Yamaha YPJ-MT Pro

[Stefan Mikes]

@shiruba: I've read your blog with interest. One thing I think you might have overlooked is your Yamaha has been a strictly off-road e-bike (and you want to use it for dual purpose: city and trail). For instance, e-MTBs are not delivered with lighting. Kickstand is treated as a heresy in the MTB world etc etc. I think Specialized Turbo Levo has its battery removable only with a wrench, too etc etc.

The battery totally integrated in the downtube is safe from damage on trail. Do you appreciate that?

You complain on the display but can connect your ebike to a smartphone. Are you aware how few other brands have features such as Cadence or Power available for the rider? Be glad!

Regarding the dropper post: you may use it in the city, for example for waiting at the lights change on junctions.

You may equip your new marvel as you need. I'm only saying you shouldn't compare your Yamaha to Panasonic as these are completely different e-bikes for different purposes. (Your Yamaha is a perfectly normal e-MTB).

Listening to your tyres during your night ride I hear these are very noisy (because they have been made for off-road only). You might consider replacing them with the same size dual purpose ones. Such dual purpose tyres are not only quieter in the streets but also have less of rolling resistance.

Congratulations!

 

[shiruba]

You have a beautiful bike... thanks for sharing your blog.
How long does it take to remove the battery for charging?

It only took me about a minute or two, but it would be a bit more difficult in the dark. I have to say that I am not a fan of the tools required battery. The outer two screws could potentially be replaced by thumb screws, but that would make theft easier. The inner screw it a bit more interesting, as it doesn't directly hold the battery in. There is a rotating plate that it holds. The upshot is that unless you are doing huge jumps, you could leave this one undone and just close the outer plastic case.

On the other hand, the battery does appear to be made of metal, which gives a nicer finish than plastic.

 

[Ebiker01]

quick test ride to see how fast I can drain the battery in extra power mode:

Nice bikes can just be left outside there w/o locks ?? Shocked at Japan society superiority and moral values .

I'm very familiar with many European countries and US and I can tell you that they would be gone sooo fast if we would leave them out like that in the night. WITH locks !!

Even with the stickers and reg., they would be parted. I use 2Abus x300$ each locks (Granite xtreme moto) and a disk brake lock with a moto cover that stinks pretty bad and i still don't feel at peace for that 1-2hour time when i ocassionally have to lock it outside.

For the blogpost: Awesome, you rival @Court reviews .

This emtb . from Yamaha is best looking emtb . ,amazingly pretty .

You could upgrade it to Shimano Deore Xt or Xtr.

But imo removing the screws all the time for the battery and putting them back in ,will mess up the treads for both the screws and the holes. And overtime you may need new screws every few months; I think it's much better if you can carry it inside . I don't think it's that heavy and you can charge it there and leave the screws alone.

This YPJ- MT PRO is a work of art as you guys do there in Japan with a lot of stuff ,is really a beauty to keep inside your bedroom, keep the wife/gf outside instead...

Q- 4 The chain stays , how does that screw work ,the one near the downtube ?? Are the chainstays removable ? Is that adjustable ? I'm a newbie when it comes to emtb's but not when it comes to cycling. I've been looking recently at some top emountain bikes and I don't think I've seen this kind of design anywhere else , is that unique for Yamaha ?

Thank you for the detailed review and great photos . I wish your amazing enjoyment of this magnificient creatiom and thousands upon thousands of exhilarating worry free miles.

This bike is on top of my list now.

 

[shiruba]

Nice bikes can just be left outside there w/o locks ?? Shocked at Japan society superiority and moral values .

Usually the bike will come with a crappy cable lock, which anyone with a $10 pair of cutters could cut. The Yamaha one didn't come with any lock. I have an ABUS Granite lock which I can use to lock the rear wheel from rotating. That wouldn't stop someone from picking the whole thing up and putting it in a van, though. But more to the point, I sometimes leave my other bike outside in downtown Shinjuku overnight, and I haven't seen anyone try to mess with it. (i.e. nobody has taken the seat off or anything like that).

I'm very familiar with many European countries and US and I can tell you that they would be gone sooo fast if we would leave them out like that in the night. WITH locks !!

Makes me glad I don't live there. Here is your bike disappears, it is usually because you left it somewhere you shouldn't have, and the police took it. If you leave it totally unlocked and in a tantalizing place, then neighborhood kids might take it for a joy ride, but that hasn't been a problem where I live. Occasionally the police will randomly stop people, check the sticker, and ask for your name and phone number.

Even with the stickers and reg., they would be parted. I use 2Abus x300$ each locks (Granite xtreme moto) and a disk brake lock with a moto cover that stinks pretty bad and i still don't feel at peace for that 1-2hour time when i ocassionally have to lock it outside.

