One of the best things about motorcycle design lately are the anniversary throwback editions. Suzuki gave its fans what they wanted when the Japanese manufacturer let riders choose a graphics kit from their favorite decade of the RM. For 2026, Yamaha is giving us its 70th anniversary edition models, and they're absolutely savage.
You might be thinking, "Didn't Yamaha just launch 50th anniversary edition models in 2024?". Yes, it did, but those models celebrated 50 years of the YZ range, whereas these 70th edition anniversary models commemorate the founding of Yamaha Motor Company in Iwata, Shizuoka, Japan, on July 1, 1955, when the manufacturer separated from Nippon Gakki Co., Ltd – now the Yamaha Corporation.
The purple and white 50th anniversary edition models were breathtaking; I was lucky enough to ride the entire range, and I wouldn't change that, despite fracturing a rib on a YZ250. So, where is the red and white inspiration coming from?
Well, the same year Yamaha Motor Company separated from Nippon Gakki Co., Ltd, it began its racing heritage with the 125cc, two-stroke, single-cylinder YA-1 motorcycle, which was nicknamed “The Red Dragonfly”. But Yamaha aren't just making a 70th anniversary edition homage to The Red Dragonfly for the sake of it—this bike has a place in history.
The YA-1 won the first two races it entered that year, which immediately put it and Yamaha on the radars of gearheads as a competitive name in motorcycle racing, and the colorway lived on long after those first races in the '50s. If you were a racing fan in the '70s and '80s, or just a fan of racing in general, this design is nothing new for you.
Yamaha’s 70th Anniversary Edition YZ models will be available from dealers this
October for the following MSRPs:
YZ450F 70th Anniversary Edition – $10,499 MSRP
YZ250F 70th Anniversary Edition – $9,099 MSRP
YZ250 70th Anniversary Edition – $8,299 MSRP
YZ125 70th Anniversary Edition – $7,399 MSRP
The only question I have for you is, would you rather a crisp 70th Anniversary Edition YZ or a purple and white 50th Anniversary Edition? I know my answer. You can check out more about Yamaha Motor's heritage here.
