Hi everyone!. I'm new to this forum and TR1 world. My question is about details of the European and US models. What are the differences exept the cylinder bore dimensions? What about parts availability of both models? Is it reasonable to buy US model living in EU?
Thank you very much.
Greetings from Estonia.

Hi
Thanks for response.
So nothing comparable with Yamaha SR500 service I'm used to. I suspected that to be honest. TR1 is too old to have parts available and too young to have wide aftermarket production like 40's 50's classics. I own wartime BSA aswell that is quite well covered with replica parts altough quality is quite poor sometimes.
There is one XV920R for sale in my region but I havent seen it yet. I tend to prefer Eurpean version. Could it be bossible that petrol tank is bigger on TR1 or there is mistake on that website:
https://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/model/yamaha/yamaha_XV1000%20TR1%2081.htm
https://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/model/yamaha/yamaha_xv920r%2081.htm

Hi there,

even though admittedly the aftermarket support for a XV920R or TR1 is nowhere even remotely close to what you can get for the SR/XT500 series, the situation is not quite as dire as Triwinger made it look. But admittedly you may end up buying some spares "for later use" every now and then, just because they pop up. That being said, I personally wouldn't shy away from a 920R, just because it's not an original EU-bike. That being said, the cylinders and pistons are different to the TR1, which at first glance is a bad thing, but also a good one, because there's 1.5mm more room for the headgasket and I've heard a lot less about leaking headgaskets on 920ies from my mates in the states than in this forum with TR1s. (No worries there's fixes for that as well, but still...) The starter system of the 920 sucks. It's as simple as that and now, drumroll please, in all honesty, so does the one for the TR1, compared to other bikes of the era. With that out of the way, starter gears are still available, which are usually pretty chewed up and new heavy gauge cables and proper batteries go a long way to turn the whole situation from why won't it start into, meh those starter gears sound awful but it starts every time. Also: if you insist you can convert a 920R to the later TR1 (or even better late XV1100) starter system, which with a good power source and a well adjusted carb actually starts like any other bike.

If you go through this forum and look at the kind of stuff that's being posted and which questions are recurring items, you'll get a pretty good idea that there's nothing fundamentally wrong with this bike and they can still be dailied. A couple of typical good upgrades include: Overhauling the brakes (stainless steel brake pistons are available) with some steel braided brake hose and going for a 14mm brake master, fitting a different rearshock (various options) as the original one is a bit mushy once the air-bladder is broken, wider bars improve the handling a lot and yep that's pretty much it... (I'll leave out the recommendations for various consumables.)

Hope this helps a bit
Greg

Hi there,

once you stand in front of it, it will become apparent where the "double SR500" comparison comes from. Yes, it is a physically much larger bike and yes, it is A LOT more civilized than the old thumper. (I ride a SR500 sidecar during the Winter months and the difference is quite staggering.) All XV1100 years will work as far as cylinder, crank and pistons are concerned. Just be aware that they are usually pretty worn, so if you plan to do a more substantial amount of miles, plan for having the cylinders rebored to the first/next oversize as from the factory the cylinders were bored very close and sometimes over the wear limit right from the get go.

You can also go with XVS/BT1100 cylinders, pistons and rotating assembly, but this will come at the cost of substantially more work* to make them fit.

*some of it being boring the engine cases for thicker liners and making you own spacers for the camchain tensioners, etc.

Hi Jürgen. That is a long time. I was 9 years old on 1983. How many TR1-s you have consumed during the period?
What is the rpm to speed relation on top gear with one tooth less on the back?