The Yamaha Motor Co. is one of the best known motorcycle producers in the world but I'll give a little historical information about the company ...... Torakusu Yamaha, born in 1851, founded the Yamaha Musical Instrument Company in 1888. After ten years of growth he joined with other businessmen to found the Nippon Gakki Company or, Japanese Musical Instrument Company. Mr. Yamaha died in 1916 but his company survived earthquakes, labor unrest and bombing of World War II. After the War, the then company president, Gen-ichi Kawakami, decided to use what was left of the company's war-time production machinery to set up a production line for a new product: motorcycles. The new company would be named in honor of the founder. In 1954 the first model was set for production. It was a 125cc, single cylinder two-stroke patterned after the German DKW RT125. Yamaha designated this first model the YA1. The YA1 was successful and by 1956 a second model was ready for production. This was the YC1, a 175cc single cylinder two-stroke also based on a DKW design, the RT175. In 1957 Yamaha began production of it's first 250cc, two-stroke twin, the YD1. This was the beginning of a long line of two stroke twins that lead Yamaha to the world's stage of motorcycle success.(This information was condensed from "YAMAHA TWO-STROKE TWINS" by Colin MacKellar, an excellent book, sadly out of print. Perhaps Amazon.Com can find you a copy.)


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Do you know the year they went 4 stroke? For a while they were 2 stroke only, sad all good things must change.

Wasn't it about the time the 650 twin came out in the early 70's?

I'm probably mistaken, but I think the last year for the RD350 (RD400?) was around 1978. With a little tweaking those things could ROCKET between stoplights.

I have a 1967 YR-1 , the first ever Yam. 2-stroke twin 350cc , cool and rare. Now I just need to get it all back together.

Cool dude we have twins. I mean we have the same year bikes lkq, I have a few parts for this model, Have not start a resto on this one yet, it looks good in its 39 year old clothes. A guy in Houston has one for sale at www.collectorcarsandbikes.com Also i am still searching for big bear 350.

I have a big bear 250 and a parts bike , I might sell them..........Mike

I am really a hold out for a 350cc but if the price was right a 250 could get my intrest. How about just the parts bike? How cool would it be to see one of these old bumble bees on the track sporting twin chrome hand made upswept chambers?

Torakusu Yamaha, born in 1851, founded the Yamaha Musical Instrument Company in 1888..........

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