Post-Sale Update: After 22 bids on eBay, this Yamaha TY 350 sold for $2,010.
In the late 60s, Yamaha made its first entry in a European trial championship in France with their 250 DT, a bike better suited for dual sporting. In 1970, the sales manager of a French Yamaha dealership was contacted by the current French trial champion and asked to develop a Yamaha trials bike. That creation eventually led to the Yamaha TY series – TY literally stood for “Trail Yamaha”.
Yamaha had a range of the TY’s, going from 50cc to 350cc. The United Kingdom only got up to the 250, which was apparently the better bike. Yamaha knew that Americans like bigger engines, but the added power arguably wasn’t worth the extra weight. Weight is the enemy with all motorcycles, but it’s especially the case on trial bikes. The TY 250 weighed under 220 pounds! Want to learn more about this or any other of the TY Series? By far the best resource on the web is Yamaha Trail.
This specific Yamaha TY 350 has been stored for at least 10 years, but has recently been given a clean bill of health and has a couple of shakedown miles under its belt. It has the perfect amount of patina, and the mileage is incredibly low – just 574 miles! We’re extremely partial to the interesting original mounting spot for the speedometer – check it out on the rear fork.
Find this Yamaha TY 350 for sale here on eBay with bidding at $650 and no reserve in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.