As I sit on my brand-new bike at the bottom of the track, puffing hard, I’ve just realised that this is my 7th downhill run for the arvo. Normally I only get 2 -3 in as the uphill slog is brutal. No fancy lifts here… just leg muscle and lots of cursing! I’m a weekend warrior on my downhill bike. But this is different… This is the first e-bike I’ve owned. And I’m in love!
At first, I didn’t know what to expect. I’m a dirtbike rider predominantly, and when I can’t get to the track, I head to the best downhill runs around (biased because they’re only 5 minutes from my place!) on my trusty traditional dual suspension beast. My only previous encounter with an ebike was my Father’s Amazon bargain. Priced at ‘only’ a few hundred dollars, and while there is nothing wrong with it, and it has its place in the commuting world, it didn’t attract any of my interest. In other words… boring!
With this in mind, I took a demo Yamaha YDX Moro07 on a test ride with a bit of confusion. Was I expecting a lazy way to ride? Was I expecting to push a heavy, cumbersome horse up a hill? Was I expecting a different type of light dirt bike? In fact, I didn’t know where a comp spec downhill ebike would be placed. I know I was expecting a boring, take the-fun-out, watered down dirtbike. Man was I wrong!
The instant assistance when the pedals start turning is awesome. It automatically senses when you start riding up an incline and adds the perfect amount of power to the already impressive Shimano XT 1×12 drivetrain. Perfect for this weekend warrior, and professional athletes alike – the outcome: more downhill runs. That’s where the fun part starts, but not to mentioning the ease you can zip up the hill to get to the top (cue slightly smug look!)
So how does the downhill run compare with the standard pedal powered bike? Simply, it doesn’t. The stance and ride position more closely mimics my YZ250. The combo of the Rockshox Lyrik fork and Rockshox Super Deluxe Select, paired with the Yamaha Dual Twin frame means you just feel connected to the track. Take the berms faster. Jumps higher. Annoying little slippery rocks with more confidence! This bike is in a class of its own. And I’m the newest member!
But what about when the battery runs out? Do you get stuck with this heavy lump of impressive engineering on the side of the hill? Well, I don’t know if it’s legit or not, but I did use the power assist on the downhill run. Call me a sucker for speed and adrenaline, but this took it to a whole new level! The pace you can ride with ease, millimetres from the edge of the single line track on the side of a mountain with a steep drop-off is nuts! Of course, you don’t have to use the power assist on the downhill run, gravity will give you plenty of oomph to obtain the desired fun-factor if you choose. So, if you do get stuck up the top without the amps, it’s not all bad. On the straight, it’s actually pretty easy. You don’t get the speed, but the Maxiss tyres will put the kilometres on the road to get you home. Speaking about that, after thrashing this bike for an afternoon, taking it to and from work a few times, the 500Wh battery never dropped below half. And was quick to charge.
Do I recommend it? You can probably guess by now what the answer is! Get yourself to the closest Yamaha Dealer and put your name down now! The YDX Moro07 is your next dose of adrenaline waiting.
Margie is an adventure/outdoors Content Creator specialising in UGC and Blogs. When not out on the track, Margie is helping other brands grow by producing shortform compelling videos and SEO rich blogs. Enquire today for your business.