Yamaha electric bikes land in U.S. bike shops

Yamaha electric bikes, as debuted at last year’s Interbike, are now landing at select U.S. bicycle retailers and specialty e-Bike shops across the country.

The first-ever Yamaha electric bikes to go sale in the U.S. market, the all-new lineup of road bikes includes the UrbanRush ($3,299), a drop-bar do everything road bike; the CrossConnect ($2,999), a completely accessorised commuter/utility bike; and the CrossCore ($2,399), a fitness bike. Yamaha’s performance hardtail e-MTB, the YDX-TORC ($3,499) is also hitting stores..

Yamaha is now developing an extensive network of bicycle dealers, with select retailers offering online orders and delivery.

“Yamaha electric bikes are in shops, and we’re hearing some great feedback from our first retailers and customers, coast-to-coast, from California to Maryland,” said Drew Engelmann, Yamaha’s Power Assist Bicycle group sales and marketing manager. “From casual commuters to series cyclists, more people are seeing the advantages of incorporating an e-Bike into their daily lives. Yamaha has been the global leader in Power Assist Bicycle manufacturing for more than two decades, and it’s exciting to now rollout the first ever Yamaha e-Bikes in the U.S.”

All three road bikes are power-assisted by Yamaha’s new PWSeries SE motor, which offers four levels of support: Eco+, Eco, Standard, and High, providing 70Nm of max torque and cadence support up to 110 rpm, for assisted speeds up to 20 mph. The YDX-TORC boasts the award-winning Yamaha PW-X center drive motor system.

Power is supplied by a 500 Watt-hour Lithium-ion battery pack with a 36V output that recharges in four hours. The power unit’s center mount system is secured close to the pedals to create a low center-of-gravity, delivering better weight balance and excellent riding stability. This design sees the battery exit at the side. allowing for a lower stand-over height.

Yamaha’s Triple Sensor System that has been exclusively optimized for Yamaha’s U.S. power assist bikes. Through the Triple Sensor System, thousands of times per second, frictionless sensors are said to measure the rider’s pedal-torque, bicycle speed, and crank arm cadence with high precision.

Communicating back to the motor, the proprietary system helps determine how much assist is provided based on the changing terrain and situations (such as hills, speed, etc.) common to cycling.

The e-Bikes feature an easy to use and easy to read multi-function LCD display unit. The compact unit is mounted to the Yamaha alloy handlebars, providing an ergonomic interface while riding. The LCD assist-mode and LED power-level indicators make for a quick reference point to power assist settings.  Ergonomically designed push-button controls toggle through the various settings like rolling speed, max speed, trip meter, odometer, range, battery capacity, and cadence.

The Yamaha Motor Company, Ltd. (YMC) launched the world’s first electrically power assisted bicycle in 1993 and has since produced more than 4 million drive units and sold more than 2 million Yamaha power assist bicycles. YMC also supplies e-Bike Systems to select OEM partners worldwide.