributorMeeting held in Miami

YAMAHA NEWS JUNE 1, 2007 98 YAMAHA NEWS JUNE 1, 2007

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>Spain

From March 28th to the30th, Yamaha Europe's Rac-ing Division held their 2007Yamaha Race Training(YRT) course at the RicardoTormo circuit in Valencia,Spain. Some 80 riders in 35Yamaha Supersport, Super-bike, Endurance and Euro-pean Superstock race teamsfrom 13 European countriestook part in the three-daycourse to learn more abouthow to make the most oftheir R-series race bikes. In this course, which is now in its 5th year, YamahaRacing engineers help teams with their pre-season preparations and raise theknowledge level in terms of the technical set-up and machine tuning. Thecourse features a series of theoretical seminars as well as three days of circuitriding to put the theory into practice. There was also a detailed technical pre-sentation of the 2007 R-Series models and Ohlins suspension and Michelintyre experts were also there to give advice throughout the three-day program.From Leon Oosterhof, YMENV, The Netherlands

Thailand

Thai Yamaha Motor (TYM) marked another step forward bylaunching a new Parts and Service Center in its premises in thecapital, Bangkok, on January 26, 2007. The new Parts and Ser-vice Center is to respond to the extensive growth of spare partsand apparel business of Yamaha in Thailand, and to upgrade logistic services for dealers and customers. With investment of 130 mil. baht, the new Parts andService Center with its complete facility, efficient order system with target productivity rate is one of the best in the Asian Yamaha system and the high capacityof logistic services is deemed to be a significant part of TYM’s competitive edge in the motorcycle industry of Thailand.From Premchit Maneesarachun, TYM, Thailand

TYM enhances competitiveadvantage with new Partsand Service Center

United Arab Emirates

From March 5 to 8, aYamaha Riding Acade-my (YRA) ATV instruc-tor training course washeld at the Motorplexrace facility in the UmmAl Quiwain Emirate ofthe UAE. Motorplex is amotor sports facility thatopened in 1999 andthis was the first timethat it was used by Yamaha for a riding safety program. The partici-pants came from Yamaha distributorships in United Arab Emirates(two people), the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (2), the Kingdom of Bahrain(2), the State of Qatar (1) and Cyprus (1). All eight participants passedthe final test on the 8th.From Michiru Wajima, Yamaha Motor Dubai Office, UAE

Trainees to become official ATVinstructors under YRA program

2007 Yamaha Race Training program helps put national raceteams in pole position

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.

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 editorial

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

Caribbean and Central America

A Caribbean and Central America Marine Meeting was held in Miami,Florida, USA on Feb. 17, coinciding with Miami Boat Show. A total of44 representatives from 25 Yamaha Marine distributors attended. The Caribbean and Central America is a region that already has a rela-tively large ratio of 4-stroke outboard motors in comparison to 2-strokes and the demand for 4-stroke outboard motors is expected togrow in the future. The aim of this meeting was to implement new mar-keting strategy for the distributors of the region to maintain their topshare in this evolving market.This year’s Miami Boat Show was held amidst unseasonably coldweather, but the Marine Meeting was successfully held in a warm at-home atmosphere. From Kana Shiina, OMDO, YMC

Marine Distributor Meetingheld in Miami

New Parts Center New Service Center (Motorcycle Zone)

Indonesia

Indonesian Yamaha marine distributor KBAhas recently developed and implemented aspare parts supply system based on an inter-face developed by Yamaha Motor Distribu-tion Singapore Pte. Ltd. (YDS) as a generalsystem for distributorships. On April 2 a cer-emony was held to celebrate the launch ofthe new system and the start of parts shipments from the company’s new warehousethat is capable of supplying parts swiftly to all areas of Indonesia at a rate of about4,000 parts annually. Executive officer, Mr. Noritaka Shibata of YMC’s Parts Opera-tions, was in attendance. KBA will use this new supply capacity to promote grassrootsarea marketing and boost customer satisfaction and sales to even higher levels. From Yosuke Hayashi, YDS, Singapore

