“Don’t feel bad. You’re not the first 750 rider to get blown off by a Yamaha 350.” That was the headline of a 1975 magazine advertisement for the Yamaha RD350, and it was true. Introduced […]
Tag: Yamaha
Big Wheel: Yamaha XS650 Bobber by A&J Cycles
A metric bobber recalling the Big Wheel trikes of yesteryear… The Yamaha XS650 remains one of the most versatile vintage motorcycles in the hands of custom builders. We regularly see the British-inspired Japanese twin transformed […]
WKND Virago: Yamaha XV750 by De Stijl Moto
A JDM-inspired Virago from Portland… Introduced in 1981, the Yamaha XV750 Virago was the company’s first foray into the market for V-twin cruisers, featuring mono-shock rear suspension, shaft-drive, and an air-cooled 75° V-twin producing 55 […]
No XS: Yamaha XS400 Twin(s)
Introduced in 1976, the Yamaha XS400 was highly anticipated in the industry. After all, its two-stroke sibling, the RD400, had been the fastest of the 400s, and everyone was curious what Yamaha could do with […]
Aluminum XS: Yamaha XS650 Street Tracker by Café Cycles
The Yamaha XS650 is one of our favorite vintage motorcycles. While it was styled after the British twins of the era, the bike was properly modern, featuring unit construction (engine and gearbox in same casing), […]
Yamaha YZ400F Flat Tracker
The Yamaha YZ400F was a true game-changer, the first 4-stroke production motocrosser that could compete directly against the 2-stroke competition — and win. The YZF weighed 250 pounds — about 20 more than the 2-strokes […]
Race Derived: Yamaha RD350 Cafe Racer by MotoExotica
A 1984 (!) Yamaha RD350 from the Himalayan foothills… The Yamaha RD350 is one of our favorite two-stroke street bikes, a parallel-twin standard that boasted 39 horsepower, Autolube oil injection, best-in-class brakes, and lovely colors […]
Supermoto Agricole: Yamaha XT500 by Y.C. Design
A “rural supermoto” from an elite French firefighter… The Yamaha XT500 is one of our favorite vintage Japanese motorcycles, and one of the greatest multipurpose bikes ever created. We’ve seen a varied assortment of customized […]
Fat Brat: Yamaha XS650 from Kuna Customs
Built a stone’s throw from where the turbojet engine was invented! Introduced in 1969 as the XS-1, the Yamaha XS650 would boast one of the most advanced engines of the class, a 654cc parallel twin […]
Dirt Quake(r): Yamaha Virago 250 Flat Tracker
An XV250 flat tracker from Moore’s Competition Cycles… The Yamaha XV250 — aka the Virago 250 — is a lightweight cruiser that’s been in production for nearly three decades, offering a 60-degree V-twin engine capable […]
