Yamaha is a Japanese carmaker founded in 1955. The cars themselves are another matter: across 2 VIN prefixes on record they came off lines in 2 countries — Japan 98.9%, the United States 1.1%. 101 models are tracked here (1981–2026). Reliable? yes, and comfortably so — 4.4 out of 5 across 101 rated models, though the spread between model years is far wider than the badge suggests (every model ranked →).
Who makes Yamaha
Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. is a Japanese mobility company manufacturing motorcycles, ATVs, snowmobiles, marine engines, golf carts, generators and unmanned helicopters, headquartered in Iwata, Shizuoka. Founded by Genichi Kawakami in 1955 as a spinoff from Yamaha Corporation (the musical instrument and audio equipment maker), Yamaha Motor entered the motorcycle market with the YA-1 250cc two-stroke and quickly expanded globally. Yamaha is one of the four major Japanese motorcycle manufacturers (alongside Honda, Kawasaki and Suzuki) and is the world's second-largest motorcycle manufacturer by volume. The YZF-R1 superbike, MT-09 naked roadster, FZR / FZ family, Tracer adventure-tourers, Tenere off-road bikes and the iconic XSR retro motorcycles anchor the modern lineup. Yamaha also produces the popular YZ motocross bikes that win MX championships globally. Yamaha Motor trades on the Tokyo Stock Exchange under 7272 and as YAMHF in OTC US markets. Recall data for every Yamaha VIN sold in the US is reported to NHTSA. ForCar.org decodes any Yamaha VIN to surface trim, factory options, open recalls and original delivery price.
Yamaha Motor was spun off from the Nippon Gakki Co. (now Yamaha Corporation) in 1955 to commercialize Genichi Kawakami's 1953 motorcycle prototype, the YA-1 (Red Dragonfly) — a two-stroke 125cc machine that won the 1955 Mount Fuji Hill Climb. The 1965 250cc DT-1 invented the dual-sport motorcycle category. Yamaha entered the marine outboard market in 1960, ATV market in 1979 (founding the YFM200 Moto-4) and snowmobile market in 1968. The R1 (1998) introduced the crossplane-crank inline-four engine to mass-market sportbikes.
| Yamaha | |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1955 |
| Founded by | Genichi Kawakami |
| Headquarters | Iwata, Japan |
| Listed as | YAMHF |
| Slogan | «Revs Your Heart» |
| Assembled in | 2 countries |
Technology it is known for: CP3 / CP4 crossplane crank engines, Yamaha Chip Controlled Throttle (YCC-T), Yamaha Quick Shift System (YQS), Yamaha D-MODE riding modes, M Slipper Clutch.
This page covers Yamaha Motor Co., the powersports manufacturer — not Yamaha Corporation (the still-existing parent musical instrument and audio company, with which Yamaha Motor remains affiliated but operates independently).
Where Yamaha cars are actually built
A badge says where a company is registered, not where its cars were bolted together. The first three characters of any VIN — the world manufacturer identifier — say the second thing, and that is what we counted: 436 vehicles on record, 2 distinct manufacturer codes.
| Assembled in | Share | VIN starts with | Years seen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | JYA | 1989–2026 | |
| the United States | MH3 | 2015–2021 |
Read your own: the first character is the region, the first three together identify the plant's manufacturer. A Yamaha beginning JYA was assembled in Japan.
All Yamaha models 101
Every Yamaha model we track, grouped by body type. Click any model for its VIN decoder, recalls, MPG, safety and ForCar Reliability Score — broken down by year.
