Yamaha, Kawasaki to debut 2006 machines at Sepang.

[R1 Biker]

Yamaha, Kawasaki to debut 2006 machines at Sepang.

A quick poll of the four Japanese MotoGP manufacturers has revealed that at least two will be running their 2006 spec machines at next week's three-day Sepang test, to be held from November 28-30 at the Malaysian circuit.

Crash.net asked the Factory Yamaha Team, the Kawasaki Racing Team, Team Suzuki MotoGP and the Repsol Honda Team if they would be testing their new 2006 bikes or if they would be running updated 2005 machines.

Yamaha, the only major manufacturer to miss the previous Valencia test, confirmed that they "will be running the new 2006 bike" for world champion Valentino Rossi and Colin Edwards. There will also be at least one 2005 Yamaha on track, with James Ellison due to ride a Dunlop shod M1 in his Tech 3 'job interview'.

Kawasaki revealed that Shinya Nakano, who missed the Valencia test to recover from a wrist injury sustained during a Friday fall at the season ending GP, will make his debut on the new 2006 Ninja ZX-RR at Sepang. However, rookie team-mate Randy de Puniet will continue to ride the 2005 machine "as he just needs time on a MotoGP bike at the moment."

Repsol Honda stated that both Nicky Hayden and Dani Pedrosa "will be on the 05 bike" at the test, while Suzuki wouldn't confirm which bikes they will have present - with information to be released "later this week".

Meanwhile, at the exact same time as the four Japanese manufacturers are at Sepang, the Ducati Marlboro Team will be testing at Jerez, Spain, with Loris Capirossi and new signing Sete Gibernau. That test will mark the debut of the 2006 Ducati Desmosedici GP6.

Next week's MotoGP track action will be the last before the start of the winter testing ban, which runs from December 1 to January 20, 2006.