USAWe want to share with you a letter from the owner of aFord Taurus SHO who loves the car’s Yamaha engine.Mr. Lagan M. Bubolz of Wisconsin writes: I am an avid fan of the Ford Taurus SHO. I am a fan ofthe car due to the “heart” of it, the Yamaha 3.0r DOHCmotor. To me the motor is what makes the car. I havedriven the car for one and a half years, and have had notrouble with the Yamaha parts. As a matter of fact, theyseem to be the only parts that do not break. …Qualitylike this is a challenge to find in vehicles that are sixteenyears old. I would like to thank Yamaha for the efforts ofyour company to build such a quality motor, and for thedesign of the motor. It is repair-friendly, which is difficultto find in any vehicle. … We would like to thank you forbuilding such a strong, efficient and heart-touchingmotor.From Hazuki Muraishi, YMC

Building a stronger spare parts sup-ply network

Thailand

As a part of the company’s CSR(corporate social responsibility)activit ies, Thai Yamaha Motor(TYM) continuously contributes tosociety in cooperation withrespectable institutions. One exam-ple is TYM’s support of a projectunder the royal patronage of HRHPrincess Sirindhorn by donatingtwo Yamaha Nouvo automatic-transmission motorcycles to bedeveloped into three-wheeled vehi-

cles designed for carrying disabled children who have no arms andlegs and their wheelchair. The donated Nouvos were made into three-wheeled vehicles with cooperation from National Electronics and Com-puter Technology Center (NECTEC) of Thailand.From Premchit Maneesarachun, TYM, Thailand

Thai Yamaha Motor supportssocial contribution activityunder royal patronage

TYM top management presented the twomotorcycles to HRH Princess Sirindhorn

The Bahamas

On February 20th on the island of GreatAbaco in the Commonwealth of theBahamas, the Yamaha distributor BayBreeze Marina & Storage Ltd. held anopening ceremony for its new showroom.Joining in the celebrations at the openingceremony were local Yamaha cus-tomers, members of the national con-gress, company staff, Yamaha represen-tatives and even a patrolman on aYamaha XJ900P police bike. BayBreeze Marina & Storage Ltd. will usethis new facility to provide all customerswith even higher quality service, which issure to lead to another boost in business.We wish them the best of luck!From Hiroshi Setogawa, OMDO, YMC

Bay Breeze Marina & StorageLtd. opens new showroom

The Netherlands

From the 24th to the 26th of April, Yamaha MotorEurope (YMENV) organized the European Techni-cian Grand Prix contest for Yamaha motorcyclemechanics for the 5th time. The best techniciansfrom seven European countries competed for thetitle of the best European mechanic! The technicians competed on the basis of six prac-tical troubleshooting tasks and two written examsand the results produced clear winners. The topthree winners received their awards at a ceremony fromYMENV’s President Tsuchiya. These top three Euro-pean technicians will represent Europe at the WorldTechnician GP in Japan in October.From Marc de Graaf, YMENV, The Netherlands

5th Yamaha European Technician Grand Prix

Picture of the awards ceremony (fromleft), European Champion: MassimilianoCordeschi (Italy), 2nd place: StéphaneHelbecque (France), YMENV President,Mr. Tsuchiya, Jarno Nikkanen, 3rdplace: Tom Lischitzki (Germany), WimSchollaert, David Ball and DimitrisMeremetsakis

Latin America

A Yamaha Marine Distributor Meeting was held in Miami, Florida (USA), onFebruary 18 for representatives of nine distributorships in eight Latin Ameri-can countries. Timed to correspond with the Miami Boat Show, this meetingdealt primarily with measures aimed at working together with the distributorsto maintain Yamaha’s leading position in the outboard motor market amidstthe accelerating shift to 4-strokemodels. There were also reports bythe distributors about their currentbusiness programs and an activeexchange of opinions concerningways to strengthen the respectivesales networks. All the participantsagreed that it was a fruitful meeting. From Jin Matsuno, ME Company,YMC

