1971 Yamaha JT-1 Mini Enduro

In many ways, the 1970s were a Golden Age of motorcycling. Kickstarted by the timeless documentary On Any Sunday, the decade accelerated through explosive growth in competition, touring, commuting and moto consumerism largely unmatched since.

Perhaps the generation that came of age during those exciting times benefitted the most.

Although Honda’s venerable Z50 was introduced a few years earlier, in 1971 several new minibikes hit the showroom floors. One of the most influential, and capable, was Yamaha’s JT-1 Mini Enduro.

The JT-1 was not just a generic engine stuffed into a minimalist frame. Like the Z50, it was a full-blown motorcycle, engineered as such, just shrunk down to size for kids. Born from the lessons learned from Yamaha’s genre-defining 1968 DT-1 250cc dirt bike, the JT-1 was eye-catching, capable and affordable.

Yamaha fed the 58cc two-stroke with a 16mm carburetor. The oil for the premix was managed by Yamaha’s proven Autolube system. It had a four-speed gearbox. The claimed 4.5 horsepower was modest, but it was tuned for reliability and smiles, not clearing doubles or getting holeshots.

Yamaha sold thousands of JT-1s, which retailed for less than $300. For many riders, these bikes began a love affair with motorcycling that continues to be passed down through generations today.

This Yamaha Mini Enduro was donated to the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame’s permanent collection by AMA Life Member Ken Gerard from Folsom, Calif. It joins other machines that helped shape the history of American motorcycling at the Hall of Fame museum on the AMA campus in Pickerington, Ohio.

American Motorcyclist February 2020