Many of today’s professional racers will probably tell you that they started out on the farm riding clapped-out, second-hand fun bikes
It was only after pestering their parents for years that they were able to try their hand at racing.
Today, junior motocross is booming and some parents seem to be planning their kid’s first race before junior is even out of the womb, in the hope that they might be the next Chad Reed or Mackenzie Tricker. Purpose-built, high-performance, junior racers are now legitimate options as a first bike and manufacturers are putting in a lot of effort to ensure they have the best possible platform for young riders.
Perhaps that is why Yamaha is back in the 65cc class and pushing hard with it’s latest, and cutest YZ. For 30 years, this category has been the missing piece in Yamaha’s junior puzzle.
There is no denying the brand’s motocross pedigree, but fans of the blue brigade haven’t had the option of buying an entry-level, race-ready bike for their younglings.
There is the toy-like, and out-dated, PW50 two-stroke and the beefier TT-R50E four-stroke, but neither of these are designed for serious competition. The next best blue option is a YZ85, but that is a little too much for most young tackers.
KTM and Husqvarna both have high-performance 65cc machines, as do Kawasaki and Cobra. Yami hasn’t had one since the YZ60 in 1984 but now it wants a piece of the action.
The centrepiece of the Yamaha YZ65 is a new, 64.8cc liquid-cooled engine, the first new two-stroke motor from Yamaha in a long time. Using the YPVS (Yamaha Power Valve System), the engine is tuned to be a race winner straight off the factory floor.
STRIKE A BALANCE
Coupled with a close-ratio, six-speed gearbox and a Keihin 28mm carby, the engine is designed to strike a balance between performance, rideability and reliability. Yamaha claims that the ‘feisty two-stroke has heaps of easy-to-use torque’. It says it has drawn on its ‘adult’ smokers, the YZ125 and the YZ250, for inspiration.
In the suspension department, a compression and rebound damping-adjustable KYB 36mm fork does the job up front and has 215mm travel. The shock (with 269mm of travel) runs without a linkage on an aluminium swingarm with YZ125-style chain adjusters. Like the fork, the KYB shock has adjustable compression and rebound damping.
The chassis is based on the YZ85 design but is designed to meet the needs of 65cc-class riders. It features a steel-tube frame and removable aluminium subframe.
With four-position handlebar clamps and adjustable clutch and brake levers, Yamaha has made a bike that can suit riders of differing sizes.
Kids grow fast, so being able to adjust these features can help you get a few extra years out of the bike before your child gets too big.
The YZ graphics and blue Takasago Excel wheels make this bike a beauty to look at. I wanted to jump on board and go for a few quick laps at Oakdale, NSW, but, at 6ft tall and 100kg, I’m well outside the design brief.
To do the dirty work, we hired young Lachy Morris, a racer from the Central Coast of NSW, to give us an opinion from the age bracket that counts. Lachy rides a KTM 85SX but has raced a 65SX as well, so he was well placed to give us a good indication of how this bike really goes.
He competed in most of the East Coast MX rounds last year, finishing third overall. He also won every race at his club. We shipped him south for the YZ65 launch at Oakdale, where he was given a bit of one-on-one time with the new machine.
DEMO DAY
The launch coincided with a demo day, which meant that every man and his dog was there to check out the new wheels. Arriving at the track, Lachy spotted the bikes under the Yamaha tent. He was in the second session of the day but, as he was representing ADB, he was given the reigns of one of the bikes that had not been ridden.
It was his first time at Oakdale and he was impressed with the track. “At the start it was a bit muddy but by the end it started to rut up pretty good,” he told us.
Lachy’s first impression of the bike was positive. “I definitely like the look of it,” he said. “I especially like the blue rims.” He thought the bike looked a bit longer than his old KTM 65SX, but that it was of a similar height.
At approximately 150cm, Lachy felt comfortable sitting on the bike and didn’t have to make any adjustments to the levers or tapered alloy handlebar. He couldn’t wait to fire it up and hit the track, so the Yamaha bigwigs gave him the green light.
He said the bottom-end torque was very solid.
“There was heaps off the bottom,” he exclaimed. “At Oakdale, there is a decent-sized, finish line jump and I got it right out of a corner. So the power is there. Honestly, I wasn’t even flat-out.”
As for the top-end power, Lachy thought it was good for a stock bike, but felt it was lacking in comparison to his modified 65SX. “As you’d expect, it wasn’t quite as fast as a done-up bike,” he told us. “A pipe and a bit of porting for the Yamaha would be good, I think.”
In the air, Lachy thought the bike felt quite light and balanced. He also thought it was smooth to ride in the rough stuff, which is a compliment to the chassis and suspension, however he would make a few adjustments. “I thought, for me, it was a little soft,” he said. He thought there was a good balance between the front and rear suspension, which contributed to the good handling.
While Lachy is a Bridgestone fan, he found the Maxxis rubber on the YZ65 to work quite nicely and it gave him plenty of grip. Other positives for Lachy were the lightness of the cable clutch and the brakes. “I really liked the brakes,” he said.
-
- YZ450F YZ 450 USA CAN 2018
-
- YZ450F YZ 450 USA CAN 2018
IMPRESSED
It’s a cliché, but Yamaha appears to have built a bike that is race-ready out of the crate. But like any bike, a bit of modification and personalisation is going to give it that extra edge when put in the hands of a particular rider. “The first three things I would do would be change the tyres, adjust the suspension and lift the ’bars up a little bit.”
But as far as stock bikes go, Lachy was very impressed. “I really liked the light throttle, the brakes and the lightness of the clutch.” A quick scan over the spec sheet reveals some other interesting details about the new YZ65. It has a fuel capacity of 3.4L and a wet weight of 60.8kg, which both fall short of it’s competitors. But if Lachy’s impressions are anything to go by, Yamaha has created a very competitive package and one that is sure to take it right up to the other brands on the racetrack.
The YZ designation is legendary, and the YZ65 is a great addition to the stable. Lachy certainly likes it, and although we can’t actually ride it, we like it too.
Talk to anyone over the age of 25 about their first bike and they’ll probably reminisce about riding around a paddock on their little second-hand PW80 or equivalent. But I don’t think any of us would be complaining if we woke up on Christmas morning to find a brand-spanking YZ65 under the tree.
Our Tech Ed’s view
It’s great to see that Yamaha has not only produced a 65cc junior motocrosser but it’s put in the time and effort required to make it competitive with the dominant KTM 65SX. The bLU cRU could have taken it easy and knocked together a bike with basic suspension and no exhaust power valve but it has produced a decent engine and a chassis with quality KYB suspension that is adjustable.
The lack of a linkage at the rear is a bit of a surprise but only Kawasaki has it in this class with its KX65. On paper, the linkless system saves weight, improves groun,d clearance and has less moving parts to wear out.
From all accounts, the motor is smooth and powerful. The power valve is a shock considering Yamaha’s YZ85 doesn’t have one. It will smooth out the power and make it much more friendly for young riders.
Even though these engines don’t run overly hot I would have liked Yamaha to fit two radiators, especially for local summer conditions. Obviously, I can’t comment on the reliability of the latest YZ but, with much of the technology of this bike being passed down from its older siblings, I can’t see there being major problems. Tech Ed Mat Boyd
Rider bio
Name: Lachlan Morris
Current Bike: 2018 KTM 85SX
Current Class: 9-12 Years 85cc Small Wheel
2017 Results: Third in East Coast MX series, 1st in Lakes Motorcycle Club series
WORDS // DYLAN RUDDY
PHOTOS // NICK MARSHALL