Yamaha 60-Cc Mini-Enduro Previewed At the Show:
YAMAHA 60-CC MINI-ENDURO PREVIEWED AT THE SHOW:
A BEAUTIFULLY PROPORTIONED FLEAWEIGHT, TAILORED FOR THE MICRO-BOPPER
NOT MANY “SERIOUS” motorcyclists took note of a little bike in the Yamaha booth at the CYCLE WORLD show. But there were hordes of sparkly-eyed kids casting envious glances.
The machine, dubbed the “Mini-Enduro,” was barely knee high, yet it was a perfectly scaled down version of Yamaha’s full-sized dirt Singles. As such, it totally revolutionizes the mini-bike market. Young people may not be big enough to climb on a full-sized motorcycle, but they are smart enough to know what’s close to the real thing. Yamaha’s Mini comes closer than anything we’ve seen.
A 60-cc rotary valve engine, with four-speed transmission, powers the machines. As with the rest of the Yamaha line, it is lubricated by Autolube oil injection, making it unnecessary to mix oil with the gasoline. Oil level may be checked instantly by glancing at the indicator window in the oil reservoir. The exhaust system, including silencer/ spark arrester, is finished in business-like black just like the big ones, and has a chrome leg-guard grill to prevent leg burns.
Similar to Yamaha’s full-size 125s, the frame is of single toptube, double downtube design with an outboardmounted tubular swinging arm. Spoked stainless steel rims carry 2.50-15 trialspattern tires. The bike has both front and rear drum-type brakes, the front brake being cable-actuated from the right-hand lever, and the rear one rodactuated with the left foot, and clutch with the left-hand lever. The gears are shifted from the right-hand foot lever, just as on the big ’uns.
Height of the fully padded seat is just over two feet, to give you an idea of the machine’s scale. Wheelbase is 40.0 in. Weight is 121 lb.
Competition-style features should make the Sixty impressive to just about anyone. The fenders are set high in motocross fashion, and the footpegs fold. Cross-braced handlebars are complemented by full-sized handgrips and ball-ended (for safety) levers. The motocross-style forks offer proportionately more travel (3.3 in.)than many of their full-sized counterparts. There’s even a competition number plate.
The Mini-Enduro is expected to go on sale in October. No price has been announced yet. We can predict that it will be a rage in mini-bike class races, and craved by grown-ups who want something to throw in the trunk, or racers who want a pit-companion.
This one’s ready to pit-race, baby, and we mean baby!
