5 Discontinued Yamaha Motorcycles That Deserve A Second Chance
Bikes from the major motorcycle brands come and go all the time, and once they're gone, many people find themselves looking back and wondering why they were discontinued. There are quite a few fan-favorites that people would love to see return. It's easy to imagine, for example, the outgoing Yamaha YZF-R1 motorcycle, credited with taking sport bikes to the next level, becoming one of these bikes once it's no longer readily available. Dozens of bikes that have already made their way out likely already have Yamaha riders feeling this way.
Motorcycle models get canceled for many different reasons. A common one cited throughout this list is that increased emission regulations over the years have created an effective bottleneck for some models. The cost to produce many bikes under these new regulations becomes impossible or too costly, and major brands decide to scrap the idea for something more cost-effective. Sometimes, these bikes get revived in the future under a different name, much like how many classic cars get resurrected over the years, too. As of right now, each bike listed here is officially discontinued and not expected to be brought back any time soon. But we wish they were.
Yamaha YZF-R6
Perhaps the most obvious example Yamaha has of a bike being gone too soon — mostly because it's so recent — is the aforementioned YZF-R1. It was a tough pill to swallow when Yamaha discontinued this legendary sport bike back in 2020. The reason it was canceled was due to the Euro 5 emission stands and Yamaha deciding to not update the bike to meet those new guidelines. In total, the bike remained in production for a whopping 21 years. While it's a bike that's looked back fondly upon, sales were trending down since the mid-2000s, so that likely played a factor in why Yamaha didn't bother to put in the effort to meet the new standards.
Technically, the bike stayed in production but only for race track use. This meant if you could get your hands on one, you couldn't take it on the road. Fortunately, the bike is still new enough for you to track one down in the used market if you want to go through the trouble. You can find a mid-2010s model for under $10,000, but more recent ones near the end of the production window can bump the price up quite a bit.
Yamaha VMAX
Doomed to the same fate as the YZF-R6, the VMAX was also canceled in 2020 due to the incoming Euro 5 regulations. Unlike the R6, the VMAX was a cruiser offered by Yamaha, and it dated all the way back to 1985. With its discontinuation, Yamaha only has a handful of cruisers left available, but none of them compared to the "power cruiser" the VMAX was known as. While it's not one of the biggest motorcycle engines ever made, the 1,197cc engine was nothing to scoff at for the time.
With this being another recent cancellation, you can still find a few of these floating around if you're willing to loosen your purse strings quite a bit. These can run you upwards of $18,000, but you may find a better deal on older models if you're willing to dip back into the '80s. If you're looking for a newer version, you shouldn't hold your breath.
Yamaha Star Venture and Star Eluder
The Star Venture was making a name for itself before Yamaha unceremoniously ended the line. As Yamaha's foray into luxury-touring, this bike was well received during its short production run. It was a good bike for people looking for a motorcycle that looked a lot like a Harley-Davidson motorcycle without carrying the actual HD branding. Production began in 2018 but quickly came to a halt when Yamaha discontinued this impressive touring motorcycle after just three years.
Going along with the Star Venture was the Star Eluder. Another luxury tourer, it suffered the same fate as the Star Venture as Yamaha essentially exited the high-end touring business. Both of these bikes can still be found floating around the used market, but they aren't cheap. A Star Eluder costs around the $13,000 mark, and it's not uncommon to see it go higher. As for the Star Venture, pricing can run a bit higher and top out around $20,000. No matter how you slice it, these aren't cheap used bikes.
Yamaha YA-1
The motorcycle that got it all started for Yamaha, the YA-1, was in production from 1955 to 1958. While it's not a practical bike today, it'd be nice to see the manufacturer give it another go. Nostalgia is a powerful thing, and while there might not be many riders around today that recognize this bike, Yamaha could market it as a blast from the past. Companies bring back products from the dead often, and a good example of this is the Ford Bronco that made enough improvements to make it appealing to the modern market.
At the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show, Yamaha gave us a glimpse at what the motorcycle could look like if it were updated for modern times. It boasted the same 125cc motor and came in at 176 pounds, making it lighter than the bike it was a concept design of. This modified bike was capable of 220 mpg, so it would've made for a great commuter bike if it was ever mass produced. With 2011 long in the rearview mirror, though, it doesn't look like that'll become a reality any time soon.