Vol. 21 To Be a Man of the Tuning Fork

West Africa — Republic of The Gambia

Large drops of sweat dot the reddened face of a young Yamaha Motor employee as he stands under the heat of the West African sun. As a mid-career hire with just four years with the company, there is uncertainty and anxiety on his face, but in the next moment, these give way to heartfelt joy and surprise…

The encouragement from his colleagues spurred him to get a motorcycle license, and eventually, even a Yamaha Riding Academy (YRA) instructor certification. Today, his voice can be heard from afar as he teaches people in Africa how to ride motorcycles safely. But only a few years ago when he decided to change careers, he never imagined he would be where he is now.

People often live in the present without ever truly knowing or tapping into their own potential. But for some who do, they discover a part of themselves they never knew existed.

The Yamaha Riding Academy (YRA) is a program run around the world for individual customers, businesses, organizations, and other bodies aimed at spreading safe riding practices so that users learn proper, safe, fun, and useful ways to use Yamaha products, from motorcycles to ATVs and personal watercraft.

This installment of Moving You takes us to The Gambia for a YRA instructor training session being run for authorized distributors. By developing skilled local instructors, Yamaha Motor is working to spread a culture of safe riding practices in the Gambian market. In that regard, safety training is particularly vital for riders who use motorcycles frequently for work and for those supporting essential social infrastructure.

One such example is a research institute that provides medical care to local communities. In the course of carrying out various research activities, the organization dispatches members aboard motorcycles to collect medical samples and perform other fieldwork. To ensure these critical missions are done safely and without incident, Yamaha Motor works together with its local distributors to hold safety training and other events for the riders handling these important tasks.