Culture – Suzuki group celebrates 100 years and Yamaha Motor celebrates 65 years – Used SUZUKI YAMAHA

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Suzuki Group celebrates 100 years and Yamaha Motor turns 65

Culture - Suzuki group celebrates 100 years and Yamaha Motor celebrates 65 years - Used SUZUKI YAMAHA

Two Japanese manufacturers pass an important milestone in 2020: Suzuki becomes 100 years old and Yamaha celebrates 65 years of its motorcycle activity. Retrospective.

68 years of motorcycle activity at Suzuki…

“On March 15, 1920, the Suzuki Loom Manufacturing Company was founded by Michio Suzuki,” the Hamamatsu Group (Japan) proudly reports to announce its 100th anniversary … official. The origins of the brand go back to around 1909, with the "Suzuki Loom Works" factory in Shizuoka (below). In reality, Suzuki would rather be 111 years old !

  • MNC special file : 
  • MNC report : Visit of the Suzuki Museum in Hamamatsu

But it was in fact from 1920 that his real commercial prospects began thanks to a capitalization of "500,000 ¥ with Michio Suzuki as president", we learn from the archives of this company originally specialized in looms and which then successfully diversified into the automotive, navy and, above all, motorcycle !

Culture - Suzuki Group celebrates 100 years and Yamaha Motor celebrates 65 years - Used SUZUKI YAMAHA

As such, Suzuki’s two-wheeler activity is fairly recent since it dates back to 1952 with the "Power Free", no less than a moped with its 36 cc single cylinder. For the anecdote, this first Suz ‘was born when its creator, Shunzo Suzuki, realized that getting to the brand’s headquarters would be much easier if his bike had an engine … You surprise me !

After launching its first real "motorcycle" in 1955 (the Colleda), the manufacturer forged its letters of nobility thanks to the robustness of its motorcycles and their excellent value for money. Several emblematic models mark its 68 years of two-wheeler production: the GT 750, the GS 500, the RG Gamma, the GSX-R750, the DR800, the DL650 V-Strom or the unforgettable series of GSF Bandit. 

… and 65 years at Yamaha Motor !

Another Japanese "giant" passes an important milestone in 2020: Yamaha Motor, the entity dedicated to means of locomotion of the Yamaha group, will celebrate its 65th birthday on July 1, 2020. Let us recall that at the start, the Iwata brand is a company manufacturing musical instruments (organs in particular), founded by a Japanese watchmaker in 1889.

  • MNC special file : 

Yamaha builds its first motorcycle in 1955, the YA-1, which will be nicknamed internally "Aka-tombo" (the "red dragonfly") … Arrived late in the motorcycle market, the blazon to the tuning forks engages big resources to climb to the top: no less than "274 employees" and "30 million yen" are devoted to the YA-1 project.

The investment pays off as up to "200 motorcycles per month" start to roll out of the two assembly buildings, while a YA-1 brings Yamaha its first hill climb victory on Mount Fuji ! 

Culture - Suzuki Group celebrates 100 years and Yamaha Motor celebrates 65 years - Used SUZUKI YAMAHA

Yamaha – considered with Kawasaki as the most "European" of Japanese manufacturers – will then remain viscerally attached to competition, like its great rival Honda, with a commitment in all disciplines of motorcycle sport: MotoGP, Superbike, motocross, rally-raid, road rallies, 125 cc or 300 cc promotion packages, etc.. 

Several flagship models have contributed to the rise of Yamaha in the motorcycle world: XS-1, XT500 and the salivating RDLC 350 and 500. Not to mention the popular sagas of the Tenere, the XJ and FJ but also the V-Max, the YZF-R1, the TDM, the Fazer 600 and … the Tmax, an unmistakable bestseller among maxi-scooters !

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