Yamaha started as a precision musical instrument manufacturer before it started to produce motorcycle. In early 50s, after the World War II, many machines with high precision that has been used for making aircraft like propellers for the Imperial Navy fleet such as the A6M-Zero war plane which is the one used in kamikaze attack at Pearl Harbour.
The YA-1 is equipped with 2-stroke engine and 125cc of displacement. YA-1 is strongly inspired by the design of German’s bike that is DKW RT125. Many bikes actually inspired by the DKW RT125 bikes like the BSA Bantam (Britain), M1A Moskwa (Russia) and WHM SHL125 or Sokol 125 (Poland). It is said that DKW RT125 is the most copied bike. (more…)