Latin American DistributorMeeting held in Miami

YAMAHA NEWS JUNE 1, 2007 98 YAMAHA NEWS JUNE 1, 2007

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>Spain

From March 28th to the30th, Yamaha Europe's Rac-ing Division held their 2007Yamaha Race Training(YRT) course at the RicardoTormo circuit in Valencia,Spain. Some 80 riders in 35Yamaha Supersport, Super-bike, Endurance and Euro-pean Superstock race teamsfrom 13 European countriestook part in the three-daycourse to learn more abouthow to make the most oftheir R-series race bikes. In this course, which is now in its 5th year, YamahaRacing engineers help teams with their pre-season preparations and raise theknowledge level in terms of the technical set-up and machine tuning. Thecourse features a series of theoretical seminars as well as three days of circuitriding to put the theory into practice. There was also a detailed technical pre-sentation of the 2007 R-Series models and Ohlins suspension and Michelintyre experts were also there to give advice throughout the three-day program.From Leon Oosterhof, YMENV, The Netherlands

Thailand

Thai Yamaha Motor (TYM) marked another step forward bylaunching a new Parts and Service Center in its premises in thecapital, Bangkok, on January 26, 2007. The new Parts and Ser-vice Center is to respond to the extensive growth of spare partsand apparel business of Yamaha in Thailand, and to upgrade logistic services for dealers and customers. With investment of 130 mil. baht, the new Parts andService Center with its complete facility, efficient order system with target productivity rate is one of the best in the Asian Yamaha system and the high capacityof logistic services is deemed to be a significant part of TYM’s competitive edge in the motorcycle industry of Thailand.From Premchit Maneesarachun, TYM, Thailand

TYM enhances competitiveadvantage with new Partsand Service Center

United Arab Emirates

From March 5 to 8, aYamaha Riding Acade-my (YRA) ATV instruc-tor training course washeld at the Motorplexrace facility in the UmmAl Quiwain Emirate ofthe UAE. Motorplex is amotor sports facility thatopened in 1999 andthis was the first timethat it was used by Yamaha for a riding safety program. The partici-pants came from Yamaha distributorships in United Arab Emirates(two people), the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (2), the Kingdom of Bahrain(2), the State of Qatar (1) and Cyprus (1). All eight participants passedthe final test on the 8th.From Michiru Wajima, Yamaha Motor Dubai Office, UAE

Trainees to become official ATVinstructors under YRA program

2007 Yamaha Race Training program helps put national raceteams in pole position

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.

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 editorial

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

Caribbean and Central America

A Caribbean and Central America Marine Meeting was held in Miami,Florida, USA on Feb. 17, coinciding with Miami Boat Show. A total of44 representatives from 25 Yamaha Marine distributors attended. The Caribbean and Central America is a region that already has a rela-tively large ratio of 4-stroke outboard motors in comparison to 2-strokes and the demand for 4-stroke outboard motors is expected togrow in the future. The aim of this meeting was to implement new mar-keting strategy for the distributors of the region to maintain their topshare in this evolving market.This year’s Miami Boat Show was held amidst unseasonably coldweather, but the Marine Meeting was successfully held in a warm at-home atmosphere. From Kana Shiina, OMDO, YMC

Marine Distributor Meetingheld in Miami

New Parts Center New Service Center (Motorcycle Zone)

Indonesia

Indonesian Yamaha marine distributor KBAhas recently developed and implemented aspare parts supply system based on an inter-face developed by Yamaha Motor Distribu-tion Singapore Pte. Ltd. (YDS) as a generalsystem for distributorships. On April 2 a cer-emony was held to celebrate the launch ofthe new system and the start of parts shipments from the company’s new warehousethat is capable of supplying parts swiftly to all areas of Indonesia at a rate of about4,000 parts annually. Executive officer, Mr. Noritaka Shibata of YMC’s Parts Opera-tions, was in attendance. KBA will use this new supply capacity to promote grassrootsarea marketing and boost customer satisfaction and sales to even higher levels. From Yosuke Hayashi, YDS, Singapore

USAWe want to share with you a letter from the owner of aFord Taurus SHO who loves the car’s Yamaha engine.Mr. Lagan M. Bubolz of Wisconsin writes: I am an avid fan of the Ford Taurus SHO. I am a fan ofthe car due to the “heart” of it, the Yamaha 3.0r DOHCmotor. To me the motor is what makes the car. I havedriven the car for one and a half years, and have had notrouble with the Yamaha parts. As a matter of fact, theyseem to be the only parts that do not break. …Qualitylike this is a challenge to find in vehicles that are sixteenyears old. I would like to thank Yamaha for the efforts ofyour company to build such a quality motor, and for thedesign of the motor. It is repair-friendly, which is difficultto find in any vehicle. … We would like to thank you forbuilding such a strong, efficient and heart-touchingmotor.From Hazuki Muraishi, YMC

