Yamaha - Success in Two (Very Different) Industries

Yamaha is unique in the way that they've become one of the primary brands in 2 separate industries. I struggle to think of other instances like this. This video talks about some history of the company as well as how they're structured and operate today.

Company Declines:

[watzittooya]

"Pianos and motorcycle have nothing in common."
Fool, you can tune both of them.

[grzegorzmielcarek]

When I hear Yamaha I think of a 4-cylinder guitar or a 6-string motorbike.

[carlkolthoff]

Even their musical instrument lineup is insane. Think of other companies in that business. Steinway makes pianos, Gibson makes guitars, Pearl makes drums, Bach makes trumpets, Marshall makes amplifiers, Korg makes synthesizers and so on. Yamaha makes all of the above, and whole lot more. And they're famous in every category. Everything I've touched with a Yamaha logo on it have been a good quality product, and its ranging from motocrosses and boat engines to music instruments and home electronics. I'm incredibly impressed by that company!

[benasmus]

Personally, my first experience with Yamaha was outboard boat motors. I then began riding Yamaha quads and snowmobiles. My sister got a Yamaha flute, and twelve year old me was like, “What the hell, I thought they made things with engines??.” Now I own a Yamaha R6 and life is good.

[BoyNamedSue]

Their boat motors are top of the line too.

[kilojoule_kj]

You neglected to mention how they got into making motorcycles to begin with. They built pianos, that also making them good at woodworking. During the war, they were called upon to use their expertise in woodworking skills to help them make...propellers for airplanes and boats. As they began putting in putting in propellers to engines, they started repairing and then tinkering with how engines worked. And as they played around with engines, they started making their own. And that's how the Yamaha Motor Corporation side of that company got started.

As for other companies like them, there are plenty of them in Japan. Mitsubishi (banking, real estate, electronics and car company and another totally unrelated Mitsubishi that makes pencils). Sumitomo (banking, real estate, heavy machinery, chemicals, cutting tools). Sony (electronics, video games, movies, and now insurance). Seiko/Epson (watches and printers). Brother (sewing machines and printers). Kyocera (ceramics and electronics).

[nailahprincessofhokuto]

What about Mitsubishi? They're in so many industries it's hard to keep track of. You should really make a video on them

[plantbee]

I'm a musician, I love Yamaha. They also made the motor for the original Ford Taurus SHO, a sick 6 cylinder motor that goes down in Ford history.

[cochabambas]

When I think Yamaha, I think reliable.

[MegaBlueman]

Company man! You forgot to mention how Yamaha was hired by Lexus to tune the exhaust on the Lexus LFA! One of the most beautiful exhaust notes ever. Also I started playing trumpet on a Yamaha. And now I own 3 of their motorcycles.

[RealHomeRecording]

I love my Yamaha speakers. Their affordable acoustic guitars are nice too.

[MetalMarauder]

Great idea for a Yamaha ad:

Person A: “Do you have a car?”

Person B: “No, I ride a Yamaha.”

Person A: “Cool, I love motorcycles!”

Person B: “Oh, it’s not a motorcycle...”

[cut to person B riding a piano down the street, singing “MAKING MY WAY DOWNTOWN🎶”]

[AllieRX]

Yamaha, the same company responsible for the amazing Sega Genesis/Mega Drive sound chip!

[DannyBTalks]

Actually, when I think of Yamaha, I actually think of their line of motors for bass fishing boats. They have a big role in the fishing industry. Speaking of which, that’s a huge industry I’m sure you’d be amazed to dive in to.

[FutureNow]

Yamaha is like the ACME from the Road Runner cartoons.

[Jacksonflax]

Funnily enough, The best sounding thing Yamaha makes isn't a musical instrument. It's the Crossplane R1.

[CZsWorld]

I actually think of audio equipment when I think of Yamaha.

[LieshaCichol]

6:26 The part you skipped is the funnest part of Yamaha, I think. With knowledge of building piano, they had knowledge on wood bending and foundry. During WWII, anything to help war effort got better bank loan, so the company made aircraft engine and propeller. They used the engine building knowledge to build motorcycle post-war (and specifically leisure type bike, not delivery bike either), and also just flipped around the aircraft engine and propeller building knowledge to make outrig engine for boat.


CEO's hobby was archery, and he saw Europeans using FRP based bows when he went to tourny. He had his company engineer look into it and ends up building FRP boat body as well. That knowledge was flipped for snow mobile and snow blower later on. Having woodcraft knowledge lead them into furniture business too and add these two up and you end up with integrated bath unit system (seriously). With that in mind, they also build pool and control mechanism (originally because some staff in Indonesian office requested water purification system) to go with it. One of testing pool unit failed and had algae glow in it. From there, they acquired a patent in biotechnology (for CO2 capture purposes).


With advent of electronic circuitry, they build Electone, which is synonymous to electric piano in Japan. They also dabbled with failed computer industry standardization attempt called MSX. In 90's when DIY PCs were rage, they made sound card, modem, CD-ROM, NIC and router. Mix all those up and Miku Hatsune, or rather vocaloid engine was born.


And the scariest part of all is that there are some sectors they pulled out of (PC hardware, furniture), there is not a single failure that affected the companies at all (looking at Square with its Final Fantasy movie fiasco).

[samj.s]

As an Australian i know them for generators and outboard engines for boats

[stampycatfanlol]

When I think of Yamaha, I tend to think of their “music sirens”, especially here lately. Only a couple remain operational, but they sound amazing.