Everts 'very impressed' with 2006 Yamaha.

After claiming their fifth consecutive world title in Lierop last month, Stefan Everts and the Yamaha L&M Motocross Team have already started testing in preparation for the 2006 MX1 Motocross World Championship.

As part of that process, last weekend saw Everts debut the 2006 production YZ450F with a complete new engine and new aluminium frame in the last round of the Belgian Championship at Pierreux.

Stefan had already wrapped up the title in the penultimate round and the team used the opportunity to carry out a comprehensive race test on the new bike fitted with factory KYB suspension, special brakes in addition to a few new for 2006 Rinaldi group modifications .

In addition to the strong regular Belgian riders, guest GP riders Joshua Coppins, Mickael Pichon and Tanel Leok gave the Pierreux race a more than competitive field.

Nine-times world champion Everts rode the production based bike to fourth in the opening race after a bad start, but excellent lap times in the second and third race confirmed the potential of the 2006 machine.

Everts also claimed the holeshot twice, but saw chances of a strong result in the second race ruined after a mistake when he was leading the pack. Hurting his thumb in the crash Stefan waited a while to recover, however he still managed 12th in the end. Dialled in with both the track and the bike, Everts took the win in the final race.

"It has been good to get some race time on the new bike," confirmed the Belgian superstar. "The track was very rough and I struggled a little bit to find the right rhythm. My second and especially the third race my riding was a lot better. So far I'm very pleased with the new bike. Of course, there is still a lot of work to do but I have been very impressed with the overall package, even in standard form. The bike handles really well and I think it has a huge potential."

"Overall the test has been really great, Stefan had a little bit of arm pump during the first race but after that everything went super," added team coordinator Massimo Raspanti. "In the third race we Everts rode lap times that were two-seconds faster than the opposition. So this certainly confirms the feeling that we are on the right track in the development of the 2006 bike."

Testing will continue before Everts takes a well earned holiday, but traditionally Everts will participate in the last round of the All Japan National MX Championship Series, at the Sugo racetrack on the 23rd of October.