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You're the guy that'll be sneaking out of your bedroom at three o'clock in the morning to look at your bike. Paul Teutul, Sr., American Chopper, "Billy Joel"
Yamaha Motorcycles
The development of Yamaha motorcycles is one that took place quite by accident. In 1953 the company was already developing a variety of other products. They were looking for a use for idle pieces of equipment that had once been used to make propellers for airplanes. The ideas for this equipment included sewing machines, auto parts, scooters, all terrain vehicles, and motorcycles. The decision was made to focus on manufacturing motorcycles because of the market demand for them.
The first Yamaha motorcycle was introduced in August of 1954, called the Yamaha YA-1. This bike featured a two stroke single cylinder engine. By July of 1955 Yamaha was creating 200 quality motorcycles each month with a staff of 274 people. The YD-1 was introduced in 1957 as a racing bike. The bike quickly became popular and was featured in the United States Catalina Grand Prix in 1958.
This gave Yamaha the invitation to start selling its motorcycles in the United States with a private dealer in California. To further attract sales in the United States, Yamaha Motor Corporation USA was established in 1977. In 1959 Yamaha introduced the idea of offering a converter kit to consumers. This allowed the motorcycle to be used for both street riding and motocross racing.
By 1960 Yamaha was producing 135,000 bikes per year. 1965 saw the advancement of no longer having to mix oil with gas due to the automatic oiling system. By 1973 Yamaha was selling more than 1 million motorcycles each year worldwide.
During the 1970s they began working on developing four stroke models to compete with other manufacturers. The results were faster motorcycles that met emissions regulations and were even more economical than the two stroke models. However, they also realized the potential to continue selling two stroke models to consumers as well. Many other manufacturers focused only on four strokes, so Yamaha was able to meet the needs of that target market.
1974 brought the introduction of the YZ250. This model quickly became the largest selling motocross bike because it featured a single horizontal rear suspension system. Yamaha built a racing track right next to the plant, allowing them to continually observe the quality and capabilities of their products.
Yamaha created one of the fastest racing bike models in 1985 with the introduction of the V-Max. This was classified as a muscle bike, with power that was not for the beginning rider. They continue to produce some of the fastest bikes on the market both for street riding and for racing.
Yamaha has never been satisfied to simply stop when they had a good thing going. They always had a vision of achieving more and to strive to further customer satisfaction. The visions and philosophies of the company have proven to be effective in every aspect of motorcycle production. The fact that they offer so many different models means the consumer has the opportunity to find the exact motorcycle they are looking for from a brand name they know they can trust to offer them a quality product.
While some of their models of motorcycles havent sold well, many of them have. Yamaha has always focused on the future of motorcycles while keeping in mind what consumers are wanting. They have been able to diversify their developments, and it has paid off by allowing them to reach a large portion of the motorcycle market without compromising their vision.
Today, Yamaha is the second largest motorcycle manufacturer in the world behind Harley-Davidson. They continue to make fast, reliable motorcycles that customers around the world are proud to own. They also manufacture motorcycles that have won more races than any other brand on the market. Their diversity and dedication to making quality motorcycles that meet the needs of the consumer have kept them a top seller in this growing industry. Yamaha dealerships can be found around the world, offering a full range of motorcycle models to suit your tastes.
Motorcycles: You Gotta Know When to Tow 'Em
By Emily Sandberg
 Motorcycling is a passion. While most hard core bikers will never be seen towing their motorcycle around on trailer no matter what the weather, there are times when towing a motorcycle cannot be avoided. It is during times like these that you do not want to trust just any trailer to haul your bike.
Finding the right trailer to suit your needs involves a little bit of homework. There are trailers ranging from the most basic to the exotic. Many motorcycle trailers are even customized works of art. After all, who wants to be seen hauling their bike unless they can do it with a little style?
A basic trailer for hauling your motorcycle will generally have a channel where the bike's wheels will rest and rings where you can secure the tie downs to keep the bike upright and steady. These trailers are generally lightweight and easy to handle, allowing you to easily haul your motorcycle with any vehicle. It simply attaches to your car or truck by way of a towing hitch. Once attached, all you have to do is drive your bike up onto the trailer (many will actually tilt to allow you to drive the bike up, or some come with ramps), strap it down, and begin your journey. Some of these trailers actually have channels deep enough that they will hold your bike up, allowing you to easily load and unload your bike without any help.
If you have more than one bike to haul you can get trailers with two or more channels to carry two or more bikes. Remember, more bikes mean more weight which requires a heavier tow vehicle.
If you already have a flat trailer, you can buy just the kit to create a motorcycle trailer from your flat trailer. This is generally a long metal channel that will screw on the top of your flat trailer where your bike wheels will be secured for the trip. Additionally, you will need tie down anchors to keep the bike upright and fully secure the bike.
If you do not want your bike to get damaged by road debris and the elements, a trailer pod might be your best bet. A motorcycle trailer pod protects your bike by completely enclosing it in a capsule that you can customize. Do you have more than one bike? There are pods bid enough to haul two cruising bikes.
If hauling your motorcycle seems absurd, how do you feel about hauling your road warrior gear in a trailer that you pull behind your bike? Let's face it; saddle bags only hold so much stuff. When a long trip requires more gear, a bike trailer might be just the thing you need to stay out on the road longer. You can find everything from the most basic to the most amazing trailers styled to match your bike to pull behind your motorcycle.
So, whatever your motorcycle hauling needs are, look around, and you'll be amazed at what's available online and in your local bike shop.
Emily Sandberg is an off road enthusiast who takes the dirt road whenever it's available. When she's not towing anything, she covers her hitch with hitch cover from Trailer Hitch Universe.
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