Team Blue has announced their return to the FIM Trial-E Cup with the new Yamaha TY-E 2.0 electric trials bike.
In the world of motorcycling, trials bikes are easily the most niche two-wheelers on the market. All motorcycles are fun to ride, but trials bikes are basically built for fun and nothing else. They’re not comfortable or street legal (they don’t even have seats), they’re not designed to travel long distances (they’ve got the smallest gas tanks on the planet), and most of them top out somewhere well below 60 mph. They’re built for low-speed fun and precision control, and there’s just no better way to learn to wheelie, hop, and balance a motorcycle. Trials bikes also happen to make a perfect platform for electric applications, which is why we’re excited to see the folks at Yamaha have decided to update their electric trials bike, the Yamaha TY-E 2.0, for use in competition this year.
Overview: 2022 Yamaha TY-E 2.0 Electric Trials Bike
If you follow the FIM Trial World Championship, or just trials riding in general, chances are you’re familiar with the original Yamaha TY-E bike, which Yamaha introduced in 2018. Yamaha went all-in on their original TY-E, and had every intention of taking the 2018 FIM Trial-E cup that year, but sadly fell just shy of the title in the final round of competition. Since that time, the cup has been dominated by the Gas Gas’ TXE and Electric Motion’s Epure Race. With the new TY-E 2.0, Yamaha is getting back in the game, and from the looks of it they’re coming out swinging.
So what’s new with the 2022 model? Yamaha tells us there are three main updates for the TY-E 2.0 that they hope lend a competitive advantage this year. First is the updated frame: The 2.0 uses the same carbon fiber composite monocoque frame technology as the original 2018, but the new version is lighter than the previous while also optimizing overall chassis rigidity. Frame geometry has also been tweaked to give the new bike a “significantly lower center of gravity” according to Yamaha, which is always helpful for the kinds of highly-precise low-speed maneuvers trials competitions require.
In addition to the frame tweaks, Yamaha has also applied their latest lightweight battery technology, and claims that the new power unit boosts overall capacity by roughly 250% over the outgoing battery. According to Yamaha the new battery is also somewhat heavier than the previous unit, but the overall weight increase has been kept around 20%, which should also be offset somewhat by the updated composite frame.
Finally, the new Yamaha TY-E 2.0 also gets a modern electronic suite, which Team Blue says improves overall traction and control by reading subtle changes in grip and regulating the motor output accordingly. This system works in conjunction with the mechanical parts that have also been carried over from the original TY-E prototype like a hydraulic clutch and flywheel, which should improve rider precision and control.
2022 Yamaha TY-E 2.0 Specs:
| Overall Length × Width × Height | 2,003 mm × 830 mm × 1,130 mm |
|---|---|
| Wheelbase | 1,310 mm |
| Minimum Ground Clearance | 340 mm |
| Curb Weight | Over 70 kg |
| Motor Type | AC synchronous electric motor |
| Battery Type | Lithium-ion |
| Clutch | Hydraulic, Wet, Multi-plate |
| Frame Type | CFRP Monocoque |
