Belfast Newsletter
Ulster’s Michael Dunlop, who has yet to confirm his plans for 2015, is heavily linked with a factory Yamaha ride on the new R1.
The 25-year-old is understood to have passed up the chance to ride a factory-backed Kawasaki or compete on BMW machinery again in Stuart Hicken’s Hawk Racing team.
The Yamaha route now seems the most likely option for the 11-time Isle of Man TT winner, with support from Yamaha Europe and the possibility of backing from Milwaukee – the title sponsors of Shaun Muir’s MCE British Superbike outfit.