1968 Yamaha DT1
Striking the mother lode
During the 1960s, drawn by the attraction of the wide-open spaces and following the “back to the land” fashion, Americans discovered that they had a taste for off-roading.
A Matter of Appearance
The Spaniards and the Swedes certainly offered them plenty of enduro bikes, but their reliability was questionable and their usage restricted, for reasons such as noise and lubrication by gas/oil mixture. The Japanese had initially imitated British scramblers and created bikes dressed up to look like off-roaders. but it soon became apparent that it took more than high-level exhausts and wide handlebars for a bike to quite the blacktop effectively.
Reinventing Simplicity
Yamaha was the first to meet the needs of the market by inventing the trail bike. The mechanical simplicity, lightness and geometry of its DT1 enabled its rider to have fun off-oad, but its equipment was that of a roadster and its separate lubrication made life easier. It looked like an enduro bike but was actually a modest performer (a 30 hp conversion kit was available for racing). However. its accessibility made it ideal for those who wanted a good-looking everyday bike. The DT1 was a success and Yamaha quickly expanded the range. Caught unprepared, Yamaha’s rivals brought out their own bikes in an attempt to block its progress, such as the Suzuki TS. Honda SL and Kawasaki TR, but Yamaha had the psychological advantage that, since it had invented the concept, it knew how best to exploit it, an argument that held good right up to the A1500.
SPECIFICATIONS
Engine: 246cc (70×64mm) air-cooled single cylinder; flywheel magneto
Power Rating: 18.5 hp @ 6000 rpm
Valves: two-stroke; ports controlled by piston skirt
Fuel System: carburetor
Transmission: 5-speed. chain final drive
Suspension: telescopic forks (front; swing arm (rear)
Brakes: drum (front & rear)
Wheels: 3.25×19 inch (front): -4.0018 inch (rear)
Weight: 246 Ib
Maximum Speed: 75 mph
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