A sneak peak into the History of Yamaha...
A few days back while watching television, i came across a show that gave me an insight into perhaps the most beautiful motorcycling compan...
A few days back while watching television, i came across a show that gave me an insight into perhaps the most beautiful motorcycling company i have ever come across. Knowing how it all started and how exactly our most beloved Yamaha's are created was a great feeling. Today it cannot be denied that Yamaha motors is one of the most loved and cherished motorcycle brand across the globe. With bikes that promise to touch the soul and keep up the promise to make MAN AND MACHINE ONE has given the maker to make a place in the hearts of people from all walks of society. Yamaha machines are a beautiful piece of artwork rather than just products of a factory assembly line as they truly believe in admiring the beauty of nature around them and their motorcycles definitely show this philosophy.
I wanted to share the grand history of such a beautiful motorcycle brand which is truly self made with its unique and self developed designs that took the world by storm as they were ages ahead of anything of that time. So, having said all this let me take u through the grand history of YAMAHA ...
The Japanese company was well known for its musical instruments, but in 1955 it began producing motorcycles. It began with simple and inexpensive machines but has grown to its position as a powersports powerhouse, offering some of the best sportbikes, cruisers and off-road bikes on the market.
I have created a time line to give you a glimpse of how it all started - till date. So fasten up and get ready for some time travel ...
1851
Torakusu Yamaha is born. He will train as a watchmaker and make his first reed organ in his mid-thirties.
1890
He incorporates Nippon Gakki Company Limited, for the purpose of making pianos and organs. The company’s origins as a musical instrument maker are still reflected in its logo, which depicts three interlocking tuning forks. It becomes the world’s largest musical instrument maker.
1916
The founder passes away.
1955
In the years after WWII, the company’s president Genichi Kawakami realizes that if Japan is to rebuild, the country needs affordable transportation (more than pianos!) The first Yamaha motorized product is the YA-1 Motorcycle. It’s a 125cc, 2-stroke, single-cylinder streetbike patterned after the DKW RT125 (as were both the BSA Bantam and the Harley-Davidson Hummer.) The YA-1, aka “Red Dragonfly,” is so successful that Yamaha incorporates a subsidiary, Yamaha Motor Corp.
1957
The 250cc twin-cylinder YD-1 is an improved version of another German bike, the Adler.
1958
The first Yamaha motorcycles are sold in the USA by Cooper Motors, an independent distributor. The models are the YD-1 (250cc, 2-stroke, twin-cylinder streetbike) and MF-1 (50cc, 2-stroke, single-cylinder step-through streetbike).
1959
The YDS-1 mounts a tuned-up version of the YD-1 motor in a double-cradle frame (the earlier version was built on a pressed-steel spine). The YDS-1 establishes the pattern for the next 20 years of sporty Yamaha two-stroke Twins.
1960
Yamaha International Corporation began selling motorcycles in the USA.
1964
Phil Read gives Yamaha its first-ever World Championship, in the 250cc class.
1966
The YDS-3 is the first Yamaha streetbike to really capture the American imagination.
1967
The Yamaha TD1C 250cc production racer is released. Though the factory racers have been effective for years, this is the beginning of a brilliant run of proddie racers. More than any other manufacturer, it is Yamaha that forces out four-strokes engines from Grand Prix racing.
1968
The DT-1 Enduro is introduced. It’s perhaps the world's first dual-purpose motorcycle.
1970
Yamaha’s first 4-stroke motorcycle model, the XS-1 (650cc vertical Twin) is introduced.
1973
Kenny Roberts wins the AMA Grand National Championship, racing a Shell Thuett-tuned 650 Twin on the dirt tracks and a 350cc two-stroke Twin (later TZ700 and 750 Fours) on road courses. He’ll repeat the win the next year, despite the 650 being outgunned by the Harley-Davidsons on the dirt tracks.
The fine RD350 middleweight sports bike is released. Its air-cooled 350cc parallel-Twin two-stroke motor is fitted with reed induction and produces an impressive 35 horsepower at the rear wheel.
1975
Yamaha pioneers the very first single-shock production motocross bikes.
Giacomo Agostini gives Yamaha its first 500cc World Championship.
In a desperate effort to keep the #1 plate, Yamaha encourages Roberts to try a TZ750-powered flat tracker. He rides it to an epic win in the Indy Mile, but says, “They don’t pay me enough to ride that thing!”
1976
The legendary XT500 is born. This thumping trailbike is the last nail in the coffin of the old British mystique. “The Japanese can even build a better 500 Single!” In its fourth year of production, an XT500 will win the first running of the Paris-Dakar.
1977
Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA, was founded in order to better appeal to the American market and establish a separate identity (from music & electronics) for Yamaha motorized products.
1978
The four-cylinder shaft-driven XS1100 is introduced.
