utahpete

collyolly: Looser trousers seem to be in order

Lineaway: We've got a new ski resort opening just above town (Richmond, Utah). The owner of the resort was down visiting me a week or so ago. I mentioned that he should host a trials event at his place, and he asked me to put him in touch with someone that would be interested in putting on an event. This place could host a national, easy. Very cool place, paved road to the place, lot's of parking, etc. Terrain is crazy. Lifts could take spectators all over the mountain. Let me know if you think anyone would be interested.

Oh, and by-the-way, on a 1985 Yamaha TY 350. Try to find engine parts for that!

Wow, you guys have too much time on your hands. Take a deep breath, enjoy every minute you can spend on what-ever bike you happen to riding ... and remember that one huge rock from space, or the Yellowstone super volcano will render this whole discussion mute. I'm going for a ride in the mountains tomorrow.

lineaway, I've tried to message you a couple of times and get a response that this member can't receive any new messages. Can you try to message me, I'd like to get in touch with through through email and see if you can send me some details on the YZ front wheel & disc that you mounted on your TY350. Thanks in advance. Sorry to everyone else on this thread.

I agree with all said, but lineaway has it right ... that engine has ingested some dirt. My TY 350was as quiet as a sewing machine (okay, I'm getting to be a bit deaf) when I first bought it, but I made the mistake of taking for a spin around a dusty area before I really took a close look at the air filter. The 28-year-old foam filter had become un-welded at a few points along the seam. And after just an hour or two of that, I now ride something that sounds like a barrel of nuts & bolts rolling down a hill. I put a new piston pin in last winter and saw some of the same scoring/transfer on the intake side. Bob @ BJ Racing is going to make a sleeve and fit it to the RT piston that I found on ebay. Next season should bring a bit more peace and quiet. Good luck with your rebuild.

Very nice. You'll love getting back into trials ... it's the fly-fishing, long-bow archery of the motor sports. If you ever venture north, look me up.

I wear 13 1/2 in most shoes and bought 13 in Gaernes and they are the most comfortable boots/shoes I've ever had.

Please add me to the list of your fans. I've enjoyed watching all your posts on youtube. It's been great to follow the SSDT in nearly real-time. And I'm going to stop complaining about all of the recent rain/snow mix we've been having here, and am going to start looking for some high-flowing streams to ride in!

Welcome to the forum. You are only a quick 480 miles from Richmond, Utah. We've got some great riding around here. If you are ever out on a road trip, and need a place to stay, we've got plenty of room here on the farm and some spectacular trials country close by. I have a few nice practice spots here on the place as well.

I recently returned to trials after a 28-year break. I purchased a 1985 TY 350 last summer and began riding with a pal that had, just a few months earlier, purchased a 2006 CRF 450. He had never heard of trials, but after several months of trail riding together, started to gain an appreciation for the style. We are back to riding together this spring, and after a winter of watching training videos, he's announced that he is in the market for a modern trials bike. Maybe, you should just go riding with your mates and show them what you can do. They may come along.

Peter, Glad to hear that you have figured it all out. If the bike still has the original set of reeds, you may want to consider replacing them with Boyesen Power Reeds and doing the recommended mods to the cage as well. It will require some more tweeking of the jetting, but I think that you will find it well worth the effort. I'm sure you can get plenty of help here on the forum to speed up getting the jetting tweeked. I went leaner on the main, richer on the pilot, and richer on the needle position. Pete

Hi Peter, I've read that the top ends can be interchanged. After looking at brochures for the two bikes, it looks to me that there is some difference that can be seen on the right side of the crankcase (http://www.yamahaty.com/english/brochuresen/1985en.html). As far as the flywheel goes, many of us who have the 350 have taken some weight off anyway. If your bike seems a bit slow to respond, take a look at the flywheel. If it still has the whole weight band (almost 7mm thick), then you may wan't to have some taken off. I ended up shaving 60% of the band thickness (25% of the weight of the whole flywheel). The original TY350 flywheel weighs 2.97kg and its part # is 46Y85550-20-00. You might be able to find OEM part # for the 250 in NZ. I can't seem to find it here ... we only had the 350 offered in the states. I bet the gearing is the same. Pete

Yeah. I wanted Talon sprockets and I ordered them from Trial UK, so I figured since I ride in so many rocks, I might as well go with the '86 sprockets. By the way, the two sprockets and the air-freight charge were still cheeper than going with the very-limited supply for these bikes here in the states. I would highly recommend these guys for anything light. The front brake cable mount is next on my list of things to do. I thought about going with the tubeless system ... maybe next year, I've spent enough that my wife is starting to notice! Speedo is probably safe, as I am self-employed with no disability insurance, and wrecks so far have only resulted in bruises—on me. I am practicing a lot in big rocks and boulder fields though, so it may be better if I take your advice. Thanks to both of you for your comments.