Building a stronger spare parts sup-ply network

Thailand

As a part of the company’s CSR(corporate social responsibility)activit ies, Thai Yamaha Motor(TYM) continuously contributes tosociety in cooperation withrespectable institutions. One exam-ple is TYM’s support of a projectunder the royal patronage of HRHPrincess Sirindhorn by donatingtwo Yamaha Nouvo automatic-transmission motorcycles to bedeveloped into three-wheeled vehi-

cles designed for carrying disabled children who have no arms andlegs and their wheelchair. The donated Nouvos were made into three-wheeled vehicles with cooperation from National Electronics and Com-puter Technology Center (NECTEC) of Thailand.From Premchit Maneesarachun, TYM, Thailand

Thai Yamaha Motor supportssocial contribution activityunder royal patronage

TYM top management presented the twomotorcycles to HRH Princess Sirindhorn

The Bahamas

On February 20th on the island of GreatAbaco in the Commonwealth of theBahamas, the Yamaha distributor BayBreeze Marina & Storage Ltd. held anopening ceremony for its new showroom.Joining in the celebrations at the openingceremony were local Yamaha cus-tomers, members of the national con-gress, company staff, Yamaha represen-tatives and even a patrolman on aYamaha XJ900P police bike. BayBreeze Marina & Storage Ltd. will usethis new facility to provide all customerswith even higher quality service, which issure to lead to another boost in business.We wish them the best of luck!From Hiroshi Setogawa, OMDO, YMC

Bay Breeze Marina & StorageLtd. opens new showroom

The Netherlands

From the 24th to the 26th of April, Yamaha MotorEurope (YMENV) organized the European Techni-cian Grand Prix contest for Yamaha motorcyclemechanics for the 5th time. The best techniciansfrom seven European countries competed for thetitle of the best European mechanic! The technicians competed on the basis of six prac-tical troubleshooting tasks and two written examsand the results produced clear winners. The topthree winners received their awards at a ceremony fromYMENV’s President Tsuchiya. These top three Euro-pean technicians will represent Europe at the WorldTechnician GP in Japan in October.From Marc de Graaf, YMENV, The Netherlands

5th Yamaha European Technician Grand Prix

Picture of the awards ceremony (fromleft), European Champion: MassimilianoCordeschi (Italy), 2nd place: StéphaneHelbecque (France), YMENV President,Mr. Tsuchiya, Jarno Nikkanen, 3rdplace: Tom Lischitzki (Germany), WimSchollaert, David Ball and DimitrisMeremetsakis

YAMAHA NEWS JUNE 1, 2007 1110 YAMAHA NEWS JUNE 1, 2007

YMC’s Life Science Laboratory was established in 2005. It is the first such laboratory to be created in the company’s history

A New ChallengeA New ChallengeYamaha Motor’s Life Science Business

and take it to the mass production stage,”said Mr. Fujihiko Tomita, a general man-ager of YMC’s Life Science divisionwho has been involved since it waslaunched.YMC announced its full-fledged entryinto the biotechnology business industrywith this product in 2005, the company’s50th anniversary year. Now, YMC issupplying astaxanthin as an ingredient tothe domestic food industry and also as adietary supplement for general users.Eventually there are plans to market theproducts globally. When this happens,YMC’s Life Science business will trulybe one more way that the company ful-fills its corporate mission of “offeringnew Kando* and a more fulfilling life topeople all over the world.” And thatchallenge has already begun.

*Kando is a Japanese word for the simultaneous feel-ings of deep satisfaction and intense excitement thatpeople experience when they encounter something ofexceptional value.

In 2006, Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. completedconstruction of an astaxanthin raw materialplant, and in April of 2007 the companymarketed a commercialized form of astaxan-thin as a dietary supplement named“Astivo.” Some might ask why a companylike Yamaha Motor would enter the biotechnology business.

