Trevor Taylor: Riding Through Time
A Life-Long Passion With Yamaha Legends
The two-stroke era represented a time where motorcycle racers were regarded as superheroes, no traction control, no adjustable maps, just light switch powerbands and tyre technology comparable to bicycles of 2024. Trevor Taylor was bitten by the two-stroke bug, specifically old Yamaha TR and TZ racers, at a young age and has devoted his life to making sure there is a blue haze in the air for many years to come.
Trevor Taylor
I thought, why not make a collection of every single production racer
Trevor is the owner of possibly the largest private collection of Yamaha production racer in New Zealand, and quite possibly Australasia. And the good news for two-stroke enthusiasts is that Trevor hasn’t purchased all of these bikes to start a museum or make money, he has done it simply because he loves Yamaha and he wants to see them out on track.
Trevor’s two-stroke obsession started way back in 1973, building a replica of the legendary Yamaha TD1. From there he was hooked. “I thought, why not make a collection of every single production racer,” Trevor recalled. “Of course, no garage would be big enough to hold such a collection, so I cut it down to every significant change in Yamaha’s production racer line-up.”
“On of the things I like most about the Yamaha production racers is that there’s a lot of interchangeability. You can take parts from one bike and swap them onto another, so it made the collecting of bikes and especially keeping them running much, much easier.” he said.
Trevor’s timeline of racing two-stroke Yamaha’s is punctuated by marriage. His first stint was from 1973 to 1978 when he reached a crossroads, get engaged or buy a new TZ to keep racing. Trevor decided it was best to buy a ring and then continue racing later down the track. Almost 20-years later, he kick-started his love for racing and Yamaha’s, with the added goal of gathering the ultimate collection.
Trevor’s two-stroke obsession started way back in 1973, building a replica of the legendary Yamaha TD1. From there he was hooked. “I thought, why not make a collection of every single production racer,” Trevor recalled. “Of course, no garage would be big enough to hold such a collection, so I cut it down to every significant change in Yamaha’s production racer line-up.”
“On of the things I like most about the Yamaha production racers is that there’s a lot of interchangeability. You can take parts from one bike and swap them onto another, so it made the collecting of bikes and especially keeping them running much, much easier.” he said.
Trevor’s timeline of racing two-stroke Yamaha’s is punctuated by marriage. His first stint was from 1973 to 1978 when he reached a crossroads, get engaged or buy a new TZ to keep racing. Trevor decided it was best to buy a ring and then continue racing later down the track. Almost 20-years later, he kick-started his love for racing and Yamaha’s, with the added goal of gathering the ultimate collection.
For Trevor, it’s not all about being the fastest or winning races. Maintaining and working on his machines is a big part of his love for the Yamaha’s. His mechanical knowledge is extraordinary, with the later model two-stroke engines with reed valves being one of his specialties. He represents a different era of enthusiast, and can often be found machining and fitting parts that can’t be purchased anymore. Trevor keeps his bikes running thanks to skill, years of knowledge, and a brain like a Yamaha encyclopedia.
“Right from the very early time I started racing, it was just one-on-one, it was you against the machine but also, I was very mechanical and liked to work on the machines. It was just as much the effort you put in to make the machine go or be reliable as it was the riding. That’s what really kept me attracted to it.”
Running through a few bikes in his collection, Trevor speaks endearingly of one Yamaha in particular, the 1979 TR 350F or “low boy”, this particular bike became his favorite as soon as he bought it, and nothing has changed. A big highlight for Trevor about this model was the introduction of monoshock suspension. Much like its reed-valve system, Yamaha applied its motocross technology onto road racing bikes and set a new standard for production bikes worldwide. When you consider Trevor’s collection features drool-worthy 500cc and 750cc machines, the fact that the TR 350 F is his favorite further proves the amazing technology Yamaha packed into its low-capacity bikes throughout the 1970s and 1980s.
While he will be looking to move a few of his machines on in the future, the decision has already been made to pass them on to likeminded people. Trevor’s burning passion transcends his bikes to be more than just a sum of nuts and bolts but a beating heart and an extension of who he is as a person.
