Fitzotis' R5

Reader Fitzotis sent in these pics of his R5. Thanks for sharing!

Kevin writes in

Kevin wrote in to share some interesting information about bikes from his collection:

Hello Lawrence, I am just getting into these bikes, the first ones were the 2 68 AS1s, one is very rare, because it is factory white, which I found was a rare option. I was told by the guy I bought my first 68 YR2C that there were about 150,000 AS1s made, most were blue or red, and less than 1000 were white. The first YR2C I got turns out to be a rare dealer bike, and has parts chromed on it that my other YR2C does not, and the VIN are only 260 off. The dealer bike came from Arkansas, and the other one I got in Michigan, but it came from Utah, still had the dealer sticker on it. The dealer bike was being turned into a café racer, so I bought the other bike so I could restore the dealer bike, and make the other one into a café racer. They are both very low numbered bikes. Now, after getting my first 68 YR2C, it was in the back of my truck, and a guy that I grew up next to stopped by to see if I was selling the bike, I told him no, and he asked if I wanted an old 250 Yamaha for $250. I told him yes, and he just dropped it off. That is when I found out it was an R5, and after telling him it was, he swore it was a 250. Then I found the second YR2C around Christmas, and he was close to my cousins, so they picked the bike up for me. The, in Feb, I found the 72 R5, which was turned into a GP bike, but not finished, so I have gotten RD cylinders. This bike, and the non dealer YR2C are the only bikes that will not be stock. Here are the pictures of the 2 YR2Cs, with my customers Ferrari. Thanks, Kevin

Side stand mount dimensions?

Mike writes in with this request for help:

The side stand mount on my bike was broken of at the welds when i bought it. I got a stand from a fellow parting his bike out. Unfortunately I still have nowhere to mount it. I have plenty of steel stock laying around and access to enough welding and machining tools to make it happen, but I could really use the dimensions of the side stand mount. If anyone took the time, I'd be very grateful! (enough to lend a hand and fab one up for anyone else needing one!)

If anyone can help out, comment below. Thanks.

R5 for sale in Colorado

Coleman sent in his R5, which is currently for sale in Colorado:

For sale is a 1970 Yamaha R5 350. This bike runs awesome! It starts on the first kick. The whole bike has been went through, the motor and transmission were rebuilt by the previous owner. I have recently done timing and synched the carbs. The seat was redone using the original pan, and I installed a new (old style) tail light. It has DG pipes and a K&N air filter (no air box). I've put on new (stock) gauges (the milage on them isn't accurate) with working lights and bright background color. Recently changed the oil (Redline) and installed new tires. This bike isn't a show bike, but it runs really good. It is a dream to carve up a canyon and really nice to blow some steam off cruising to work and back... $2500, local pickup only. more pictures available upon request...

Contact info: MeVsRobots (at) gmail (dot) com
Location: Ft. Collins, Co.

Followup: Edson's R5

Following up on the A Question of Time post from a few weeks back, here are some images of Edson's R5. Enjoy!

Reader Electrical Gremlins

Mike writes in with an electrical question:

I recently purchased a not-quite-running Yamaha R5B, and first off I'd like to thank you for compounding all the information you have! your site has been a major help while I'm working on the bike, and for just learning all I can about it since it is my first motorcycle. I have two questions for you, the first is that the bike didn't come with front turn signals installed, but luckily I was able to get ahold of the correct pair from my uncle. Unfortunately my wiring knowledge is limited to replacing wires where the old ones were, but with your site's help I was able to hook up the brown and green wire clusters to their respective bulbs, but I am not sure where/how to ground them. Both have the eye terminal wires coming off of the bolts on the signals, but I am unsure of where exactly to plug them into. The second is that the bike has a short somewhere and keeps blowing the main fuse off the positive battery terminal. All lights/signals/horn work as they should it seems (except the ones I haven't grounded/hooked up). The bike starts, will run for a minute or so before either dying of a spent battery or the main fuse going. I started checking for continuity, and sure enough there was continuity between the positive and negative battery hook-ups with the key on, started following it back and it lead me to the red wire entering the rectifier. I'm not sure where to go/what to do from there, or even if there is supposed to be continuity through there! Do you have any insight/ideas for tracing the fault? Thanks again for the site, and any thoughts you may have!

Any feedback or suggestions greatly appreciated.

