Yamaha Motorcycle News
This June, Yamaha is expected to begin constructed a new motorcycle test course in the Tanno area of Kikugawa City, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan.
Yamaha was supposed to begin construction on the Kikugawa Test Course back in October in 2009, but due to the economic effects of the Lehman Shock (Lehman Brothers Bankruptcy, 2008), the project was postponed.
Although the budget was reduced, the project will go on “due to requests from the national and local government as the grantors of construction rights and the local landowners involved, as well as increased demand for motorcycle development for the growing markets of Asia, Central and South America and other regions.”
Yamaha says the new test course facility will be constructed on acquired land, an area of approximately 490,000 m2 and will consist of a 1.9 km/lap closed course, roads over hilly terrain, road sections for dust-resistance testing and related facilities. It will be used for tests involved in achieving the required levels of safety and environmental performance for medium to small displacement motorcycles for emerging markets.
