We Missed Out, This Yamaha Experience Let R1M Owners Ride Alongside Valentino Rossi

Suffice it to say, R1M owners surely got their money’s worth.

Photo by: Yamaha

By: Enrico Punsalang

Jul 11, 2024 at 9:02am ET

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Yamaha recently held a one-of-a-kind track day for YZF-R1M owners at the iconic Jerez circuit. Dubbed the Yamaha Racing Experience (YRE), owners of this top-tier superbike had the chance to hit the track with some of the world’s most legendary racers.

Of course, no less than Valentino Rossi himself graced the event with his presence.

Let's take a moment to realize just how epic this all was. I mean, riding the YZF-R1M on a circuit as famed as Jerez will surely be an unforgettable experience for any superbike junkie. But throwing legends like The Doctor into the mix takes things to a whole new level.

None other than Valentino Rossi graced the event with his presence

Yamaha

The two-day event was meant to build the community and showcase Yamaha’s top-tier racing machine, the YZF-R1M. YRE provided owners of these bikes a comprehensive racing program and allowed them to hit the track and get up close and personal with their favorite racing stars all free of charge.

Speaking of legends, The Doctor was accompanied by some of Yamaha’s most successful racers. Current WSBK rider Jonathan Rea was at the event, and so too was his teammate Andrea Locatelli. Other racers included Dominique Aegeter, Bradley Ray, Philipp Oettl, and current Endurance World Champions Niccolò Canepa, Marvin Fritz, Karel Hanika, and Robin Mulhauser.

Yamaha YZF-R1M owners got the chance to run their machines through their paces

Yamaha

The Yamaha Racing Heritage Club made an appearance at the 2024 YRE

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One of the main highlights of the event was the delivery of the first YZF-R1 GYTR PRO 25th Anniversary models to their respective owners. Apart from taking delivery of their new machines, the lucky new owners were able to ride their brand new WSBK-spec bikes on track for the first time. Throughout the event, Yamaha Europe’s Motorsport Research & Development engineers were on hand for technical support.

The Yamaha Racing Heritage Club also showcased a stellar lineup of riders on historic machines running laps around the Jerez circuit.

Iconic machines like Eddie Lawson’s 1986 championship-winning YZR500, ridden by Rossi, as well as Luca Cadalora’s 1990 YZR250 were skillfully piloted around the track. Other historic machines like the TZ750 and replicas of the 2001 YZR500 0WL9 were ridden by Rea, Locatelli, Canepa, and their respective owners.

I wish I could've been there, but I'd need an R1M, and that might be a little out of my price range at the moment.