In 1890 he incorporates Nippon Gakki Company Limited, for making pianos and organs. The company’s musical instrument maker beginnings are still shown in its logo, which depicts three interlocking tuning forks. The company becomes the world’s largest musical instrument maker.
Torakusu Tamaha passes away in 1916, the company lives on.
After WWII, the company’s president, Genichi Kawakami, realizes that if Japan is to rebuild, the country needs affordable transportation. In 1955 the first Yamaha motorized product is the YA-1 Motorcycle.
The bike is a 125cc, 2-stroke, single-cylinder streetbike patterned after the DKW RT125 (as were both the BSA Bantam and the Harley-Davidson Hummer.) The YA-1, (known as the “Red Dragonfly),” is so successful that Yamaha incorporates a subsidiary, Yamaha Motor Corp.
In 1957 the company produces the YD-1 based after the German made Adler, and in 1958 the first United States sold motorcycles are sold by Cooper Motors.The models are the YD-1 (250cc, 2-stroke, twin-cylinder streetbike) and MF-1 (50cc, 2-stroke, single-cylinder step-through streetbike
YD-1 |
MF-1 |
The YDS-1 establishes the pattern for the next 20 years of sporty Yamaha two-stroke Twins.
In 1960 Yamaha Corporation begins selling it's own products in the U.S. without a distributor and in 1966 Yamaha introduces the YDS-3 which is the first Yamaha to capture a piece of the American Motorcycle market
YDS-3 |
YDS-5 |
YDS-6 |
YA-6 |
YQ-5 |
DT-1 |
In 1970 Yamaha introduced it's first four stroke bike..the XS-1
No comments:
Post a Comment