Hey
- Thread starter TC
- Start date
TC
New Member
Hey, thanks, Mr. Cookie, a build thread will have to wait, as I am no quicker than a three toed sloth. I am not timed by a stop watch, but rather a calendar.
Mr. Ard, here is the story of how these mechanical heartaches became mine. About 15 years ago, a fellow at work said he had a cycle he wanted to sell, and I, as it were, was looking for something to play with ( a fixer upper kind of thing)...So off I went, to the next county east of me, to view this bike. In the rose bushes sat a 1978 SR500. Instantly I flashed back to ads that I saw in Cycle magazine touting the narrow classic single cylinder road bike. Very little time passed before I shelled out $320 and loaded the beast into my truck. Put the bike in the basement,( did not have a garage at the time) and began cleaning a screwing with it a bit. Removed and honed the cylinder, had a valve job done, new rings. New tires and a battery, and rode it, for about a year ( 3 months here in Maine) That next winter I geared it up a bit with new sprockets and a chain, as 65 mph was about as fast as was comfortable without getting "buzzy". I will tell you that I am a bit large for this bike (6'4" 260 lbs) and was a little self conscious as I rode. Several years passed and the same guy that I acquired the Yamaha from said that he had three Suzuki 750's and wanted to make one rider out of them ( For the record this guy is a mechanical genius, but kind of lacks the common sense part of decision making). I was continually asking how he was coming on the project and it was not really progressing. So I asked if he would be interested in trading the SR for the GT's and a Volkswagen that he had. Sure, he said and there it was I traded 1 running bike for 3 non running ones. (Who has the common sense now?) upon looking at the VW I just said keep it, it was to far gone to mess with. Chapter 2 ( you still with me?) The GT's. One is a 72 (with the coveted 4ls drum brake (rough, engine is free) the other 2 are 73's ( with the double disc harrow brake) and enough rotating mass to have its own atmosphere. One is really rough but the engine is free and the other is kind of rough, free engine, the last is the one I have running, kind of. I took it for a test ride after cleaning the carbs, installing a battery, and other prep. What a smoooth power band, with stock pipes and air filter this bike is like velvet when under load. But smoke! Lord almighty, it looked like they were choosing a Pope behind me. So now I have to pressure test the crank case to see if the crank seals are bad (something pretty common, I hear). Chapter 3, The SR returns. Last summer I asked the friend that had the SR if he had done anything with it. Nope he said, it was sitting out back of his house, and it would not run, well, this made me feel bad, and I asked if he wanted to sell it. He said he would never do any thing with it, and I could have it. Got it back, the cheap quarter fairing I had put on it was broken, super bike bars I installed were rusted, clutch was stuck, and all the polishing I had done was, of course corroded. That was this winters project, got it running changed the oil several times to get the moisture out, disassembled the clutch to free that up ( still an issue, it sticks if it sets, frees up after you run it a bit). Chapter 4, the R5. An older gentleman I knew bought this bike new many years ago,(1972?), ran it for years, got tired, he tore it down sent the tins to a body shop to be painted, and removed the engine. A number of years passed an his boy took the motor and put it in a go cart, never to be seen again. The body shop went out of business and the tank and side covers, never to be seen again. He knew that I liked old two strokes and he said he would give me the carcass if I wished. I could not say no, it was a roller, so I stripped it down and sand blasted an sealed the frame. Just on a lark, I stopped at a local bike repair shop in a neighboring town (RIP, Phil, I miss thee) and asked if there was any R5 or RD350 engines around, he pulled one out and said $350 and I bought it. Took it apart, wrist pin bearing was bad, probably needs over bore, might try to put a reed valve top end in if I can find one.......So that is it, my motorcycle story.....ain't you glad you asked?
