FIRST LOOK: Yamaha 60th Anniversary Celebration Machines
Alan Cathcart | October 6, 2015
The Speed Blocks are back, baby!
The Speed Block color scheme, made famous on the world stage by American legend Kenny Roberts in the 1970s, might be seen a bit more often in the coming months with news the company will be adorning not only both the YZF-R1 and YZF-R6 with the famous livery, but also the company’s long-standing adventure weapon, the Super Tenere.
None of these machines that wear these colors will be heavily revised for 2016, which doesn’t come as any great surprise for the YZF-R1 considering the massive international racetrack and sales success the machine has proven to be. Yamaha has released details on the new R1S (see separate story), but it will not be wearing the yellow and black, nor will the top-of-the-line R1M. Rumors had circulated for some time that the YZF-R6, last revised in 2008, would see a makeover for 2015, yet the machine that continues to dominate in Supersport championships across the globe (including decimating the field in MotoAmerica in the hands of J.D Beach), looks set for a possible update in the 2017 model year.
The 60th Anniversary YZF-R1 will be available in Yamaha dealers across the country for $16,990 from December this year; the YZF-R6 for $11,490 from October and the Super Tenere for $15,590 from the beginning of November.