Yamaha TY-E 2020 — Specifications

At ten thousand euros, can one seriously consider purchasing a motorcycle devoid of any official power figures, displacement, or even maximum speed? For Yamaha, the answer is a clear and resounding yes, because the TY-E is not intended for the general public. It is a pure competition instrument, a precision weapon dedicated to the premier discipline of trial. Launched in 2018 to defy the laws of gravity in the very first FIM Trial-E Cup, this electric machine is first and foremost a statement of intent, a rolling laboratory on two wheels that paves the way for the future of silent off-road riding.

Its very existence is the result of a unique internal philosophy at Yamaha, the "Evolving R&D" program. Imagine engineers having 5% of their working time to indulge in crazy ideas, with no direct link to their usual projects. It is from this fertile ground that the TY-E emerged. The objective was clear and ambitious: to create a competitive electric trial motorcycle, overcoming the classic challenges of the segment. It was necessary to miniaturize, lighten, but above all to generate monstrous torque and instantaneous response, qualities vital for chaining obstacles in balance. The result is this technical work of art weighing barely 70 kilograms dry, a feat made possible by a CFRP monocoque frame of extreme rigidity, housing a compact, high-efficiency battery.

On paper, and especially on the ground, the recipe is devilishly effective. The high-revving electric motor is coupled with a mechanical clutch, a surprising but brilliant combination. This allows power to be dosed with surgical precision and to obtain instantaneous traction, like with a thermal machine, but with the perfect progressivity of electric power. The flywheel has been specifically optimized to further improve this delicate adhesion. For test rider Kenichi Kuroyama, who rode it in 2018, it is the assurance of a consistent engine character and absolute controllability, essential assets in competition. The ultra-thin bodywork, designed to never hinder the rider's movements, completes this philosophy centered on pure efficiency.

Compared to its thermal competitors such as GasGas or Montesa, the Yamaha TY-E offers a radically different experience. The absence of noise and vibrations completely changes the relationship with the terrain, allowing for total concentration. The torque available from the first turn of the wheel is a decisive advantage on the most technical sections. However, its price of 10,000 euros and its status as a race prototype reserve it only for professional riders or enlightened amateurs with an unlimited budget. It is clearly not a machine for beginners, but rather the Holy Grail for the experienced trialist seeking the most advanced technology. Announcements for a used Yamaha TY-E are rare, and more recent models, such as the 2020 evolutions or the TY-E 2.0, follow the same laboratory competition logic.

So, what is the price of a Yamaha TY-E electric trial motorcycle? It is the price of excellence and exclusivity. Ten thousand euros for a concentrate of cutting-edge technologies that has paved the way for a whole generation of electric machines. Since its appearance in 2018, and through its variations up to the 2024 and 2025 models, the TY-E has proven that silence can be a formidable weapon in trial. It remains a symbol, a living collector's item that demonstrates that with boldness and a little time stolen from conventional projects, one can reinvent the rules of the game.