Gearing Questions

Geoff writes in with a few questions on gearing:

I recently purchased my first 1972 Yamaha R5C from a coworker for $100!! (The bike has 11,000 miles on it) When searching for restoration info I came across your amazing site. I am anxious to start riding this beauty ASAP and was looking for a little advice. I am finding that most people start with handling and engine issues. The engine appears to be running well, but I feel I need to replace a few key components (sprockets, chain, brake shoes, etc.) I am having trouble finding concise info on how to gear the bike. Do you have any suggestions on what size front and rear sprockets to use and what type of chain? This is my first street 2 stroke and I will be using it mostly for occasional pleasure riding. Any help or referrals to info would be greatly appreciated!

Neil writes in

Neil wrote in to share:

Just picked up my R5 yesterday. 4418 miles. Shined her up today & took a short test drive. All good. Might change the handle bars in the near future. Your site has a wealth of info... Thanks. Neil

A Question of Time

Edson writes in with a question:

Hello Lawrence,

First, thank you for putting together this website. It is very helpful.

I recently (yesterday) bought a R5 350 with a small history - the father used it in college back in the 70's then gave it to his son when he was 10, the bike was stored for 35 years, the son took it to college, a bunch of friends told him they "knew" how to work on bikes and put the whole thing apart and were never able to bring it back to life. Now, the son is finishing college in 2 weeks and needed to get rid of it (in boxes) The bike is in outstanding condition with 3100 miles on it BUT completely apart. I plan on restoring it S-L-O-W-L-Y. I know the engine 'turned' but did not run.

My question to you is, how much do you think (estimate) to have the engine done over? And how long do you think it will take to assemble this bike? I could not pass it on since I always wanted this bike since back home.

I appreciate your advice.

Cheers,
Edson

Edson - I bought my bike off eBay, with no prior knowledge of two-strokes (or motorcycles in general for that matter). I took it to a licensed H-D mechanic, who had recently hired a Japanese bike specialist. It took about $500 worth of sorting, cleaning and replacement of worn parts to get her going again. This price did include things like lightbulbs, tires, etc, so depending on the state of the engine assembly, this figure could be less.

Hope that helps. Keep us posted on your progress!

Racer Change of Ownership

Ricky writes in with an update to the Slick R5 Racer post a few weeks back:

Hello, I bought this bike from Michel who posted pics on your site. I have changed it up a little and had my first two races on it. Headed to California to race it at Willow Springs AHRMA April 22-24. Cheers Ricky

Reader Mail and Questions

Mike wrote in yesterday with some nice things to say about the site, as well as an interesting question:

How are ya? I'm a new R5 owner (as of Saturday) and found the site in my research travels! Very cool stuff. I've wanted an RD forever and lucked into an R5 basket case for $40, so I couldn't say no. I currently have several 70s era Honda projects, including a 1968 CL175 sloper (only year made) cafe racer project and a 1972 CB350 custom hardtail chopper. Anyhow, you don't want to hear about the old Hondas cluttering up my garage!

I'm actually writing because I found an article online awhile back that had some interesting modifications that racers used in the 70s on their R5s. One of which was a swingarm swap from a Yamaha enduro (I believe) of the same era that extended the wheelbase by 1.25" thereby helping to keep the front end down under hard acceleration. I am building vintage race replica for the street with my R5, plan on some basic power upgrades, and would love to do this swinger swap. I cannot for the life of me find the site again though.

That said, would you know what bike the swinger needs to come from? The DT360s of the era look similar, but I cant seem to find anyone that will take proper measurements for me. I could always lengthen the stock piece (as I've done before for bobber and racer projects) but would prefer not to.

Thanks for your time, and I look forward to seeing more of the R5 site!

Thanks for the kind words Mike, and congratulations on the find! $40 sure is a deal!

There's of a lot of interchangeability between the R5 and the early RDs, and had heard of brake and transmission swaps most commonly. Makes sense that you could swap in a longer swingarm from within the Yamaha family and have things line up pretty well.

It also makes sense that a longer swingarm would help keep the R5 from pointing it's nose to the sky so much. I couldn't find much on swapping with an Enduro, but I did find mentions on a swap with an RD400 (assuming a 1973 model year or close). As with any swap of this nature, I'm not sure how it might mess with the suspension geometry...

I also noticed in my research that Spec II offers a racing swingarm with an adjustment for stock axle position or 1.5" rearward. Check with them to see which application would fit, as well as what other adjustments might be necessary in terms of suspension setup. Might be worth looking into, especially if you're looking to go for more of a racer look.

Does anyone know of any particular enduro swingarm swaps? Anyone willing to forward some measurements?

Thanks again Mike, and congratulations. Send pics of your progress and I'll be sure to post them here.

Alan's Barn Bike Project

Alan of Jacksonville, Florida, wrote in to share his project and his story:

Here's a shot of my nearly completed R5C project. It started as a barn find that I picked up in the 2009 Bike Week auction at Deland for $400. It looked pretty complete and usable, the motor turned over and it appeared to be an easy restoration.

