The original Yamaha company, then the Nippon Gakki Co., Ltd, made reed organs and pianos, and was started back in 1897 by Torakusu Yamaha.
Nearly five decades later, in the heydey of rock and roll, Yamaha was burdened with underused manufacturing facilities that had been built to make parts for aeroplanes during World War II.
In 1955, the motorcycle division of Yamaha was spun off. Yamaha’s initial product was a 125cc two-stroke single, the YA-1, nicknamed ‘Aka-tombo’, meaning red dragonfly, for its maroon and ivory two-tone paint job.
It was, ahem, heavily influenced by the German DKW RT 125.
The YA-1 was a competitive success at racing from the beginning, winning not only the 125cc class in the Mt. Fuji Ascent, but also sweeping the podium with first, second and third place in the All Japan Autobike Endurance Road Race that same year. Early success in racing set the tone for Yamaha, as competition in many varieties of motorcycle racing has been a key endeavor of the company throughout its history, often fueled by a strong rivalry with Honda, Suzuki, Kawasaki and other Japanese manufacturers. Yamaha began competing internationally in 1956 when they entered the Catalina Grand Prix, again with the YA-1, at which they placed sixth.
The YA-1 was followed by the YA-2 of 1957, another 125cc two stroke, but with significantly improved frame and suspension.
The YD-1 of 1957 was a 250cc two-stroke twin cylinder motorcycle, resembling the YA-2, but with a larger and more powerful motor.
A performance version of this bike, the YDS-1 housed the 250cc two-stroke twin in a double downtube cradle frame and offered the first five-speed transmission in a Japanese motorcycle.
Happy 70th birthday, ヤマハ発動機株式会社!
