# Curb find Yamaha YS-240TB “Ricky”



## Brent (Jul 31, 2019)

Just found and brought home a new to me snowblower tonight. Yamahas are pretty rare around here (Minneapolis). 

These seem to be pretty unique:
Electric chute control
On board battery electric start 
Hydrostatic drive
Vertical shaft engine
No belt drives

Unique usually means expensive. So I’m not sure where this is headed. Plus my wife isn’t too happy I added a fourth and fifth (free Toro CCR2000) snowblower to the stable today. Quick internet search yielded little information and lack of user or service manuals. About all I know is it turns over freely, auger drive cable is loose, and the chute is disassembled. Here’s some pictures.


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## ST1100A (Feb 7, 2015)

Back in their day the Yamaha was a competitor for Honda. They were both excellent heavy duty rugged machines and the Yamaha did a good job for itself.
Years ago Yamaha decided to pull out of the American market with their power equipment. Even their generators were built very well.
I remember 20 years ago when our dealership had them and when we sold them dirt cheap just to get rid of them when Yamaha stopped dealing with them in America, those machines are still running today like they were still new. They were built very well back then, they were built a lot like the Honda's were, so if you can get it running and find parts for it, you should keep it.
You can still find parts for them but it is harder in the USA, you would want to check with a Canadian dealership or a European dealer, but you should still be able to find them, just not as easy as when they were sold here in the USA.


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## Ziggy65 (Jan 18, 2020)

Great score, can't believe someone would just leave it out at the curb. 

Easily worth $500.00 in my area for parts alone, especially for someone named Rick, Richard or Ricky :smile2: .

Several Yamaha experts on here can answer your questions. Yamaha is a highly respected machine here in Canada, hope you can get it running and please keep us up to date on how you make out.

Mom might not be thrilled, but looks like the youngster sure is.


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## Coby7 (Nov 6, 2014)

If you get really stuck for parts contact these people.

https://en.impex-jp.com/catalogs/snow-blower/yamaha/yu240.html


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## Brent (Jul 31, 2019)

Thanks for all of the responses. When I get some time I’ll see if I can get it running and what it needs. Hopefully the transmission is good and there’s nothing major. 

I’d love a scanned copy of the operator’s manual and/or service manual if anyone had one.


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## tdipaul (Jul 11, 2015)

Thats going to clean up nice

Your son will make a ton of $ with it next year


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## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

nice machine. a keeper in my book.


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## tabora (Mar 1, 2017)

Wow! You lucky devil, that will be a nice machine when it's back on its feet... errr, tracks! Here's a link to the parts diagrams: https://www.cmsnl.com/yamaha-ys240tb-snow-blower-1990_model9668/partslist/
I wonder if it is this one:* Yamaha YS240TB "Ricky" $300 OBO* 
Yamaha YS240TB "Ricky" located near Minneapolis

_For sale Yamaha YS 240 TB snowblower. I am the original owner. Comes with owners manual. Motor, transmission and auger drive oil changed annually. 12 volt light, chute rotation and electric start with on board battery. Starts and runs fine. The transmission sometimes bucks and momentarily stalls, but resumes when the transmission lever is moved. There is a post on this site regarding this issue that can possibly resolved with a linkage adjustment. Located 20 miles west of Minneapolis, will not ship. Email [email protected] with questions or pictures. $300 or best offer, cash only please._


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## Brent (Jul 31, 2019)

tabora said:


> Wow! You lucky devil, that will be a nice machine when it's back on its feet... errr, tracks! Here's a link to the parts diagrams: https://www.cmsnl.com/yamaha-ys240tb-snow-blower-1990_model9668/partslist/
> I wonder if it is this one:* Yamaha YS240TB "Ricky" $300 OBO*
> Yamaha YS240TB "Ricky" located near Minneapolis
> 
> _For sale Yamaha YS 240 TB snowblower. I am the original owner. Comes with owners manual. Motor, transmission and auger drive oil changed annually. 12 volt light, chute rotation and electric start with on board battery. Starts and runs fine. The transmission sometimes bucks and momentarily stalls, but resumes when the transmission lever is moved. There is a post on this site regarding this issue that can possibly resolved with a linkage adjustment. Located 20 miles west of Minneapolis, will not ship. Email [email protected] with questions or pictures. $300 or best offer, cash only please._


Thanks! That’s great information.


