The Yamaha TY-E electric trials dirt bike made a huge impression on Yamaha fans and the motorcycle community in 2019. But is it really as good as Yamaha claims it to be? Will it be as legendary as Yamaha’s gas-powered dirt bikes?
We all know Yamaha as the motorsport giant behind one of the most popular high-tech liter-bikes in this generation — the Yamaha YZF-R1. Like the R1, the Yamaha TY-E electric trials dirt bike may prove another major milestone in Yamaha’s goal of creating legendary bikes. The Yamaha TY-E is also Yamaha’s first and only purely trials-focused electric motorcycle.
So what makes the Yamaha TY-E electric trials dirt bike different from already established trials bikes such as Kuberg’s Challenger, OSET’s 24.0 RACING, or Electric Motion’s Epure? Aside from applying Yamaha’s well-honed motorcycle development pedigree, this is the only bike proven and tested in a real trials competition.
Who Is Yamaha? A Brief History of Outstanding Dirt Bikes
The history of Yamaha dirt bikes began way back before you were even a twinkle your old man’s eye.
In August 1954, the Yamaha YA-1 was made. It was a two-stroke 125cc enduro bike. In July 1955, Yamaha Motor Co L.t.d was founded. It now maintains its own exclusive factory called the Nippon Gakki Hamakita Factory.
It was only in 1968 that Yamaha produced its first dirt bike. The DT-1 was a 2-stroke 250cc Enduro bike known to be the world’s first true dirt bike. It was an exciting and hugely successful bike which garnered a lot of interest in the USA.
The company went into hibernation in the 1970s and 80s, then re-emerged in the 1990s.
In 1996, AMA changed the rules of competition to allow larger 450cc four strokes to compete against the dominating 250cc two-strokes. This encouraged Yamaha to create the YZ400F in 1997 on which Doug Henry won an AMA Supercross event (for the first time ever) in Las Vegas. This was a big deal and a game-changer. Yamaha pioneered as the creator of the new generation of four-stroke motocrossers that we know today.
Yamaha TY-E Electric Trials Dirt Bike Overview
The all-new Yamaha TY-E electric trials dirt bike comes from the Japanese brand’s evolving R&D program. By “evolving” we mean Yamaha is constantly making changes to their dirt bikes’ design as every result from each test comes. The TY-E is currently in its promotional or developmental phase, and not yet available to the public.
The Yamaha TY-E production model will be a large-sized standard style electric trials dirt bike built mainly for off road trials competition. A trials dirt bike is a lightweight, tankless, and seatless variation of a dirt bike used in short off road trials or stunt competitions.
Despite Yamaha not yet revealing this bike’s full specs, they’ve released a few details on the TY-E regarding its components. Based on the info Yamaha released, a high rotation-type compact electric motor equipped with a mechanical clutch will power the Yamaha TY-E. This will be paired with a high-output battery pack mounted to its carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) monocoque frame. A monocoque frame is basically a single rigid frame that supports load by distributing tension equally across its body.
Yamaha also plans to equip this bike with an “extreme slim styling that does not interfere with dynamic rider action.” Basically this means balancing out the high speed output from the bike’s small-size and lightweight components with stability and controllability.
Where Would Yamaha TY-E Fit in the Market?
The Yamaha TY-E’s first noticeable difference from its peers — Kuberg’s Challenger, OSET’s 24.0 RACING, and Electric Motion’s Epure — is its size. The TY-E is much bigger and thicker than these bikes and with that comes a sturdier build. Judging from its performance in the trial E-Cup, it also probably runs with a much stronger motor.
When Will the Yamaha TY-E Electric Trials Dirt Bike Be Released to the Public?
Given that Yamaha hasn’t yet released a statement on the Yamaha TY-E electric trials dirt bike’s release date, we’re not too sure when exactly we’ll get our hands on the bike. They are however promoting the bike to enthusiasts and this probably means that they plan to release it sooner or later within 2020.
For now, the bike is primarily built for extreme trials competitions and they’re in the process of further developing the bike to better suit regular riders. It may be a while before we can actually get hands on the bike. But given Yamaha’s active focus in its post-competition development, it’ll probably be worth the wait. If we had to guess, riders should expect a price around $5,000 USD.
Mud Bike’s Take on the Yamaha TY-E Electric Trials Dirt Bike
Yamaha has always been extremely popular in the motorcycle world for their exceptional bikes and high-tech components. Now since the Yamaha TY-E is their first and only trials-focused dirt bike ever manufactured, it may be a little harder for them to grasp the exact feel and performance of an heart-winning trials dirt bike. Here’s hoping the Yamaha TY-E electric trials dirt bike will reflect Yamaha’s established quality and performance, and maybe steal the spotlight from other brands.
