Yamaha has nearly 400 e-bike dealers in the United States. But just recently, Yamaha announced to its dealers that the company will withdraw from the North American e-bike market at the end of this year. Yamaha is helping dealers sell their remaining inventory by expanding its “Fan Promotions” program, which offers discounts of up to 60 percent in the form of cash-back incentives of up to $3,900. The promotion is also available online, but most online inventory is sold out. The program's website now directs customers to local dealers. Additionally, there will be no changes to their support for their e-bike customers, which is backed by a 5-year warranty. Below is a letter that Yamaha sent to their e-bike dealers:
"Dear Yamaha eBike Dealer,
We want to thank you for your partnership and for your business in purchasing and retailing Yamaha eBikes, and for proudly representing the Yamaha brand. However, as you know, the combination of a post-COVID oversupply within the entire bicycle industry, coupled with a significant softening of the market, has resulted in a particularly challenging business environment where it is extremely difficult to achieve a sustainable business model. Given these market conditions, we regret to inform you that Yamaha has made the difficult decision to withdraw from the U.S. eBike business and cease wholesaling units effective the end of this year.
Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. (YMUS) entered the U.S. eBike market in 2018, and we have enjoyed the opportunity to partner with you these past six years to sell exciting, high-quality, all-road, mountain, and fitness/lifestyle eBikes.
We will continue to support your dealership in the sell down of your inventory by extending the current “Fan Promotion” program where customers may receive up to 60% off their purchase of a new Yamaha eBike. This “Fan Promotion” program will be offered on all units retailed and warranty registered through June 30, 2025. YMUS will continue to provide parts, service, and customer support in the United States both now and in support of our limited 5-year warranty.
Finally, we wish to express our sincere appreciation and gratitude to you and your staff for your dedication and support of the Yamaha eBike business.
Thank you for your understanding and support."
For the brand Yamaha, many people may still recognize it mainly in motorcycles, but, in electric bikes, Yamaha has also been involved for a long time.
The company pioneered the world's first e-bike back in 1993 in Japan and has accumulated excellent technology. At Interbike 2017, they introduced four e-bikes that focus on different features. By then, Yamaha had sold more than 2 million e-bikes. Then in 2018, Yamaha began selling their brand of e-bikes in the United States. To date, they have sold over 5.5 million e-bikes globally, making them one of the largest original equipment manufacturers of e-bikes in the world.
What made the powerful and influential Yamaha pull out of the North American e-bike market?
From the above Yamaha wrote a letter to dealers mentioning that “the combination of a post-COVID oversupply within the entire bicycle industry, coupled with a significant softening of the market, has resulted in a particularly challenging business environment where it is extremely difficult to achieve a sustainable business model". Yamaha's positioning is on the high end, and high-priced products have little competitive advantage in a depressed market environment. In addition, in recent years, the North American e-bike market has also emerged a number of cost-effective brands. Against this background, Yamaha “has made the difficult decision to withdraw from the U.S. eBike business and cease wholesaling units effective the end of this year”.
In such a competitive e-bike business, we, the LACROS, resolutely decided to take up the challenge, we believe that cost-effective e-bikes and quality service can enhance our competitiveness and bring opportunities to our brand.
It is undeniable that Yamaha has done its best in all parts of its e-bikes, which is admirable. Despite the differences in our brand positioning, we still want to recommend one of our main products here, the Lacros Thunder. Why?
Reason 1: The Best Ebike Accessories
In some important parts, we use products from the top brands in that specialized field like Yamaha. For example, Thunder's thumb shifter is the SHIMANO TOURNEY SL-TX50-7R, which features SHIMANO's OPTICAL GEAR DISPLAY, as well as the SHIMANO TOURNEY Rear Derailleur 7 Speed with cassette. In addition, the Thunder features a KMC chain. We also pursue quality in these components that have a great impact on the riding experience.
Reason 2: 750w Ebike
Compared to Yamaha's mountain e-bikes, which are generally equipped with 250W (Nominal), 500W (Max) motors and 500Wh 36V batteries, we chose to equip the Thunder with a 750 (Nominal), 1400 (Max) motor and a 960Wh 48V battery.
Reason 3: Fat Tire Ebike
It's also worth mentioning that, unlike the Yamaha e-bike, our Thunder is equipped with wider Puncture-Resistant Fat Tires, so if you're a fan of fat tire e-bikes, we really recommend you check out our Thunder!
Reason 4: Excellent Frame
Our designers created a beautiful and sturdy frame, and after the factory produced this 6061 Aluminum Alloy frame, our technicians tested it, and it is now a part of the Thunder that we are proud of.
Reason 5: Full Suspension Mountain Ebike
The Thunder features an adjustable oil and spring suspension in the front and a multi-link suspension in the back, along with a customized ergonomic shock-absorbing cushions seat, which gives you a comfortable experience when riding on rough roads.
Thunder is a super cost-effective off-road e-bike. Would you like to have a new fun experience with Thunder?
Share:
750W Ebike or 500W Ebike:Which one is right for you?
How to Maintain Ebike Tires for Longevity and Performance