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In early February, Yamaha Motor Canada opened its doors to a small group of passionate motorcycle enthusiasts from Clarkson Secondary School, located in Mississauga, ON.
These high school students are part of an extracurricular program where they rebuild old motorcycles and donate them to charity. The club offers a safe place where kids can learn the basics of motorcycle maintenance.
Yamaha was first introduced to the group through a friend of Yamaha Financial Services Business Development Manager, Sam Calautti. Calautti was told that the group was always searching for used motorcycles to restore, and his friend thought he might be a great resource.
“Once I found out about why they needed a motorcycle, I knew we needed to find a way to help out,” Calautti said. “I loved the story, how the teachers are taking these students and getting them to focus on making a positive contribution to their community while nurturing their passion for motorcycles.”
Nine students, two teachers and a principal received a tour of Yamaha Motor Canadas head office in Toronto, along with presentations from the sales, service, parts & accessories, marketing, IT, and finance departments. The group learned about the various teams and how each contributes to how Yamaha operates as a whole.
“I’ve never seen the kids that happy and that engaged,” said Mary Zammit, the principal at Clarkson Secondary School.
The day ended with a huge surprise for the students. Calautti presented them with the ultimate gift: a Yamaha YZF-R6 sport bike to tear apart and rebuild. Since their current project bike is a 1981 Yamaha TZ125, the students stand to learn a lot from the quarter-century evolution between the two bikes!
“Ultimately, we showed them there’s a world beyond high school that holds so much promise,” Calautti summarized. “Hopefully this continues to fuel their learning and passion for motorsports.”