kevin j

I use o-ring chains, clean them, (not pressure washer) but run them dry. A touch of WD40 to prevent rust, but I usually don't lube it. O-ring chain is wider. If you change over, check clearance around the crankcase sprocket and at chain tensioner. We changed the Beta, and even though I widened the plastic block it wasn't enough. The chain is not only wider, but side plate now presents quite a step instead of being flat against the next link, Snagged the plastic block and bent the tensioner several times. I had to build an entirely new block wider with more ramped edges fboth forward and reverse edges. kcj

I've had problems finding high reise bars, so until I can lower the pegs, I have installed a set of risers that move bars up maybe 1.5 inches, and forward an inch. Then I use normal modern bars. www.barrisersonline.com I think I got the address from someone on this site. Cost about $USD90 from a supplier in Canada. I have only ridden around teh yard. Feels awfully tall, (TY starts pretty tall anyway) but better posture. (I am 6ft0 in tall) Moving ahead has helped the 'tiller feel' of the old TY. Bars were behind the centerline of fork head. kcj

don't know your location, but I know many people changed the 2 jpiston calipers to 4 piston ones, so there were takeoffs avaialble. bought one for my son's 96 that way 2 or 3 years back. or, buy a 4 piston one and update. although IMO, the 96 2 piston has just as good braking, and much better lever feel than any other one I have seen. Not just bleeding, but the entire assembly seems much more rigid and precise for some reason.

special tools, not all carried to trials. flywheel puller, clutch/sprocket holding tool, chain breaker, assorted odd thin and bent 10mm for rear brake rod adjustment, brake syringes, couple of the yamalube cable lube tools, long special tools made for disassembling fork internals, 4-5-6-8 mm helicoils, thread restoring files, k

I think there is a small hex head plug towards front bottom of crankcase for this check/draining. or for draining out water if submerged.

is it running our of fuel? check lines, petcock, filter, carb cleaning, etc.

bought a bunch of old nos yamaha parts and there where a couple of relacating kits included.I have one left but it is missing one side plate and a bolt or two.I do have the parts and instruction sheet.If you would like I can scan sheet and e-mail you the instructions.It also has a longer brake pedal that comes with the kit.JR that may be from the Yamaha 'street kit'. Moved the pegs in the other driections to make it less 'trials' and more 'trail'. Kit had thicker seat, relocated pegs forward and down, and longer shifter and brake pedals. These come through ebay occasionally. Also had a larger tank available but I have never seen one of those. kcj

ooh, check out the ebay and other website scam informations. I had an offer for $2500 for a TY350, to ship to north aftrica., just send the rest of the money back........ kcj

forgot to note: You can get around it by using the clutch a lot more. I came off the street, tended to ride old style, no stop, with throttle only. Took a lot of instruction (i.e.nagging) from friends to learn slipping the clutch doesn't hurt it. The TY I had had a 19 year old clutch original, so they can take it!

none are indestructible though. last weekend, Montesa rider struggling with changing a tube in back, he has been running a tube all year. Can't get the bead to seal from some barely visible rock dings on the flange of rim.... spokeless would be nice, but I'd happily deal with rim bands if I could switch the old vintage bike from tube type to tubeless in back. my how those bead locks and tubes suck. kcj

I can't comment about 250, but the 350 mono is turtle slow on response both up & down due to the flywheel. Common mod is take off half the outer ring and it helps alot. some take all the ring off, but it vibrates alot more. I take off half to 60%, biggest change is on shutdown, say at top of a bank or something. The whole flywheel takes you on forever, the trimmed version is a bit more modern feeling. kcj

not sure if this helps, but I tried EBC on TY350 and they were so hard to be about worthless. Maybe the compound good for street bikes... sanded, sprayed, buffed drum, etc to no avail. Also, certain sprays, ether for instance, affected their glue and they would go from touch of brake to full lockup with just a bit of fingertip pressure. I've used Vesrah, japanese, via Dennis Kirk in the US. not sure where you are. They are better, still not stellar. Sand frequently, work to get full contact of the arc. I still use those in the twin shock 175 and some 350's. The 350 I converted to GG front wheel and 4 piston disc. posted here before. Awesome improvement. Not so much in power althought that is also much better, but as you find, in predictability and consistency from day to day, from application to application throughout the same day, from wet to dry, etc. kcj

a bit hard to find. I've purchased ChenSing (sp?) the taiwan tires. hard as nails, not much grip, the only ones I've found. kcj

wd40 is combustible, works ok, and not as violent as ether in the wrong hands....

I was looking at retrofitting to a TY175 last year. One of the most knowledgable vintage riders in this country recommended an electronic package he helped develope. bob ginder at bjracing.com sells it. I was looking at fitting an ignition from the early 80's Yam MX etc. til it was very well pointed out that replacing an old, well tested magneto technology with the first generation electronics technology was not the way to go for reliability! That made sense. So I dropped it all, but the newer stuff is well sorted out. Was too much for the value of the bike I had i mind, but have heard good things about it.

now I understand. That plug is what the older ones have. Measure the oil in (for totally drained, or for refilled) then measure down from the top of the case with a screwdriver or tyrap to the oil level. Motorcycle must be standing stragith up and level of course. Transfer that dimension to the outside of the case with a scribe mark (or white paint mark in my case). From then on, you just hold the screwdriver on the outside of the case with the tip at the white paint mark (or an eighth inch below it), grasp the screwdriver with your thumb resting on top of the case. Hold thumb in same position on the screwdriver, poke it into the inspection hole. Tip should go the same depth down and if there is oil on the tip of the screwdriver you are good. Once you get used to it, you can tell by looking down into the fill plug-where the oil level is on the crank gear. I can measure up that dimension, take a couple days. I use ATF a lot, cheap and easy to change often. Ford Type F is too abrupt for me although you may like the feel more modern, Dexron works well and is smooth. When you take the skid plate off, cut a slot under the drain plug so you don't have to remove it each time. I use a ratcheting 'Gear Wrench' to get the plug out. points to rear, not down, as I recall. a. easier to change, so the oil gets changed more often. b. Skid plate on & off each time, eventually the threaded tabs on frame get stripped out. Most you can put a nut on back side, but the left rear I think is right against frame tube and cannot use a nut. No access for helicoil either. kcj

