Like a famed horse breeder, Yamaha was able to raise and nurture champion steeds in its stable throughout generations
Yamaha has been a brand synonymous to motorsports excellence. Since time immemorial, it has been bred in two-wheeled brilliance and cutthroat competition in the sporting world—in fact—capturing a total of 39 world championships among motor racing’s great pinnacles.
With its superiority through the years come motorcycles with impeccable engineering, flawless aesthetics and cutting-edge technology. Today, these belong to Yamaha’s segment of sports machines. Recently, they were showcased at the Makina Moto Show held at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City.
Dubbed as: “Code: Rev, Rise of the Sports Machines,” the display was comprised of six segments from its current roster: Hypernaked, sports heritage, sport scooter, sport touring, adventure and supersport.
Hypernaked
These stripped down, bare-bones bikes resemble the epitome of both rider and machine working together in symmetry on the road.
Yamaha’s MT-10 SP, under the marque’s “Dark Side of Japan” ensemble, was one of the standout bikes of the show. The stunner features an exclusive paint scheme of blue, sliver and black. It is equipped with a semi-active Öhlins electronic suspension, that seamlessly goes along with its 998-cc crossplane-crank inline-four motor.
With its theme “darkness” from the Land of the Rising Sun, expect a two-wheeled machine teeming with zest from a culture unhinged yet so vibrant, as one plies the street with reckless abandon.
Sports Heritage
Meantime, in this segment, past meets the modern day two-wheeler. With its first triumphs in Mt. Fuji in 1955, Yamaha continued its success formula into the 70s with its first four-stroke motorcycle, called XS-1, a new bike powered by a 360-degree unit construction parallel twin displacing 650 cubic centimeters.
Today, it has passed down its rich sporting heritage to its XSR model range; hence, paying homage to the icon.
The XSR900, for one, exudes a perfect mix of sporty performance and a timeless design inspired by the Yamaha legend. It flexes its 889-cc high-torque engine and lightweight aluminum chassis for razor-sharp handling and performance. This is complemented by its sport Quick Shifter and cruise control as this three-cylinder muscle struts down the highway.
Sport Scooter
Since the TMAX’s inception in 2001, this line of motorcycles has been offering sporty performance, together with the riding flexibility and commuting of a scooter.
Now equipped with a 562-cc parallel twin-cylinder DOHC engine, the TMAX Tech is definitely a top-tier maxi scooter, highlighting its primo suspension, TFT display with maps, heated grips and seats. Not to mention a keyless ignition.
Sport Touring
Oftentimes, riders go to great lengths just to unwind and relax. Good thing about Yamaha is that it has a segment that caters to such needs of the rider. It’s a versatile all-around traveler in the form of a sport tourer, the Tracer 900.
It is equipped with an electronic semi-active suspension that constantly adjusts the front and rear damping force, providing a stable and balanced ride wherever the road may be. For added comfort and convenience on longer distances, aerodynamic hard side cases are a gem to have. These can carry luggage from a full-face helmet, clothing, food items, down to important documents and even media equipment for vlogging or whatnot. At night time, the LED cornering lights, together with 10-stage adjustable grip heaters, keeping hands warm in whatever weather, are such sweet charmers.
Adventure
Another sporting icon springs to life with Yamaha’s adventure lineup. The Tenere made its debut in 1983 with champion Cyril Neveu, taking the reins to a Paris Dakar victory. Eventually, with its legendary stints on the searing Sahara desert under the scorching sun, the Tenere became a “symbol of adventure” for the marque. From then on, the rest, they say, is history.
Displayed at the show was the Tenere ES, a rugged and durable adventurer built to cover great distance and the wild outdoors. It packs a superb 1,199-cc parallel twin engine and a unique 270-degree crank for superior torque and traction control.
Super Sport
The “Red Dragonfly,” Yamaha’s first-ever motorcycle, having won its first several races on its inaugural year, laid the foundations of the legendary motorsports brand icon.
In the generations that followed, Yamaha continued its winning racing DNA with the likes of legends, Valentino Rossi and Giacomo Agostini, grabbing best all-time records and capturing a total of 20 crowns in the MotoGP Championship, the premier of motorcycle racing.
Here, the R-series lines were conduits for their successes. Ever since, these motorcycles have likewise constantly evolved to bring excitement to every sport bike enthusiast.
On display was the YZF-RZ, which is based on the same platform as the Yamaha MT-07. It also sports a 689-cc parallel-twin engine with a 270-degree crankshaft, churning out its highest power output at about 73 horsepower. With inverted front forks and supersport ergonomics, it is golden in maneuvering tight turns and corners.
Added ‘Moto-builds’ spectacle
As added spectacle, Yamaha Motor Philippines was able to put up a ‘Moto-builds’ contest for enthusiasts, a local customization contest for its particular XSR 155 line.
Adrian Reyes Jacinto, a custom-builder from Plaridel, Bulacan, was one of the heavy favorites to win.
“It’s my passion to build up these motorcycles. We’re thankful to Yamaha for giving us the chance to showcase our talents,” he shared.
Champion steeds for generations
Like a famed horse breeder, Yamaha was able to raise and nurture champion steeds in its stable throughout generations. And with this, we are excited to see what the Japanese motorcycle icon has up its sleeve in the years to come. For the meantime, spectators of the show were then just fortunate to be able to take a glimpse of these legendary icons in the flesh.