Hey everyone, Thought I'd add to this old thread. I bought an 85 TY350 last summer. It was in great condition and I had a blast with it through the fall with widened foot pegs as the only mod. This winter I found a second flywheel on ebay and had 60% of the band machined off (lightened the flywheel by 1.65 lbs or 25%). I installed Boyesen Reeds and did the recommended mod to the cage and re-jetted the carb. I sent the head off to Bob at BJ Racing for his modification. And while waiting for it to return I lowered the foot pegs by 1 3/8". I chose not to move them back, just down. I used Sherco's peg mounts as a model and beefed up the bottom of the mounts to add to bash plate area. I did have to lengthen the chain tensioner to clear the new peg mounts. I purchased new Michelins and successfully mounted the X-11 tubeless radial (with a tube, of course) on the old rims. The first try didn't quite get the bead set ... I stopped at 66 psi and the bead did not quite set. The next day, I used undiluted dish soap on the beads and took the psi up to 70. It was scary, but the beads set uniformly and I backed the pressure down to 55 psi and let it "rest" for 15 minutes of so. Then just kept bringing the pressure down by 10 or 15 psi over the next hour. It held and has held through several severe tests in the big rocks this spring. I ride at 5 psi and the beads have not moved at all. And the modifications have turned the rather staid machine into quite the performer. With my limited abilities, I'm very happy with the amount I took off the flywheel. It is very noticeable, yet controllable as well. I replaced the piston pin and small-end bearing (had some wear), and have purchased a new, old-stock piston for '74 DT 360. I'll keep everyone posted as I have the piston modified and give it a try. Here are a couple of pictures of the bike now.

Good for you. Too bad you are so far away (from Utah). I just met a neighbor (a few blocks away) that has a couple of 78 TY 250s. We went for a ride today on the opposite side of our valley. Beautiful day, sunny and 50°, but way too muddy. We stayed on county roads and still had a rough time. Nice to get out though ... blue sky is a wonderful thing! Hope you and your wife have a great spring ... tell Bob, from BJ Racing, hello for me if you run into him. He just finished doing a great modification on my TY 350 cylinder head.

Most comfortable boots—hell, shoes—that I've ever owned. I'm going to wear mine (under jeans, mind you) to a fancy event at Sundance Resort Thursday night. And my wife approves! Oh yeah, they are great to ride in too!

Thanks all. I'll try to work it into my regular talk at the local cafe.

Sorry to be the odd man out, but what the hell does blimey mean?

If you haven't already realized your not from everyone else's comments, let me just add that after 28 years off the bike and on many horses, my back was getting so bad that I could barely function. After six months of playing in the pasture on logs and rocks, and riding some pretty challenging trails in the mountains, I'm moving like a 47-year-old again. And for that I'm very grateful. And what a great way to convince your son that you are not dead yet.

I'm glad to be a supporting member of this great community of trials enthusiasts. I'm just getting back into trials riding after 28 years of some serious mountain horseback riding. I grew up on motorcycles. The last dirt bike I had was a gorgeous 1976 Bultaco Alpina 350. I brought it with me when I moved from the midwestern US to Wyoming and then to Utah. After a year or two here in Utah, I sold by Bultaco (just one of the more stupid things I have done), and bought my first horse. After more than 28 years of exploring our backyard (250,000 acres of public forest — including 44,000 acres of wilderness) on said horses, my back couldn't take it anymore. This last June, I found a pristine 1985 TY350 just 6 miles north. The fellow I bought it from was in his mid, to late-70s and had a total of 12 trials bikes! He's been selling two per year since a couple of years back. He was the first and only owner of the bike, and it was beautiful. Two weeks later, I sold my only remaining horse and have had no regrets. The TY isn't quite as classic as the Alpina. But it is a growler on our huge climbs here (three to four thousand vertical feet). The TY was right off the showroom (with a few dings and scratches) when I got it. But the 1980's graphics were a little much for me. So I made it a bit more tasteful (i.e. Spanish). See pictures attached. Can't wait to be part of your community of trials enthusiasts. I may be a bit long in the tooth for too much learning, but so far, I'm having a lot of fun just bringing back the muscle memory hidden deep. By the way, my wife and I own and operate a cheese farm and have enjoyed visits over the last several years from UK dairy farmers via Bay Farm Tours.