I only have the 85-86 monos, they have a front right plug on top to measure into, but I am curious: is there indeed no plug at all? what a user unfriendly design to save a few cents per build.... can you remove the cover and drill and tap for a plug on the side at oil level, or on top to measure down to the oil level with a screwdriver? kcj

actually I've seen big price drop in the TY80 about 5 years back when enough modern kid bikes got into the used chain. The small ones with auto clutch work better than the PW50, and the larger are more capable trials bikes than the TY. Wonderful little bikes, tough, but time and technology marches on. If I was doing it now, I'd start them on the Oset electrics, then move to modern with clutch. Ebay has good ones for 400-700 total. ratty ones 200 or so. I had two for kids, in those days there was waiting list in the club for whose kid will outgrow the next TY80. I bought first one about 1996 from a paper ad, patchwork paint 'overhauled' (which meant rings and paint enough to sell it), I think $600. And that winter I had to do main bearings, bore, and general OH. After trying a dozen ads to get one for second kid, always gone before I called, a friend gave me an ad phoned into the paper before it hit the streets. Grab it quick, $500. Pay and load the van. Leanred not to 'pick it up tomorrow'. When I called the seller next day, he sai he'd had over a dozen calls. and I would believe that . Then, about 5 years back, prices dropped a lot. Ended up selling #1, with the rebuilt crank and bored and fixed, new tires, at $500. Kekpt the second one to teach other kids to ride. My younger two that learned on these TY are now 18 & 20, son wins Expert class. I, alas, have moved up one class since then. Overall, well worth the investment in my kids. kcj

I used ATF. Kids were at upper end of weight range for the TY80, 80 lbs or so. will check the qty in mynotes this weekend. kcj

Right on, Andy. We have become many nations of whiners who write laws governing OTHER peoples thoughts and actions based on MY perceptions of how I am so offended and victimized. Those truly abused and victimized deserve help (and it is part of my volunteer activity). To those who interpret offense into everything that happens or is said to them, grow up, realize the playground is not always fair or kind, and deal with it. I get abused and offended by the observors every time I ride a section. Given lack of talent, lack of practice, it still must be somebody else's fault : ) kcj

I agree, I'd move it. two reasons: -It was not part of the novice line, and not a novice rider that moved it. In theory, the experts would have a different section and novice should not be affected by riders in another class. This reason is I think close to the rule books as written..... -Second, it's unfair to other novice riders, and intimidating if it is almost a guaranteed 5, or safety issue for them. Yes, trials is whatever happens, but IMO, novice sections are a different world altogether. They should also be a 'marketing' tactic to get riders interested and enthused in the sport, eager to advance and ride better and move up. When this is clearly not part of their riders section, it would be discouraging. That is not be per rule book literally, but I think is in the spirit of what the novice class intent is. -If other situations, Expert rolled it down into expert line, it stays. -If Champs rolled it into Expert line, tougher call. I'd probably leave it, unless some had already ridden, and the new location changed the section dramatically or safety wise for the followig riders. Than I think reason one above applies, even if not Novice class riders. Like they teach observors scoring the World Rounds, it's observors call, give the doubt to rider, but be consistant all day with same decision in same situation. Interesting to read what others would do. kcj

Just got an 03 Rev 3 last winter. The exhaust seems snappy and obnoxious, so I repacked with house insulation. No real improvement. Almost failed the sound check at the off highway vehicle riding park. And given how obnoxious some of the enduro/MX biles are, not good company to be in. Bought the preformed one from Beta, cleaned all the holes and perforations and try again. Some improvement, but barely noticeable. Still snappy and sharp. I think this has aluminum muffler section, so I don't want to use the acetylene and pure oxygen method that works very well with steel pipes. Have not tried the solvent, or brake fluid, or fuzzy cable and drill methods yet. Bike has always run 80:1 with synthetic oil, but apparently there is buildup somewhere. Any other ideas? Are Betas just normally loud?

I drilled and tapped a lever so it would fit either the high or low screw master cylinders. Some the screw is in line with lever, some have the screw about 5 mm below center? That way, one lever fits GG, Beta, etc. that we have. HOWEVER, still have to have clutch and brake, so I'd like more info on this lever if anyone in the US carries them. kcj

perfect. thank you. knew it would be simple fix, but I had searched all through the tabs at very top, never tried 'optons'. though it was for individual messages only,. kcj

From memory new stops are needed on the bottom yoke to get enough steering angle ie they can't be trimmed enough. I would need to look at my riding buddie's bike (TY175 with TY mono front end) to be sure though. Tks, I'd like the info if you can see the other bike. Looks like I will start iwth boring stock yokes for mono tubes and try it. I have several 250 yokes, so if themonos donw' work out well, I still have enough parts to put the stock entire 250 front end on. It's a winter project for next winter. My interest int the mono yokes, even though sounds much more complex, is that I have several of those also, and have a friend with several complete CNC machines in his die shop. although more complicated, if that way yielded a truly better end product, I'd go there. It sounds like the 250 direct swap is the easy way (which was my original plan), the mono tubes in 250 yokes is a step beyond but still minimal work. and the complete mono front is more work than it is worth for minimal additional gains. I'll have to check out the mono fork length also. tks for help. kcj