Yamaha Omaha Trail

YAMAHA OMAHA TRAIL

Trail Test

PROBABLY THE LARGEST TITLE ever bestowed on SO small a machine graces the Yamaha Omaha Trail 50 (we can’t explain the “Omaha” either), and we know of no more undeserving a subject. We had a passing meeting with this machine in our August 1962 issue when the staff adjourned to the back country to assemble our feature on trailing; since that time we have been wanting to examine the bike closer and on its own grounds

Our test grounds were the high altitude desert outside of Los Angeles. We spent a lot of time in rocky and sandy country, and came away very pleased and somewhat impressed. The Trail 50, as the name implies, is a 50cc machine (actually it is a 55cc engine), for trailing, hunting, fishing or just for fun, which all three are anyway. We have yet to try mounting a two hundred pound deér or such animal on the rear of any of our test trail scooters or bikes; we aren’t even too certain we could ride the machine thus loaded. We have, and will continue to, base our trail test evaluations on handling, tractability, ease of control, ability to climb and negotiate difficult terrain, and other such vital capabilities.

We were amazed in our last encounter, and continue to be, with the Yamaha’s almost uncanny ability to run at extremely slow speeds, an unusual talent for so small an engine. The reason for this can be traced to the rotary intake valve in combination with rather mild intake timing. This gives a good wide range to the torque characteristics so the little three cubic inch power plant runs well at both ends of the rpm spectrum.

A three-speed transmission is employed with a conventional motorcycle layout, i.e.; left hand clutch, right hand throttle and front brake, gear change on left foot, rear brake on right. An innovation that is purely Japanese is the “rocker” type gearshift lever. Downshifting is accomplished by kicking down on the rear of the lever, upshifting by pressing down on the front section of the lever. We like the system, though it has its drawbacks. Its presence on the Trail 50 is due to its heritage from the Yamaha 50 street machine whereon the feature is definitely a shoe saver. Our only serious objection to it is when, under pressure of a demanding situation on the trail or racing, a very quick gear change is called for, it is easy to miss the shift, plus requiring a violent movement of the foot to reach for the new gear.

Yamaha thoughtfully equips the Trail 50 with knobby tires and true “stump puller” gearing — via a huge rear sprocket running in tandem with the regular street sprocket. By simply removing a few links from the chain and placing the shortened length on the smaller sprocket, the bike is ready for 45 mph street riding, an unusual feature for a trail bike. The gearing is typical of the breed and permits second gear starting in most cases, making the first gear a compound ratio for really steep going.

For those interested, specifications are 55cc displacement, 7.4:1 compression ratio, single cylinder, 4-cycle, OHV, 5.0 hp @ 7,000 rpm, electric and kick lever starting, top speed approximately 20-25 mph, 165 lbs. weight, 16" wheels, swing arm rear suspension, Neidhart leading link in front and a price of $275.00.

Among the many reasons for our liking the Yamaha were that it is fun to ride, and easy to operate, both of which make it a simpler job to infect the newcomer with the grand fun to be had riding on the trails or in the back country. We have said these things before but are not in the least ashamed to repeat ourselves. It is due in a large part to machines like the little Yamaha that motorcycling in general, and trail riding in particular, is becoming so popular.

Though not a powerhouse of performance, it will get the rider almost anywhere, and when all else fails, it’s easy to push. •