As a manufacturer and marketer ofmotorcycles and other vehicles, YamahaMotor Company (YMC) takes its respon-sibility seriously to make its products asenvironment-friendly as possible. Theseefforts include not only by reducing CO2

emissions or the vehicles through mea-sures such as developing more fuel-effi-cient engines, but also reducing CO2

released in the manufacturing process. Inaddition, Yamaha has applied greatefforts to the development of electricvehicles and fuel cell-powered motorcy-cles. Meanwhile, the company also devotedresearch to other methods of reducingenvironmental CO2 through the absorp-tion and fixation of CO2. In 1997, theseefforts led to the start of research intomass cultivation of microalgae with theidea of using their photosynthesis as ameans to absorb large volumes of CO2.This in turn led to the hope of being ableto draw another benefit from microalgaecultivation in the form of astaxanthin,which is produced in the photosynthesisprocess of the freshwater alga haemato-coccus, and thus develop a means to pro-duce a valuable dietary supplement.Further research enabled the develop-ment of an indoor mass-cultivation

method. The device that made this culti-vation possible is called the YamahaHigh-Efficiency Bioreactor. This systemwas successfully developed in-housewith the use of advanced Yamaha analy-sis technologies, and the like. “Actually, it is the very fact that Yamahais a motorcycle manufacturer thatenabled us to develop this Bio-Reactorcompletely in-house without using anyexisting outside components. Ourstrength is that we had all the know-hownecessary within the company to do thefundamental research and then build it

The Yamaha High-Efficiency Bioreactor consists of plates stacked about two meters high and measuring about nine meters in length. Itsinterior is filled with culture medium, on which a mass of Haematococcus algae floats

Since the production process is conducted entirely in domestic “clean room” facilities maintaining stringent hygiene control, a high levelof traceability is possible to ensure product safety

Astaxanthin: It is a carotenoid and a naturalbrownish red pigment. It is found in high concentra-tion in Haematococcus algae and also occurs natu-rally in a variety of organisms including crus-taceans and fish. Astaxanthin has drawn muchattention as a health product qualities.

Microalgae: These algae are said to be related tothe blue-green algae that first appeared on earthsome 3.6 billion years ago, and there are believedto be between 20 and 30 thousand varieties for

these algae in the world today. Most range in sizefrom 3 to 100 µm and they are found in both salt-water and freshwater as well as in the air, mist andin the soil.

Yamaha High-Efficiency Bioreactor: This is asystem for the mass cultivation of microalgaedeveloped independently by YMC utilizing the com-pany’s water-control technologies, material devel-opment know-how and flow dynamics analysistechnologies. Trays of incubation fluid containing

large quantities of Haematococcus algae areexposed to high CO2 content air and artificial sun-light to achieve a high rate of photosynthesis whilecarefully monitoring the conditions of the culturefluid. Most Haematococcus algae cultivations sys-tems until now were outdoor types that dependedon natural sunlight. The development of this indoorsystem eliminates the fluctuations in productivitycaused by weather and seasonal effects to enablehigh-productivity, high-concentration cultivation.

Yamaha Motor’s approach to environmental issues

Reducing CO2 emissions

Engineering R&D Biotechnology R&D

CO2 absorbing tech-nologies (plant photo-synthesis function),

Astaxanthin PURESTA

CO2 reducing engines,fuel economy, electricvehicles (EV), fuel cell

systems

PURESTA Oil 80 This product contains more then 8% astaxanthin dialcoholcompared to the 5% products on the market. It is sold to mak-ers of food supplements and cosmetics.

Main Products: Astaxanthin PURESTAAstaxanthin PURESTA is manufactured in the form of haematococ-cus pigment extracted through a number of procedures from thehaematococcus algae mass-produced by the Yamaha High-Efficiency Bioreactor.

PURESTA W-05(Water-diluted solution)

This product contains morethan 0.5% astaxanthin dialco-hol. It converts the inherentlyoily astaxanthin into a watersoluble substance which canbe supplied to beverage mak-ers as an active ingredient.