I have one Abus lock as mentioned above. Most people actually just use a little slide lock on the back wheel, because it's faster and easier, but then again most bikes are cheaper.

For the blogpost: Awesome, you rival @Court reviews .

This emtb . from Yamaha is best looking emtb . ,amazingly pretty .

I have to agree, even though the Panasonic is better in some ways, this is not a bad first entry, and it does look nice.

You could upgrade it to Shimano Deore Xt or Xtr.

Fore the pedals and brakes I certainly am considering that.

But imo removing the screws all the time for the battery and putting them back in ,will mess up the treads for both the screws and the holes. And overtime you may need new screws every few months; I think it's much better if you can carry it inside . I don't think it's that heavy and you can charge it there and leave the screws alone.

There is unfortunately no way I am carrying the thing inside. I would have to carry it up the porch stairs every time, and probably eventually scratch it up pretty badly. Plus, it would take up too much space.

The battery thing is really a pain, and very unusual. Any other bike, you slide in the key, turn it and remove the battery. You slide the battery back in, and it locks into place. Even if you did keep your bike indoors, you might want to swap a charged battery with a non-charged one.

You might be right about the screws, though I would be more worried about the screw holes. I will try to think of some creative solution.

This YPJ- MT PRO is a work of art as you guys do there in Japan with a lot of stuff ,is really a beauty to keep inside your bedroom, keep the wife/gf outside instead...

Haha the problem is that the bedroom is another flight of stairs up. It would have to stay in the middle of the living room.
Another example, I will ride to Kawasaki on Thursday and stay at a hotel. I normally take may battery out and up to the hotel room to charge it. I think they would be less than pleased if I took the whole bike into my room!

Having the battery be easily removable really is a valuable feature. In fact, one of my friends was considering a Van Moof, and liked everything about it except the totally non-removable battery, and so decided not to buy it. At least on the YPJ I can remove it, even if it is not exactly super convenient.

Q- 4 The chain stays , how does that screw work ,the one near the downtube ?? Are the chainstays removable ? Is that adjustable ? I'm a newbie when it comes to emtb's but not when it comes to cycling. I've been looking recently at some top emountain bikes and I don't think I've seen this kind of design anywhere else , is that unique for Yamaha ?

Are you talking about the linkage? If so, the Panasonic has a similar one. I have never tried to remove it, as I wouldn't have anything to replace it with.

Thank you for the detailed review and great photos . I wish your amazing enjoyment of this magnificient creatiom and thousands upon thousands of exhilarating worry free miles.

Both the review and photos were quick and dirty, but I figured better than nothing for anyone who might be interested.

This bike is on top of my list now.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I understand @shiruba you're ignoring me. OK
I only need to add most of e-MTBs are delivered even without pedals (because pedals are personal choice of any e-MTBer). Your Yamaha was at least delivered with some pedals. Why to complain?

 

[shiruba]

Hey, I'm not ignoring anyone! Sorry about that.

I only complain because of the price, and because their main competitor delivered better pedals on a bike that costs less.

That said, everything is relative.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

@shiruba: I can only tell you you've bought a premium e-MTB, one that many people could be jealous of! I find nothing wrong with your Yamaha e-bike: that's how e-MTBs are. Now, I understand the Japanese market is specific. For some reason, Specialized only sell their SL (Super-Lightweight) e-bikes in Nippon.

Have look at that please:

Turbo Levo SL Comp

Levo SLは、軽さ重視の新しいeMTBです。Stumpjumperの俊敏で軽快な走りに、これまでになかったMTBの可能性を体感するのに十分なパワーを組み合わせています。Levo SL Compはコンポーネントを賢く選ぶことで、高い走破性や優れた走行特性を、思わずステキと叫びたくなる価格で実現します。...

www.specialized.com

• Price
• Non-removable battery (non-SL Levo has the battery removed by unscrewing bolts as your Yamaha)
• No pedals

I can only congratulate you your purchase!

 

[shiruba]

@shiruba: I've read your blog with interest. One thing I think you might have overlooked is your Yamaha has been a strictly off-road e-bike (and you want to use it for dual purpose: city and trail). For instance, e-MTBs are not delivered with lighting. Kickstand is treated as a heresy in the MTB world etc etc. I think Specialized Turbo Levo has its battery removable only with a wrench, too etc etc.

Yes I understand this - but at the same time, some manufacturers think leaving this stuff off will make it more "real", even if most people want them. Panasonic did a survey of their owners of their similar model and found that about 60% of riding was done on roads. People might buy a bike for mountain use, but still want to use it elsewhere. There are compromises to be made, but for example, my first gen XM-1 has no light, but enough people complained that the second gen and all newer bikes have it.

If you are riding trails with lots of trees in the dark, you still need something better though!

