2010 Yamaha YZF-R1 Ben Spies Race Replica - For French Eyes Only?

In order to get ready for MotoGP’s stop at Le Mans in two weeks, Yamaha France has released a special promotional package and four (both in variety and total production) race replica motorcycles on its website. We’ve already seen the American Fiat-Yamaha R1 LE, with its race livery and fake Rossi signature, but the new race rep’s from Yamaha France will feature paint schemes from both the Fiat-Yamaha and Monster Tech3 Yamaha teams. For the added €1,000 price tag the race replica’s demand, they’re actually a pretty good value, especially when compared to the American YZF-R1 LE. More on that after the jump.

We here in the United States are pretty lucky considering the 2010 Yamaha YZF-R1 retails for only $13,290 ($14,500 for the LE), when in France the base model R1 retails at €15,990, (€16,990 for these LE’s). At the current exchange rate, that’s quite a pretty penny for sportbike, so obviously adding to that cost is going to hurt the pocketbook only more so. However for that added metric grand, you get not only a Yamaha R1 in one of your MotoGP rider’s race liveries, but also the following:

Bike seat cover with the official team colors bearing the number of pilot
Pair of YEC racing levers
Replica helmet of the MotoGP rider whose race replica you’ve chosen (which can be signed by that rider was well)
Official Yamaha team shirt,
2 paddock passes paddock at Le Mans for the Moto GP weekend
“Wild card” track day with Yamaha instructors
Certificate of authenticity and a plaque attached to specific authentication framework makes these machines truly unique.

The bikes will also be hand-delivered at Le Mans by the four Yamaha GP riders, which is probably worth the price of admission right there. Clearly the promotion is a hit, as the Rossi and Spies replicas have been locked in already. Lorenzo’s bike has been reserved (we’re assuming only payment is pending), and the Edwards replica is still available (probably for only a couple more seconds). If only we could get these kind of promotions in the United States, maybe the Fiat-Yamaha R1 LE would look like a better bang for the buck.

We really hope that Yamaha brings the Spies/Edwards color combo out to the United States, where you know…Colin and Ben are actually from, which makes this probably the only time a bunch of Texan motorcycle racing fans will wish they were French. Touché France, you win this round.