Most of the best electric mountain bikes are designed around a second party motor, but not the Yamaha Moro 07. Instead, Yamaha built its first e-mountain bike around its own PW-X3 motor, a unit that boasts 85Nm torque and a very smooth power delivery. And because Yamaha has no reason to hide that it’s a Yamaha, the motor isn’t disguised under excessive housings or plastic casings. One look at the motor and it’s clear that it is incredibly streamlined and slender. In fact, Yamaha boasts that the PW-X3 motor, with Praxis crankarms, has a very narrow Q-factor (the distance between the outer edges of the crankarms). So we measured it. And Yamaha is right; it’s 10mm narrower than the Shimano EP801 motor on the Polygon Siskiu T7E and 20mm narrower than SRAM’s new Powertrain motor. And, depending on the crankarms used, the Q-factor of the Yamaha system can be as much as 26mm less than the Bosch CX motor used on the Whyte E-160 that was in our 2023 E-bike of the Year test and the Orbea Wild and Canyon Strive:ON tested in our Enduro E-Bike head-to-head. But why does this matter? Well, the narrower Q-Factor makes for a more natural and efficient pedalling action, which is an instant win, even on a bike with a motor. And with our pedals as much as 20mm further inboard, we had improved pedal clearance when cranking through deep ruts or when the bike was lent over in a corner. In fact, having a narrow Q-factor on an e-bike is probably just as important as having really short crank arms. Yamaha Moro 07 Need to know Yamaha’s entry-level e-bike with Yamaha PW-X3 motor Dual Twin frame design with 150mm travel (claimed) Removable 500Wh battery Interface X display with five power modes Narrow Q-Factor motor design 160mm RockShox Lyrik fork and Super Deluxe shock Magura MT5 brakes and Shimano 12-speed XT transmission 27.5in wheels with 2.6in Maxxis tyres Weight: 23.62kg size L Three frame sizes: S, M and L There‘s currently only two models to choose from in Yamaha’s e-mtb range, the Moro 07 that we are testing here, and the slightly more expensive 30th Anniversary Factory Silver edition at £4,350. That’s right, Yamaha has been making e-bikes for 30 years, even if this is the Japanese giant’s first e-mtb. Both models share the same frame and specification, it’s just that the 30th Anniversary edition gets a brushed alloy frame finish for that factory racing look. Also if the futuristic concept bikes that Yamaha presented at the 2023 Japan Mobility Show are anything to go by, then the Moro is just the beginning of Yamaha’s e-mtb journey. So what exactly is the Moro 07? In a nutshell it’s an entry-level 150mm travel e-bike, with a surprisingly high-end specification, 27.5in wheels and 2.6in tyres. It comes in three sizes, S, M and L, and you can order the bike online then have it delivered straight to your door, or collect it from a Yamaha dealer. … Continue reading It’s easy to pick holes in Yamaha’s first e-mtb, but the Moro 07 is so much more than a statement of intent