Voices to Remember

A defining ideal that must be passed down...
Records of success that must be preserved...
What did Yamaha’s pioneers feel, desire, and confront?
Hear them tell their stories
in their own voices for future generations.

The Horiuchi R&D Lab: The Horiuchi R&D Lab was established in the mid-1980s as an in-house research organization with the goal of acquiring new technologies for paving the way forward for Yamaha Motor. Assigned to that small department was a single new hire and his first steps as an employee was the development of a hydrofoil boat.

F1 (Part 2): At the Hungarian Grand Prix in 1997, Damon Hill finished the race in 2nd for the Arrows Yamaha team, putting a Yamaha-powered F1 machine on the podium for the first time. Driven by a thirst for new technologies, failures always begat successes, but they were “the good old days…”

F1 (Part 1): After steadily building up a record of results first in F2 and then F3000, in 1989, Yamaha finally entered the pinnacle of car racing—Formula One. Members of the team during Yamaha’s 8 years and 116 races as an F1 engine supplier look back on that journey.

Local production of utility boats: Yamaha Motor's W Series of FRP Japanese fishing boats (utility boats) were forged into their successful design in waters across Japan, and it was in the 1970s that these dependable craft began seeing use around the world for coastal fishing and as taxi boats. This came about as Yamaha personnel walked the beaches of developing countries and found issues innate to the respective regions, a firm sense of duty and Yamaha Motor technologies pushing them to offer real and lasting solutions.

FJ1100: Despite handling a management crisis, development of a Yamaha flagship motorcycle was greenlit following strong calls from the European market. The project team that created the FJ1100 (also called the “Eleven” for short), a hit model and the progenitor of the FJ Series that ran for 34 years afterwards, share what went on behind the scenes.

Intelligent Machinery: Today’s Robotics business was preceded by the IM business, a veritable in-house startup with just four people at a time when the concept of a “startup” was not yet common knowledge. That initial foray decades ago has grown into a strategic business field for Yamaha Motor and one that is drawing significant attention—and expectations—from both inside and outside the company.

Outboard P-3: Outboard motors were the second business Yamaha Motor took on following its initial venture into motorcycles. After entering the market, it was the release of the company’s second model—the 3 hp P-3—that won Yamaha’s marine products a strong reputation. Engineers from the time look back on how the development of “Yamaha's Yellow Hat” accelerated the motorization of Japan’s coastal fishing industry.

Automobile Engines (2): Yamaha Motor’s partnership with Toyota Motor Corporation now spans over five decades, but what was the innate value Toyota first looked for from Yamaha? Hear two Yamaha engineers speak of the company’s search to answer this question by building up Yamaha Motor’s “bargaining power” in the space and through new automobile engine technologies.

Automobile Engines: Yamaha Motor’s history of development and production of engines for automobiles began with the legendary Toyota 2000GT supercar. From there, the company’s store of proven technologies and its proposal-based business style led to projects to develop and supply high-performance engines for top American and European automakers like Ford and Volvo.

Majesty 250: The Majesty 250 was envisioned as a “Prestige Commuter” bike and pioneered a new category in Japan as well as Europe. Determined in their search to establish the traits a “Commuter Express” bike should have, the planners and engineers took to the field to experience things firsthand and find an answer.

JW-I Electric Wheelchair: As Japan began transforming into a superaged society, this project looked to address this societal issue with a uniquely Yamaha solution. Listen to how the team navigated the unique challenges creating an all-new business presents, the lessons they learned, and how that knowledge led them to a breakthrough.