2 Strokes Down Under

Over here (I grew up in Adelaide,I think the other states were the same)we had the standard 250cc learner restriction at 16 years old, thats why there are more 250's here than 350's. There was the odd 350 with 250 decals getting around I remember . I dont think I knew anyone who had their bike stolen back then, didnt seem to a huge problem.
Just about every young bloke (hoon) going from dirt bikes to riding on the road wanted a RDLC. then ypvs, or later RG,KR. Not too many got taken care of, just flogged with minimal maintainence.
In the seventies you still left milk money on the front fence for the Milko to deliver fresh milk. Stopped in the 80's and by the 90's it seems everything had to be locked up !

Gazzah wrote:Over here (I grew up in Adelaide,I think the other states were the same)we had the standard 250cc learner restriction at 16 years old, thats why there are more 250's here than 350's.

Yep, true in NSW as well.

The 250 were also helped in sales by 250 Proddy racing. Starting with the T250 and the DS6 it was 250 proddy racing that marked the rivalry of the manufacturers. Undoubtedly helped 250's acceptance and to overshadow the 350's in the sales. A poofteenth in performance and cheaper rego didn't hurt.

Gazzah wrote: I dont think I knew anyone who had their bike stolen back then, didnt seem to a huge problem.

Yep, true in NSW as well.

Although trail bikes would go missing and disappear into paddocks and suburban bushland if you weren't careful. Roadies use to go as Midnight Spares occasionally and the occasional roadie and RD's would end up on a race track or as race spares. But as you say, not a huge prob.

Gazzah wrote: Just about every young bloke (hoon) going from dirt bikes to riding on the road wanted a RDLC. then ypvs, or later RG,KR. Not too many got taken care of, just flogged with minimal maintainence.

Yep, true in NSW as well.

It is surprising how many riders I knew had a 2t trailie/enduro/mx, a UJM 750/1000 and a 2t s50 roadie for a fang on Saturday morning and maybe some club racing. The era of the do anything, ride anything, ride every day, work on and modify your own bike, Rider.

Yep good point OzzyElsie, 250 proddy racing was very popular, I remember huge feilds of RZ's,RG's ,KR's then TZR's and RGV's and the odd imported NSR. So many of the top Aussie racers got their start in 250 proddie racing. .eg Kevin Magee ,Mick Doohan would be two of the better known.

250's were popular in the UK, but when the LC came along they changed the learner laws for 17 years olds from 250 to 12bhp 125's... If you'd passed your test, why bother with the 250 when the 350 was better for a little more! So 350's outsold the 250's by a fair margin.
They were often piloted by idiots, so when they go smashed up, a roaring trade in parts was made.. often from stolen bikes.
Proddy racing was pretty big in the UK too, a cheap way to race on LC's and the like...

The UK Proddy racing scene was full of stolen bikes - filed off engine numbers etc. I remember at Cadwell once they announced that the engine and frame numbers would be checked at Scrutineering. Funny how half of them down in the program didn't turn up on the grid and i was witness to a mass exodus of Transits out the gate LOL

Gazzah wrote:eg Kevin Magee ,Mick Doohan would be two of the better known.

Gary McCoy and Matt Mladin


The Sultan of Slide


The most talented rider ever to come out of Australia (well after Greg Hansford) .

jools58 wrote:The UK Proddy racing scene was full of stolen bikes -

What, and they have been trying for years to say that they sent all the crims to Oz .

jools58 wrote: I remember at Cadwell once they announced that the engine and frame numbers would be checked at Scrutineering. Funny how half of them down in the program didn't turn up on the grid and i was witness to a mass exodus of Transits out the gate LOL

Ditto here, but it wasn't announced; the police would just turn up in the pits half way through the day .

(The worst offenders were the sidecar boys - almost 100% - he wasn't a passenger he was a procurer ).

Seriously OT now....

...back on track... another one on ebay, belongs to a member here:

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/RD250LC-YAMA ... 2a3864665f

Stop it, Jon... You're just teasing us now!

what is more popular 250 or 350 ??

I only ask as my ex race rolling chassis is going to get returned to the road.
It wont be original as it has wider spoke rims and an alloy swing arm.

but I have both 250 or 350 top ends i could use !!!

As I am in the process of saving up for some TZ750 crankcases (kerching) some of my bikes will have to go...........this will probably be one of them.

Depends on what you want I guess.... for me, 350... but that's just me. You could sell the bike as a 250 and then sell the 350cyls separate.

Ill take the 350 barrels

JonW wrote:Seriously OT now....

...back on track... another one on ebay, belongs to a member here:

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/RD250LC-YAMA ... 2a3864665f

That looks like too much hard work.
There was one that went for $540 last week, no tank pipes or brakes but otherwise all there with matching numbers.
Anyone on here get that one?
Wish it'd been closer to me, I'd have jumped on it!

I wanted that $550 as well, but bad timing, good value that was. This one on eBay now seems over priced for what's on offer.