Yamaha Motor Wins the 51st Oyamada Memory Prize Weight-Reducing Aluminum, Titanium and Magnesium Parts and Technologies in the YZF-R1

November 9, 2016

IWATA, November 9, 2016-Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. (Tokyo: 7272) announces that the various weight-reducing technologies used in Yamaha’s sport motorcycles have been awarded the 51st Oyamada Memory Prize by the Japan Institute of Light Metals (JILM). The award was recently presented at a ceremony on November 5, 2016.

Established in 1951 with the aim of promoting the science and technology of light metals and the development of light metals industries, the JILM is the only academic society in Japan for light metals such as aluminum, magnesium and titanium. The Oyamada Memory Prize is awarded in recognition of research leading to the establishment of outstanding technologies that enable the manufacturing and application of light metals in products.

This award recognizes weight-reducing and mass-production technologies successfully applied in creating the aluminum fuel tank, titanium connecting rods, magnesium wheels and other parts employed on the YZF-R1 model for export.

This is the fourth time Yamaha Motor has received the Oyamada Memory Prize, following mass production of forged aluminum pistons (1998), cylinder liners with a new rapidly solidified aluminum alloy extruded material (2002) and development of various aluminum motorcycle frames (2005).