Classic

Yamaha Motor's first motorcycle, introduced in 1955. Its simple form and chestnut-red finish, unusual in an era of all-black machines, earned it the nickname "Red Dragonfly" (Aka-tombo). Powered by an air-cooled 123 cm³ two-stroke single, it won the 3rd Mt. Fuji Ascent Race in July 1955 and took the top three places in the ultra-light class of the 1st Asama Highlands Race later that year.

A 250-class sports machine combining a 247 cc air-cooled two-stroke parallel twin with a six-speed gearbox. Developed with European and American highway riding in mind, it was sold in Japan as the Colleda 250 T20, in the United States as the X6 Hustler and in the UK as the Super Six.

Introduced in 1968, the DT-1 established what Yamaha calls the "trail bike" category at a time when on-road and off-road machines were not clearly distinguished. It was equipped for off-road use, with what was then the longest-stroke front fork on any Japanese model, block-pattern tyres and an engine guard. Engine: air-cooled 246 cm³ two-stroke single.

Yamaha's first model with a four-stroke engine, after making only two-stroke machines since 1955. A slim 653 cm³ OHC vertical twin in an equally slim double-cradle frame answered the brief for a light, slim and compact large-displacement sports bike. Fans nicknamed it "Peke-S".

Suzuki’s first 750, introduced in September 1971 as the flagship of the GT series. Its 738 cc liquid-cooled two-stroke inline triple used a pressurised system with an aluminium radiator and electric fan, and in the United States the model became known as the “Water Buffalo”.

Since its debut in March 1978, the SR400 held its following with a simple, largely unchanged style and the pulse of its kick-started, air-cooled single. For the Japanese market the line concluded with the Final Edition Limited of 2021. Specifications listed are those of the 2021 Final Edition Limited.

A 1980 pure sports model built around a liquid-cooled 247 cm³ two-stroke parallel twin. It combined Yamaha's Monocross rear suspension, lightweight cast wheels and styling reminiscent of the TZ250 racer.

The first model of the Katana series, known for styling inspired by the Japanese sword. Shown at the 1980 Cologne motorcycle show, it caused what Suzuki calls the “Cologne shock”, and production began the following year as an export model with a 1,074 cc air-cooled DOHC inline four.

A 250 cc liquid-cooled two-stroke parallel-twin sports machine launched in March 1983. With a half fairing, an aluminium square-tube double-cradle frame, Full-Floater rear suspension and a 16-inch front wheel, it weighed 131 kg dry and produced 45 PS. Suzuki regards it as the pioneer of the racer-replica era.

A 1985 racer replica drawing directly on road-racing technology. Its liquid-cooled 249 cm³ two-stroke parallel twin used crankcase reed-valve induction adopted from the YZR500, set in a light, rigid aluminium Deltabox frame with 17-inch wheels front and rear and large floating disc brakes.

A 750 cc supersport designed under Yamaha's "Genesis" concept, which sought a synergy between engine performance and handling stability. It used a liquid-cooled 749 cm³ DOHC inline four with five valves per cylinder, inclined forward 45 degrees; according to Yamaha, this engine was a world first.

A road model drawing on Suzuki’s RG Gamma 500 cc Grand Prix works racers. Its liquid-cooled two-stroke square-four with rotary-valve induction sat in an aluminium-alloy box-section frame that housed the air cleaner. The Japanese-market version produced 64 PS and weighed 156 kg dry.

A 750 cc sports machine distilling Suzuki’s endurance-racing works machines, clothed in a full aerodynamic fairing and unveiled internationally at the 1984 Cologne show. Its oil-cooled DOHC 16-valve inline four (SACS) and an 8.1 kg aluminium-alloy frame brought dry weight down to 179 kg.

The Japanese-market version, released in 1990, of the VMAX that had debuted in the U.S. in 1985. It differed from the export model in parts of the liquid-cooled 1,197 cm³ V4, with an emphasis on drivability. Specifications listed are for the 1990 Japanese-market model.