LEGENDARY LEARNERS
THE FIZZY: What makes Yamaha’s sport moped one of the most iconic learner machines in history?
Prior to 1971 learner riders were allowed to ride bikes up to 250cc. But on December 15 a new law was passed which limited 16-year-olds to riding a bike with pedals and a maximum engine size of 50cc. This ‘Sixteener Law’, as it became known, was introduced by the Government 'in the interests of road safety', and was intended to put all 16-year-olds on to machines of this type (or take them off the road altogether – at least until their 17th birthday).
Faced with a major source of income being cut off and the possibility of a new market opening up, manufacturers quickly came up with the idea of ‘Sixteener Specials’ to meet the letter – if not the spirit – of the law. This new bike breed was a far cry from the anaemic performance of old school step-through mopeds like the Puch Maxi, NSU Quickly and Norman Nippy (the sort of bike that the Government had in mind when they introduced the legislation). They were much faster than the Government had intended and immediately struck a chord with the youth of the day as they represented freedom and independence from parents.
INTRODUCTION OF A 70s ICON
Launched in 1973, Yamaha’s answer to the ‘Sixteener Special’ market was the FS1-E (or Fizzy as it affectionally became nicknamed), and although no one realised it back then, the Fizzy was destined to become the most popular sports moped of all time; you couldn’t venture out on the road without seeing someone riding one.
The Fizzy was a resounding success for Yamaha and by the time production had finally ended over 200,000 model variations had been produced for the UK market.
Initially only available in ‘Kenny Roberts’ Candy Gold (other funky 70s paint schemes were to follow) and powered by a virtually unbreakable 50cc two-stroke engine, the Fizzy immediately drew in the nation’s teenagers like a moth to a flame – and what’s more, it could be run on a shoestring. The streets and back alleys became the playground of 16-year-olds almost overnight, with the youth of the day seeking to both personalise and maximise their bike’s performance. Tales abounded of speeds of 60mph being achieved with a downhill run and a back wind.
Redex additive was used to produce a plume of blue smoke; baffles were removed and exhausts were modified to increase sound levels (an important consideration for any Sixteeners’ eardrums).
The Fizzy lent itself to being a machine that could be customised, modified or tuned reasonably easily, even by home mechanics, and it wasn’t long before there was a thriving business in aftermarket products with a plethora of aftermarket tuning bits like big bore kits and sports exhausts being available (it was also possible to sneak other larger engines into the bike). And if you had a change of direction, it was a bike that could be easily (and cheaply) converted back to standard. All of these options only served to enhance the bike’s popularity.
Over the following years Yamaha made several improvements to the Fizzy, including the addition of a front disc brake and the development of an autolube model, which negated the need for the rider to manually add the right amount of two-stroke oil to the fuel tank.
WHAT GOES AROUND, COMES AROUND
Unfortunately, the sports moped boom also heralded an increase in accident rates, and it didn’t take long for the Government to act. On August 1, 1977, new legislation was introduced, which effectively outlawed the breed. The result was that sales dropped dramatically and by the early 80s supplies of decent used bikes were drying up.
Yamaha did re-introduce the Fizzy in 1987 with the same old looks, but a more modern specification (although for some reason they reverted to using drum brakes). But by this time the era of the sports moped was drawing to an end…
FIZZY LEGEND LIVES ON
The legacy of the Fizzy is far from over as Fizzy mania is still around, with the original 16-year-old owners now being in their 60s and having some spare cash to re-live their youth and restore these now classic machines. There is also a new generation of potential new owners looking to own a classic bike rather than a modern equivalent. Of the original 200,000 built, probably only around 1,500-2,000 are still in existence in the UK and therefore it’s becoming harder to find one. The result of this is that prices paid for bikes and spare parts are continuing to drive purchase prices to a level unimaginable to a teenager in the early 70s. They might not be the cheap ‘n’ cheerful purchase option they once were, but the legend and legacy this sports moped has created lives on for new and returning owners. To support them there are many Fizzy owner clubs offering help and advice with restoration and purchase. The passion for this little ‘Sixteener’ remains as strong as ever – long live the Fizzy!