Astaxanthin “ASTIVO”(Supplement) ASTIVO is a dietary supplement offered forthe general consumer that contains thehealth food astaxanthin as its active ingredi-ent. It is manufactured using only theYamaha-made high-quality, high-concentra-tion “PURESTA” astaxanthin extract.

YAMAHA NEWS JUNE 1, 2007 1110 YAMAHA NEWS JUNE 1, 2007

YMC’s Life Science Laboratory was established in 2005. It is the first such laboratory to be created in the company’s history

A New ChallengeA New ChallengeYamaha Motor’s Life Science Business

and take it to the mass production stage,”said Mr. Fujihiko Tomita, a general man-ager of YMC’s Life Science divisionwho has been involved since it waslaunched.YMC announced its full-fledged entryinto the biotechnology business industrywith this product in 2005, the company’s50th anniversary year. Now, YMC issupplying astaxanthin as an ingredient tothe domestic food industry and also as adietary supplement for general users.Eventually there are plans to market theproducts globally. When this happens,YMC’s Life Science business will trulybe one more way that the company ful-fills its corporate mission of “offeringnew Kando* and a more fulfilling life topeople all over the world.” And thatchallenge has already begun.

*Kando is a Japanese word for the simultaneous feel-ings of deep satisfaction and intense excitement thatpeople experience when they encounter something ofexceptional value.

In 2006, Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. completedconstruction of an astaxanthin raw materialplant, and in April of 2007 the companymarketed a commercialized form of astaxan-thin as a dietary supplement named“Astivo.” Some might ask why a companylike Yamaha Motor would enter the biotechnology business.

As a manufacturer and marketer ofmotorcycles and other vehicles, YamahaMotor Company (YMC) takes its respon-sibility seriously to make its products asenvironment-friendly as possible. Theseefforts include not only by reducing CO2

emissions or the vehicles through mea-sures such as developing more fuel-effi-cient engines, but also reducing CO2

released in the manufacturing process. Inaddition, Yamaha has applied greatefforts to the development of electricvehicles and fuel cell-powered motorcy-cles. Meanwhile, the company also devotedresearch to other methods of reducingenvironmental CO2 through the absorp-tion and fixation of CO2. In 1997, theseefforts led to the start of research intomass cultivation of microalgae with theidea of using their photosynthesis as ameans to absorb large volumes of CO2.This in turn led to the hope of being ableto draw another benefit from microalgaecultivation in the form of astaxanthin,which is produced in the photosynthesisprocess of the freshwater alga haemato-coccus, and thus develop a means to pro-duce a valuable dietary supplement.Further research enabled the develop-ment of an indoor mass-cultivation

method. The device that made this culti-vation possible is called the YamahaHigh-Efficiency Bioreactor. This systemwas successfully developed in-housewith the use of advanced Yamaha analy-sis technologies, and the like. “Actually, it is the very fact that Yamahais a motorcycle manufacturer thatenabled us to develop this Bio-Reactorcompletely in-house without using anyexisting outside components. Ourstrength is that we had all the know-hownecessary within the company to do thefundamental research and then build it

The Yamaha High-Efficiency Bioreactor consists of plates stacked about two meters high and measuring about nine meters in length. Itsinterior is filled with culture medium, on which a mass of Haematococcus algae floats

Since the production process is conducted entirely in domestic “clean room” facilities maintaining stringent hygiene control, a high levelof traceability is possible to ensure product safety

Astaxanthin: It is a carotenoid and a naturalbrownish red pigment. It is found in high concentra-tion in Haematococcus algae and also occurs natu-rally in a variety of organisms including crus-taceans and fish. Astaxanthin has drawn muchattention as a health product qualities.

Microalgae: These algae are said to be related tothe blue-green algae that first appeared on earthsome 3.6 billion years ago, and there are believedto be between 20 and 30 thousand varieties for

these algae in the world today. Most range in sizefrom 3 to 100 µm and they are found in both salt-water and freshwater as well as in the air, mist andin the soil.

