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I wasn't certain of the difference berween the V11 engine & the later Griso engines, but threw the idea out there. Pete's explination closed off that possibility though.

Looks like you had covered that potential problem with new gaskets anyhow.

Can't wipe the stupid grin off my face after buying this old smoker. It's gonna be a fun resto mod this winter.attachicon.gifIMG_0310.JPG

Hi, is it a five or six speed gearbox? I ask as the RD250 sold in the UK had a five speed box, folk soon found out it actually had a six speed box but Yamaha had blanked sixth off. It seems that at the time the UK felt six gears gears was a sign of a machine with a narrow power band which would have affected sales, no problem thought Yamaha and fitted a wider blank that normally stopped the drum rotating from top to first gear. Once they started to get requests for the narrow blank (off the previous year bike) they soon moved onto six gears. I did the mod and added the new part along with with fitting a smaller gearbox sprocket. I heard of folk who just took out the old blank but did not fit the new part and.........soon forgot and shifted from sixth to first!
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It is a 5 speed. I believe it's pre 6 speed gearbox though...

 

@Jerry. It is tempting to do some porting work. In the end I'll probably just do an expansion chamber and jets.... who knows though?.

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Before doing too much work, crack detect the barrels. An easy way is to leave them soaking overnight in diesel, wipe dry and cover in chalk dust (grind up your kids blackboard chalks), any cracks around the ports will be obvious. Cracks also show up when you bead blast, after you have spent money on the blasting of course.

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Good point!

Just went for a little spin its around 51(f) outside today. I suck horrendously at kick starting bikes! When I did get her fired though! I think I'm in love. This little thing is a riot.

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Everybody should hold a live plug wire at least once in their life. Czakky, it is your solemn duty to initiate your younger brother.

 

 

Ooh.  It's been a long time.  I think it even had points and a coil.  I wish I could say it was the worst shock I ever had, but it wasn't.

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  • 1 month later...

I once crashed my v11 and scraped off the insulation on the plug cap. I rode it around like this for awhile as I waited for parts. Anyway I was out for a spin and she had a minor stumble so I reached down to check the caps and forgot about the lack of insulation, that woke me up.

Also while doing a final check on the R5's timing I somehow found the positive while touching ground, while the points opened. I feel like I've been initiated!

Unfortunately I never did get to initiate my little brother. Smoky, loud, fast things (sort of) are not his thing.

 

This little bike is really a lot of fun. I just can't help but feel like a juvenile delinquent circa 1970 something.

 

I think I've got her pretty well sorted. Timing is good I went through the carbs and played with the jets.... a lot. Went through the very simple electrics. A little cleaning a little buffing. She's running good not making too many strange noises.

 

It's at the point now where I need to decide what direction to take it.

To me the "Cafe Racer" thing is played out a bit. I love em but I dont think I've got the $ to do a proper respectable job.

Then there is a restoration. I love to see cherry old bikes but then I can't help but think, I wouldn't ever have the self control to not flog that thing every chance I had! Plus I just don't have the patience for detail, worse yet I seem to have the eye because I notice it all.

Then there is the daily "patina queen" thing which she already has going and is sort of fitting for 70's 2t. But it seems so effortless.

My last idea and probably my favorite is a period hop-up. I.e. period expansion chambers, period suspension mods and budget willing period wheels etc.

For sure I will be upgrading suspension. I like the idea of minor tuning with chambers and possibly mild porting. The thing is she runs good now and it'd never be as fast as a reed valve RD350 (not that absolute speed is my goal but I digress...).

 

You guys are a wise bunch what are your past experiences with old bikes? Regrets? Thoughts?

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These high-strung 2-strokes must really, really need zero ethanol fuels?

In WI it is real easy to get "Recreation fuel" which is 91 octane no ethanol. So honestly I never tried. Plus I doubt I'll ever travel too far with this bike, it's more of a quick 20-100 mile runner.

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I know a kid that tried to shut off a Gravely garden tractor by peeing on the spark plug.. 

but I digress  :) too.

My take..

They are only original once. I have everything to restore my Monza, but have had second thoughts..

26498174416_3845eeb991_c.jpg2016-04-19_10-47-45 by Charles Stottlemyer, on Flickr

I think I will leave it, warts and all. Some day, the Kid can decide whether to restore it or not.

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When I lived in Western NY a family friend had one like yours.  Road raced his all over the place till he crashed and put a few holes in his lung.  Sorta ended his racing exploits.  Anyway, he discovered you can drill a 1/4" hole in each of the indentations of the baffles and it REALLY helps them breath without adding to the noise.  Not sure what he had to do after that for jetting but you might start there before you spring for a set of expansion chambers.

 

I would concentrate more on suspension and tire upgrades.  You can spend more money there than what you paid for the bike.  

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[quote name="JRD" post="222954" timestamp="1500046489

 

I would concentrate more on suspension and tire upgrades. You can spend more money there than what you paid for the bike.

 

That and chambers are atleast $600 a set!

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Then there is a restoration. I love to see cherry old bikes but then I can't help but think, I wouldn't ever have the self control to not flog that thing every chance I had! 

 

You guys are a wise bunch what are your past experiences with old bikes? Regrets? Thoughts?

 

My first bike was a 1972 CB 350-Four. A few years ago I found another, very clean one. It was not nearly as fast as I remember it being... Everytime I rode it I just wanted to flog it, and decided that was a bad idea. Couldn't bear the thought of modifying such a sweet original bike, so I sold it to a collector.

 

I like the period-mod idea, but I might not even be worried about being period-correct. Do a functional-mod-with-patina and enjoy it. If you feel like restoring it, do it over the winter.

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  • 5 weeks later...

These followed me home the other day... I found somebody that makes some cool looking semi period rearsets. CB400f handlebars and some other minor bits here and there.

 

Of course I just got her running correctly with stockish setup.

IMG_0436.JPG

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  • 4 months later...

If I asked the two-stroke guys about Staburaugs lube I probably wouldn’t get an answer.

 

But seeing as I’m sure at least a few of us use the stuff on our splines I’m wondering if anybody would think a dab would be good for rubbing blocks on points?

 

I’m being a cheap a**...

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