CONVERSION
Whitehawk Yamaha TY 80
It never ceases to amaze me how just one man and his ideas can impact the world of motorcycle trials. In this regard, Sammy Miller always springs to mind, when he changed the world of trials forever with his move from the four-stroke Ariel to the two-stroke Bultaco in 1965. In my opinion, this is still the biggest ever gamechanger in the sport, relating to machines, that in effect put the first of the nails in the coffin of the once-mighty manufacturing of trials machines in Great Britain. In truth, it happened because they would not listen! In my 60 years on this planet, I have learned that if somebody wants to give you advice, listen – you may not follow it, but always listen. Sammy Miller went to the Bultaco factory, and they listened, which brings me nicely around to Mick Whitlock. Producing 25 more-or-less hand-built Beamish Suzuki frames a week with his small team of workers in the late ’70s brings its own respect. It made the motorcycle manufacturers sit up and take notice. So does the start of this article on the conversion of the world-famous Yamaha TY 80 into the Whitehawk; would you believe it was 40 years ago!
Words: John Hulme and Mick Whitlock • Pictures Malcolm Wells,
Mike Rapley, Whitehawk Engineering and Yamaha
The ACU Youth classes were still in their infancy in 1979 when Mick Whitlock was out watching two of the Southern Centre’s top adult riders at the time, Chris Sutton and Dave Clinkard, having a break in a practice session. Both riders were in the Beamish Suzuki Trials Team, and Mick knew them very well, having followed them through the youth classes into the adult trials world.
Dave’s younger brother, Andy, was on his summer holidays from school and took every opportunity to watch and learn and go practising. He had been riding in trials for two years and, at the age of 11, he was leading the ACU C Class British Championship on his Yamaha TY 80. It was a casual remark from Chris Sutton to Mick Whitlock about how Andy was outgrowing the TY 80: “Maybe you should look at making a frame kit for the Yamaha TY80 as the riders grow — maybe a conversion kit like you
have produced in the past for the Ossa and Sammy Miller’s Bultaco”.
The seed was planted in the innovative brain of Mick Whitlock. Maybe Chris Sutton was right in his thinking. The Yamaha TY 80 had introduced a huge, broad spectrum of young riders to motorcycle sport but there was no upgrade available.
SUMMER 1979
Mick Whitlock’s summer of 1979 would see a new dawn emerging as he used his vast experience of frame building to build the first Whitehawk TY 80 conversion.
A standard Yamaha would be the donor machine. He would still use the original bulletproof Yamaha engine, front and rear suspension, wheel hubs, fuel tank and other suitable cycle parts. Into the bin would go the standard frame, swinging-arm and wheel rims. It was quite interesting to note when speaking with Mick that the frame and swinging-arms went into a quarry scrap-metal hole in the ground and the wheel rims were recycled.
The new frame and swinging-arm was fabricated in Reynolds 531 tubing and carried the trademark Whitlock attention to detail in the way. It was put together and then chrome plated for a durable finish. The new frame incorporated new spring-loaded footrests, rear brake pedal and rod, a stronger rear chain tensioner arm and an aluminium sump shield protector. The cumbersome under-engine side stand located on the frame had been moved to the opposite side and was now mounted on the swinging-arm.