BACKROADS • JULY 2021
PRODUCT REVIEW
Page 35
YAMAHA YDX MORO PRO E-BICYCLE
In the beginning (not The Actual Beginning), there were bicycles. Soon came the notion that bicycling was hard because roads, as we know them, did not exist. In no time man decided it was a good idea to have external, then internal combustion devices supported in the cradle of the tube frames to add propulsion. Such propulsion would be generated by releasing the potential energy stored in chemically formulated fuel (kerosene or whale oil, then gasoline). Such fuel was prone to a low ignition temperature when mixed with the proper amount of air (stoichiometric ratio). The little explosion within the combustion chamber pushed a slider down and created torque around a crankshaft. After 150 years or so of refinement we now have pretty much perfected the internal combustion engine. While this was happening, bicycles were going through there own evolution. In recent years there has been a major resurgence both in road and mountain bicycles. This past year bicycle sales soared to record levels with many local shops running out of inventory. Mountain biking in particular remains very popular especially here in the Northeast. If your old, it’s still popular, just not that easy. Enter the electric bicycle. Pedal assist bikes are not for purists. But they can be great for anyone who isn’t 20, or 30 or even 40 anymore. Especially for mountain biking where tight technical trails and steep grades present physical challenges much different than on road. E-bikes however still require a great deal of physical effort. You’re just able to cover more ground. After a year of pedaling off road the hard way, I stumbled across an e-bike that I had my eye on for some time - the Yamaha’s YDX Moro and Moro Pro. Both are the latest in e-mountain bike technology from the good people
at the tuning fork company. Yamaha has a history of making bicycles. It’s their motorcycle innovations that Backroads readers are most familiar with. Both versions share an innovative Dual Twin frame design with a split double down tube and back bone. The split down tube allows for the battery to be neatly tucked in and protected rather than simply being attached inside the frame. The split backbone allows a near horizontal rear shock to be nestled in front of the seat post rather than in a vertical position. If you are of a certain age and remember when Yamaha introduced the first mono-shock YZ Motocrossers in the mid 1970’s, the Moro and Moro Pro rear suspension may look very familiar. The result is a great handling bicycle with low center of gravity. The difference between the models lies in the suspension and wheels. The Moro Pro has upgraded forks, shocks, shifting components and alloy wheels. Both the Moro and Moro Pro have a 500 watt-hour battery, Yamaha PW-X2 motor producing 250 to 500 watts and 80 Nm of torque. The
