Newbie and HELP PLS! with TY250B

[Tomkah]

Hi everybody,

Thomas here from Brisbane. I am new to this and just bought my first trials bike, a 75 TY250. I bought it off Ebay and it's a USA import. It's quite clean with a nice patina but the months in the container have killed the fork springs. They only manage to push the legs 50% out of the tubes. There is some sort of air valve system hooked up to the top but I doubt that pumping it up is the thing to do? Can anybody help with 2nd hand springs or suggest something aftermarket? Cost is always an issue so I would like to keep that low.

For the future I would also require a rear chain guard, a r/h side stand and a headlight assembly including ears.

If anybody wants a copy of a TY250 repair manual on pdf, drop me a line.

As for the bikes, I also have a couple of ITs, an XT250 (HL500 twinshock replica), XT550 (Eddie Hau replica), XT600 (XT600 radical replica) and TT600...OK, I like Yamaha...

Cheers,

Thomas

[TriCub]

Quite often back in the seventies it was quite popular to use air pressure in the forks. They didn't come stock like that on the TY but may have been modified.
If it has air valves fitted into the fork caps that will be what is happening. Pressure varied form as little as 10psi up to 40psi.

[David Lahey]

New aftermarket springs are available for those forks, but they are not cheap. You shouldn't have too much trouble finding second hand springs, because I've heard of plenty of people buying the aftermarket ones. I actually like the standard TY250 springs and use them in my KT250, as well as in a few Yamahas. I tried the B&J Racing TY250 fork springs in TY250 forks but found them to be a bit too stiff for me and went back to standard TY250 springs.
Are you in Germany or Australia? I will have a look for a stand.

[Tomkah]

Hi guys,

thanks for the answers. Even if my forks are set up for 'air support", the springs should still push the legs out of the tubes without help, shouldn't they? At this point I am trying to establish if they are stuffed or if that's how they are supposed to be.

I had a similar setup on one of the ITs but I thought the valves were there to release built up pressure...I may be wrong, happened before.

I live in Brisbane but I am originally from Germany, moved here 10 years ago.

Cheers,

Thomas

[horde]

Hi Thomas,

If your looking for springs, try these guys : http://www.themagicals.co.uk/

I have bought a set of springs for my TY250B, but not yet fitted. A handful of members on various trials forums said they improved the TY - you may wish to research this yourself.

Hope this helps

Lachlan

[TriCub]

Some of the air conversions actualy took the spring out completly. The Maico MX machines from the late 70's and early 80's had springs with only minimal tension then added the air on top of that, without air they sage down quite a lot.
One advantage with the air was the ability to change the rate of pressure increase on fork compresion by altering the oil level in the fork. The smaller the air space left at the bottom of travel and hence greater pressure. This was like being able to quickly change spring rates for different track conditions.
One of the draw backs was an increase in seal friction with the extra internal pressure.
I raced a Suzuki RM250 in the mid 70's that had the full air conversion(no springs) and from memory it was quite good after everything was sorted.

[Jon V8]

Hi Thomas,

If your looking for springs, try these guys : http://www.themagicals.co.uk/

I have bought a set of springs for my TY250B, but not yet fitted. A handful of members on various trials forums said they improved the TY - you may wish to research this yourself.

Hope this helps

Lachlan

You beat me to it ! I was going to suggest these springs too. I had a ride on an early 247 Cota fitted with them at our trial last sunday.The first thing I mentioned to the owner was how plush the forks were - he told me they were new Magicals,he was really pleased with them too.Although I know Craig Mawlem,(He does ride our trials) who owns Magicals,I have no business connections with him,it was just a coincidence that I rode that bike.

[Tomkah]

Thanks again, everybody. What can I say...a puff of air out of the compressor and we have liftoff! Not sure what the ride will be like, still getting acquainted with the rest of the bike.

Still looking for a headlight assembly, r/h side stand and rear chain guard.

Thanks,

Thomas

[riffraff]

Hi guys I purchased this of Thomas. I can't get these to take any air at all...any one Gotta an idea on what to do. Am wondering if this can be reversed?