If you've never done it, bicycle riding in a major city is definitely an experience. Pedal bicycles, in particular, are interesting because you're the motor, but you have to also find a way to function with cars, trucks, motorbikes, and everything else that makes up a city's regular traffic.
You're also able to move more quickly than you would be walking, and at the same time, you're out on the street with other vehicular traffic that may or may not be paying attention to you. Sometimes there are dedicated bike lanes, and sometimes there aren't. And sometimes, drivers and other road users honor those bicycle lanes, and sometimes they don't. There are a ton of variables to consider, all of which will affect the experience you have while riding your chosen bicycle to your destination.
E-bikes add yet another variable to the equation. Striking a balance somewhere between a pedal bicycle and a much faster motorbike, they give a little extra boost to your bicycle experience through their addition of batteries and a motor. Pedal-assist e-bikes make it easier and more pleasant if you want to arrive at your destination without being all sweaty, and can also be particularly helpful if you're disabled or recovering from an injury.
Over the past several years, the rise of e-bikes around the world has been interesting to watch. Here in the US, I see them pretty much every day. And while they weren't around back when I used to incorporate bicycles into my daily commute (both before and after I got my motorcycle license, if you wondered), I don't doubt that I might have appreciated the use of them if they had been. Even now, we have Lyft's Divvy bike stations all over Chicago, where you can easily rent one and hop aboard to make your last-mile commute just a little bit easier.
But that's not the same as having one yourself. And I have to say, as someone who's ridden multiple e-bikes now, the Yamaha Pas Craig Alley looks like a bike that would hit a really sweet spot for city commuters. Probably the entire Yamaha Pas line would, if I'm honest; not everyone's commute looks the same, and they might find different features to be more useful on whatever bike they choose. That's why there are multiple Pas bikes; heck, there's even a Pas trike, which might suit certain riders right down to the ground.
I mean, look at this thing. It's a simple, clean design, available in three attractive colors to suit your simple, clean life. The entire Pas lineup takes the same batteries, which are easily removable and even come with a handy carrying handle up top so you can bring them indoors and plug them into their charger.
A spare 15.8Ah battery will run you 49,940円, which is about US $323 at the time of writing. A spare charger will cost you 11,880円, which is about US $77; don't worry about purchasing one on top of a new bike cost, because each new bike comes with a charger included in the purchase price. Honestly, this all sounds pretty on-par with a lot of high-quality replacement e-bike and battery charger prices; maybe even a little bit cheaper, if I'm honest.
Even the price of the Yamaha Pas Craig Alley seems quite reasonable. This newest addition to the Yamaha Pas lineup will be released in Japan on March 27, 2026, at an MSRP of 138,000円 (about US $893 at the time of writing). That includes Japan's 10% consumption tax, so if Yamaha goes on to offer these in other markets as well, the pricing will likely reflect whatever local taxes may exist in that region.
Like any good bike of any kind, it of course comes with the option of adding a good selection of OEM-made accessories. Racks, baskets, gel saddle covers, and more are all offered through the Yamaha Y's Gear official shop. It makes me more than a little sad that Yamaha pulled out of the US e-bike market a couple of years back, but it is at least nice that someone else will be able to enjoy it.
Are you a Yamaha e-bike fan? Do you have one or more that you rely on for everyday transport, or other experiences with Yamaha e-bikes that you'd like to tell us about? Let me know in the comments if they're as solidly made as I would suspect from every other Yamaha product I've ever used.
