2 Strokes Down Under

That's not original, that's hard earned patina

It looks great Anthony. Do you know where it's been all those years? It was obviously in a shed somewhere, but somehow got plenty of sun as well?

The left hand side over is closest to my recollection of its original colour, gold.

The dents in the tank are a real shame.... I like the idea of keeping its patina, but I'd be pretty tempted to try and track down a straighter tank myself. They sent a lot of AC RD's to the U.S., so you do see tanks come up. (I don't think they ever sent LC's to the U.S.)

Any idea of it's mechanical condition?

Wow...thanks for all the great feedback, I'm really glad I joined this forum.
Guy I bought it from believed it to be a 350, I believe the tank is from a 350 and both side covers certainly are. After some checking it is a 250, with matching engine and frame numbers starting with 352. He was genuinely disappointed, feeling he had misled me and has since returned some of my hard earned to me...a nice gesture. He also said that it had last run a few years ago and my initial tinkering would seem to back that up. It has good compression and the oil reservoir was full, with no water or foreign matter. Fuel tank is dry and will require a POR15 kit, no probs there.
Brakes require attention and fuel / oil lines will be replaced. The rubber boot linking the airbox to the carbs is rock hard, but surprisingly the paper filter is in good nick.
So far no major surprises, given it has been sitting for sometime.
I wish the seller had more info. for me but that just adds to the fun of researching it.
The dents and wear tells the story of my RD and all I plan to do is write another chapter. Cannot wait to smell and hear that beautiful two stroke engine screaming, cheers A.

Nice pick up Ajs. Doesn't look like it has been used in a while. I like your idea of the clear coat to keep the now faded look. Buy yourself a manual and get familiar with it. Rd engines are simple to work on with basic mechenical knowledge and decent tool kit.
If i just bought that bike , i would first clean out the tank and line it. replace crank case seals, strip and clean carbs and petcock, pull head and barrells of to check piston bore clearance and ring gap, cleaning carbon of pistons and exhaust port whilst your in there. Take of mufflers and plug ends the of exhaust with a potato and fill with a coastic soda solution to remove oil and carbon. Change air filters, engine oil, 2 stoke oil and brake fluid. Once all that is done i would then check oil pump minimun stroke, replace the battery, change and set the points, replace spark plugs inspect and adjust brake pads and shoes. Inspect and chain & sprockets, cables and electrics. Now most important change the tyres and tubes. After all that is done i would take it for a ride and enjoy an rd 250, noting all the wrong noises, vibrations and other oddity's needing attention. ( This forum will help you allot with any info you may need. thanks for posting. Enjoy Your Yamaha

gman, cannot thank you enough. I've got a manual and yes I've set myself a list of tasks just as you suggest. I've set myself a target...ride my RD to the BSFOS at the creek in March, which is an easy 30 min ride from my place (as if anything to do with Sydney traffic is easy haha).
That's March 2016 and it may be a little ambitious but no two Stroke should be left sitting for long!
Cheers Anthony.

Good one anthony. All those things i mentioned will need to be attended to or atleast inspected. once you have done it take the bike to a good bike shop for a check over and a road worthy. Get it running right first then you can take care of cosmetics later. Any questions ask the good folk here. happy to help.

heres a photo of my 1967 yr1 350.( father of the RD) It sat in a museum for over ten year without being riden. I did all those above mentioned things over the first weeks of ownership. There was no rust in my tank so i did not line it. the points i just filed and adjusted rather then replaced. The big ones are new battery, crank seals, tyres and brake linings. Alot of the rest was just cleaning, adjustment and lubrication.

That's a nice looking ride gman...I'll be sure and keep you all posted of my progress.

Well you seem set on the finish so I applaud that, I would paint it... and secretly (dont tell anyone) I still think you will too in the end.

Excited that you will have this going for the BSFOS, Im tempted to head up there and see this stead if you do

Great to see you guys keeping these gorgeous old bikes in clean standard nick. There's so many of them all over the planet being cut up into racer/bobber/specials, (by people like me!) that in another 20 years, there'll be none of these left. Good onya.

There's been a super nice high pipe R3 on Bumtree for weeks now that someone here ought to snap up and ferret away.

JonW wrote:
Excited that you will have this going for the BSFOS, Im tempted to head up there and see this stead if you do

Yeah, I haven't been for a couple of years so definitely penciled in for '16. We'll have to have a little a "smoke in".

I'm up for a run to EC for the Bazza day.

ajs71: I don't know a lot about Air Cooled jobbies, but an LC can have a 250 engine number and still be a 350 by changing barrels and pistons. Have you measured the bore?

sounds like a plan... I dunno if i will have a bike to show off, most of my fleet is coming apart and being swapped about, but you never know

One thing... and it might put spanner in the 'originality' works. if the bodywork is 350 and the bike frame and engine number equate to a 250, is the bodywork actually original to the bike... sorry, had to ask... :/

It's only side covers that are different anyway isn't it?
And it's really just the badge in the end.

Haven't had a chance to get into the engine yet...slowly taking pics of everything as I pull apart / label, etc.
As for the BSFOS, my RD will be there. If it isn't ready to ride I'll take it on the ute.
Hopefully it will be ready to ride and with all the great advice I've received here and my recent vjmc membership I'll be giving it my best.
I'll start another thread specific to my RD and post regular updates there...
I'm new to this forum World and assume that is the thing to do.
Cheers Anthony.