john b

Thanks for that! I'm sure it's carb related. My dad rebuilt the bike just before Xmas , all of the electrics were replaced but we only fired it up to check it was running (was a non runner when we got it). I'm sure it's a simple fix so I'll check the points (do you know what the gap should be ?) and strip and clean the carb. Whitehawk replica looks good ! my son is 8 (nearly 9) and he reckons it's his ty80, then either my Tl125 or montesa 172. he's been out on the ty80 twice now and can start, ride and stop an easy section so loves it ! Cheers John

Hi there Hopefully someone can give me a bit of advice on my son's TY80 It starts from cold no problem, choke on and first or second kick. Problem is when it's warmed up, it won't start. I've tried full throttle (as I would with a flooded engine) but that doesn't work either. If you then bump it, it starts no problem (within a couple of seconds). Leave the bike a while, then it starts no problem (ie - today after packing up, drove home (15 minutes) took the bike off the trailer - petrol on, choke on and it started first kick !!) any advice appreciated cheers John

Ringing Birketts is a good bet - they know everything scorpa ! Chronologicallly,the 4Ts went:- 125 introduced 2004 and available every year to 2008/9 143cc introduced 2005 - some problems with early ones on piston slap but this was solved quickly 163cc introduced 2007/8 - by far the best ! All of these have the same basic bulletproof aircooled engine. As far as prices, they start at around

Hi there Scorpa TYS125 4T started in 2004 (available December 2003) I had one of the first ones, kept it for a couple of years and it brought my riding on no end. Fantastic little bike. The next iterations were the 143cc and then finally 163cc - (confusingly named 175 and 200!) after selling my 125 in 2006 I went back to Scorpa and got a 2008 SY200 this year (which was really hard to find !) The last models are the 2008 - you will struggle after that. The main problem is availibility of bikes - no one sells them ! My advice if you can get a reasonable condition 143cc is to buy it and try it. It should be more than adequate for easy route trials. If you dont like it - you can always sell on and will lose no money. As regards power/weight, Im a bit ligther at 12 stone, but I would say I have a Honda TL125 which I trial, its got a bog standard 125 engine with all of 4bhp - but it grips tremendous mainly through being relatively 'underpowered' and predictable. My advice - buy and try !! Hope this helps cheers John

Ebay - Yambits do front and back mudguards. TY Trials also do everything for TY's. Side panel is hard to come by though. Hope that helps ! cheers John

Thanks guys I have checked the selector mechanism previously, did seem ok to me but I'll follow through your suggestions. I do trials regularly and there are a few people who are more mechanically minded than others. I haven't really asked yet, but now the Montesa has got to the top of the project pile (after the TL, and the most recent TY80 now ready and sent to Santa for xmas !)I might have to actively ask around, I just hoped from the post that there was the off chance that someone may have been able to help (and earn a bit of pocket money!!). It does seem a shame to junk the engine, it's on standard bore, I put new rings in and it runs sweet - just the gearchange !!!! cheers and thanks again John

I have a Montesa 172 with Gearbox selection problems. Will go into first, but will not change up ? I've done as much as I can think of to repair (and I'm fairly mechanically minded) to no avail. The bike is in really good condition and a shame just to leave standing. A couple of options I can think of....... 1 - Does anyone know of a business or individual (preferable in the North East of England so I could take the whole bike along) who could repair ?? 2 - Engine swap ? Thought of TY175, or even TL125 (CG 125 etc) - Any opinions (or even any suitable engines anyone has lying about they may want to sell !!) ?? cheers and thanks in advance for any advice cheers John

Agree that sometimes brand loyalty can affect objectivity in opinion ! I've bought and tried most over the past few years (with the exception on the 4RT - but have ridden a one) - and each in their own way was an excellent bike, but all in some way had faults. The SY200 is not without faults but for me the one I wan't to ride most. Out of interest - you've sold the Beta so moving to what ??

Appreciate the reply, I think we'll agree to disagree ! Respected someone you know had a one and didn't like it, I had one and loved it (and the SY200 is much much better than the old TYS125). Agree on the 'less is more' scenario - unfortunately most of the manufacturers seem to disagree for some reason.....only the Beta left with a new 200 now which is a shame. I still mantain trying one in a trial would improve an easy route rider, problem is now no longer any new ones..........RIP !! - and I'll keep my SY200 (and TL125) until I stop riding (and at 44 I hope at least another 26 years !!) cheers John

OK, so no 125 4T in the 2011 range - there were definitely plans up until around June this year when I checked with Birketts for a Yamaha Engined 125 (but definitely not a 163cc). Shame it won't be continued. To answer the questions:- "why would an importer promote a second hand bike that isn't much good anyway?"I don't understand the 'second hand bike ' ?? yes the engine is not new, but it is proven, reliable, adequate for beginner/clubman/trail - and for a manufacturer a cheap engine therefore economically viable to produce a trial/trail bike. "Isn't much good anyway" - from personal experience ?? my personal experience:- I had one of the very first 'trail' versions from Dec 2003. After a year of so of trials after many years of motocross, I was struggling with a Gas Gas Pro - the bike rode me, I got at TYS125 . The following year my results improved no end (that is statistically - I finished in the top 30% of class rather than the previous year consistently in the bottom 40%)- the bike was forgiving, never got me into trouble and was much easier to ride. A couple of years on the TYS125, then moved to a Beta 200, Scorpa 250, then Rev 3 250. After Stator and crankcase corrosion problems I looked for and found what I consider to be one of the best easy/clubman bikes ever available - a 2008 SY200 (163cc). After changing from the Rev 3 my results have not got worse. Thats my actual experience (not biased unsubstantiated opinion) on a bike that"isn't much good anyway......" I know this may be sidetracking the Ossa thread on here - and a fundamental step forward in technology it is - well done to them - but I do feel strongly about unsubstantaited 'off the cuff' comments. My thoughts as always..... cheers John

Why does logic say 2t in relation to 125?? 2010 models were advertised with sherco engined 125 as well as yamaha engined. My understanding was there would be a 125 4t but only 125, they would not do anything with the engine to lift to 163 as in the last 2008 models ?

