California based manufacturers of motorcycles and other recreational motorized vehicles (i.e. ATV's, speed boats, golf carts, snowmobiles, etc.)
, a
Japanese motorized vehicle-producing company (whose HQ is at 2500 Shingai,
Iwata, Shizuoka), is part of the
Yamaha Corporation. After expanding Yamaha Corporation into the world's biggest
piano maker, then Yamaha
CEO Genichi Kawakami took Yamaha into the field of motorized vehicles on
July 1,
1955. The company's intensive research into metal
alloys for use in acoustic pianos had given Yamaha wide knowledge of the making of lightweight, yet sturdy and reliable metal constructions. This knowledge was easily applied to the making of metal frames and motor parts for motorcycles. Yamaha Motor is the world's second largest producer of
motorcycles. It also produces many other motorized vehicles such as
all-terrain vehicles,
boats,
snowmobiles,
outboard motors, and
personal watercraft.
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