Yamaha TR-1 - Good Vibrations

Yamaha's TR-1 emerged at a time when motorcycle launches - especially from Japanese manufacturers - was an almost weekly affair. With its traditional looks and lack of graphics it would be easy to overlook and many people did; but that would do the bike a dis-service.

yamaha tr 1

Based around 981cc V-twin, the layout looked almost like two Yamaha SR500 engines in a common crankcase, but it was so much more than that. Packaging a V engine is always hard as 90 degrees is the optimum angle yet makes the chassis quite long. Yamaha decided on 75 degrees as the best compromise between length and vibration and got their sums just about right.

Responsible for many aspects of the TR-1 was Englishman, Bob Trigg. Having formerly been part of the team that developed the Isolastic rubber mounting for the Norton Commando – so you could say he was a vibration expert! And having that link to Europe, the design team incorporated such traditional items as a close-fitting rear mudguard, easily accessible toolbox, remote rear suspension adjustment and a fully enclosed rear chain which vastly reduced chain wear.

Sporting Yamaha's "Italic" wheel design, the TR-1 was kind of halfway between a traditional styled machine and a cruiser. And with just 70hp (51.5kW) available it was swift rather than fast. A 750 V-twin cruiser was also offered by Yamaha called the XV750 and weirdly this was shaft drive compared to the chain of the TR-1 which is counter intuitive. However, the 981cc twin was a workmanlike package even if it did not set the world on fire.

Today - thanks to the engine configuration and that chain drive - many TR-1's have been used as a base for shed builds but a good few unmolested examples survive. So, if you want to experience the characteristics of a traditional, understated Japanese built V-twin then sample the TR-1. At CMSNL we have a wide selection of a related model, the XV1000 , genuine parts so let us help you keep those luvvin' good vibrations going!