The Yamaha Motor Company, Ltd. has gone a long way since its establishment in 1955 and is now the second-largest motorbike manufacturer in the world, behind Honda.
With their amazing variety of motorcycles, the bright minds at Yamaha have won worldwide acclaim for their revolutionary designs and constant innovation.
Yamaha pushed their motorcycles to the limit and beyond thanks to their multiple victories in motorsports. It’s how they were able to innovate and create cutting-edge machinery at every point in their history.
Among all of their incredible motorcycles, there are a few that are still regarded as some of the best ever made, breaking records in the racing world and setting new standards in the industry.
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The YA-1, the very first Yamaha model ever made back in 1955, was already a fantastic engineering achievement when it came out, with several improvements over the time-honored German motorbike, the DKW RT125, which served as inspiration.
It was the first motorbike made in Japan with a kick starter, enabling the user to start the engine while the gearbox was in gear. It had a four speed transmission and a 125 cc, two-stroke, single cylinder engine. At the time, the DKW only had three.
Once the YA-1 entered competitions and finally won the 125cc class, people began to take notice of the bike’s superior engineering, materials, and dependability. Fans gave it the moniker “the” after it won the next year as well.”Red Dragonfly”
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The first Yamaha motorbike imported to the United States was the 247cc-powered Yamaha YD2, which debuted in 1959. The bike’s outstanding aesthetics, great paint job, and top speed of 113 km/h, which was extraordinary at the time, impressed both the western and eastern worlds.
The twin-cylinder engine had a pressed steel chassis and another notable addition: an electric start. The first Yamaha to have one was this one.
The Yamaha YD2 was another excellent motorbike in terms of reliability, even if it wasn’t as powerful as other motorcycles Yamaha had previously made. This earned it a very good reputation.
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With its single-sided front swingarm and forkless front suspension, which improved the bike’s stability under braking, as well as various other cutting-edge technology that no motorbike at the time had, the 1993-released Yamaha GTS1000 stunned the entire globe.
In addition to electronic fuel injection, ABS brakes, a catalytic converter, and a six piston front brake calliper, the GTS1000 was equipped with an Omega Chassis idea for its front swingarm.
The motorcycle’s lack of commercial success, despite its excellent engineering, was caused by the higher purchase price that most consumers didn’t want to pay.
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Being the YZF-little R1’s brother, the YZF-R6 was built using the same engineering principles. It underwent a significant improvement a few years later, in 2003, with the installation of a ride-by-wire throttle known as the Yamaha Computer Control – Throttle, or YCC-T.
Up until recently, the 600 class R6 was still being produced and underwent numerous revisions and enhancements. The Yamaha R6 was the most popular bike in Supersport racing, which says a lot about it.
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Being the YZF-little R1’s brother, the YZF-R6 was built using the same engineering principles. It underwent a significant improvement a few years later, in 2003, with the installation of a ride-by-wire throttle known as the Yamaha Computer Control – Throttle, or YCC-T.
Up until recently, the 600 class R6 was still being produced and underwent numerous revisions and enhancements. The Yamaha R6 was the most popular bike in Supersport racing, which says a lot about it.
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The FJR 1300 is a great sports touring motorbike that hit the road for the first time in 2001. Riders from all over the world immediately took notice of it and fell in love with it.
It has been improved throughout the years and is now among Yamaha’s best motorcycles.
It sports a potent 1,298cc inline four engine with no less than 142 horsepower and a substantial 101.7 lb-ft of torque in its most sophisticated configuration.
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Yamaha’s YDS3C Big Bear Scrambler from 1965 wasn’t a particularly large motorbike, not by the standards of the time nor those of the present. Although it weighed 160 kg, which was heavy for the time, the appearance was attractive and elegant, not at all massive and cumbersome. Its name actually derives from the Big Bear race, a race through the Mojave Desert to Big Bear Lake.
The bike was a popular street scrambler that was modelled after the YDS3, which gave Yamaha its first racing victories. It was a quick and powerful bike for its day, reaching a top speed of 142 km/h. Additionally lovely. Although subjective, it has that timeless motorbike appeal.
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One of the best selling Yamaha motorcycles, the MT-09, is a naked bike that brings a great deal of performance for a very affordable price. The “MT” in its name actually means “Monster Torque”, which is pretty self explanatory.
It’s an amazing street motorcycle, perfect for every day use on the city streets, and fun enough to make weekend rides a pure joy. It’s no wonder why this bike is cherished by so many riders. It’s exactly what a motorcycle should be and nothing more, and accessible to almost anyone.
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The Yamaha YZ250 was a favourite of many new riders when it was introduced in 1974 and offered performance characteristics similar to those of the Big Bear Scrambler that we previously discussed. It gained popularity because of its tiny body, upgraded mono-shock suspension system, and ease of handling.
All those who care about riding the trails in style adore this bike for its simple aesthetic and vibrant colour scheme, especially in blue.
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The Yamaha XV750 Virago was both one of the first motorcycles in the world to include a mono-shock rear suspension as well as the brand’s first V-twin cruiser. Although the 750cc engine-powered original enjoyed enormous popularity, Yamaha introduced other variations throughout the years, ranging in size from 125cc to 1000cc.
The bike’s highest speed was 109 mph, or 175 km/h, and its total horsepower was 52.8.
It immediately became a well-known motorbike that riders of all experience levels and riding preferences adored. The motorcycle was so popular in North America that Harley Davidson even worried about losing the American market.