Home

Yamaha Motorcycle

"I want to carry out trial manufacture of motorcycle engines." It was from these words spoken by Genichi Kawakami, Yamaha Motor's first president, in 1953 that today's Yamaha Motor Company was born.

In January of 1955 the Hamakita Factory of Nippon Gakki was built and production began on the YA-1. With confidence in the new direction that Genichi was taking, Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. was founded on July 1, 1955. Staffed by 274 enthusiastic employees, the new motorcycle manufacturer built about 200 units per month.



In years to come Yamaha continued to grow. Diversity increased with the addition of products including snowmobiles, race kart engines, generators, scooters, ATVs, personal watercraft and more.

 

History Timeline (USA)
 Year  Yamaha Motor Origin
1955
The first Yamaha motorized product was the YA-1 Motorcycle (125cc, 2-stroke, single cylinder, streetbike). It was produced and sold in Japan.
 Year  USA History
1958 The first Yamaha Motorcycles sold in the USA were by Cooper Motors, an independent distributor. The models were the YD1 (250cc, 2-stroke, twin cylinder, streetbike) and MF-1 (50cc, 2-stroke, single cylinder, streetbike, step-through).
1960 Yamaha International Corporation began selling motorcycles in the USA.
1968

The DT-1 Enduro was introduced. The world's first dual purpose motorcycle which had on & off-road capability. Its impact on Motorcycling in the USA was enormous.

Yamaha's first Snowmobile, the SL350 (2-stroke, twin cylinder) was introduced. This was the first Snowmobile with slide valve carburetors.
1970
 Yamaha’s first 4-stroke motorcycle model, the XS-1 (650cc vertical twin) was introduced.
1971
 The SR433 high performance Snowmobile was introduced.
1973 Yamaha continued expansion into new markets by introducing Generators (ET1200).
1975
 Yamaha pioneered the very first single-shock, production motocross bikes. This was the beginning of the YZ Monocross machines that changed motocross forever.
1976 The legendary SRX440 snowmobile hits the market and quickly catapults Yamaha to the forefront of the snowmobile racing scene.
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 XS1100 motorcycle (four cylinder, shaft drive) was introduced.

XS650 Special was introduced. This was the first production Cruiser built by a Japanese manufacturer.

Golf Cars were introduced in the USA with the G1 gas model.
1979
 YICS (Yamaha Induction Control System), a fuel-saving engine system, was developed for 4-stroke engines.
1980

The new Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA, corporate office was opened in Cypress, California.

The first 3-wheel ATV was sold in USA… the Tri-Moto (YT125).

The G1-E electric powered Golf Car model was introduced.
1981
 The first air-cooled, V-twin cruiser, the Virago 750, was introduced.
1984

The first production 5-valve per cylinder engine was introduced on the FZ750 motorcycle.

Yamaha’s first 4-wheel ATV, the YFM200, was introduced in the USA.

The Phazer snowmobile was introduced. Known for its light weight and agile handling.

Yamaha begins marketing Outboard Motors in the USA.
1985
 The V-Max 1200 musclebike hits the streets.
1986
 Yamaha Motor Manufacturing Corporation of America was founded in Newnan, Georgia.
1987

A new exhaust system for 4-stroke engines, “EXUP,” was developed to provide higher horsepower output throughout an engine's powerband.

Yamaha introduces personal watercraft...the sit-down WaveRunner and the stand-up WaveJammer.

Yamaha Motor Manufacturing Company begins Golf Car and Water Vehicle production for USA and overseas markets.
1992
 The Vmax-4 Snowmobile (2-stroke, four cylinder) was introduced.
1994
 Yamaha expands its product offerings by acquiring the Cobia boat company.
1995
 The Century and Skeeter boat companies are acquired by Yamaha.
1996

Yamaha introduces its first Star model with the 1300cc, V4 Royal Star.

Tennessee Watercraft produces Sport Boats and later, the SUV WaveRunner.
1997

Yamaha acquires the G3 boat company.

At the Newnan, Georgia, manufacturing facility, the first ATV (the BearTracker) rolls off the assembly line.

Yamaha opens southeastern offices in Kennesaw, Georgia.
1998

The YZ400F four-stroke motocross bike was introduced. This was the first mass produced 4-stroke motocrosser.

The YZF-R1 sport bike was introduced. It set the standard for open class sport bikes for several years.

The Grizzly 600 4x4 ATV with Ultramatic transmission was introduced.

The EF2800i generator with Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) was introduced. PMW allows use with equipment that requires stable frequency and voltage.
2002

The F225 Outboard was introduced. It was the largest 4-stroke Outboard at the time.

The FX140 WaveRunner (1000cc, 4-stroke, four cylinder) was introduced. The world's first high performance 4-stroke personal watercraft.
2003
 The RX-1 Snowmbile (1000cc, 4-stroke, four cylinder) was introduced. The world's first high performance 4-stroke Snowmobile.
   
2004 Rhino Side x Side model introduced. Combined performance, terrainability, utility capabilities, and take-along-a-friend convenience to lead the way in a new category of off-road recreation.

 

Yamaha motorcycles have proven themselves to be reliable and economical transpoatation in 2009.