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***Malcolm*** · 03-07-2020, 11:15 AM

To celebrate Yamaha Day on 1st July, which marked the 65th Anniversary of Yamaha Motor, some of the brand's most iconic riders and sportspeople shared their favourite memories, whether that be a title-winning season, or a particular event that remains close to their hearts.

In road racing, Valentino Rossi revisited his epic first race victory with Yamaha at the 2004 African Grand Prix in South Africa, while three-time 500cc Grand Prix world champion Kenny Roberts, fellow American and triple world champion Wayne Rainey, motorcycle racing’s most successful rider Giacomo Agostini and 2009 Superbike World Champion Ben Spies each spoke about their successes with Yamaha.

In 1955, Genichi Kawakami established Yamaha Motor Co. Ltd. and racing has been a part of the manufacturer’s DNA since the very beginning. From national championships in Japan, to the world stage of Grand Prix off road and on road motorcycle racing, and today the brand is synonymous with the racetrack.

Hear the stories from your favourite Yamaha icons on the new corporate section of the Yamaha Motor Europe website and stay up to date with the latest news via the Yamaha Racing Instagram, Facebook and Twitter accounts.

MY YAMHA STORY

Read all about your Favourite Yamaha Riders over the years by clicking on the link above.

SILJA · 04-07-2020, 10:14 AM

Hmm, I'm definitely not a Yamaha icon but I was owner of an Yamaha already in 1970. 50 years ago. The little thing was an AT1, 125cc two-stroke, single cylinder. Enduro was not common in these days but I was competeing in races similar to enduro here in Sweden. I bought a tuning kit containing piston, cylinder, carburettor and exhaust pipe. What I didn't know was that the tuning kit brought more power but the torque in the lower revs disappeared totally. Torque was what was needed in the terrain. That fact gave me a lesson. 21" front wheel was mounted in a Ceriani front fork... In the winters the little one was equipped with studs for rally car tyres. Big fun on icey roads!

In these days I was working in a shop and workshop for the early 70s Yamahas. The bikes arrived in cardboard boxes and my work was to mount everything to make them ready for the streets. After some miles the usual services. The most popular ones were the 125 twins AS 3. We also delivered the twins RD 350 and later the four-stroke twins XS 650.

In 1970 - 1973 I was travelling with road racer Borje Jansson to take care of his Yamaha TD2 and the odd one, a Yamasaki 250. A TD2 engine bought in spare parts in Germany. The engine was mounted in a Kawasaki A1R frame and Börje used that bike in the Lightweight TT 1971.

Now the circle is complete. I'll soon buy a used Yamaha DT 125 from 1983 and that will end my Yamaha story.

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