Yamaha High-Efficiency Bioreactor: This is asystem for the mass cultivation of microalgaedeveloped independently by YMC utilizing the com-pany’s water-control technologies, material devel-opment know-how and flow dynamics analysistechnologies. Trays of incubation fluid containing

large quantities of Haematococcus algae areexposed to high CO2 content air and artificial sun-light to achieve a high rate of photosynthesis whilecarefully monitoring the conditions of the culturefluid. Most Haematococcus algae cultivations sys-tems until now were outdoor types that dependedon natural sunlight. The development of this indoorsystem eliminates the fluctuations in productivitycaused by weather and seasonal effects to enablehigh-productivity, high-concentration cultivation.

Yamaha Motor’s approach to environmental issues

Reducing CO2 emissions

Engineering R&D Biotechnology R&D

CO2 absorbing tech-nologies (plant photo-synthesis function),

Astaxanthin PURESTA

CO2 reducing engines,fuel economy, electricvehicles (EV), fuel cell

systems

PURESTA Oil 80 This product contains more then 8% astaxanthin dialcoholcompared to the 5% products on the market. It is sold to mak-ers of food supplements and cosmetics.

Main Products: Astaxanthin PURESTAAstaxanthin PURESTA is manufactured in the form of haematococ-cus pigment extracted through a number of procedures from thehaematococcus algae mass-produced by the Yamaha High-Efficiency Bioreactor.

PURESTA W-05(Water-diluted solution)

This product contains morethan 0.5% astaxanthin dialco-hol. It converts the inherentlyoily astaxanthin into a watersoluble substance which canbe supplied to beverage mak-ers as an active ingredient.

Astaxanthin “ASTIVO”(Supplement) ASTIVO is a dietary supplement offered forthe general consumer that contains thehealth food astaxanthin as its active ingredi-ent. It is manufactured using only theYamaha-made high-quality, high-concentra-tion “PURESTA” astaxanthin extract.

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

YAMAHA MOTOR CO., LTD. Public Relation Div. 2500 Shingai, Iwata, Shizuoka, 438-8501 Japan Tel: 81-538-32-1145, Fax: 81-538-37-4250

Z O O M I N

Championship GP500 race machine, theYZR500. Since then it has been used onmany production sports models and isused today on Yamaha’s flagship R seriessupersport bikes. MotoGP fans can alsosee that the frame of the YZR-M1 racemachine of 5-time champ ValentinoRossi is also designed on the Deltaboxconcept. By adopting this signature sports bikeframe, the new V-ixion gains an exteriorlook that expresses the thoroughbredsports performance and strength thatYamaha has built into this model. And,by building around this frame a host ofother chassis design elements born ofYamaha design and engineering idealsnurtured over the past quarter century, theproduct is a genuine sports commutermachine that is sure to open up newground and build demand in the Indone-sian market.

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Yamaha’s answer to this call. The fuel injection equipped 4-valveengine adopts such state-of-the-art tech-nologies as a forged aluminum piston andYamaha’s exclusive “DiASil” all-alu-minum cylinder. The model also boasts anumber of features that heighten its per-formance as a sporty commuter bike.And, one thing the development team isespecially proud of is the styling of thenew V-ixion. The most distinctive feature of the exteri-or look of this model comes from itsDeltabox frame. The Deltabox frame’sname comes from the “V” (delta) shapethe frame creates when seen from theside, and this structure provides just theright balance of rigidity and flexible “for-giveness” to give a ride that is sporty andcomfortable at the same time. TheDeltabox frame structure was first intro-duced by Yamaha in 1983 on its World

The all-new Yamaha V-ixiondebuted in the Indonesian marketthis spring as the next-generation

“sporty commuter” model powered by a150cc liquid-cooled 4-stroke, SOHC, 4-valve, single-cylinder engine with fuelinjection. It becomes the first ASEANregion Yamaha model to be equippedwith fuel injection.In the Indonesian motorcycle market,total demand for primarily underbonemoped type and CVT automatic transmis-sion scooter type models is expected toreach about five million units in 2007.But, in recent years the popularity ofsportier motorcycle type models is alsogrowing and, amidst the growing concernfor environmental issues, there have beenincreasing calls from the marketplace forenvironment-friendly 4-stroke models foreasy enjoyment of sporty recreational rid-ing. The newly developed V-ixion is

Yamaha’s new V-ixionredefines the basic

street model

Yamaha’s new V-ixionredefines the basic

street model