TC
Mr. Ard, here is the story of how these mechanical heartaches became mine. About 15 years ago, a fellow at work said he had a cycle he wanted to sell, and I, as it were, was looking for something to play with ( a fixer upper kind of thing)...So off I went, to the next county east of me, to view this bike. In the rose bushes sat a 1978 SR500. Instantly I flashed back to ads that I saw in Cycle magazine touting the narrow classic single cylinder road bike. Very little time passed before I shelled out $320 and loaded the beast into my truck. Put the bike in the basement,( did not have a garage at the time) and began cleaning a screwing with it a bit. Removed and honed the cylinder, had a valve job done, new rings. New tires and a battery, and rode it, for about a year ( 3 months here in Maine) That next winter I geared it up a bit with new sprockets and a chain, as 65 mph was about as fast as was comfortable without getting "buzzy". I will tell you that I am a bit large for this bike (6'4" 260 lbs) and was a little self conscious as I rode. Several years passed and the same guy that I acquired the Yamaha from said that he had three Suzuki 750's and wanted to make one rider out of them ( For the record this guy is a mechanical genius, but kind of lacks the common sense part of decision making). I was continually asking how he was coming on the project and it was not really progressing. So I asked if he would be interested in trading the SR for the GT's and a Volkswagen that he had. Sure, he said and there it was I traded 1 running bike for 3 non running ones. (Who has the common sense now?) upon looking at the VW I just said keep it, it was to far gone to mess with. Chapter 2 ( you still with me?) The GT's. One is a 72 (with the coveted 4ls drum brake (rough, engine is free) the other 2 are 73's ( with the double disc harrow brake) and enough rotating mass to have its own atmosphere. One is really rough but the engine is free and the other is kind of rough, free engine, the last is the one I have running, kind of. I took it for a test ride after cleaning the carbs, installing a battery, and other prep. What a smoooth power band, with stock pipes and air filter this bike is like velvet when under load. But smoke! Lord almighty, it looked like they were choosing a Pope behind me. So now I have to pressure test the crank case to see if the crank seals are bad (something pretty common, I hear). Chapter 3, The SR returns. Last summer I asked the friend that had the SR if he had done anything with it. Nope he said, it was sitting out back of his house, and it would not run, well, this made me feel bad, and I asked if he wanted to sell it. He said he would never do any thing with it, and I could have it. Got it back, the cheap quarter fairing I had put on it was broken, super bike bars I installed were rusted, clutch was stuck, and all the polishing I had done was, of course corroded. That was this winters project, got it running changed the oil several times to get the moisture out, disassembled the clutch to free that up ( still an issue, it sticks if it sets, frees up after you run it a bit). Chapter 4, the R5. An older gentleman I knew bought this bike new many years ago,(1972?), ran it for years, got tired, he tore it down sent the tins to a body shop to be painted, and removed the engine. A number of years passed an his boy took the motor and put it in a go cart, never to be seen again. The body shop went out of business and the tank and side covers, never to be seen again. He knew that I liked old two strokes and he said he would give me the carcass if I wished. I could not say no, it was a roller, so I stripped it down and sand blasted an sealed the frame. Just on a lark, I stopped at a local bike repair shop in a neighboring town (RIP, Phil, I miss thee) and asked if there was any R5 or RD350 engines around, he pulled one out and said $350 and I bought it. Took it apart, wrist pin bearing was bad, probably needs over bore, might try to put a reed valve top end in if I can find one.......So that is it, my motorcycle story.....ain't you glad you asked?
TC
cyclefreak
Over 1,000 Posts
Great story. Glad Rich Ard asked as well.
TC
New Member
Mr Yinzer, I have a great affection for the RD 350, as it was the first motor cycle I owned. Up to that point, a friend had a CB 350 that he let me ride on occasion. Imagine the difference when I went to the used bike dealer and test rode an RD. The sales man warmed it up for me, and then told me to try it out. Now, I had read articles about the RD, but was totally unprepared for what was about to unfold. Turned onto the road and twisted the throttle, (you know, the same way I did with the CB), and up went the front wheel, and I am not talking a little controlled wheelie, nope, this was wild and high, and I just barely got it gathered it up....Hit second gear, and it turns out, I learned nothing from first gear, as the front wheel again clawed it's way to an altitude that I had no real control over. Thankfully, I managed to get it gently back to earth as well. My buddy, who was standing with the salesman at the time and had witness this tomfoolery with him, turned to the salesman and said, "you just sold yourself a bike"
tc
tc
VonYinzer
Over 10,000 Posts
TC said:
You'll find that there is no shortage of Yamaha two stroke love on this forum. I started out on the Honda 350 for the most part as well, and still respect the sheer usefullness of the breed. But like yourself, it only took one ride on an RD to change my mind about what small twins rule the road. I had a beautiful little RD200 that would run circles around my Hondas.
Now I have an R5 tracker in the works and enough spares for another possible project at some point. The RDs are pure fire and fury. Cant beat 'em.
