Yamaha Motor announced today that its XSR900 motorcycle has been chosen as the "Best of the Best" in the globally-renowned Red Dot Award*: Product Design 2017 competition.
This marks the fifth consecutive year since 2012 that Yamaha Motor products have received this award, and the third product selected for the "Best of the Best" honour after the MT-07 motorcycle and JWX-2 assist-type electric power unit for wheelchairs received Yamaha Motor's first "Best of the Best" awards in 2015.
The XSR900 was developed to satisfy riders in developed markets - where the culture of enjoying motorcycles as a hobby is well-established - who prefer a more "traditional" style of machine. The simple and retro exterior combined with performance through cutting-edge technology provides pride of ownership along with riding enjoyment.
This award also marks the fifth design honour for the XSR900, after the "Good Design BEST100," the "Auto Colour Award 2016 Special Prize," the "JIDA Design Museum Selection Vol.18," and the "iF Design Award." Moreover, the XSR900 is the first Yamaha Motor product to receive five design awards.
Comment from Mr. Akihiro Nagaya, Chief General Manager of the Design Center
Continuing from the 2015 success of the MT-07 and JWX-2, we believe that the XSR900 receiving the "Best of the Best" honor in the "Red Dot Award: Product Design," a leading global design competition, is a recognition of the initiatives Yamaha Motor is taking with regard to design.
The development of the XSR900 was lead not only by the designers, but also engineering and manufacturing staff for a true monozukuri** approach to craftsmanship.
This year, Yamaha Motor opened the Innovation Centre as a new base for the Design Centre. We plan to enhance our advanced development and product development, bringing the global Yamaha family together to create designs expressing the unique style of Yamaha and new value which generates even more attractive Kando***.
* Globally-prestigious design prize awarded by the "Design Zentrum Nordrhein Westfalen" of Essen, Germany
** Engineering, manufacturing and marketing
*** Kando is a Japanese word for the simultaneous feelings of deep satisfaction and intense excitement that we experience when we encounter something of exceptional value