Image: Foremost Media.

Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing riders will line up with a special throwback livery from the ’90s at this weekend’s Washougal round of Pro Motocross, opening the brand’s 50th anniversary celebrations for the YZ range.

Both the US team and also the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP and MX2 teams will be donning the purple and white colorway, with the official unveil taking place this afternoon.

The YZ was born in 1974 when the YZ250 began production, with the YZ story becoming an integral part of Yamaha’s history. A look through the timeline shows advancements in technology over the years that have shaped the industry.

Notable innovations like monoshock suspension, which paralleled with the YZ’s origin, liquid-cooling, which was first introduced on the 1981 YZ125, and the first power valve system, which was introduced on the 1982 YZ250 and YZ125. Then in 1997, the YZM400F made a victorious debut in competition at the Las Vegas Supercross.

It was quickly followed by the first production four-stroke, being the YZ400F, which changed the sport at that point. The 2001 YZ250F was the first production competition 250cc four-stroke on the market. All of these innovations eventually became the norm, giving the YZ a unique legacy in the sport of supercross and motocross.

In addition to the YZ line being legendary, some of the best riders on the planet have been a part of that story, and on location today at Washougal were the likes of Damon Bradshaw, Broc Glover, Doug Dubach, Jim Holley and Ryan Villopoto, who began his career on YZ machinery as an amateur.