pmk Posted June 7, 2018 Report Share Posted June 7, 2018 Always liked the looks of those bikes. Never seen one in person and not even sure if many made it to the USA. How do they compare to the production bikes of the same ERA, such as the TY and MAR, plus more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Intotrials Posted June 7, 2018 Report Share Posted June 7, 2018 If I recall correctly, MAJESTY stands for - Mick Andrews, John E Shirt, TY it was the brain child of Mick Andrews and Yamaha importer (at the time) John Shirt Senior. I believe it was a stock TY that was modified & improved by these two guys, more power, different geometry, different seat & tank... Mick was heavily involved with the Yamaha factory and John was the UK Yamaha importer both form the Derbyshire area I could be wrong, somebody with more knowledge of the history of Majesty will correct me. I was just a school boy rider at the time and was getting coaching from Mick and my father was friends with John so I'm just going off my memory from when I was a young lad. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b40rt Posted June 7, 2018 Report Share Posted June 7, 2018 (edited) 10 hours ago, pmk said: Always liked the looks of those bikes. Never seen one in person and not even sure if many made it to the USA. How do they compare to the production bikes of the same ERA, such as the TY and MAR, plus more. Info on how to convert to majesty spec :- https://plus.google.com/photos/109171438807732712015/albums/5694268572989036097/5695714225111077714?banner=pwa&pid=5694606578210398034&oid=109171438807732712015 Edited June 7, 2018 by b40rt 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brewtus Posted June 7, 2018 Report Share Posted June 7, 2018 Some made their way into the States. I got a chance to parking lot ride a 175 Majesty a few years ago. Nifty and different (especially here), but I didn't ride it enough to compare it to anything. They'll pop up on Fleabay and Craig's from time to time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baldilocks Posted June 10, 2018 Report Share Posted June 10, 2018 John shirt will have been a dealer for Yamaha as I think the bikes came through Mitsui Yamaha 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trialsrfun Posted June 10, 2018 Report Share Posted June 10, 2018 http://www.yamahaty.com/english/tyusineen/majestyen.html Lots of Yamaha TY stuff on the above site. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shakennstirred Posted July 8, 2018 Report Share Posted July 8, 2018 (edited) Still a few 175s & 250s being ridden in my local classic trials. One totally unrestored and still the original owner. It's good to see them getting used and haven't become trailer queens like so many old bikes. Edited July 8, 2018 by shakennstirred 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbofurball Posted July 9, 2018 Report Share Posted July 9, 2018 If you have deep pockets, get Yamaha-majesty.com to build you a new (well, 90% new) one. Converting a regular TY isn't too horrible, but having additional changes beside the original can make them feel very much like a modern bike ... my TY is partly majesty-fied, it weighs 4Kg less than stock and handles very similarly to the 2004 TxT Pro I used to have. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
section swept Posted July 9, 2018 Report Share Posted July 9, 2018 On 07/06/2018 at 11:05 AM, Intotrials said: If I recall correctly, MAJESTY stands for - Mick Andrews, John E Shirt, TY it was the brain child of Mick Andrews and Yamaha importer (at the time) John Shirt Senior. I believe it was a stock TY that was modified & improved by these two guys, more power, different geometry, different seat & tank... Mick was heavily involved with the Yamaha factory and John was the UK Yamaha importer both form the Derbyshire area I could be wrong, somebody with more knowledge of the history of Majesty will correct me. I was just a school boy rider at the time and was getting coaching from Mick and my father was friends with John so I'm just going off my memory from when I was a young lad. Mitsui at Oakcroft Road Chessington were the Official Yamaha Importers, at least that’s where all my new stock (including the TY range) came from. John Shirt didn’t import Yamaha’s he would have to get his stock from Mitsui, as far as I know. Nice chap to deal with and a nice chap to meet to. Fowler’s of Bristol supplied the M/X and IT enduro Yamaha’s in a dealer/ distributor agreement ? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Intotrials Posted July 10, 2018 Report Share Posted July 10, 2018 13 hours ago, section swept said: Mitsui at Oakcroft Road Chessington were the Official Yamaha Importers, at least that’s where all my new stock (including the TY range) came from. John Shirt didn’t import Yamaha’s he would have to get his stock from Mitsui, as far as I know. Nice chap to deal with and a nice chap to meet to. Fowler’s of Bristol supplied the M/X and IT enduro Yamaha’s in a dealer/ distributor agreement ? Right, yes thanks for the correction, John was a Yamaha dealer. I remember Mitsui Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
section swept Posted July 10, 2018 Report Share Posted July 10, 2018 10 hours ago, Intotrials said: Right, yes thanks for the correction, John was a Yamaha dealer. I remember Mitsui Back then I was selling TY175’s for about £589 and the TY250 at £615, now look at the prices they go for now!!!? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giff Posted June 9 Report Share Posted June 9 Sorry but I realise this is an old post...but I have an old bike ! I have one of the original Majesty's that John Shirt built at his workshop just outside Buxton UK. It is bored out to 320cc and John built it to order. I was last ridden (by me) in about 1986 and has languished in my shed since then. Last year I decided to restore it and bring it back to it's former self. I did carry on riding Trials later than 1986 but on a modern Montesa mono shock. I think it's unlikely that I will ride the Majesty again in a trial, although I have seen and visited the vintage trials in France, and Mike Andrews has competed in them. ......but for now it's gone back under a cover in the shed ! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feetupfun Posted June 11 Report Share Posted June 11 On 6/10/2024 at 6:04 AM, Giff said: Sorry but I realise this is an old post...but I have an old bike ! I have one of the original Majesty's that John Shirt built at his workshop just outside Buxton UK. It is bored out to 320cc and John built it to order. I was last ridden (by me) in about 1986 and has languished in my shed since then. Last year I decided to restore it and bring it back to it's former self. I did carry on riding Trials later than 1986 but on a modern Montesa mono shock. I think it's unlikely that I will ride the Majesty again in a trial, although I have seen and visited the vintage trials in France, and Mike Andrews has competed in them. ......but for now it's gone back under a cover in the shed ! It's very nice to see an original Yam framed Majesty looking so beautiful. Something looked unusual and I've just worked out that it's that the fork legs and front wheel are fitted the opposite way to normal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giff Posted June 11 Report Share Posted June 11 Hi Feetupfun That's very observant ! I knew there was an issue as I couldn't fit the original speedo, and thought I had the front wheel in wrong way round, but the brake stay was in the wrong place 🤔 Now it makes sense that the forks are reversed. I did strip the forks down and fitted new chrome stanchions as they were quite pitted. I should have marked L & R ! Thanks for you reply 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greevesrob Posted June 12 Report Share Posted June 12 It looks just yours is the model before mine ie original ty frame modified. Mines a mk1 godden frame my grandad ordered it new from john in 1980ish and is a 320 as well. I've just started to sort it out as it's sat in my dad's garage for about 20 years. I have swapped forks and wheels to mono 1s but the others were seized solid 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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