Yamaha has succeeded in the development of a continuously variable transmission (CVT) named Y.C.A.T. (Yamaha Compact Automatic Transmission) that is compact enough to be mounted on a moped type motorcycle of the 100 to 125cc class. Y.C.A.T. is a system that greatly reduces the size of the CVT units proven in use on scooter models and fits the drive belt that connects the engine drive shaft and rear wheel axle inside the engine assembly to make possible an automatic transmission motorcycle with the same exterior appearance as a moped.

With Y.C.A.T. it has been possible to reduce the distance between the primary (engine-side) and secondary (driven-side) sheaves to about 40% of the distance on a conventional commuter CVT and shorten the belt also to about 60% the length, thus helping to make the overall power unit more compact. The size of the entire Y.C.A.T. unit is small enough to fit inside a crankcase virtually no larger than that on a conventional moped.