Classic Yamaha Motorcycles

Motorcycle Classics’ tech expert Keith Fellenstein troubleshoots a Yamaha XV920 Virago’s starting issues after over-revving the engine.

New stuff for old bikes: Ignition points cams for vintage Yamaha and Suzuki motorcycles.

Wiseco has a limited number of Yamaha R5 pistons available for your classic bike.

Best bets on tomorrow’s classics: 1980-1982 Honda CB900C. 

Motorcycle Classics’ tech expert Keith Fellenstein discusses noisy aftermarket exhaust pipes on a 1982 Yamaha XV920 Virago. 

If this bike rings a bell, it should. We first told you about this brand new, never uncrated 1979 Yamaha RD400F back in June 2010, when reader Scott Lees stumbled across it at Britt Motorsports in Wilmington, N.C. When Scott visited the dealership, the Yamaha was resting just inside the front door of the motorcycle dealership, pushed up against a wall and being used as a table to hold racing trophies. At the time, Scott was told it was not for sale at any price. Yet it turns out it did have a price; $21,000, to be exact.

Joe Rankin revives a ready-for-the-scrap-heap Yamaha CT3

The Yamaha RD350 was THE Seventies poor boy racer. Fairly cheap, relatively easy to work on and fast through the twisties, the RD350 is still great fun today.

Custom builder Greg Hageman of Doc’s Chops in Tampa, Fla., builds the coolest Yamaha Virago ever.

Tomorrow’s classics: 1981-1984 Yamaha XJ550 Seca.

Randy’s Cycle Service & Restoration in Rhoadsville, Va., knows vintage bike repair 

Richard Backus puts 600 miles on a 1973 Yamaha TX650 

Gil Yarrow discusses owning and riding his 1984 Yamaha FJ1100.

Glenn Gerein's pair of rare, high-mileage 1984 Yamaha XJ750RLs.

Gary and Rick Bault discuss owning and riding the 1968 Yamaha DT-1.

Allen Brotz displays his full line collection of 1973 Yamaha Enduro motorcycles.

David Reiss shares some of the inexpensive modifcations he made to his 1992 Yamaha XJ600 Seca II to make it a comfortable and efficient touring motorcycle.

A look back at the ideas and innovations that led to the development of the Yamaha YM-1.

Greg Davis' love for his 1965 Yamaha YM-1 was sparked by a ride on a classic British motorcycle, of all things.

Road trip from Michigan to New York on a 1982 Yamaha Virago 920.

Andrew Wheat discusses his memorable ride from Michigan to New York on a 1982 Yamaha Virago 920.

The Yamaha TX500 was Yamaha’s first foray into midsize 4-stroke territory, and while initial impressions were highly favorable, the TX500 proved less than easy to live with, perhaps because it was a little too high-tech for its time.

Harleys may still be the kings of the modern custom crowd, but few bikes satisfy the creative fantasies of classic custom motorcycle builders better than a Yamaha XS650 Street Tracker.

If you thought the 11 brand new Norton Commandos we told you about unearthed in Belgium were cool, you need to check out this story. Instead of a cache of Nortons, Motorcycle Classics reader Scott Lees stumbled across a brand new, still in the never-opened crate 1979 Yamaha RD400F, the last year for this collectible 2-stroke classic.  

Better late than never, Yamaha blew away the big bike competition with the fast and fabulous Yamaha XS1100.

There’s no evidence supporting the idea that the “RD” in the Yamaha RD350 model designation stands for “Race Derived” — but race derived it certainly was.

The Yamaha R5 350 Twin was in many respects the crown jewel of Yamaha’s continuing 2-stroke program.

Under the Radar: Yamaha's XS750 was the company's response to it's flawed TX750

The Yamaha XS650 was praised for its reliability and criticized for its styling

Most bike nuts who grew up in the Sixties are fans of British, Italian or American iron. Not Greg Davis, who ended up restoring a 1965 Yamaha YM-1.

The mid-1980s were challenging times for the motorcycle industry. Faced with a changing and constricting market, Yamaha, like every company, took a long look at its products and considered how it should adapt to a new reality. Along with the monster V-Max and the immortal FZ750, Yamaha introduced the Radian, a smaller, kinder, and yes, faster standard for the street.

Vintage motorcycle racing at Road Atlanta with Neale Bayly on a 1985 Yamaha FZ750 that has seen better days.

When you think of a vintage small-bore Japanese motorcycle for running in-town errands or slinging mud on a weekend camping trip, the Yamaha Trailmaster 80, might be the bike for you.

In 1975, when J. Randy Riggs was the senior editor of CYCLE WORLD magazine, CYCLE WORLD and rival CYCLE magazine were battling it out for the number one spot in American motorcycle magazine sales. One way to get a leg up on the competition was to get exclusive stories on new models. 

Although the Yamaha TT500 was last imported into the U.S. in 1981, the lightweight, fun Yamaha single still has tons of fans.

Wow, but Why? 197hp, 123 lb/ft torque and 1,679cc displacement! All wrapped in shiny black and much chrome, the 2009 version of Yamaha’s V-Max is now a reality. 

The 1984 Yamaha FJ1100 certainly caused a stir in its freshman year: “The best large displacement sport motorcycle of 1984, and maybe even the best in its class in the history of motorcycling,” said Rider magazine.

In life we’re faced with choices: republican or democrat, blond or brunette, paper or plastic? Shopping for a new motorcycle in the early 1980s, you also had to choose between normally aspirated or turbo models.

Prior to the release of the Yamaha DT-1, a reliable, reasonably powerful and inexpensive dirt bike simply didn’t exist.

Yamaha experimented with the parallel twin on the 1973 Yamaha TX750.

In 1985, the brand-new 1,198cc, 70-degree V4 monster Yamaha V-Max was an unapologetic two-wheeled hot-rod. It was the undisputed king of the boulevard, and the most American bike ever to come out of Japan. Virtually unchanged 22 years later, it still may be.

Best bets on tomorrow's classics: The Yamaha SRX600 got positive reviews but was ignored by American buyers

Durable and easy to maintain, the Yamaha SR500 became a cult favorite among classic motorcycle fans

There are a few less-celebrated bikes from the Eighties that are still great bikes today, and Yamaha’s 650 Seca is one of them.

Jamie James Production's modified Yamaha RZ350