Yamaha Zweitakt: Von der YA1 bis zur RD 500 und DT 400 - Strassenmaschinen, Enduros, Mokicks seit 1955
In the 1950s, the motorcycle market was still dominated by Germans, Italians and English. NSU was the largest motorcycle manufacturer in the world, DKW achieved record sales and BMW supplied the people with robust four-stroke models.
But then the Japanese came along. In 1955, Yamaha presented its first model, the single-cylinder YA1 with a two-stroke engine and 125 cm³ displacement. At first, these were well-made copies of German products, but this changed radically in 1959 with the presentation of the YDS1: with two cylinders, 250 cm³ and 20 hp as well as an advanced design, the Japanese model was a real sports car.
When the successor models and above all the legendary RD models with 250 350 and 400 cm³ were also offered in Germany from 1964, there was no stopping the fans. The motorcycle became a fun vehicle, the poisonous two-stroke engines enabled previously unknown performance.
This large-format book precisely traces the history of the lively Yamaha two-stroke models since 1955. Historic mopeds, mokicks, light motorcycles, 125cc and larger models up to the liquid-cooled rocket RD 500 (four cylinders, 88 hp, 225 km/h) and the extremely successful, off-road Enduro models are described in detail.
Contemporary witnesses remember the years when the motorcycle business was a gold mine. All important model variants offered internationally (Asia, USA, Europe, even Australia) are also shown using over 800 mostly colored photos and brochure images. A comprehensive chapter on prototypes and special models rounds off the work.
Models: YA1, YDS1, DS6, R3, RD 250, RD 400, YMC2, DT 250, RD 500.
Information
| Author: | Peter Abelmann, Axel Koenigsbeck |
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| Details: | 280 pages, 28.5 x 25 cm / 11.2 x 9.8 in, hardback |
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| Illustrations: | numerous b&w and colour photos |
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| Publisher: | Delius Klasing Verlag GmbH (D, 2017) |
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| ISBN: | 9783667107022 |
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