I actually came up with two solutions:
1. I already have a Knog PWR mountain bike light. This requires a separate battery, but it is very bright, and useful for mountain riding at night.
2. I found a small USB powered light which I can plug into the controller thing and it is powerful enough to be semi useful for road use while not being so powerful that the controller can't handle it. This is more of a legality thing than anything else. (Not having your lights on is one of the things that the police will very much stop you for here, so not having to worry about charging yet another thing is very good and I am glad that if Yamaha didn't include the light, they at least included the USB power instead).

The battery totally integrated in the downtube is safe from damage on trail. Do you appreciate that?

I do. I actually like the position of the battery very much, actually. I just wish it was easier to take out.

You complain on the display but can connect your ebike to a smartphone. Are you aware how few other brands have features such as Cadence or Power available for the rider? Be glad!

I actually don't mind the display very much. The speed is readable, and the power mode is indicated by the color (if you can remember). I know some foreign brands have had these bluetooth features for a while, and I know Panasonic does not have them yet. I don't find that to be a big deal, though, since I can simply pop on the Garmin sensors. The wattage meter being built in could be a very big deal for some people though, because those special pedals can be very expensive by themselves.

Regarding the dropper post: you may use it in the city, for example for waiting at the lights change on junctions.

I may, I just have not had one so far on any bike, so I am not used to it yet.

You may equip your new marvel as you need. I'm only saying you shouldn't compare your Yamaha to Panasonic as these are completely different e-bikes for different purposes. (Your Yamaha is a perfectly normal e-MTB).

Hmm.. both of them marketed as full suspension electric mountain bikes. They have many of the same trade-offs, but also many differences.

Listening to your tyres during your night ride I hear these are very noisy (because they have been made for off-road only). You might consider replacing them with the same size dual purpose ones. Such dual purpose tyres are not only quieter in the streets but also have less of rolling resistance.

This I am very well aware of, and these ones are even noisier because they are new. The problem is that I do actually do trail riding, as well, so I wouldn't want pure road tires. I could swap them with some dual purpose ones as you suggest, but I would probably spend that cost somewhere else first.

Congratulations!

Anyway thank you for your comments. I hope some potential buyers find this thread useful to solidify their decision for or against this bike.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Good talking to you.

Panasonic did a survey of their owners of their similar model and found that about 60% of riding was done on roads.

As you explained yourself, there are only three major e-bike brands in Japan. I'm from Europe, am interested with e-MTBs, and own one. What a surprise to find this sticker on a Giant e-MTB: "This bike has been specifically designed for solely off-road and competition use". (Besides, Giant e-bikes are all powered by Yamaha). Your Yamaha was designed for off-road, as any premium e-MTB.

1. I already have a Knog PWR mountain bike light. This requires a separate battery, but it is very bright, and useful for mountain riding at night.

That is a proper action. You could also buy Knog Blinder Road R70 for the rear. I use similar lights on my e-MTB. The batteries last for many hours! (Be careful what happens to the tail-light when you drop the seat).

know some foreign brands have had these bluetooth features for a while

Funny to think about it, most of Bosch-powered e-bikes don't have the Bluetooth connectivity. My Yamaha-driven Giant e-MTB can tell you the Cadence but no Power! Again, your Yamaha e-MTB is good.

This I am very well aware of, and these ones are even noisier because they are new. The problem is that I do actually do trail riding, as well, so I wouldn't want pure road tires. I could swap them with some dual purpose ones as you suggest, but I would probably spend that cost somewhere else first.

Not sure about wheel/tyre sizing of your e-bike (and tyre availability in Japan) but I'll give you a hint: Schwalbe Smart Sam or Johnny Watts tyres are dual purpose: silent and well rolling on-road, aggressive off-road.

Ride On!

 

[shiruba]

btw for those interested:
This is the bike shop I bought this from:

自転車買取クラウンギアーズ｜ロードバイク・スポーツ自転車買取

ロードバイク買取販売専門クラウンギアーズは高額買取は当たり前！ロードバイク、ホイール、自転車部品がウェブで見積査定～買取まで完了できます。東京、神奈川、大阪、愛知、埼玉はもちろん全国どこでも買取対応。その他店舗へのご来店、無料出張買取、無料配送梱包キットもご用意。

www.crowngears.com

Since someone asked about assembly, here is a video from another bike shop showing what they do to put it together (and how it arrives to them):

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I cannot fail noticing the guy was not using a torque wrench and he didn't inflate the tyres

 

[bob armani]

btw for those interested:
This is the bike shop I bought this from:

自転車買取クラウンギアーズ｜ロードバイク・スポーツ自転車買取

ロードバイク買取販売専門クラウンギアーズは高額買取は当たり前！ロードバイク、ホイール、自転車部品がウェブで見積査定～買取まで完了できます。東京、神奈川、大阪、愛知、埼玉はもちろん全国どこでも買取対応。その他店舗へのご来店、無料出張買取、無料配送梱包キットもご用意。

www.crowngears.com

Since someone asked about assembly, here is a video from another bike shop showing what they do to put it together (and how it arrives to them):

I see that Yamaha is still using the same interface/display unit as they have on previous years models. That was another one of the selling points when I purchased my E-bike with the PW-X motor. However, I have seen other editions using the "Side Switch" interface (display A) similar to the Bosch Purion display.

