70 Years of Yamaha: A Legendary Journey with Hostettler Switzerland

The door swings open, and we find ourselves in Sursee, standing before a deep red 125cc from 1955. Vincent Mentha, Managing Director of Hostettler Yamaha Switzerland, smiles: "The best advertisement was winning the first race."

It's October 2025, and Yamaha is celebrating 70 years of motorcycle history. Here at Hostettler in Sursee, where the partnership has thrived since 1968, stands a living collection. The YA 1 Red Dragonfly, XS 650, XT 500 with an aluminum tank, V Max, R1, and the factory racing machines of Michel Frutschi and Bruno Kneubühler, two Swiss heroes on Yamaha TZ 500 and TZ 750.

Vincent Mentha has been part of it since 1985, spanning 32 years. He tested the first V Max, "like riding a cannonball," witnessed the R1 revolution, and knows every bolt in this collection.

The Yamaha Formula: Copy, Improve, Race, Sell

"The common thread over these 70 years at Yamaha is the passion," says Mentha. "This passion has always been closely linked not just to sales success, but also to racing."

The formula: Study the market leaders, like DKW, Triumph, or Hot Rods. Make it better—four gears instead of three, no oil leaks. Prove it in racing, whether at Mount Fuji, the Paris Dakar, or in MotoGP. Sell it with the racing story. Repeat for 70 years.

"The best advertisement is still racing," says Mentha. From Mount Fuji 1955 to MotoGP 2027, the formula holds true.

Vincent Mentha points to the deep red 125cc. "This is Yamaha's very first motorcycle." The YA 1, known as the Red Dragonfly. 1955. Post-war Japan. Genichi Kawakami had a vision: "People need personal mobility."

Yamaha copied the DKW RT 125, but made it better. "The engineers refined every detail for reliability and durability." The DKW had three gears; the YA 1 had four. "That was a small revolution even back then." And the color was bold. Deep red instead of black. "It helped make the bike instantly recognizable."

5.6 HP, 11,000 units between 1955 and 1958. But the key moment was Mount Fuji 1955. Yamaha entered and won on their first attempt. "That was the best advertisement, no doubt." The formula was born.

1970: The XS 650 Conquers Europe

A black, sleek XS 650. "At the time, Yamaha was known for its two-stroke machines," Mentha says. "But the competition was already there with four-stroke models, including Honda with the CB 750." Yamaha took inspiration from the Triumph Twins and made them better. "The engine was inspired by Triumph motors, but the engineers made it more reliable." He gestures downward. "There's no oil puddle."

Parallel Twin, 650cc, 53 HP. Tokyo Motor Show 1969, launched in 1970. "The motorcycle received immediate positive feedback." And Hostettler? "We started with the XS 650 in 1970."

The formula works. Triumph copied, improved, Europe conquered.

We stand before a black enduro with gold rims and a polished aluminum tank. Vincent Mentha grins. "This is the XT 500, the adventure machine." 1976. Las Vegas Motor Show. 500cc single-cylinder, 27 HP, four-stroke. "So robust and simply designed that you could practically ride it anywhere in the world." Sounds perfect. But there was a problem.

The Shinbone Problem

"In the first 1976 model year, there was no sight glass," Mentha explains, pointing to where you can see the piston position. Without a sight glass, it was: pull the decompression lever, kick, and hope. "It was a true test of strength to kickstart. Some of the first customers recall getting shinbone injuries because the kickstarter had a fierce kickback." The kickstarter had a fierce kickback. In 1977, the sight glass was introduced. Problem solved.

Jean Claude Olivier and the Paris Dakar

Jean Claude Olivier, the French Yamaha boss, immediately recognized the potential. He deployed the XT 500 in the Abidjan Nice desert rally in 1976. The big coup came in 1979 at the first Paris Dakar. Cyril Neveu won on an XT 500. In 1980, three XT 500s took the top three places. "By then, the reputation was clear; it was truly the adventure machine."

