The engine had a bore and stroke of 72mm by 60mm and two 24mm IRZ 4G dual-needle carbs, and the bike a 6-speed gearbox. The cranks were spaced at 360° so both cylinders fired together but they could be reset at a 180° interval if needed as Taylor thought the engine could be used for road racing too. The engine was forward facing in the chassis at Taylor’s demand for his preferred weight distribution. Giro did this by using two 250cc Ossa Pioneer top-ends, inclusive of the pistons, cylinders and heads, two seperate crankshafts which ran on ball bearings and connected by a central sprocket, in a joint two-cylinder engine case. The engine designed by Eduardo Giro, was a modified twin-cylinder 460cc Ossa road race engine turned into a 488cc dirt bike engine. Taylor wasn’t ready to give up on his American Dream, where many would have folded, John Taylor forged on. When the bike was finally in production, the import price of the Ossa engine doubled as a result of the Nixon administration abandoning the gold standard and in turn devaluing the dollar. They had also just been rocked by the death of their star rider, Santiago Herrera, at the Isle of Man TT. However, it took 4 years before Ossa got the Yankee 500Z into production in 1971, this was because they were chasing Grand Prix ambitions of their own. The first plans were shown to the press in 1967 and the first prototype built in 1968. Taylor used his connections for this as he was the official Ossa importer for the US.
Ossa was the small Spanish firm commissioned to build the drivetrain for the Yankee.
It took a lot of persistence and many years before the Ossa Yankee 500Z was to be produced and to fulfill Taylor’s dream. It would be the bike for everyone and every purpose. Taylor had a dream and that was to build an American big capacity enduro bike capable of competing against the European motorcycles and bring it to market. He came close to owning the Bultaco factory in Barcelona. He was responsible for Bultaco producing the popular 200cc (250cc and later 300cc) Matador street-scrambler for the U.S market. Taylor was an entrepreneur making his money from importing bikes into the US.
The story starts with motorcycle importer John Taylor and the Ossa Yankee 500Z would become what he is most infamous for in the motorcycling world. Is the Ossa Yankee 500Z a good investment?.Buying an original or restoring Ossa Yankee 500Z.It has a fantastical story and while short lived it is still worth delving into this American motorcycle. As with all Lots in the Sale, this Lot is sold 'as is/where is' and Bidders must satisfy themselves as to the provenance, condition, age, completeness, and originality prior to bidding.The Ossa Yankee 500Z is possibly one of the most obscure motorcycles that ever existed.A potentially competitive mount in 'Twin-Shock' trials, this attractive machine would respond well to careful detailing. We are advised by the current vendor that this particular MAR had been treated to a 'last nut and bolt' restoration by the previous owner in Kent prior to its purchase by him in July 2019. The MAR put Ossa on the trials map with a vengeance and proved so successful that it remained in production until the late 1970s. Then only 23 but already a proven winner, Andrews set about developing Ossa's existing trail bike into a competitive trials mount, a process that culminated in the MAR - Mick Andrews Replica - that carried its creator to consecutive European Trials Championships in 1971 and '72. In a bid to emulate the latter's competition successes, Ossa hired English trials star Mick Andrews in 1967. Nevertheless, the off-road market was by far the more important for Ossa, as it was for local rivals Bultaco and Montesa. Founded in 1951, the Spanish firm of Ossa first achieved worldwide recognition when works rider Santiago Herrero came close to winning the 250cc World Championship in 1969.
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