 

[shiruba]

I cannot fail noticing the guy was not using a torque wrench and he didn't inflate the tyres

The tires might have come inflates -but I also wondered the same thing about the wrench!

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I only mentioned the tyres because the mechanic at my LBS forgot inflating the tyres in my new Vado It was a big surprise for me when I tried to ride off the shop and the bike was hardly rolling

 

[shiruba]

I see that Yamaha is still using the same interface/display unit as they have on previous years models. That was another one of the selling points when I purchased my E-bike with the PW-X motor. However, I have seen other editions using the "Side Switch" interface (display A) similar to the Bosch Purion display.

View attachment 73848

Interesting - Yes it seems like this is the Display X from above.

Part of me wishes the display would be a full blown cycle computer like a Garmin, but then I also know that would add to the cost and quickly become outdated, so I understand why they don't do it (but the same thing could be said of computers in a Tesla or similar...) So if it's going to be simple, then I am not so picky.

The information that can be displayed it actually a lot, just that the size means it can't display much at once, and the location and contrast means it's not particularly easy to read while riding. For example, though it can show your input power in Watts, for those doing training, etc. This can also be shared via bluetooth to an external cycle computer, which is neat.

One thing I might question is this: On the Panasonics, the display can easily be removed and taken with you just by sliding it off. I always take mine off just in case, but I have seen Panasonic bikes parked here and there, and most people seem to leave it on. I checked the replacement part price, and it's around $300, so I will continue to take mine off!

The Yamaha one is bolted on and connected by wires, so it can't come off easily. This is better for theft purposes (assuming you don't want to carry it around), but also potentially bad if you live in a place where people might vandalize it. (To be fair, the Panasonic X series seems to the the oddball, as I have not seen any other bikes where this is removable, not even their own lower end bikes).

 

[shiruba]

I only mentioned the tyres because the mechanic at my LBS forgot inflating the tyres in my new Vado It was a big surprise for me when I tried to ride off the shop and the bike was hardly rolling

Haha actually the way mine arrived to me is way more than I normally inflate them.

 

[shiruba]

btw I found this:

1. The confirm that the YDX Moro Pro is the same as the YPJ-MT Pro, "with a different package".
2. YDX = Yamaha Dirt Experience
3. Moro = Moro Mountains in Japan.

 

[FlatSix911]

I see that Yamaha is still using the same interface/display unit as they have on previous years models.
That was another one of the selling points when I purchased my E-bike with the PW-X motor. However, I have seen other editions using the "Side Switch" interface (display A) similar to the Bosch Purion display.

View attachment 73848

I actually prefer the Type X Display over the others because you can see your color-coded power level at a glance.
It also has all of the other display functions of the other types along with Bluetooth and USB power for accessories

 

[onlineaddy]

And more rugged too!

 

[bob armani]

Interesting - Yes it seems like this is the Display X from above.

Part of me wishes the display would be a full blown cycle computer like a Garmin, but then I also know that would add to the cost and quickly become outdated, so I understand why they don't do it (but the same thing could be said of computers in a Tesla or similar...) So if it's going to be simple, then I am not so picky.

The information that can be displayed it actually a lot, just that the size means it can't display much at once, and the location and contrast means it's not particularly easy to read while riding. For example, though it can show your input power in Watts, for those doing training, etc. This can also be shared via bluetooth to an external cycle computer, which is neat.

One thing I might question is this: On the Panasonics, the display can easily be removed and taken with you just by sliding it off. I always take mine off just in case, but I have seen Panasonic bikes parked here and there, and most people seem to leave it on. I checked the replacement part price, and it's around $300, so I will continue to take mine off!

The Yamaha one is bolted on and connected by wires, so it can't come off easily. This is better for theft purposes (assuming you don't want to carry it around), but also potentially bad if you live in a place where people might vandalize it. (To be fair, the Panasonic X series seems to the the oddball, as I have not seen any other bikes where this is removable, not even their own lower end bikes).

I see your points. This season, I added the Garmin Edge 800 coupled with Display X works quite well. The Garmin is removable so I take it with me all te time when the bike is left unattended. I also do the same with another display on a BH Easy Motion Evo Jet "Heads Up" display. It slides off perhaps similar to the Panasonic you have referenced. I usually leave the Display X in the battery percentage screen to monitor the percentage reduction along with the input meter to the side.
Easy Motion Display