San Bernardino, CA: Dunlop Motorcycle Tires is proud to announce the creation of a one-off custom Yamaha FZ1 created by well-known racing entity Graves Motorsports that will be auctioned off for the benefit of Doug Henry. A multi-time national motocross champion, Henry suffered an injury during a Supermoto race in 2007, and is now fighting back to overcome partial paralysis from the waist down. Also aiding Henry in this fight is the Road 2 Recovery Foundation. This custom Graves Yamaha FZ1, fitted with Dunlop’s new Roadsmart sport-touring tires, will be auctioned off later this year, following the Summer X Games.

“Building this bike is a real labor of love for me,” says Chuck Graves, President, Graves Motorsports Inc. “I’m proud to be able to do something to assist Doug in his recovery, and I also enjoyed creating a bike that I would personally love to own for street riding. A race-tuned Yamaha R1 would be a bit too much for the street, so I took a Yamaha FZ1 and tweaked the chassis for sport handling and also increased the power output. The end result is a bike that is very comfortable, but still delivers lots of excitement.”

Graves outfitted the FZ1 with a modified crankshaft, cylinder head, transmission and slipper clutch from a Yamaha R1, plus a tuned Graves exhaust system, Dynojet Power Commander, Quickshifter and Ignition Module setup. Premium Öhlins suspension components grace front and rear, with a fully adjustable TTX46 rear shock and a Road & Track Front Fork delivering a plush ride plus unparalleled control. Radial-mount front brakes with 320mm rotors replace the standard 310mm items, and adjustable footpegs, lower handlebar and Öhlins steering damper add to the package. A sharp eye will detect numerous other detail changes that clean up the bike’s profile, giving it more of a naked bike look, and Marchesini wheels and Dunlop Roadsmart tires round out the package—all of which will go to the highest bidder.

“It is truly a privilege for Dunlop to take part in this project on behalf of Doug Henry,” said Dunlop Vice President Mike Buckley. “Doug is a genuine hero and a racing legend in our motorcycling community, and we are more than willing to lend him and his family our support as we give them our best wishes.”

More details about the Road 2 Recover auction will be posted soon on the Dunlop Web site (www.dunlopmotorcycle.com) and the Road 2 Recover Web site (www.road2recovery.com).

About Road 2 Recovery
Road 2 Recovery was created to provide financial assistance to AMA licensed professional motocross Supercross racers in the event they sustain career ending injuries, as well as providing motivational, emotional and spiritual support to the individuals and their families. Road 2 Recovery continues to act as a pathway for the motocross public and its supporters to donate funds to be distributed to injured racers.

About Dunlop Tires
Dunlop Tires is the largest supplier of original equipment and replacement motorcycle tires in the U.S. and the only manufacturer of motorcycle tires in North America. With North American operations headquartered in Buffalo, NY, Dunlop has been making and selling high-quality tires in the U.S. since 1923. For more information, visit www.dunlopmotorcycle.com.