Yamaha Motorcycles 101
| Model | Years | Recalls | Complaints | Best MPG | ForCar score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yamaha YZF-R7 | 2022–2026 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha TW200 | 1987–2026 | 4 | 3 | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha PW50 | 1981–2026 | 1 | 1 | — | 3.5/5 |
| Yamaha YZF-R6 | 1999–2026 | 19 | 47 | — | 4.0/5 |
| Yamaha YZ125 | 1981–2026 | 1 | 1 | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha XT250 | 1981–2026 | 5 | 5 | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha XMAX | 2018–2026 | 8 | 1 | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha MT-10 | 2018–2026 | 7 | 2 | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha Venture | 1983–2026 | 1 | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha WR250F | 2001–2026 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha YZF-R1 | 1998–2026 | 24 | 161 | — | 4.0/5 |
| Yamaha YZ85 | 2002–2026 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha YXZ1000 | 2016–2025 | 1 | 1 | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha YZ250 | 1981–2026 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha YZF-R3 | 2015–2026 | 14 | 4 | — | 3.5/5 |
| Yamaha Viking | 2004–2026 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha TT-R125 | 2000–2026 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha FZ6 | 2004–2009 | 3 | 50 | — | 3.5/5 |
| Yamaha TT-R110 | 2008–2026 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha FZ6R | 2009–2026 | 2 | 1 | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha FJR1300 | 2000–2026 | 34 | 138 | — | 4.0/5 |
| Yamaha FZ07 | 2015–2017 | 1 | 3 | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha YZ450F | 2007–2026 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha SR400 | 2015–2020 | 4 | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha YFZ450 | 2004–2026 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha PW80 | 1981–2008 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha YFZ450R | 2011–2026 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha YZ250F | 2007–2026 | 1 | 1 | — | 3.5/5 |
| Yamaha RX10 | 2003–2003 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha WR450F | 2003–2026 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha FZ1 | — | 2 | 18 | — | 4.0/5 |
| Yamaha Phazer | 2007–2018 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha RXWarrior | 2004–2005 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha TT-R230 | 2005–2026 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha YZF600 | 1994–2025 | 3 | 4 | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha YZ80 | 1981–2001 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha Sidewinder | 2017–2026 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha FZR600 | 1988–2000 | 6 | 8 | — | 3.5/5 |
| Yamaha YZF-R9 | 2025–2026 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha SRX700 | 2002–2002 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha RT100 | 1981–2000 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha TT-R225 | 1999–2004 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha YFZ50 | 2017–2026 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha XT600 | 1984–1995 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha TT-R50 | 2006–2026 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha RX-1 | 2004–2005 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha QT50 | 1981–1987 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha Apex | 2006–2018 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha YZ250FX | 2015–2026 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha Vector | 2005–2018 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha YZF-R1M | 2025–2026 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha FJ09 | 2015–2017 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha Snoscoot | 2018–2020 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha FZ-10 | 2017–2018 | 1 | 1 | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha Nytro | 2006–2014 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha FJ1200 | 1986–1994 | 2 | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha RZ500 | 1985–1985 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha WR250R | 2008–2026 | 11 | 4 | — | 3.5/5 |
| Yamaha TT-R90 | 2000–2007 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha FZ09 | 2014–2018 | 3 | 14 | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha TT-R250 | 2000–2006 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha Viper | 2004–2007 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha YZ65 | 2018–2026 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha YSR50 | 1987–1992 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha FZ750 | 1985–1988 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha SX600 | 2002–2003 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha RX50 | 1981–1984 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha XJ750 | — | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha Utility | — | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha XV1900 Stratoliner | — | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha XT350 | 1981–2000 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha XV1600 Road Star | — | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha XV250 | — | 4 | 2 | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha XJ900 | — | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha XS400 | 1981–1984 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha SCR950 | 2017–2018 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha SR250 | 1981–1984 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha FZ600 | 1986–1988 | 3 | 1 | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha GTS1000 | 1993–1994 | 1 | 4 | — | 3.5/5 |
| Yamaha TDM850 | 1991–1994 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha YZ426F | 2001–2002 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha VK540 | 2002–2026 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha YZ400F | 1998–2000 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha WR426F | 2001–2002 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha XT125 | 1982–1984 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha XT200 | 1981–1984 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha YZF750 | 1993–1998 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha FZR400 | 1988–1990 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha XJ550 | — | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha XJ700 | — | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha XVS950 | 2023–2023 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha Bravo | 2006–2011 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha FJ1100 | 1981–1985 | 2 | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha SRX600 | 1981–1986 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha TZ250 | 1981–2002 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha FJ600 | 1984–1985 | 1 | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha FZR1000 | 1987–1995 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha SRViper | 2014–2020 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha SRX250 | 1981–1988 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha WR400F | 1998–2000 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Yamaha YZ250X | 2016–2026 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
Yamaha by the numbers
What the federal records say about the marque. Each line links to the full breakdown by model and year.
