2 Strokes Down Under

Picked up a 67 YR1 350 on the weekend. Very few of these in Australia. The engine is in very good condition, after a few hours of going over the carbs, fuel tank and fluids, It fired up on the second lick. Got a spare tank with the bike and some other spares will be coming soon from the prior owner, including original chain gaurd. I took it for a 10k ride this afternoon. Bike runs very well and i love the sound, power delivery and road handling. plan is to just ride the bike and keep it running well. Down the track it will get repainted and chrome renewed. Merry christmas 2 me.

That's lovely, the LC looks Horn as well


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Very cool

That should a hoot .

Nice pick up - and it runs and rides.

Now for the resto .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrWoriY8OhI

"The YR1 introduced in Feb. '67 was Yamaha's first full 350 cc machine. Yamaha put all their engineering into this machine and although it was a little heavy, it proved to be very good.

The YR1 served later as basis for the TR productionracers and the engine design with horizontal split crankcases was adopted for all twin cylinder bikes in the future."

http://www.classicyams.com/yamaha-broch ... hures.html

" In 1967 Yamaha introduced a new model to their production line, known at the YR-1 Grand Prix. This motorcycle was the largest in the line that year, and represented a lot of firsts for Yamaha. It was the first 350cc motorcycle they had built. The engine was the first to use aluminum cylinders with cast iron sleeves, rather than all cast iron cylinders. It was the first to make use of horizontally split crank case, which made major engine work much easier. "

"This motorcycle, to put it bluntly, was a road racing engine and chassis, with enough lights and instrumentation added, to make it street legal. When taken to the drag strip it absolutely smoked 650cc triumph's, and pretty much everything else. "

http://www.classicjapcycles.com/the-sho ... grand-prix

The YR1 is a historically significant model. I don't know how widely recognised it would be as such, but it should be (and add to the value) - as well as been a hoot to ride .

Cheers ozzie lc. great addition to this post. As you might remember from a prior post i i was keen for a rz500 for my collection. Prices asked haulted me. The 67 YR1 in my mind is just as a significent a bike as the the 500 all be it the yr1 a rarer bike, I love it. It was also made the year i was born. Apparently there is no coincidence that in 1997 yamaha released the yzf1000 R1 using the R1 prefex again.
Unlike my tzr and rz this bike has a deep note and a linear strong torque curve. The engine is over square with 61mm bore and 59.6mm stroke. The ride to me is raw motorcycling, a real man and machine ride. I'm looking forward to putting some K's on it.

Very nice. They can't have given that one away...

I must be getting old. Normally, I'd look at that bike and think of the cafe possibilities. But to me, it looks right as is.

Now, where's my pipe and slippers?

You won't win any friends around here with thoughts like that Lowflyer


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Beautiful thing. Glad its gone to a good home!

Oooh that is a beautiful thing. Congrats Gman ya lucky bugger!!!
(And BTW you made the RIGHT decision going for this over the RZ500 (from one who's had one)!

Nice.

What sort of money??