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## BreathingMeat (Dec 18, 2021)

I hope no one minds me resurrecting an old thread...

I saw one of these "Ricky"s for sale locally and thought it was interesting (for the same reasons given in the original post), but I've never used a snow blower with tracks. I'm wondering, how hard is it to make a tight 180 degree turn with this particular tracked model? Any input would be appreciated.


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## Darkwoods (Dec 25, 2020)

Looks pretty cool. Nice find.


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## English_Cat (Sep 1, 2020)

BreathingMeat said:


> I hope no one minds me resurrecting an old thread...
> 
> I saw one of these "Ricky"s for sale locally and thought it was interesting (for the same reasons given in the original post), but I've never used a snow blower with tracks. I'm wondering, how hard is it to make a tight 180 degree turn with this particular tracked model? Any input would be appreciated.


I rarely say this, but that Ricky might be something to pass on, unless it's in good shape and priced right. It's a great machine, top of the line back then, but that particular model is somewhat difficult to get parts for.

Tracked snowblowers of this age need a 3pt turn, but you can man handle lift them too.


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## BreathingMeat (Dec 18, 2021)

English_Cat said:


> I rarely say this, but that Ricky might be something to pass on, unless it's in good shape and priced right. It's a great machine, top of the line back then, but that particular model is somewhat difficult to get parts for.
> 
> Tracked snowblowers of this age need a 3pt turn, but you can man handle lift them too.


Thanks! That's exactly the sort of feedback I was looking for.

I've got a suburban corner lot with a lot of sidewalk and a short, but wide, driveway (so a lot of back and forth). I'm in the market for a new (to me) 2-stage that can handle the slop at the curb cuts, but is also less effort to use than a shovel. Figured there's probably been some advances in drive technology over the past 30 years since the Ricky was introduced.

I'll still check out the Ricky for sale, but I'll try to keep my romanticism in check.


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## English_Cat (Sep 1, 2020)

BreathingMeat said:


> Thanks! That's exactly the sort of feedback I was looking for.
> 
> I've got a suburban corner lot with a lot of sidewalk and a short, but wide, driveway (so a lot of back and forth). I'm in the market for a new (to me) 2-stage that can handle the slop at the curb cuts, but is also less effort to use than a shovel. Figured there's probably been some advances in drive technology over the past 30 years since the Ricky was introduced.
> 
> I'll still check out the Ricky for sale, but I'll try to keep my romanticism in check.


You can certainly use the age and parts availability in haggling, but for those in the know, that snowblower will be on par with anything you buy today(Given a handful of concessions)


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## NOS (Dec 3, 2021)

I used to raid the Yamaha bin for parts to put in Honda engines.....
Even if its junk there is so much good stuff in Yamaha power equipment they are worth pushing home to strip.

Yamaha is a funny company.
Like Nissan they could do some great stuff, but then they get complacent, think they have done enough to justify the price and they get caught with their pants down.
They are the quickest jap company to pack up and go home after grasping defeat from the jaws of victory.
I think they make a better small engine than Honda but they lack the resolve to push on.


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## BreathingMeat (Dec 18, 2021)

NOS said:


> I used to raid the Yamaha bin for parts to put in Honda engines.....
> Even if its junk there is so much good stuff in Yamaha power equipment they are worth pushing home to strip.
> 
> Yamaha is a funny company.
> ...


...but can Honda make a piano that's worth a darn? Nooooooo. 

Seriously, it may have something to do with market share. Suzuki makes some fine motorcycles, but compared to Hondas and Yamahas, their products _look_ a bit rougher. They just don't sell enough units to take advantage of more advanced manufacturing techniques. I don't even want to get into their adventures in selling 4-wheelers in the U.S. market, though the Suzuki Samurai is still much sought after in some off-roading circles.


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