Monday, March 10, 2008 Automatic firsts from Yamaha
YAMAHA Motor Company, Ltd. married the handling characteristics, economical operation and versatility of the popular step-thru commuter motorcycle, with the “twist-and-go” riding ease of a scooter.
Understanding and foreseeing the demand of the ASEAN market for motorcycles that will be used more as an everyday commuter rather than just as an alternative means of transportation, Yamaha designed the hybrid scooter-underbone as a versatile and convenient motorbike to help its riders to traverse the worsening traffic of the major ASEAN cities with ease and comfort.
The Yamaha engineers designed and came out with not only one but two models that they offered to the market: the Yamaha Nouvo and the Yamaha Mio.
Nouvo Automatic
The Nouvo, which means “new” in Latin, was Yamaha’s flagship automatic model with its forced air-cooled four-stroke, SOHC, two-valve 115cc single-cylinder engine and first-in-its-class continuously variable transmission (CVT) automatic transmission that were developed exclusively for the Nouvo and the Mio.
Sporting a strong and lightweight frame with a single-spar main frame from where the term “underbone” was coined, the Nouvo was built with a wind-tunnel designed body and high-quality fit and finish.
Mio Automatic
On the other hand, the Mio, which means “mine” in Italian, was Yamaha’s second automatic model.
Powered by the same forced air-cooled four-stroke, SOHC, two-valve 115cc single-cylinder engine mated to a CVT transmission as the Nouvo, the Yamaha Mio 115 featured a new lighter (87kg) asymmetrical pipe frame to create a machine with nimble ride and handling, excellent convenience and a body design that’s slim but also has an impressive sense of volume.
Mio Soul
As the new product of the “brand new” Yamaha Motors Phils., the Yamaha Mio Soul is powered by the same forced air-cooled four-stroke, SOHC, two-valve 115cc single-cylinder motor mated to a CVT transmission as in the previous Mio models.
It also utilizes the lighter asymmetrical pipe frame, thus the Mio Soul offers the same nimble ride, handling and excellent convenience.
With a new body design that’s more muscular and decidedly more masculine, the Mio Soul offers an impressive sense of style and practicality.
Yamaha Motorbikes are available at the following distributors: Gillamac’s Marketing Inc., Motor Ace Philippines, Inc., Norkis, Du Ek Sam, Des Strong, Wheeltek and Motortrade outlets.
