As of April 2022, the Yamaha Motor Company had manufacturing operations in several Asian countries and a small presence in North and South America. Its facilities in Japan produce the highest percentage of its products, but China, Taiwan, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, India, Brazil, and the U.S. contribute to the total production as well.
Yamaha builds most of its higher-end motorcycles in Japan, including the YZF-R1, YZF-R6, and MT-10. However, bikes like the XMAX400, Tenere 700, and retro-styled XSR700 come out of assembly plants, like those in France and Spain, for example. Some beginner-friendly motorcycles, such as the YZF-R3 and MT-03, originate in Indonesia and Brazil, and smaller bikes like the YZF-R125 and MT-125 are made primarily in India.
Most of the casting of parts appears to be made in East Asia, primarily in Japan’s Morimachi, Hamakita, and Iwata plants, and assembly lines are set up closer to the points of sale around the world. One such plant in Newnan, Georgia cranks out, not motorcycles but Yamaha’s various outdoor, gas-powered toys.
If you’re curious about the country of origin of a specific motorcycle, the vehicle identification code, or VIN, could provide some clues. While the VIN provides a lot of information, it always starts with a three-letter world manufacturer identifier or WMI, and the 11th position identifies the vehicle’s assembly location. The easiest way to make sense of it is with a free online VIN decoder.
