At the moment I am going to run this as a technical blog until I figure out how to split the files into different sections for downloading.

How to date your TY175 Twinshock - Updated

This is based on year of original manufacture. Production usually started July/August of the previous year.

Engine and/or frame number all are 3 digits 'dash' 6 digits. Engine & frame numbers didn't always match but were usually fairly close.



525-0***** 1975 Model TY175B

525-1***** 1976 Model TY175C

525-2***** 1977 onwards Model TY175D/E/F/G

More details to follow



How to date your TY250 Twinshock

This is based on year of original sale. Production usually started July/August of the previous year.

Engine and/or frame number all are 3 digits 'dash' 6 digits. Engine & frame numbers didn't always match but were usually fairly close.

461-****** 1973-1975 TY250J Japan market model but a few have appeared in Europe. This model was essentially a TY250B released onto the Japanese market 2 years earlier than the rest of the world.

434-****** 1974 Model TY250A

493-0***** 1975 Model TY250B

493-1***** 1976 Model TY250C

493-2***** 1977 Model TY250D

493-3***** 1978 Model TY250E

We are not exactly sure what happened after this as we have never seen a TY250 with a number later that 493-3*****. The 1979 TY250, which would have been the F model had the black and red pinstripe on the fuel tank. All we have seen with this tank graphic had engine numbers starting 493-3***** and was for sale in the UK up until 1983.

No matter what you read elsewhere there was no such thing as a 1981 TY250H with different headstock, different brake shoes etc. I have traced it back to, I think what was a typo in an aftermarket parts suppliers catalogue and it has been copied by numerous other manufacturers since.

The only other possibility was it was a planned model that never came in to existence but parts drawings, and possibly parts had started to be produced for it. This was certainly the case with the 1977 Kawasaki KT250 model, that was planned with black controls and mudguards but the project was shelved at the last minute after some parts had been produced and these pop up on eBay every so often.

Of course I may be talking total bollocks and if you have any information to correct my comments the please e-mail me here