Yamaha is at the forefront of modern street and off-road performance with their lineup of touring motorcycles, speed bikes, motocross bikes, sport ATVs and side-by-sides but would you believe that the company began over 130 years ago in an entirely different field? In 1887, a watchmaker and machine repairman named Torakusu Yamaha built the first Japanese-made reed organ. This soon led to a full-scale manufacturing operation that produced pianos, harmonicas, xylophones, drums, and guitars and the quality of these instruments rivaled or exceeded those of the long-standing traditional manufacturers in Europe and the United States. This ethic was carried over to motorcycles when Yamaha Motor Company was formed in 1955. The first Yamaha motorcycle was built in 1955 as a copy of the German DKW YT 125. The Yamaha YA-1 was a born race winner, racking up a victory in the 125cc class at the Mt. Fuji Ascent, and then claiming the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd podium spots at the 1955 All Japan Autobike Endurance Road Race. Yamaha’s motorcycle sales and production boomed throughout the 1960s and they began to overtake such storied marques as Triumph, BMW, and Harley-Davidson not only in race wins but also in global sales. In 1980, Yamaha created their first ATV for the United States market called the Tri-Moto. It was an instant success and was soon followed up in 1985 with the company’s first 4-wheel ATV, the YFM200 Moto-4. The 80s and 90s Yamaha saw Yamaha grow to become a worldwide giant in powersports. ATVs such as the 1987 Banshee, 1987 Big Bear 350, 1998 Grizzly 600, and 2004 YFZ450 and motorcycle innovations including the 1983 FJ1100, 1985 V-Max 1200, 1996 Yamaha Star Cruiser, 1998 YZ400F, and 1999 Venture Royale helped cement Yamaha’s legacy as one of the premier names in 2 and 4-wheel performance. Yamaha is currently the 2nd largest manufacturer of motorcycles in the entire world and they lead the world in powerboat and personal watercraft sales.
At Race Driven, we are ATV performance enthusiasts who race and ride with a lifetime of powersports experience. Our aftermarket performance parts and replacement components are engineered and crafted to withstand the harshest of everyday utilitarian use as well as the severe abuse of the racetrack. We work closely and directly with our manufacturing, prototyping, and powder coating company located in Escanaba, Michigan to ensure that our in-demand powersports products are available to you, the powersports aficionado, at the lowest possible cost. Browse our online inventory and search for Yamaha motorcycle parts and aftermarket parts for Yamaha ATVs. We’re committed to bringing the highest quality products to all riders at an affordable price.
