Yamaha started making small engines in 1954. They wanted to create the best motorcycle. It was an odd choice of product at the time considering they had made music instruments for the 67 years before that. But after research, design and engineering they completed a prototype 125cc motorcycle within 1 year.
What did they do to test it?
They took it for a ride. A 10,000 kilometres long ride through the mountains of Japan. It passed the test and manufacturing began.
Two years later Yamaha’s 250cc motorcycle placed 6th worldwide in the 1958 Catalina Grand Prix. This was an incredible achievement, and helped catapult Yamaha’s engine reputation in the US. Yamaha was the only Japanese company that entered, and they only entered 4 bikes in the 200 strong field… A field of British motorcycle companies that had 30+ years experience in the industry.
From Motorcycles Yamaha Went On To:
- Create popular outboard motors and boats
- Invent an Autolube system eliminating the need to premix fuel and oil
- Team with Toyota to create the famous 2000 GT sports car
- Make the world’s first purpose-built dirt bike
- And then in 1973 – Yamaha released their first portable generator the ET1200.
You see: Yamaha has been pushing the boundaries of what’s possible for a long time. And it’s that company culture that has allowed them to quickly compete with the best in new markets. When they released their inverter generator, and it quickly gained praise, no one was surprised.
Why Buy A Yamaha Generator?
“If you are going to make it, make it the very best there is.”
Those are the words Yamaha Motor Corporation has lived by for over 60 years… Snowmobiles, race kart engines, generators, scooters, ATVs, motorcycles, boat motors, general purpose engines – all Yamaha power products are known as the best. Here’s why:
Yamaha Innovation
Yamaha is always a step ahead. Their inverter generators are the lightest – but yet they offer the best fuel efficiency, longest runtime and are some of the quietest on the market. And because of their innovation, Yamaha still manages to keep the price well below competitor Honda.
Yamaha Reliability
When you buy any product you expect it to work. And that’s what Yamaha customers always talk about: how dependable Yamaha is. You take your genset with you camping and you get the power you need year-in-year-out.
Awards
Yamaha continues to win customer satisfaction awards and has won the Marine Customer Satisfaction Index award 13 years in a row and counting.
Yamaha Generators Working
How will you use your Yamaha generator?
People use theirs for lots of different purposes. From powering their RV electrics to powering a spotlight to take professional photos in remote places.
Best Yamaha Genset
1) Yamaha EF2000iS 1,600 Run Watts
The best Yamaha generator for most people is their EF2000iS inverter. It doesn’t have the most power, it isn’t the most affordable, but it is their best value for money machine.
It has great fuel efficiency. With a runtime of 10+ hours at 1/4 load from a gallon of fuel you’ll have enough power for all day use. Just bring a Jerry can (like in the image above) and you’ll be sorted for the whole weekend. It even lasts 1 hour longer than the comparable Honda.
It’s quiet. It has been said over and over here but yeah, this generator is quiet enough to sit next to and have a conversation. Put it 20 feet away and you’ll forget it’s on.
It is light and compact. The EF2000iS is shaped like a briefcase to minimize the footprint and allow you to pack it easily. It weighs 44 pounds and has a big carry handle.
Go and check out the full details on Amazon at the link below. Be sure it matches up with your buying criteria.
Also great if you need a little more power:
Yamaha EF2400iSHC 2,000 Run Watts
Another great Yamaha option is the EF2400iSHC. It has 400 more running watts if you need a bit more power.
Yamaha specifically designed this machine so it could power your 13,500 BTU RV air conditioners. Just like all their inverter gensets your can power your sensitive electronics with this generator because it produces less than 2.5% distortion electricity.
It has a runtime of 8.5 hours while produces 5oo watts and weighs 75 pounds. If you need a little more power than the EF2000iS offers this is a great option from Yamaha.
Sources
- Yamaha Motor’s company website has some interesting articles on its history. This one talks about in detail the history from when Yamaha expanded into motorcycles in 1954 and how they got to now. Whereas this one is a summary and timeline of key moments in the history.
- When researching more in depth the Catalina Grand Prix race that Yamaha came fourth in in 1958 I came across 2 very informative article. This one at selvedgeyard.com gave a history of the Catalina Grand Prix throughout the 1950s till it ended in 1958. And just to double check that Yamaha did come fourth in the 250cc class I hunted down a race results print out which was found here at thegrandfathersofmotocross.com.
- What makes the Yamaha inverter unique? That question I asked myself when writing this Yamaha page and this is the best source to answer that question on the Global Yamaha website.