The Bestseller

"By the end of 1982, 20,000 units had been sold in Germany alone. That's a huge success," says Mentha. From 1981, it featured a polished aluminum tank with gold rims. The XT 500 remained in the lineup until 1989, with dual shocks. "You could always recognize the XT 500 at first glance."

A Paris Dakar winner and commuter bike in one. The XT 500 was the perfect example of Yamaha's philosophy: build it tough, prove it in the harshest races, sell it as a legend.

Next to the XT 500, they stand: TZ 500, TZ 750, TZ 350. Production racers. Two-strokes with exhausts sans silencers. "They were so loud back then that most racers from that era still suffer hearing damage," Mentha notes.

TZ 750: Over 300 km/h with Michel Frutschi

The TZ 750. Four-cylinder, two-stroke, 750cc, over 120 HP. "It was incredibly brutal to ride." Mentha becomes serious. "Racers back then were true heroes. Riding at over 300 km/h on such a machine was not for the faint-hearted."

This TZ 750 is something special. "It belongs to Peter Hostettler's private collection. A machine with partial factory components." Michel Frutschi rode it in the 70s. "You can see the titanium carburetor setup here, which is extremely rare. Or the special factory front fork." Frutschi tragically died in a Grand Prix crash in the early 80s. The machine survived. Today, it resides in Sursee.

Bruno Kneubühler and Team Elf

Beside it stands the TZ 350 of the Swiss Team Elf. Rider: Bruno Kneubühler. "Bruno Kneubühler is well-known in the Swiss racing scene. He was active throughout the 70s."

The tank bears engravings from every Grand Prix he participated in, with his signature. "Every race is detailed on the tank, even with his autograph."

These machines were rolling laboratories. What worked here made its way to street models. Racing wasn't just advertising; racing was development. But the cost was high.

A V Max, 1987 model. Vincent Mentha smiles. "I can speak from personal experience about my first encounter in 1985." A story that began in America, exploded in France, and became discreet in Switzerland.

The Saint Tropez Legend

Ed Burke from Yamaha USA had a vision. A muscle bike for America. V4 engine, 1200cc, 145 HP. Intended only for the American market.

Then came Jean Claude Olivier. "Olivier saw the prototype in Japan and was immediately electrified." He said, "We need this motorcycle in France.” Japan hesitated. "Stop, not possible." But Olivier acquired ten test bikes, throttled to 100 HP. Summer 1985. "He had good connections in show business. He gave a colleague a V Max and said: Take it to Saint Tropez and show it to the VIPs."

The plan worked. "Within a few weeks, 30 orders came in." Japan was convinced. Europe got the V Max.

The Swiss Solution: Discreet

One problem remained. Fritz Egli from Bettwil imported V Max models directly from Canada, with 145 HP and V Boost. Hostettler's response: "We discreetly sold V Boost kits separately."

Was that legal? Mentha smirks. "The 145 HP version wasn't officially allowed. But people just wanted the full power."

The Cannonball Ride

1985, Mentha recalls. "We took an evening ride with one of the first V Max. It was like riding a cannonball. The engine had so much torque and power that the chassis could barely keep up."

He adds honestly: "The chassis was somewhat underdressed. Many customers later installed wider handlebars."

Around 100,000 units were sold worldwide. "The bike was cult. It was raw, loud, and unmistakable."

An R1. First generation, 1998 model year. Vincent Mentha turns serious. "The right word is radical. But they did it anyway, and I say: rightly so."

There was resistance in Japan. "People wondered if it was even politically correct to build such a motorcycle." 150 HP, just under 200 kilos fully tanked. "The R1 was conceived from the start as a race machine with street legality. Nothing like it had existed before."

The R1 wasn't easy to ride. No traction control, lots of power, aggressive chassis. Many highsiders. But those who mastered it experienced the revolution. "It truly ushered in a new era in the production of sport machines."

