Cotswold Legend Nick Draper Makes a Return to competitive trials riding.

Aboard a Yamaha TY 175.

We will follow his progress and find out what makes the

"TY Yamaha's" Tick.

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Photo Courtesy Chris Stevens .

Nick has been out of the sport for a few years because of injury problems, but last year had one or two rides on the TY 175 Yamaha, and proved he has not lost his touch, by finishing in top places of the Expert Classes he competed in.

This year we will follow his progress starting with this weekends Kia round 26/02/2017.

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28/02/2016.

Nick's first ride out at the Kia Congleton round was marred by a too close fitting front mudguard fitted to the Fantic Marzocchi forks, fitted to his Yamaha TY175.

This continued to clog with the sticky clay of the venue all day, and lost him some valuable marks.

However Nick said that the re-ported engine spun up the rear wheel in first and second gear, but was able to use third with the power still coming.

This also proved that the home made exhaust system worked very well indeed.

 So hopefully the next venue will be free of sticky clay, or the mudguard will be spaced up a bit.

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We will also find out what makes these Yamaha TY 175's so popular, and how they have been refurbished, and tuned to come to the forefront of the current "Twinshock" Classes.

Photo Courtesy "Chris Stevens "...

Modern-day suspension has helped to recreate machines that can now soke up the terrain much better than the first incarnations.

 We will also look into how important this aspect plays its part, as-well as tuning motors, carburation, and gearboxes.

Falcon Shocks have done a lot of work to help bring a aged twinshock into this century of suspension thinking.

Not only that all of these suspension units are rebuild-able, as are the Rock-Shock make of units too.

We will also see how modern day tubeless tyres have come to play a large part in the way a modern suspended trials bike performs.

Photo Courtesy Falcon Shocks and "Classictrial".

The "Monoshock TY Yamaha's are now also getting the same treatment.

SO does all of this have to cost a fortune, or can a really competitive machine be put together and ridden for a reasonable amount?

 We will find out in the follow up to this story.

And the evidence will be set out before us.

In the way machines are tuned, assembled, and ridden.

Photo Courtesy "Classictrial"

So the updates and improvements, and rider impressions, of both Nick Draper and Martyn Goodall's machines will be followed, during the course of the the new trials season.

28/02/2017.

Well Martyn had a better day at the Kia first round, riding in the Monoshock class he put himself firmly in first place, so well done Martyn keep-up the good work.

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And anyone else's TY Yamaha 175, that wants to take part in this investigation.

And anyone willing to let us in on a few of the secrets, of set up, and build, and even more so, how reasonable the cost is? in doing these mods.

Much More Later.

 SO you can join in, by sending me any Questions , or Opinions, and photo's on the subject.

 No matter where in the World you live.

03/03/2017.

Classictrial. TY21.

Martyn Goodall TY21

Would anyone who owned a YamahaTY175 back in 1974 have ever expected that in 2017 these little bikes in modified form, would have become pretty much the most competitive twin-shock trials machines currently available? 

Over the years the 175 has always seemed to have been the poor relation, and more recently has been even further eclipsed by the popularity of Fantic's, even though the Yamaha TY is probably a much better choice for less able riders. 

Lack of power and steering and suspension which are also rather poor, seem to be things which compromise the present day potential of the stock machines, and are areas which have both been improved slightly by the still fashionable 70-80s style alterations.

After fitting a more effective large volume air box and OKO carb to an otherwise largely stock Yamaha TY175 a couple of years ago, the true potential of these little bikes became clear, even though only very basic and obvious alterations had taken place.

As it seemed there was a lot more to come from the Yamaha TY175 the next machine had the steering angle and footrest position changed, an updated large volume air box, special exhaust, and porting cleaned up slightly... 

Yamaha TY21 build in early stages

Photo later.

Photo Courtesy Classictrial...

This was a rather rough and ready machine, and built to try out some ideas. It worked relatively well, but power was still not enough for serious competition use, although handling was much better than the slightly altered stock bike.

Next was a  bike for Cheltenham rider Martyn Goodall which incorporated all of the ideas which had been effective and worked well on the 2 previous machines. This bike also has a fully modified cylinder + head, and power has increased significantly over the last 2 machines. 

Photo "Classictrial"...

Essentially other than minor details this is what we will be calling our Yamaha TY21 spec, and is perhaps the ultimate Yamaha TY175 in terms of actual performance in the sections, rather than visual appeal on a show stand. 

Coming Next.

Nick Draper's Yamaha TY21 top end and induction system...

A page on the  TLR Honda will follow this format later.

More Later.

Just A Start.

Updat2024...09...