History of Yamaha Dirt Bikes
Yamaha Motor Company was originally founded as a piano manufacturing company in the 19th century. It began producing motorcycles in 1954 using its expertise in lightweight metal alloys within acoustic pianos to build motorcycle frames and parts. The company produced the first modern dirt bike with the debut of the DT1 in 1968. The DT1 helped form the modern motocross racing industry.
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The YA1
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Yamaha rolls off the assembly line the YA1 motorcycle using its "Autolube System" that mixes engine lubricants with fuel in its two-stroke engine.
DT1
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The Yamaha DT1, powered by a two-stroke 123cc engine, was introduced in 1968, creating the first ever trail bike motorcycle category.
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Mono-Shock
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The first-ever mono-shock motocross bike, featuring a single rear shock absorber to provide more consistent handling, was introduced by Yamaha in 1975 as the 250 and 400 models, with the smaller 125 following in 1976.
The DT200
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Yamaha debuted the 33-horsepower 195cc-engine DT200 in the early 1980s as a dual-purpose motorcycle for off-road and street use.
ATV Categories
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By 2000, Yamaha was deep into all-terrain vehicles, or ATVs, sponsoring cross-country and motocross teams the YFZ450 riding to a series of first-place wins through 2008.
Latest Generation
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In 2008, Yamaha developed the YZ450F and YZ250F dirt bikes that include larger intake ports and cam profile changes to boost torque and provide quicker throttle handling.
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Resources
- Photo Credit Yamaha Motor Company