Was it the Scorpa 125 2T or 4T Nigel was riding ? cheers John

I've just looked at your post again - I'm sure I rode round some of this years Nostalgia with you ? I was on a TL125. cheers John

Hi I had an intermittant spark on a one I've just rebuilt and I fitted an ignition tune up kit from TY Trials (points, condensor etc etc) from TY Trials which fied the problem straight away. John, the guy at TY Trials is very very knowledgeable on TY's as well so would offer advice cheers John

cheers! John

Thanks for that ! So take the small cover off then remove the pump, then remove the whole clutch side cover ? I have a blanking plate - I bought along with a fortune's worth of other spares ! .... but I'm sure Christmas day will be worth it cheers John

Hi The Oil pump on the TY80 I'm rebuilding is disconnected, but still in place. To remove, does it simply unbolt, or do you need to split the cases ? The pump itself has been removed but the driveshaft won't come out, and the driveshaft rotates with the engine ? Any help appreciated cheers John

Hi Great job - excellent bike I'm in the middle of a rebuild - I keep telling my 8 year old Santa might struggle to get a one for Christmas - can't wait to see his face on Christmas morning ! Quick questions - where did you get the blue decals from ? - they look good On the left hand side engine casing you have a black grommet covering the clutch adjuster - where did you get this from ? mine is missing cheers John

Well............ 3 days gone and second post for help on the TY80 Rebuild ! On the left hand side crankcases (flywheel side) below the carb there is a 14mm threaded hole which goes into the crankcases. On the bike I have, there is a plastic threaded piece with a small hose attached screwed into the hole ? On looking at the Haynes Manual, I'm sure the hole is for the 'indent plunger' which runs on the selector mechanism ? Any ideas why mine is as it is ? Apologies for no photographs - hopefully the TY80 gurus out there can figure out what I mean and advise ! cheers John Ps - my estimate by the end of the rebuild will be 20+ posts........and there's no way I can move Christmas day to accommodate any major problems !

Hi I've just aquired a TY80 which between now and the 25th December needs to be up and running, and looking immaculate ! First problem is that it won't start. It has an intermittent spark. It will spark a couple of times, miss a couple, spark half a dozen, then miss again etc etc. The spark itself is very strong. Another question on the choke. Should the choke lever stop both up and down ? The one I have will push down, but springs back up ? Any help much appreciated - I'm sure this is the first of many posts ! cheers John

Hi Rather than the cylinder head, more likely the impeller seal, or more likely (and costly!) the cases corrode and water seeps through (common problem - happened on my 2008 250 that I had from new) - have a look through the Beta forums - theres loads of info about it. It's easy and cheap to change the impeller seal, just drop the water out, take the cover off and then the impeller. You will easily be able to tell if the cases are corroded - they look like a lump of cheese ! If youre lucky there is a temporary solution with liquid metal. Hope this helps ! cheers John

Just to add my comments.... I has one of the first TYS125's in the country (Dec 2003) and rode it regularly (30+ trials a year) in the North East Centre for the next two and a half years. Fact was - my results improved dramatically from my previous bike (a brand new GG Pro which was my introduction to trialling after Moto-X). After then riding a Scorpa SY250 and Beta 250 I have recently sourced another Scorpa, one of the last SY200 (163cc). I snapped it up, and will keep it and keep it. Simplicity and ease of riding means I won't be changing now after selling the Beta. My opinion on Scorpa 'going bust'. People would buy (and did) the SY250, however the engine was only produced for Scorpa by Yamaha and expensive, therefore prices went up and effectively the bikes became too expensive in comparison. If the engine prices had been reasonable and therefore bike prices the same as mainsteam Gas Gas/Beta/Sherco then Im convinced Scorpa would be in business still. The little 125 was a victim of this, and could not survive. I'm sure Scorpa could have marketed better and possible priced much lower for the little 125 (the Yamaha 125 engine is produced and sold in tens of thousands, therefore engine costs should be low). As far as seeing any competing - you certainly will be seeing one in the North East Centre on a regular basis (mine!)- and certainly over the past few years I have seen them regularly in the North East anyway. There will be a Scorpa 125 in 2011 with the Yamaha engine - but only a 125 and not the uprated 163cc Summary from me (with experience) There is a market for the 125 as has been proven. I have and still do see them regularly competing The 125 improved my results (fact) and I guess would for a lot of people. The world in general would be a more boring place if everyone rode state of the art 2T hopped up blinged latest bikes - Scorpa was different and the trials world was a much better place for it ! My thoughts as always.....!!! cheers John

Hi Haven't had a response to the request for regs yet from Kendal. Anyone out there kind enough to PM me then I'll pass on my email to email a set ? cheers John

Emailed today to hopefully get some regs sent ! When I get some the'll be posted back by return ! Is it the weekend 13th August ? cheers John

Thanks Gordon cheers john