Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1037465
YAMAHA T Y-E PROTOT YPE FIRST IMPRESSION P112 Y amaha's TY-E trials bike sits on a paddock stand in a small Belgian quarry looking like a Tokyo Motor Show concept machine. Showcasing Yamaha's design and technology expertise, you'd be excused for thinking this is the sort of proto- type no one ever actually rides. However, you'd be wrong to make that assumption. In much the same way Valentino Rossi's MotoGP bike pushes boundaries in a quest for world titles, so this highly developed prototype is built with one goal in life—to win the Trial-E world Championship. It is hard not to be visually impressed by the saucy, blue hue swathed across the TY-E. Essen- tially anything you can see that is looking a rich blue color has the state-of-the-art SixONy Nano-film coating applied. That includes front and rear fenders, swing- arm, steering and triple clamps, engine cases and covers. RACE-BRED PEDIGREE Mr. Kouichi Tsuji, Senior General Manager of Yamaha Motorsport Development Division, stands beside the TY-E at the very small press test in Comblain-au-Pont, France. Though you might be used to seeing Tsuji-san stand- ing next to MotoGP riders on po- diums or pit garages, he's just as involved heading a strong TY-E project team behind Kenichi Kuroyama's attack on the 2018 Trial-E World Cup. Kuroyama, a multi-time winner of the Japanese Trials Champi- onship, was tipped to ride the TY-E in the Trial-E Cup in March 2018. Putting his knowledge and skills as a former top rider in World Championship trials to- ward the TY-E's development. As the project progressed forward so too did the aims of the team to take on the Trial-E Cup title. At the first round in France held in July, Kuroyama clinched a brilliant win on his and the bike's competition debut. With only two rounds counting in the championship, Ku- royama went into the final round in Belgium ranked first but with just a three- point lead. Kuroyama got off to a good start, but his 13 marks total over two laps put him in second at the end of the round by just three points, leaving Ken tied on points with his main title rival. With regulations placing prior- ity on the final round, Kuroyama and the TY-E finished their Trial- E Cup debut campaign as the runners-up. To Yamaha's great credit and our surprise, that same bike is in exactly the same setup and condition as it was when Ku- royama got off it and walked to the TrialGP podium the previous afternoon. Now it's my turn. B Y J O N P E A R S O N • P H O T O G R A P H Y B Y F U T U R E 7 M E D I A I S T H I S Y A M A H A ' S