Celebrating Seven Decades of Excellence: Yamaha Introduces the Limited 70th Anniversary YZ500 2-Stroke for 2026
In a historic move to commemorate 70 years of innovation and dominance in the world of motorsports, Yamaha has unveiled the limited-edition 2026 YZ500 2-Stroke, a bold tribute to its racing legacy. The announcement, made during a global press event in Iwata, Japan, marks a thrilling return to high-performance 2-stroke motocross bikes—this time reimagined for the modern era.
The YZ500 is not only a nod to Yamaha’s legendary past—most notably the iconic YZ490 of the 1980s—but also a celebration of cutting-edge engineering. Set for limited production, this special anniversary edition is designed for die-hard two-stroke enthusiasts, collectors, and competitive riders who crave raw power and simplicity.
Under the hood, the YZ500 features a newly engineered 499cc liquid-cooled, single-cylinder 2-stroke engine, designed to deliver blistering acceleration and top-end speed. Yamaha engineers have combined traditional 2-stroke thrills with modern performance enhancements, including electronic fuel injection (EFI), digital ignition mapping, and a lightweight aluminum frame derived from the championship-winning YZ250F and YZ450F platforms.
What sets the 70th Anniversary YZ500 apart is not just performance, but presentation. The limited-edition model comes adorned with a retro-inspired livery, blending Yamaha’s iconic yellow and black “speed block” graphics with gold-accented forks and commemorative badging. The styling pays homage to Yamaha’s most successful racing era while signaling a new chapter in its commitment to motocross heritage.
Yamaha has confirmed that only 1,956 units of the YZ500 will be produced worldwide—a number symbolic of the company’s founding year, 1955. Each bike will come with a serialized plate and a collector’s edition presentation box that includes a commemorative coffee table book, vintage Yamaha memorabilia, and a certificate of authenticity signed by Yamaha’s top engineers.
Yamaha Motor Corporation USA’s spokesperson, Takashi Nishikawa, shared during the unveiling:
“The 70th Anniversary YZ500 is more than a motorcycle—it’s a statement. It’s a celebration of where we’ve come from and a promise of where we’re going. The resurgence of the 2-stroke platform isn’t just nostalgic—it’s revolutionary, and we’re proud to lead that charge.”
Off-road enthusiasts and professional riders have already taken to social media to express their excitement, with early previews suggesting the YZ500 will set new standards in the big-bore 2-stroke category. Yamaha has promised that the model will be available to select dealers by early 2026, with pre-orders opening in late 2025.
The announcement comes at a time when vintage motocross is seeing a resurgence in popularity, and Yamaha’s reentry into the high-displacement 2-stroke market could potentially reignite interest across all generations of riders.
As Yamaha celebrates seven decades of racing excellence, the 2026 YZ500 stands as both a tribute to the past and a bold leap into the future—loud, fast, and unapologetically Yamaha.
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