It's official Chad Reed and Factory Yamaha

Thanks for sharing your non-optimism

you should be thanking everyone in this thread, each is entitled to their own opinion whether you like it or not

For the first time in many years Chad doesn't have to manage a team/new bike setup going into a new year. He's been quietly working away on the new bike with not much fanfare. I say it comes out with a top 5 at A1.

I'm a big Reed fan. Flew to the US in 2003 to watch his first 250 win at A1 then duke it out with Ezra in Phoenix. At A1, I faked being an Australian moto mag reporter and walked straight into the press conference. I decked myself out with two cameras and a notebook. Walked up to the sign on table and confidently said I was from ADB in Australia. To my amazement, they just let me in. Didn't check anything. There I was rubbing shoulders with the top US riders when McGrath announced his retirement. I had a bite to eat and drink. I remember I'd just bought my first digital camera and the bloody thing was making weird noises every time I took a photo. I thought the gig was up when someone next to me asked where I was from. I muttered some crap about freelance. I must have looked like the biggest knob. After the conference I went out to the stadium to checkout the practice. After watching the guys run a few laps, I walked out the back and was able to checkout pit area and all the teams. Reflecting on it now, seems like the security was pretty lapse. I don't think I'd get away with it again nowadays. Still remember shaking RJ's hand on the way out of the pits.

Hope to save the coins up and get back there for A1 in 2017. Might be Reed's last year on the circuit.

This is really cool! To me Reed and Yamaha are a match, it was weird seeing him on other brands.
Not sure if I like the bike´s look though, the bloody Monster logo is so out of place. But I´m happy for Chad and Yamaha!

Smart move on Reed's part going back to blue, gives him the possible opportunity to stay on when he's ready to call his racing days over. The other brands appear to be set in that capacity, at least for the near future. Hopefully he personally gets some wins for them before hanging it up.

Ahhheemmm...*allegedly landed on the moon

I hope he is running good. The series is better with a competitive Chad Reed rather than a top 15 Chad Reed.

Comin in hot to A1