Post-Listing Update: Bidding was better with the relist – it helps when the bike has already been imported – but it still wasn’t enough to meet reserve despite 36 bids up to $9,000.
7-14-16 Update: Over two years later, this Yamaha is back up for sale – but this time it’s been imported to the US, had some work done so that it actually runs, and we learn that this is VIN# A57-9009 – or the 9th example built in 1957. Find it with 33 bids up to $5,300 and the reserve not yet met
Post-Listing Update: This bike got 4 bids up to $6,000, but that wasn’t enough to meet reserve.
Affectionately nicknamed the “Aka-tombo” (Japanese for Red Dragonfly), the Yamaha YA1 was another of the many motorcycles inspired by the DKW RT125 after Germany was defeated in WWII. But the YA1 has an important role in motorcycling history – it was the first bike Yamaha made.
After WWII, Yamaha had to repair and replace their damaged musical instrument factories. They also had plenty of machine tools that were utilized to build aircraft components. Combine those two aspects along with the fact that motorcycle sales were booming due to their nature as cheap transportation, and Yamaha decided to get into the motorcycle game. Almost immediately, Yamaha took this bike racing and was very successful in ‘ultra-light’ classes. A 125cc two-stroke engine produced 5.5 horsepower, which was plenty (at the time) for the 207 pound bike. In addition, it should be noted that this was the first Japanese vehicle to have a kick start system which allowed the engine to fire up with the transmission still in gear. Want to learn more? Check out Yamaha’s global site where you’ll find out that “in an era when the national average starting salary of a male college graduate was 10,780 yen, this model, priced at 138,000 yen, was a coveted extravagance beyond the reach of most users.”
This specific Yamaha YA1 (VIN: A57 90**) has 14,327 miles and is part of a massive collection in Japan. It looks to be quite original, and as such will have some needs. Cosmetically, the only major flaw is the seat. Mechanically, the engine turns over but it has not been started in a long time. This is a bike for a true Yamaha enthusiast.
Find this Yamaha YA1 for sale in Tsukuba City, Japan with an opening bid of $4,000
This bike-uriousity brought to you by John K!