If there’s one factor you possibly can say for Yamaha, it is that the corporate actually has vary. While latest information about the R1 becoming a track-only machine in Europe starting in 2025 has been stirring the feelings of worldwide superbike followers, solely some of Yamaha’s bikes had been developed to be monitor weapons. 

Like any mass manufacturing bike producer value its salt, Yamaha has lengthy labored to attraction to all kinds of riders. Some of its strikes make a number of sense, however some are a bit unusual. Are you, by probability, conversant in the Yamaha U5E “Lady” from the Sixties, for instance?

Now, talking as a girl who’s ridden for almost 20 years, it is easy to criticize from my trendy vantage level in 2024. Historical context is at all times necessary, although, so perhaps somebody in 1965 thought that type of flesh-colored pink and cream colorway was fairly turning into.

While I could not say so for certain, I’ll observe that most popular coloration palettes on every part from cars to home equipment have radically shifted over time. So, once more, perhaps there was some sort of historic design case to be made. That half is comprehensible, even when these colours do not personally converse to me.

But about 15 years after the Lady, Yamaha launched the Towny. It’s a scooter, and it was additionally particularly marketed as being for males.

So I’m most likely not allowed to inform you about it, since I’m a girl. But I’ll anyway.

Frame Size Matters

As anybody who’s ridden a bicycle (not to mention a powered two-wheeler) can inform you, body measurement and ergonomics matter. People of various heights and weights is likely to be extra snug on differently-sized machines. That’s completely true, and has been true for so long as there have been individuals dwelling on the earth. A six-year-old can most likely use a lift to see over the fence, whereas maybe the adults are tall sufficient to see over it simply by standing up. You get the thought.

Fast-forwarding a few a long time and smashing headlong into the Nineteen Eighties, we discover the Yamaha Towny. It’s certainly one of a number of bikes that Yamaha refers to in its historic literature as “soft bikes,” that means they’re little twist-and-go runabouts meant for on a regular basis use. Not hopped-up fanatic machines. This one has a gauge that tops out at a blistering 60 kilometers per hour (about 37.2 miles per hour), and a two-speed computerized.

More particularly, although, Yamaha refers back to the Towny as a “soft bike for men.” And whereas I get that the body was, and I quote Yamaha right here, “large enough for people of larger physiques” to extra comfortably trip, it is nonetheless a little bit of an odd advertising alternative. Were there no tall ladies in 1980? I discover that tough to imagine, so why tie it to gender in any respect? It’s a motorcycle with a extra sturdy and bigger body, made for bigger riders. Cool, we will work with that.

Even If I’m Not Supposed To Talk About It, There’s Some Interesting Stuff To Note About The Towny

Yamaha Towny sprint, with Japanese textual content. The textual content is obvious and easy if you happen to can learn it, with each oil and beginning lights famous right here.

In the video, the superb YouTube channel Small Bike Stuff offers a pleasant little abstract of this bike, and there is a trip on the finish as effectively. We additionally get to listen to what the tiny little two-stroke seems like, in addition to notice its high pace in 2024 (which appears to be round 51-ish kph, or about 31.6-ish mph). 

Along the best way, SBS factors out among the bike’s controls and different options, together with the lights and change positions on the sprint. While he will get the Japanese textual content indicating change place right, he is not fairly proper concerning the two lights on the sprint.

I’ve labeled what every gentle does within the photograph above. The pink gentle on the left is an Oil gentle, and the inexperienced gentle on the fitting is definitely a beginning gentle that most likely signifies whether or not the bike is on or not. It isn’t a flip sign gentle, as SBS guesses.

The Towny Was A Shaft-Driven Moped

This makes a number of sense, contemplating its meant use as an city runabout. Who’s meant to trip this bike? Commuters. Who would not need a bunch of chain gunk flung up onto their work garments? Also commuters.

While it would not have the tidy leg shields of the later Town Mate or the competing Cub models from Honda, no less than a rider right here would not have to fret about both chain gunk spray or chain upkeep.

Since it is a two-stroke, the rider must fear about conserving each the oil and the gasoline topped up. The oil pours into the suitable receptacle mounted within the body, whereas the gasoline goes within the under-seat tank. There’s no gas gauge, however there’s a sight window beneath the seat so you possibly can have a look and see if you happen to’re getting low on gas. 

Front and rear mudguards on the wheels are there to guard towards street grime and small rocks that might be flung up on the rider throughout operation. All in all, it is a easy little machine, however that is most likely what endeared it to riders of the time. 

What do you assume? Have you ridden a Yamaha Towny, or would you attempt one if you happen to had the prospect? Let us know within the feedback.