1977 Yamaha Passol - Rainmaker47/Wikimedia CommonsIn 1977, Yamaha launched the Passol with a mission to get more women on the road. With women's needs in mind, Yamaha designed the Passol to be affordable, compact, and easy-to-use. Running on an automatic transmission, the scooter had a low seat height (680mm), a lightweight frame (45kg), and an overall cute appearance with color options. Aside from this, Yamaha made the Passol with thoughtful design considerations for the female experience, such as its iconic "step-through" layout which helped women with skirts get on easily.To reach its intended audience, Yamaha's marketing strategy involved encouraging women to try it for themselves by positioning their events near places they frequented, such as supermarkets. Aside from campaigns around how enjoyable and "gentle" the experience is — and how close it is to riding a bicycle — Yamaha also opened riding schools for new riders. Not to mention, one of the more interesting ways Yamaha supported its commitment to women at the time was behind the scenes with its all-female assembly lines.YamahaIn 2001, the Passol was re-launched as an electric commuter during the 35th Tokyo Motor Show to critical acclaim. After its release, the Passol snagged several awards, including a Grand Prize win for Energy Conservation and the Agency of Natural Resources and Energy Director-General's Prize. In the years that followed, the Passol also won other accolades for its eco-friendly design, including the Good Design Awards (2003), Environment Minister's Award (2004), and so on.AdvertisementAdvertisement[Featured image by Rainmaker47 via Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled | CC BY-SA 4.0]Read more: 17 Major Motorcycle Brands Ranked Worst To BestThe importance of developing bikes for women2004 Passol parked dealership - YamahaDespite making up half the world's population, women often get the short end of the stick when it comes to automotive design and safety. For example, car crash dummies, which are used to evaluate overall vehicle safety before their commercial release, have been around since 1968. But for the longest time, these crash dummies were only based on the average male body.It took over half a century before they designed a crash dummy that better represented the anatomy of the female body — and was not just a smaller version of the male one. Until today, the consequences remain deadly for women, especially in the case of collisions. In a report by Consumer Reports, it shared multiple studies claiming that women are significantly more at risk than men for injuries in car crashes, regardless if they wear a seatbelt as a driver or front passenger (17%), as well as in an event of a frontal crash (73%).YamahaAlthough it may take time for the industry as a whole to prioritize women's experiences on the road, efforts by companies like Yamaha to cater to women's needs shouldn't be understated. While the Yamaha Passol is no longer in production, Yamaha continues to provide women-friendly motorcycle options, even if they're not specifically marketed for them. For example, Yamaha has bikes designed for people who need low seat heights — like the Yamaha V Star 250 — and beginner-friendly bikes, like the Yamaha MT-03.AdvertisementAdvertisementWant the latest in tech and auto trends? Subscribe to our free newsletter for the latest headlines, expert guides, and how-to tips, one email at a time. You can also add us as a preferred search source on Google.Read the original article on SlashGear.
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