Yamaha TY250 CAT

[tat ty]

Bloody hell ... Just looked at those photos ... Maybe I need to give him a tub..... Nah ...not quite spring time yet ....

[David Lahey]

Alastair, I've recently acquired an A model with a bashplate that looks a lot like the one on your A model and had assumed that the bashplate was home-made. Is yours a proprietary item?
Photo showing bashplate and probably makes your bike look pretty clean

[brent j]

Does anyone remember the Yamaha TY250 CAT.

It was a TY250 with a Yamaha made kit to turn it into more of a trailbike.
I seem to remember they had a longer seat and the pegs were moved forward and down.
I'm sure there were other things but they escape me

Brent did you see them in Australia back in the day?

I've never seen one in the flesh Dave, I read about the kit in an American magazine back in NZ in the 70's, (yes I'm one of those but don't worry I'm a paper Australian now)

[tat ty]

Bash plate on mine was made by fellow SHATTER rider Greg Henry. The pattern came from a lightweight steel aftermarket plate made by a company called " Speed and Sport" in the US.

Gary Boniface had a piece of super duper aluminium with lots of numbers on it indicating strength, verified by the straining noises made by Greg's fabricating equipment.

It wraps around the cases perfectly.

[tat ty]

I did post a magazine article a couple of years back detailing the background to the trail kit.

Apparently (in the US) when Yamaha launched the B model, they had a huge surplus of A models sitting because the trials riders of the day were all holding off for the B model introduction.

A bit of customer research revealed at least half the A models out there were being used by farmers and Sunday trail riders.

All loved their bikes but griped about the "measly little seat and cramped riding position".

So the trail kit was produced and marketed specifically with the remaining A models to that demographic. Got rid of the surplus to the riders who weren't looking for trials related features.

Was a 1 off so not common in AUS.

[Guy53]

You'r right about the surplus of A model in USA and Canada. The Canadian Yamaha distributor was dumping them.

[tat ty]

I see the blue bike has achieved a $3K bid on eBay. Doesn't surprise me at all.... Very tidy machine.

[David Lahey]

I see the blue bike has achieved a $3K bid on eBay. Doesn't surprise me at all.... Very tidy machine.

Only 45 minutes to go and still only the one bid

[tat ty]

But indeed 3 bids, 2 bidders and $3550.

Surely the trail kit has had some influence. I must have known all those years ago.