1996 Yamaha TY175 Trials
A Vintage Trials Bike?
Like the majority of my motorcycles my friend in Texas, Barry, was responsible for me obtaining this bike. He bought it, played with it for a short while and in 2011 he decided he wanted to sell it. When he bought it I asked him to let me know when he decided it sell it because I wanted it. There wasn’t a reason for wanting it other than I like the looks of it and just wanted it. Ah heck, that’s the best reason I know of for buying a bike.
Barry made me a heck of a deal. He would be going to NV with his brother, he would bring the bike and I would pick it up from him there. It worked out just as planned and he even bought me dinner.
The bike was loaded in the back of my pickup and I hauled it home, thrilled with it now being mine. As strange as it might sound I still haven’t ridden it. I look at it and admire the looks but don’t ride it.
Every year I make sure it gets ridden in at least one trials competition. I have a number of friends that are excellent riders and someone is willing to use it in a vintage event. I get to watch it perform and some gas and oil gets ran through it.
Maybe one day I will ride it. This is on the way home taking the scenic route through the Lost Coast in California.
About the bike
TY stands for Trials Yamaha. The 175 was introduced in 1975 and it’s a 175cc, twin shock, single cylinder, 2-stroke, with Autolube oil injection.
Cycle World Test Comments: “People often find themselves caught up in the “bigger is better” syndrome. The larger, stronger, more powerful, and more expensive something is, the better job it can do. Or so they think.
The TY175 Yamaha “Cat” will easily fit any rider shorter than a full six feet in height. Even though the advertising you may see will tout it as a youngster’s trialer, it has been endowed with enough of the basic trials characteristics to perform well with adults aboard.
The TY175 impressed us in several areas. First, it is extremely appealing to the eye. Second is the machine’s agility and third, its performance.
In trials terrain the true nimbleness of the TY shines through. This is a machine that, because of its light weight (185 lb. dry), can find its rider exerting too much force. The bike does not need to be heaved around in commanding form as do most 250s, but simply guided in the right direction.
While this is a bike that an adult can do well on, it should be a light adult. can easily handle heavier persons, but the suspension is suited to a maximum of about 150 pounds.”
This isn’t the first motorcycle that I bought that is actually intended for youngsters. I’m not much bigger than a 12-year-old so the “larger” kids’ bikes work for me.
It has a couple of features I really like. First, the oil tank swings out from behind the left side panel which makes it easy. The second is Yamaha has this bike set up so it can be used as a trail bike by switching out the seat, foot pegs, and foot controls that came with my bike.
The only feature I don’t care for is the side stand mounted on the right rather than the left side of the bike. It seems odd since I’m used to the left side.
There have been many compliments on this bike and I’m sure I will keep it for a very long time.