Kenny Roberts becomes the first American to win the 500cc World Championship. He’ll win again in ’79 and ’80, proving that the first one was not a fluke.
The XS650 Special was introduced. This was the first production cruiser built by a Japanese manufacturer.
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| YAMAHA XS 1100 |
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| XS 1100 Engine |
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| YAMAHA XS 650 |
1979
YICS (Yamaha Induction Control System), a fuel-saving engine system, was developed for 4-stroke engines.
1981
Yamaha’s first air-cooled V-Twin cruiser, the Virago 750, is introduced.
1984
The RZ350 (sold elsewhere as the RD350LC, for “liquid cooled”) finally reaches the U.S. market. It was popular elsewhere from 1980 until the early ’90s but is only sold in the U.S. for two years. It’s fitted with an exhaust “power valve” that dramatically improves mid-range performance.
The hairy-chested RZV500 is introduced. With its water-cooled V-4 two-stroke engine, it’s a Grand Prix replica for the street, but it’s heavy and no match for Suzuki’s RG500 Gamma.
The first production 5-valve-per-cylinder engine is introduced on the FZ750.
Eddie Lawson wins the 500cc World Championship. He’ll do it again (on Yamahas) in ’86 and ’88.
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| Lawson in his young Days |
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| Eddie Lawson a legend |
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| Yamaha RZV 500 |
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| Yamaha FZ 750 |
1985
The V-Max 1200 muscle-bike hits the streets. Its 145 claimed horsepower sets a new motorcycle standard.
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| V-Max 1200 |
1987
Yamaha introduces EXUP, a new exhaust system for 4-stroke engines that includes a power valve to control back-pressure for optimizing the width of an engine's powerband.
1989
The FZR750R homologation special briefly challenges the GSX-R750 for sportbike supremacy.
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| Yamaha FZR 750 |
1990
Wayne Rainey wins the 500cc World Championship. He’ll do it again in ’91 and ’92, and is leading the 1993 championship when he suffers a paralyzing injury in mid-season.
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| American Racing Legend -Wayne Rainey |
1991
Thomas Stevens becomes the only person ever to win the AMA Superbike Championship on a Yamaha.
The FJ1200A sets the sports-touring standard and includes ABS.
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| Yamaha FJ 1200A |
1993
The striking GTS1000 features electronic fuel injection and hub-center steering designed by James Parker. Consumers failed to bite on the innovation and balked at the relatively high price.
1996
Yamaha introduces its first Star model with the 1300cc V-4 Royal Star.
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| Yamaha 1300cc V-4 Royal Star |
The YZ400F four-stroke motocross bike is introduced. This is the first mass produced 4-stroke motocrosser. Doug Henry won the AMA outdoor motocross championship with it while it was still a prototype in development. As soon as the public gets its hands on the production model, the two-stroke 250s are doomed.
The YZF-R1 sport bike is introduced to wild acclaim.
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| Yamaha YZF R1 |
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| Yamaha YZF R1 side view |
1999
The YZF-R6 is introduced.
2002
The R1 gets fuel injection, a first for a Yamaha sportbike.
2004
Valentino Rossi wins the MotoGP World Championship. He’ll repeat the feat the next year.
2006
The R6 gets YCC-T (Yamaha Chip-Controlled Throttle), a partial fly-by-wire system that is an industry first.
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| Yamaha R6 (2006) |
2007
The R1 gets YCC-I (Yamaha Chip-Controlled Intake), a system that varies the length of the inlet tract depending on throttle position and engine speed. The bike also gets a slipper clutch. Nori Haga uses the race version to finish second in the World Superbike Championship, just two points behind James Toseland. Haga and teammate Troy Corser combine to win the Manufacturer’s Championship for Yamaha.
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| Yamaha R1 (2007) |
2009
After an incredible run of more than 20 years, the Vmax is finally put out to pasture in favor of a new version powered by a monstrous 1700cc V-4 engine pumping out a claimed 200 horsepower.
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| Yamaha V-Max (2009) |
Revamps the new YZF-R1, incorporating the cross-plane crankshaft to mimic the firing order of the M1 machine ridden by Valentino Rossi in MotoGP. Unlike traditional engines, each of the four crankpins in the cross-plane crankshaft are offset at 90-degrees from its adjacent crankpin.
Ben Spies, in his debut season in the world superbike championship, wins the title on the new YZF-R1 after a year-long battle with Noriyuki Haga.
2011
Feel like riding around the world? Yamaha has just the machine for you with the Super Tenere adventure tourer, introduced as a 2012
model.
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| Yamaha Super Tenere world crosser |
We tried to take you through all the mile stones and stepping stones of Yamaha. If you like the post do share it and please leave a comment ..
- Ride Safe
Story and compilation by Rohit Arora
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