YAMAHA TY GENESIS
This is the story that led to the production of the first Japanese motorcycle trial, the Yamaha TY "TY" which means "Trial Yamaha"
In 1968 appears the first Yamaha in trial European championship in Montbeliard, France. But it was just a 250 DT driven by the Swiss Hasler.
Two years later in 1970 French Motorcycle Show, Jean-Claude Olivier, sales manager of SONAUTO-YAMAHA (France), was contacted by Christian RAYER, then champion of France with Montesa trial.
He suggests the idea of developing a Yamaha trial bike on the basis of DT 250 engine.
Late 1971, Christian RAYER received a Yamaha 360 CC engine for the trial, he is responsible for creating the chassis of the bike and it inspired some of the Saracen and many of the Ossa.
On the engine, he works the carburetion, exhaust and the weight of the flywheel to inertia. He asks Yamaha to make him the gearbox on his recommendations.
This is the first trial prototype that will serve as a model to make the future TY. Several meetings were held between Christian RAYER and the Japanese for the development of the Yamaha trial.
Christian RAYER continues to develop his prototype and Yamaha is working on the other hand the development of series trial bikes.
Christian RAYER on japanese YAMAHA trial prototype and with Takashi MATSUI, Yamaha trial project manager.
At the end of 1972, C. RAYER will receive the first TY completely built by Yamaha factory for him, it looks like the model to be marketed later:
But there is a second, for another driver.
Indeed, the efforts of C. RAYER will raise to Yamaha's decision to recruit Mick Andrews, twice European Champion and
ISDT winner, world-renowned event. The idea of the Japanese firm is to have a champion who can both develop the machine racing, winning races and so do
advertising for the production model.
Mr. ANDREWS during one of his first trial school in Japan in 1972.
Above Mick ANDREWS trying early 1973 a prototype 360 cm3 competition before returning to a displacement of 250 cm3. The works
prototype will be operational from the second competition of the the European Championship he won in France on 1 April 1973.
With regard to the production model, it is almost ready on the YAMAHA assembly lines in January 1973, Mick Andrews will bring only minor changes designed primarily to make the machine more accessible to the general public.
Thus some changes were suggested on the steering, suspension and footrests. For the engine, structure, and gear ratios were changed.
TY 250 will be ready by the summer of 1973, here is his birth announcements:
And TY 80 immediately follows !
