Design Cafe
Classics
Ténéré History
The XT 500 started a trend in 1976, which soon gained a lot of momentum in Europe. Multipurpose enduro became very successful in most European countries. The dream of adventure and reaching far away places culminated in the Rally Paris-Dakar, with Yamaha Motor France playing a pioneer role entering modified XT 500 rally bikes.
Read MoreBW's: it triggered a whole generation
The orginal BW's model has become a desired object for many youngsters (and young at heart customers) all across Europe. It gave a whole new meaning to scooters in the early nineties for the years to follow.
They did it their way: When the big thumper returned
The roaring seventies saw a breathtaking development: faster, bigger and heavier, the motorcycle world seemed to turn around. The dream was made of multi-cylinders with constantly increasing horse power. It was a fascinating development and most manufacturers did everything to boost this mainstream fashion, when Yamaha turned the opposite way. The times in the sixties where big singles touched the heart of enthusiasts were not forgotten!
1987: First big supersport
The FZR 1000 Genesis is a milestone model as it marked the transition from 2 stroke to 4 stroke supersport motorcycles. This shift represented a new generation of high performance big bikes, which employed Yamaha racing technology from the track. The first FZR 1000 Genesis, presented to the public at the Cologne IFMA motorcycle show in Germany on September 18, 1986 continued the success of it's supersport predecessors the RD 350 and RD 500. However, the FZR 1000 layout had already made its debut 2 years earlier. The first YZF 750 Genesis endurance racer was entered at Suzuka 8h race and at the Bol d'Or on the Paul Ricard track in France to "race proof" the "Genesis" technology.
1988 TDR250 Development Targets: A new Motorcycle Dimension
When Yamaha engineers started the TDR development project in 1985, they were faced with the task of creating a new-concept motorcycle which would break away from the racer-replica trend of the 1980's and, most importantly, reemphasize the "FUN" aspect of motorcycling.
V-max: 1985 USA Press Information
Horsepower. America's four-wheeled hot rodders have loved the stuff for years. Until now real power's been the exclusive property of guys with blown vee-eights and hemi heads but at last there's a two-wheeled equivalent to the big-inch vee-eights street rod. Enter the V-MAX.
