[ZackAttack]

Picked this little gem up on the weekend. Gotta love a 2 stroke

 

[EBBO]

Runs well?
Best switch your fork legs around.

 

[Hawk]

Born and raised on 2Ts and love them.And that is lovely

@EBBO - presume you are calling out that the calipers are in front of forks? If yes, that is period correct

 

[EBBO]

@Hawk to be more clear, shouldn’t those fine calipers be positioned on the inside of the forks not the outside? 🤷‍♂️

 

[esq'z me]

Picked this little gem up on the weekend. Gotta love a 2 stroke

She looks to be in great condition !!
We didn't get that color scheme in the USA. Is it a 1975 model?
I have a 350 version that I restored from a basket case. Love the Yamaha RD !!

Runs well?
Best switch your fork legs around.

That's the way it is built...old school before the engineers figured out better to have caliper behind. Can't switch these. None of the mountings will work. Have to buy later model lower fork tubes.

 

[ZackAttack]

Runs well?
Best switch your fork legs around.

Runs very well for a 48 year old bike. it’s a little smoky but nothing major, the brakes are horrible. I don’t think it’s been ridden or ran for quite a while, I believe it was eye candy in a shop before I got it.

 

[ZackAttack]

She looks to be in great condition !!
We didn't get that color scheme in the USA. Is it a 1975 model?
I have a 350 version that I restored from a basket case. Love the Yamaha RD !!

yes she is very tidy and indeed you are correct 1975 model. I also picked up a 1974 RD200 she’s a little rough and in need of some love, missing a few bits and is low on compression.
I am in the market now for a 350 and a 400 to complete the set

 

[ZackAttack]

 

[esq'z me]

My 1975 RD350B "Portuguese Orange" in the USA, The '75 RD250 was white with red stripes....what color was the Aussie '75 350 ??

 

[ZackAttack]

Nice bike, looks more red than orange. I've seen them in the same black/blue as the 250. I think by 75 there were a few different options for color though.

 

[esq'z me]

Not in the USA. One color only. Here's another shot....it is definitely ORANGE.

 

[ZackAttack]

Yep, that's orange

 

[esq'z me]

USA market only got one color of each model starting around 1968 or '69.

RD350s were red with white tanks in '73, red with black horizontal stripe in '74, and orange with the swoop strip in '75.
The 250s were Blue with white in '73, brown with a white horizontal stripe in '74, and white with red swoop stripe in '75

 

[ZackAttack]

I could be wrong but I don't think Australia saw the RD350 until 73 and they were red or burgundy possibly

 

[Triplefan]

I could be wrong but I don't think Australia saw the RD350 until 73 and they were red or burgundy possibly

In NZ they were all burgundy, so probably Australia was the same. And I believe '73 was the first year. Prior to that we had the R5.

 

[ZackAttack]

So, did a little digging on the 200, the engine is 1975 and the frame is 1977

 

[ZackAttack]

Found the source of the low compression, cylinders are out of round max allowable is 0.01mm mine are 0.03mm. Looks like a rebore is in order.

 

[esq'z me]

I could be wrong but I don't think Australia saw the RD350 until 73 and they were red or burgundy possibly

RD350 was released globally for 1973.
1972 R5C and DS7 were the last of the piston port 5 speed 350/250s.
I should have said Burgundy, not Red.....deep red color.
USA doesn't/didn't always get the same paint schemes as other markets.
And the real agony was Canada, just north of us, got the RD350LC before us, and we never got the RD500 or any other 2 strokes after the RZ350. 😕

 

[ZackAttack]

@esq'z me what's the parts scene like over there for RD's?

The 200 has incorrect oil tank and side cover. Possibly due to the later model frame.

I think the later models have a differt shape to the early models.

 

[esq'z me]

Parts can be found, and some re-pops are available, but some stuff is scarce. You have to be patient and scour the internet religiously.
The 1970 ~ 1972 R5 350 and the DS7 250 in 1972 do have different shaped tanks and side cover/oil tank from the RDs. Also meters. Otherwise they are pretty similar and share a lot of parts.

I found a good selection of oil tanks and side covers on eBay in a Google Search. You can see the difference in shape in the photos.
If you find something you need but the seller won't ship to OZ I will be happy to assist.