Loading...
Shop By

Yamaha Merchandise

Items 1-24 of 54

Set Ascending Direction
Page
per page

Yamaha

Yamaha Motor was born When Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. Founded in Japan in July 1955, it was a relative latecomer to a market where as many as 150 motorcycle manufacturers were vying for survival. New ones were started and others folded at a tremendous pace and few survived the challenge.

It started when then-president of Nippon Gakki, (now Yamaha Corporation), Genichi Kawakami, used a number of metal aircraft propeller manufacturing machines to develop the first Yamaha motorcycle. It was the YA-1, nicknamed "Aka-tombo", which means red dragonfly. With a starting capital of 30 million yen, 274 employees and two single-story wooden factory buildings with the ability to put out 200 motorcycles per month, the young company dared to compete, a will that established the entrepreneurial spirit of challenge. Yamaha entered the first YA-1 at the Mt. Fuji Ascent Race and won. From then on, our employees moved with determination from one challenge to another, working as a team and sharing victories and setbacks.

Yamaha's deep knowledge of two-stroke technology led to the company's diversification into the outboard engine market in 1960. In 1970 the 650cc This was followed in the 1980s by the development of powerful car engines and water vehicles.

1998 will be remembered by motorcyclists for many years to come as it was the year Yamaha launched the YZF-R1, widely hailed as the most remarkable supersport model of the decade. Equipped with race-staged engine and chassis technology, the R1 once again underlines Yamaha's commitment to offering products that generate "Kando" the first time, every time.