The impressive part: "You still see many machines from the first 1998 batch today, with 100,000 kilometers or more." Radically built, yet reliable. Racing DNA, yet durable.

We are still in Sursee. Vincent Mentha stands among machines he has partly experienced himself. "1985, back then I was young, without any gray hair," he says, smiling. Forty years later, he is the managing director. The hair grayer, the passion unchanged.

"The story of Hostettler and Yamaha began in 1968. That was the first year Hostettler imported for Switzerland and Liechtenstein." 57 years later, the partnership still stands. XS 650, XT 500, V Max, R1, all have been witnessed.

"In total, it's 32 years," says Mentha about his time at Hostettler. The cannonball ride in 1985, the R1 revolution, the TZ machines. He speaks openly, honestly, and without a PR filter. Shinbones? Mentioned. Illegal V Boost setups? "Let's call it what it was." This honesty makes his stories credible.

The machines belong to Peter Hostettler's private collection. Frutschi's TZ 750. Kneubühler's TZ 350. "Heritage is not sold here. It is preserved."

Fritz Egli from Bettwil is also mentioned. He brought V Max models with 145 HP from Canada to Switzerland. Competition? "Maybe. But also proof of how much the Swiss wanted this motorcycle." "We actually only sell emotions," says Mentha. "No one needs a motorcycle. It's a hobby, a passion." This passion connects. From Japan to France to Switzerland.

Vincent Mentha leans back. "The driving force is passion and determination. This passion has always been linked with sales success and racing at Yamaha." The formula has worked for 70 years. But what comes next?

MotoGP: The Dry Spell and the V4

Yamaha is struggling. "Since 2021, Fabio Quartararo's last MotoGP title, we've been experiencing a dry spell." European manufacturers are investing heavily. "Take Ducati, for example, with their synergies from the automotive sector."

Yamaha's response is clear. "They've realized that the pure four-cylinder development has reached its limits. If Yamaha wants to be competitive again, they need the V4." The V4, a crucial development, is nearly complete. "It's no longer a prototype." And with the new 2027 regulations, the clocks will be reset. Mentha is convinced. "The Japanese are coming back. Yamaha will be where they belong again."

Electric and Philosophy

"Yamaha continues to develop clean combustion engines, but electric is certainly a topic." Currently, there's an e-scooter, with more models planned. "How do you evoke emotions? Naturally, through racing. And the best advertisement is still racing involvement. Yamaha understood that back in 1955." From Mount Fuji 1955 to MotoGP 2027. From gasoline to electric. The power source changes, the DNA remains the same.

"I am very confident that Yamaha will continue this path with the same passion-driven philosophy," says Mentha.

We step out of the showroom in Sursee. Behind us, the chrome parts glisten in the light—the deep red YA 1, the XT 500 with an aluminum tank, the V Max, the R1. Machines that have made history. Vincent Mentha has guided us through seven decades of Yamaha, from 5.6 HP to over 200, from Mount Fuji to MotoGP.

One thing is clear: The formula has never changed. Copy, Improve, Race, Sell, Repeat.

• 1955: Copied DKW, won at Mount Fuji.
• 1970: Inspired by Triumph, conquered Europe.
• 1976: XT 500 dominated the desert.
• 1985: V Max made a splash in Saint Tropez.
• 1998: R1 redefined supersport.

Racing as proof. Reliability as a duty. Emotion as the product. What has changed are only the tools. Two-stroke became four-stroke. Gasoline is turning to electric. The inline-four becomes the V4. Yet the idea remains the same. The best advertisement is racing involvement. Yamaha doesn't sell mobility; Yamaha sells emotion. And whoever understands that also understands why racing at Yamaha is not just a department but an identity.

70 years later, it’s evident: Passion is not a marketing term. It is the driving force behind every screw, every piston, every idea. Yamaha remains Passion Driven. Since 1955. And for the next 70 years.