[2][4] The DT series was created by Yamaha in the late 1960s when the United States motorcycle market was down.

At the time, only a few specialty European manufacturers such as Bultaco and Husqvarna made motorcycles specifically for off-road use.

Instead, many owners purchased road motorcycles and modified them for off-road use, typically by raising the muffler, adding braced handlebars, and fitting a bash plate under the engine .

[5] A Dual-sport motorcycle built for off-road riding, the light and slim DT-1 was equipped with block-pattern tires and had sufficient ground clearance.

[1] A monoshock rear suspension system was introduced starting in 1977 giving rise to the "MX" suffix on model numbers.