Yamaha heritage collection launched in Amsterdam
A collection of the most iconic Yamaha motorcycles has been housed in Amsterdam
YAMAHA Motor Europe has launched its Yamaha Motor Collection Hall with a star-studded reception featuring racing heroes, Yamaha top brass and key figures from the motorcycle world.
The collection has been put together to help preserve Yamaha’s most significant road, off-road and racing machines from 1961 through to present day. The collection includes fabled racing machines, from the early days of Dakar, to World Superbike and MotoGP.
The 2009 World Superbike Championship dominating YZF-R1 that Ben Spies took to victory in his maiden year on the world stage is on display, alongside Stephan Peterhansel's 1991 Dakar winning Yamaha YZE750 machine. Alongside the racing machines, there are some of the road bikes that have helped to seal Yamaha's success in the sales charts. Bikes like the 2007 MT-03, and even more classic machines like 1961 Yamaha MF1, 1969 YL1, and the 1968 YAS1.
Racing legends from Yamaha's on- and off-road history, including Giacomo Agostini, Christian Sarron, Stephan Peterhansel, and Stefan Everts were present at the launch alongside Yamaha Motor Racing Managing Director Lin Jarvis, YART Yamaha EWC Team Manager Mandy Kainz and Yamaha Classic Racing Team founder Ferry Brouwer.
Eric de Seynes, President Yamaha Motor Europe N.V.
"The Yamaha Motor Europe Collection Hall is dedicated to the memory of our past in racing, and to the memory of what has revved the heart of our customers. A "home" for our iconic models and it has two vocations: first to inspire our engineers and designers in their process of creating future models, and second, support the credibility and the emotional value of our novelties, in the respect of our past creations."
Sadly for punters, the collection is not open to the general public. instead it'll be moved around Europe, giving the public a glimpse of Yamaha's past at various shows and events for years to come.
Simon (AKA Toad) has been working within the motorcycle industry for more than twelve years, and a member of the motorcyclist family since birth. Growing up around British-built single and twins, it was inevitable that a life on two wheels was on the cards, from a very early age!
