New Yamaha R1 for Craig Lowndes

Craig Lowndes takes delivery of a pair of new R1 Yamaha’s.

Craig Lowndes gets a pair of R1s.

If you are out riding the many great roads north of Brisbane, and you happen across a guy and a girl on a pair of matching black 2009 R1s, chances are it is V8 Supercar race legend Craig Lowndes and his wife Natalie.

A long time Yamaha rider, Craig updated his 2008 R1 today at Yamaha’s Brisbane headquarters. Presenting Craig with a matching pair of black 2009 models was Yamaha’s Motorsport manager Ray Howard. Craig has several other Yamahas including a YZ450F motocrosser for keeping the reflexes sharp.

Lowndes told Motoaus he was looking forward to riding the new model, with its distinctive sound from the new style engine. When pressed on whether the bike would receive any modifications, he did make mention of perhaps unleashing a more pleasing note. First he will have to run the bikes in, which given his busy schedule may take some time.

Due to fly out for the Hidden Valley V8 Supercar round in Darwin, Lowndes has been busy lately, with some out of the ordinary tasks, including giving Troy Bayliss a guiding hand at his recent test with Vodafone, and an appearance at Queensland’s recent Winternationals drag racing event, where he and team mate Jamie Whincup put their FG Falcon V8 Supercars to the test over the quarter mile.

Despite being jumped by Whincup on the start line contests,  Lowndes pipped Whincup on the clocks with a best of 10.81 seconds in the 600hp plus Vodafone racer..