One Year Only Tiddler – 1970 Yamaha G6S 80

In Japan, Less than 5k, Small Displacement by Tim HuberLeave a Comment

Yamaha’s G6S was a one-year only tiddler produced in 1970. Despite its short production run, it was a relatively popular model in Europe, often referred to as “bellycrawlers” due to the way riders would lay across the tank to ring out every last MPH. Everything about the G6 is pretty basic, but that was by design. By using a collection of off-the-shelf-parts, Yammy was able to cobble together an affordable little runner, powered by an air-cooled, two-stroke, 80cc, single that made a reported 4.5hp.

Most people describe the G6S as an 80cc version of Yamaha’s better-known FS1 – or “Fizzy”, and though the two models do share a myriad of common components, there are a number of major differences. For starters, the G6S doesn’t have pedals, and the bike’s instrumentation is built into the headlight. The scrambler-style exhaust is another area in which the two differ. As cool as the G6S’s high-pipe may look, it is in reality a pretty poorly designed exhaust (doesn’t have a return cone) that was built with the aim of reducing noise and not much else.

Figuring out the value of this bike is a bit tricky, a task only exacerbated by its scarcity thanks to only a single year of production. The KBB value is just north of $1,100 and a relatively clean G6S example was sold at a Mecum auction in January of 2016 for $1,500, though its estimated value was $2-3K. This particular unrestored example’s price-tag does admittedly feel a tad on the steep side, but like the ad says: “They’re only original once and this is a prime example of a nice one.” I am a little confused by the seller listing the machine as a 1969 model year, but that may be due to the registration. Either way, it’s a cool little runner.

You can find this 1970 Yamaha G6S 80 for sale here on Craigslist in Santa Paula, California with a price of $3,500.