STILLAWINNER

Many younger readers will ask the question “What is a Majesty Yamaha?” You will have to wind the clock back to the late seventies, when a very talented motor engineer named John Shirt Snr was working away in his workshop at Stable Lane in Buxton, Derbyshire, converting Yamaha TY 250cc models into world beating Majesty trials machines. This included boring out the 250cc cylinder to 320cc. Along with his good friend Mick Andrews, who needs no introduction, John Shirt Snr made the Mick Andrews John Edward Shirt Trials Yamaha into a world-beater. Never one to rest on his laurels Shirt Snr looked at the standard Yamaha TY 175cc and converted it into a Majesty, which is what we have on test here today. Yes it’s the same Shirt name, which moved from father to son with the mono-shock Yamaha models and then the success story which is JST Gas Gas in the present trials world.

The modern-day name

behind the Majesty Yamaha is Steve Martin, who is based in North Wales. I have known Steve for many years and if I am honest, it was good news that the Majesty name was now in safe hands for the future as Steve would continue to supply frame kits and components to the trials world. So let’s set the scene: you have had a standard Yamaha TY 175cc that’s been stood in the garage for many years and now you fancy a return to the sport you once loved but want something for the modern twin-shock classes found in abundance at trials at all levels. Yes, the standard model does look out-dated and old. It’s at this point where the new Majesty frame kit can be introduced to you.