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Yamaha Announces Electric TY-E Trial Bike
You can hate it all you want, but there is no doubt electric models will play a role in all forms of motorcycling going forward. How much? That’s to be determined.
Yamaha announced today that they have developed the TY-E electric trial bike and are working toward competing for the first time in the 2018 FIM Trail-E Cup.
According to Yamaha, "the TY-E is an advanced development deriving from the company’s 'Evolving R & D' activities. The 'Evolving R & D' uses 5 percent of its working hours at the Research and Development Division, and at the discretion of its staff, is used as an opportunity to provide voluntary and autonomous activities for creating innovation while not being bound by conventional frameworks."
(Hmmm, sounds similar to this Exhaust website you're reading right now. Racer X is 95 percent of what we do, but we like being able to experiment over here.)
Yamaha adds with the Evolving R & D: "It is here that we focused on a trial model for competition and worked on its development to help overcome EV development problems such as high output from small sized and lightweight components, and the ease of riding that responds as the rider would intend.”
More from the release:
TY-E features include 1) a high rotation type compact high-power motor that achieves high off-road performance with both powerful low speed torque and extended acceleration, 2) motor control technology that achieves an excellent response and a power feeling from extremely low to high speed ranges, 3) a power unit equipped with a mechanical clutch that secures instantaneous power and control, and an electric motor and optimized flywheel that realizes excellent traction performance, 4) high-output of a newly designed compact high-output battery pack with compact and lightweight components, 5) a CFRP monocoque frame that is at the lightest possible weight, while securing optimal rigidity and battery storage space, and 6) extreme slim styling that does not interfere with dynamic rider action.
Yamaha says it will run on a lithium-ion battery and will weigh less than 70 kg (154 pounds). Here are more specifications:
| Overall Length x Width x Height | 2,003mm x 830mm x1,130mm |
| Wheelbase | 1,310mm |
| Minimum Ground Clearance | 350mm |
| Vehicle Weight | Less than 70kg |
| Engine Type | AC synchronous electric motor |
| Auxiliary Battery Type | Lithium-ion battery |
| Clutch Type | Hydraulic, Wet, Multi-plate |
| Frame Type | CFRP Monocoque |
Below is a cool feature map of the new model:
Could more electric models be coming from Yamaha? We'll see. R & D is evolving, no doubt!