On Monday August 1,Yamaha's Bill Ballance was riding the new 2006 Yamaha YFZ450 at Castillo Ranch during Yamaha's YFZ450 Press Introduction in Los Alamos, CA (just north of Santa Barbara).

Bill was jumping the quad for a few photographers. During one of the jumps he had no choice but to throw the quad away and land on his own two feet. In the process he broke his left leg. The diagnosis, as of this date, is multiple fractures in the left ankle area.

"Right now, everyone's primary concern is getting Bill the appropriate medical attention," said Steve Nessl, Yamaha's ATV PR Manager.

When asked if Bill will be able to pursue his sixth GNCC championship, Nessl could only tell us the following; "He's in good spirits. Mostly he's anxious to get the injury taken care of and start healing as soon as possible. He's fully aware of the implications with respect to this year's GNCC series, but as anyone who knows Bill is aware, he's extremely competitive and doesn't intend to give up the 2006 title without a fight."

Bill is flying home to Kentucky to meet with his personal doctor. A decision as to the best way to address the injury will be made in the next few days.

As of right now the time required for Bill's leg to heal is undetermined.

 

JUST GOES TO SHOW HOW CRAPPY YAMAHA MAKES SHOCKS, I HOPE THEY GET SUED FOR MAKING CRAPPY VEHICLES, DONT BUY A YFZ!!!!!!!!111111111111

 

this thread says nothing about yamaha having crappy shocks nor does it have anything to do with shocks so dont get jealous because a yfz is beter than your 2001 craptor

 

yeah how the hell do you know it didnt have 2000 dollar axis xhocks on it or something YOU DONT so dont go off about how yamaha shocks suck. your raptor still has stockers. yamaha shocks arent the greatest but ride a breeze or something and youll respect yfz shiocks a bit better

o yeah and he didnt even use the shocks on landing he landed on his own two feet. so now you going to go pi$$ and moan to god for making bill balance ankles so sucky how dare him


seriously dude, seriously

 

wow, thats a bad thing to hear .hope it all works out for him ,and gets better real fast.but looks like chris will have the championship won this year unless something happens to him

 

He obviously came up WAY to short if he had to ditch the yfz in mid air... wow that must have sucked.

 

LOL, Yamaha contracts the manufacture of those shocks out, just like pretty much all the other manufacturers. Anyways, it is more likely rider error than an equipment problem.

 

wow did you read what he wrote he said Ballance ditched in mid-air, so that means that Bill didnt land and that had nothing to do with the shocks

 

Exactly [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img] lol

 

its called sarcasm kid...and my craptor would rape the hell out of your 2 joke