From the Archives: 70 Years of Yamaha

Yamaha YA-1, 1955 model. Source: Wikimedia commons

Yamaha made its first motorcycle in 1955. This year the 125cc YA-1 was released. The lightweight 2-stroke was nicknamed "Aka-tombo" which means red dragonfly, and the color of the bike was of course red. The YA-1 had much in common with DKW , and the model marks the start of Yamaha Motor Company as a separate company within Yamaha group.

Yamaha XS1100

Yamaha quickly found its own identity when it came to design and, not least, modern 2-stroke technology. 2-strokes with the prefix RD and DT are well known, as are the 4-strokes XS, XJ and FJ. Here is a quick look back at some of the motorcycles from Yamaha that left their mark, whether on the track, on the street or on gravel roads in the forest.

Yamaha XS650

Yamaha TX750

Yamaha XJ900

Yamaha R3

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