1963 Yamaha Omaha Trail 50 - Trail Test - 1-Page Vintage Motorcycle Article

Description

1963 Yamaha Omaha Trail 50 - Trail Test - 1-Page Vintage Motorcycle Article
Original, vintage magazine article
Page Size: Approx. 8" x 11" (21 cm x 28 cm) each page
Condition: Good
Trail Test: YAMAHA
OMAHA TRAIL
Probably the largest title ever bestowed on so
small a machine graces the Yamaha Omaha Trail 50
(we can't explain the “Omaha” either), and we know of
no more undeserving a subject. We had a passing meet-
ing with this machine in our August 1962 issue when the
staff adjourned to the back country to assemble our fea-
ture on trailing; since that time we have been wanting to
examine the bike closer and on its own grounds
Our test grounds were the high altitude desert out-
side of Los Angeles. We spent a lot of time in rocky and
sandy country, and came away very pleased and some-
what impressed. The Trail 50, as the name implies, is a
50cc machine (actually it is a 55cc engine), for trailing,
hunting, fishing or just for fun, which all three are any-
way. We have yet to try mounting a two hundred pound
deer or such animal on the rear of any of our test trail
scooters or bikes; we aren’t even too certain we could
ride the machine thus loaded. We have, and will con-
tinue to, base our trail test evaluations on handling,
tractability, ease of control, ability to climb and negotiate
difficult terrain, and other such vital capabilities.
We were amazed in our last encounter, and continue
to be, with the Yamaha’s almost uncanny ability to run
at extremely slow speeds, an unusual talent for so small
an engine. The reason for this can be traced to the rotary
intake valve in combination with rather mild intake timing.
This gives a good wide range to the torque characteristics
so the little three cubic inch power plant runs well at
both ends of the rpm spectrum.
A three-speed transmission is employed with a con-
ventional motorcycle layout, i.e.; left hand clutch, right
hand throttle and front brake, gear change on left foot,
rear brake on right. An innovation that is purely Japanese
is the “rocker” type gearshift lever. Downshifting is ac-
complished by kicking down on the rear of the lever, up-
shifting by pressing down on the front section of the
lever. We like the system, though it has its drawbacks.
Its presence on the Trail 50 is due to its heritage from
the Yamaha 50 street machine whereon the feature is
definitely a shoe saver. Our only serious objection to it
is when, under pressure of a demanding situation on the
trail or racing, a very quick gear change is called for, it
is easy to miss the shift, plus requiring a violent move-
ment of the foot to reach for the new gear.
Yamaha thoughtfully equips the Trail 50 with knobby
tires and true “stump puller” gearing — via a huge rear
sprocket running in tandem with the regular street sprock-
et. By simply removing a few links from the chain and
placing the shortened length on the smaller sprocket, the
bike is ready for 45 mph street riding, an unusual fea-
ture for a trail bike. The gearing is typical of the breed
and permits second gear starting in most cases, making
the first gear a compound ratio for really steep going.
For those interested, specifications are 55cc displace-
ment, 7.4:1 compression ratio, single cylinder, 4-cycle,
OHV, 5.0 hp @ 7,000 rpm, electric and kick lever start-
ing, top speed approximately 20-25 mph, 165 lbs. weight,
16" wheels, swing arm rear suspension, Neidhart leading
link in front and a price of 5.00.
Among the many reasons for our liking the Yamaha
were that it is fun to ride, and easy to operate, both of
which make it a simpler job to infect the newcomer with
the grand fun to be had riding on the trails or in the back
country. We have said these things before but are not
in the least ashamed to repeat ourselves. It is due in a
large part to machines like the little Yamaha that motor-
cycling in general, and trail riding in particular, is becom-
ing so popular.
Though not a powerhouse of performance, it will get
the rider almost anywhere, and when all else fails, it’s
easy to push.
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