Yamaha Dirt Bikes

Here is some basic info to get us started.  Yamaha dirt bikes are one of a kind, a true staple to all we hold “near and dear” when it comes to off-road adventuring. And if you want to learn more about this brand of bikes, as well as the bikes themselves, then just keep reading…..

More on this type of unique dirt bike and its roots

The Yamaha dirt bike history goes back before 1975, in which the yz360b came out. Then, the concept wasn’t too fairly new in the U.S. and abroad, yet the brand still continued to grow more and more with the growing sales of this one Yamaha model alone. But five years later after it originally came out, its predecessor was released in 1980 --- falling under the name of the yz250g, respectively, and offering features and benefits that the last one didn’t provide. New bikes came out later, which were upgrades of their former models, and so on and so forth…..the cycle continues even today.

What’s interesting, though, is that between 1975 and 2015 (40 years of rich Yamaha history in motorcycles), 7 unique types of dirt motorcycles or “dirt bikes” came out --- all of which people still highly admire today. Which ones are they? Well, there’s the yz360b and yz250g that we just briefly talked about, but then there’s a few others in between the gaps…..

Did I mention that, four years after the great yz250g went to the public market, the other yz250 came out (in 1984)? And after the release of that one, there was the tt350 in 1991, followed by the yz250 model of 1994 and its unique look, as well as the wr400f of 1998 and --- finally --- the yz450f of 2015. But who founded Yamaha, before the yz360b motorcycle was released in 1975? Good question…..  

The answer to that one, curious reader, would be none other than the amazing Torakusu Yamaha, who founded The Yamaha Corporation back in 1887. His original company had initially made and sold pianos, not motor dirt bikes, to the public --- but then it expanded and began to be available in different product markets, eventually moving into motorcycles for off-road or on-road needs. Over time, Yahama’s company has gone to see itself sell everything from musical instruments and electronics, to home appliances and robotics, to computer products, and everything that could possibly fall in between --- respectively. It has a business that has both seen and grown much in more than 130 years of business. But, as its top spokesmen claim, it has still yet to see its best days…..

The Yamaha Corporation’s resent CEO, Genichi Kawakami, was the one who further propelled Yamaha to sell dirt bikes and made them available in the U.S. One could say it was “his idea and invention” as a result. And guess what? There were also a few earlier prototype motor dirt bikes released by the brand just before the first major one in 1975 --- starting with the Yamaha YA-1’s release in fall of 1954. 

The Yamaha YA-1 was a 125cc bike made for the roads, offering a 2-stroke engine unlike any other made available in its time. It, of course, paved the way for Yamaha to eventually release more and greater models --- one could say this one was a prototype test for all to come.  And in addition, did you know Yamaha Motor Co L.t.d officially got its current name one year later in 1955? It was all thanks to this first-release bike from the year before, which really helped its business kick itself off in the right direction…..

Yamaha didn’t release any dirt bikes until 1968, just a little later. It was called the DT1, a 250cc that many considered the world’s first actual off-road motorcycle. It was an Enduro bike with a 2-stroke engine. After the release of the DT1, sales soared like never before, and the demand far outweighed the current supply within the U.S. So pretty soon, the business would have to find itself making more, because people were buying!

More to note

The official racing rules took a drastic change in 1996, thanks to the AMA. At this time, larger 4-stroke bikes, like the 450cc ones, were even allowed to enter competition against the 2-stroke bikes, like those of a 250cc nature. And this alone opened the door to many new possibilities and other factors never before explored in the world of auto (motorbike) racing. Only one year after these rules changed, the YZ400F was given birth by the Yamaha Corporation. It was a 4-stroke engine bike that offered much more and entered the world of racing; that year, of course, the AMA’s Supercross race took place, and the great Doug Henry came in first place.

Henry, of course, was driving an YZ400F throughout the race. So the victory, as would naturally follow, was a huge pillar of success for the Yamaha brand as a whole. A NEW AGE OF 4-STROKE MOTOR-CROSSERS HAD BEGUN!!!!!!!! 

Final thoughts

And nowadays, Yamaha continues to surpass its standards in every way. It still delivers quality dirt bikes for both racing and off-road stunts alike. Out of these are included the incredible YZ250f of 2017, which offers four titanium valves with its 4-stroke engine and likewise delivers an unrivaled 2.0 gal. – 7.5 liters in fuel capacity. It’s got an electric starting system holding a dry weight of 231 lbs. (Wet) – 105 kgs, as well as a wheel base of 58.1 in. – 147.5 cm. In addition, as a rider, you get 38.0 in. – 96.5 cm in seat height, so you can adjust as needed. How do you like that?   

But this model’s not the only one released as of last year. 2016, 2017, and 2018 were all great years that showed many new models and sold like crazy as well. But it all started in the early years before 1975, and continued from then until 2015. Now, it’s a greater time than ever to be a fan of Yamaha! Ride on!!!!!