| Topic | Yamaha | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Recalls | 169 campaigns | Most recalled: Equipment |
| Owner complaints | 449+ filed | Most reported: YZF-R1 |
Compare model years like a dealer does.
- Full research report on any model year
- Market chart: how this model holds value
- Exact values with mileage adjustment
- Price-drop alerts on the trims you're watching
- No ads, no tracking — and much more
Get a Yamaha window sticker by VIN
Recreate any Yamaha's original Monroney label — MSRP, factory options, EPA MPG and safety — free from the VIN.
Yamaha window stickers →How to read a Yamaha VIN
Every Yamaha built since 1981 carries a unique 17-character VIN (Vehicle Identification Number). It encodes where and when the vehicle was made, its engine and body — here's what each part means:
- WMI (1–3) — country & manufacturer. Tells you it's a Yamaha and the country it was built in (real Yamaha codes below).
- VDS (4–8) — model, body style, engine, trim & restraints. The 8th digit is the engine code.
- Check digit (9) — a math check that proves the VIN is genuine.
- Model year (10) — the year it was built (e.g. R = 2024, S = 2025).
- Plant (11) — which factory assembled it.
- Serial (12–17) — the unique sequential production number.
- USA5Y4 · MH3 · VG5
- JapanJY4 · JYA · JYE
- TaiwanLPR · RKR
The remaining digits — engine (8th), model-year letter (10th) and plant — follow the universal SAE standard. You can decode any VIN for free and get the year-code table, the country codes and the exact spots where the number is stamped.
Who owns Yamaha, and what you get
Yamaha is independent, Japanese-owned and publicly listed as YAMHF. Yamaha competes globally in motorcycles, ATVs, marine engines and adjacent powersport segments against Honda (its main rival), Kawasaki, Suzuki, BMW, Ducati and KTM in motorcycles. The brand's positioning emphasizes engineering refinement and broad model coverage from 50cc scooters through 1000cc+ supersport bikes. Yamaha's marine outboard division is the world's largest by volume and serves as a separate profit center within Yamaha Motor.
| Yamaha | |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | Japan |
| Ownership | Independent |
| Stock ticker | YAMHF |
| Basic warranty | 3 years / 36,000 miles |
| Powertrain warranty | 5 years / 60,000 miles |
| Assembly countries | Japan, United States |
⚠ Worth knowing before you rely on it: across our complaint records the typical car reaches the halfway point of its faults at five years, while basic cover here runs 3 years / 36,000 miles. See when Yamaha models actually start to break →
Yamaha — frequently asked
Is Yamaha japanese?
Yamaha is a Japanese company, headquartered in Iwata and founded in 1955. The cars are a separate question: 98.9% of the Yamaha vehicles in our records were assembled in Japan.
Where are Yamaha cars made?
Across 2 manufacturer codes on record, assembly splits as: Japan (98.9%), the United States (1.1%). The first three characters of a VIN identify the manufacturer and plant country — that is where these shares come from.
Who owns Yamaha?
Yamaha is independent, publicly traded as YAMHF.
How many Yamaha models are there?
We track 101 Yamaha models spanning 1981–2026. The full list is above, ordered by how often each is searched.
What is the Yamaha warranty?
New vehicles come with 3 years / 36,000 miles basic cover and 5 years / 60,000 miles on the powertrain. Terms vary by model year and market — confirm with a dealer.
Is Yamaha reliable?
It depends far more on the model and year than on the badge. Every Yamaha model is ranked by complaint rate here, along with the age at which each starts to fail.