Yamaha YA-1
Yamaha's very first motorcycle arrived in chestnut red—and immediately won major Japanese races.
Yamaha YA-1 at Yamaha Communication Plaza · PekePON · CC BY-SA 3.0 Unported
Research pending
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More than a set of wheels.
Yamaha Motor was founded in 1955, and the YA-1 was its first product. The slim 125-class motorcycle stood out from the black machines of the day with a chestnut-red tank and earned the nickname Red Dragonfly. It won its class at the Mount Fuji Ascent Race and swept the top three places in the ultra-light class at the first Asama Highlands Race. The cover shows an exact YA-1 museum motorcycle, although the display bike's individual build year is not stated.
Look a little closer.
The YA-1 cost 138,000 yen when a university graduate's typical starting salary was about 10,000 yen a month—roughly fourteen months of pay before living expenses.
Photos show an example of the model or generation. The pictured vehicle’s year, equipment, or modifications can differ from the specification described here.
A kick-start idea that became normal
Earlier motorcycles generally had to be placed in neutral before kick-starting. The YA-1's primary-kick system could turn the engine with the clutch pulled in even when the transmission was in gear.
Source: JSAE · Yamaha 125 YA-1 ↗The road bike that introduced a racing company
Yamaha entered the Mount Fuji race only months after YA-1 sales began. The production motorcycle became the base for Yamaha's first competition success and helped make the new company known.
Source: Yamaha · racing in Japan and the YA-1 ↗Where these facts come from
Selected facts checked for this edition. Some source pages link to broader model families. Last reviewed September 29, 2026.