Of course it wasn't. From the wooden seat base down to the decent looking, but rotten exhaust, every surprise was a bad one. The chrome wheels looked really good, removing the tires revealed they were unusable due to internal corrosion. And so it went. Surprisingly the motor was good, though the carburetors seemed to contain a hodge-podge of DS7/R5 parts.

I stripped it to a bare frame, powder coated that and began the build from there. I was looking for a rest-rod look, identifiable as an R5 but individualized. The wheels are built up from a pair of XS650 alloy rims with Buchanans stainless spokes. The engine is stock with a K&N filter relacing the air box, jetting and a set of silenced chambers. I also added a n electronic ignition system.The side covers were refinished with an "asphalt" powder coat finish. Forks were rebuilt, new shocks, sprockets and chain installed, bearings repacked and all the usual maintenance and preparation were done during the build.

The rusty turn signals were removed, the burnt out headlight bulb replaced with a (pricey) new one along with a new rim. The wiring loom was taken apart and remade. Handlebars are a Triumph pattern, narrowed about 2". I sourced a repro seat cover and found a better chain guard. I replaced as many fasteners as possible with stainless steel and fabbed up some others, like clevis pins. Some rusty chrome parts like the headlight bucket, taillight mount and brake linkages were powder coated.

As you can see, the paint pattern is stock but the colors are not. It is Porsche Guards Red and Black. I thought the original tangerine was dated and I recalled how good some 70's bikes looked in red/black (Kawi Z900, Sportster, etc.). In keeping with the black rather than chrome theme, I changed the side covers to red with black spears and did the "350" with a black inlay. I'm very happy with the new look.

I'd hoped to finish it by Bike Week 2010, but as happens the project took longer than expected. I'd only just finished it, but not yet solved the carburation issue, when I had a serious accident on another bike. I'm literally just now getting back on my feet, so I have yet to ride it. But I will, and very soon!

The bike looks great - can't wait to see it when it's finished! See more projects going on at MOTOEURO.

Thanks!

Slick R5 Racer

Michel writes in from Leesburg, Virginia:

Love your web site and was very useful when I got started restoring & building up my WERA Vintage 2 class R5 racer. See photo attached and feel free to publish. She is a sweetie.

That is one great-looking bike. Love the hand-doodled livery! Here's a closer look:



Thanks for sending that in, Michel!

R5 for sale in Brooklyn

UPDATE - BIKE HAS SOLD!

A friend of YamahaR5.com recently wrote in to let us know he is selling his R5. It's currently listed on craigslist and eBay classifieds. See below for a detailed listing:

1972 Yamaha R5C 350 (NewR5B paint-$900 IN NEW PARTS)

For sale is a very good condition 1972 Yamaha R5C 350 with a 1971 R5B Orange/White new paint job on tank.

All OEM except: handlebar, spokes, tires and mirrors + many new and NOS parts.
Oil injected, 2 cylinder, 2 stroke bike, non reed valve
Matching frame and engine VIN.
Clear NY transferable registration.

SUPER CLEAN, ENGINE RE-POWDERCOATED.

12855 original miles (May have a little more as I am riding it a few days a week)

$3000 - Cash only, local pick up in person
INCLUDES $900 IN NEW AND NOS PARTS

GOOD STUFF:

- Looks AMAZING, super clean engine, new paint job and shine.
- Had full-tune up by reputable mechanic (Speed Motorcycles in NYC - SEE BELOW NOTES)
- Starts with one or two kicks. Not an electric start bike.
- Engine is good order
- Gears work
- Brakes work
- Oil Injection works great
- All lights and switches are fully functional (except front brake lever stop light switch for brake light).
- Frame was repainted very clean no rust
- Gas tank is good order, no rust inside un-sealed

PREVIOUS OWNER RESTORATION AROUND 2009:

All OEM except air pods. Previous owner completed the following restoration work:

- New headlight
- Rebuilt Carburators
- New ignition switch
- Repainted frame
- Repainted tank and side panels with high quality auto paint (no rattle cans)
- Cylinder heads re-powder coated shiny black
(Original look can be achieved by removing the outer most coating on the fins. But the gloss black looks brand new and hot!) Always get complements on how clean the engine is.)
- New wheel spokes and nipples front and back
- Fixed oil pump
- New clutch and side cover YAMAHA logo decals
- New YAMAHA tank badges
- New chain
- New NGK spark plug connectors

PROFESSIONAL TUNE-UP AND MAINTENANCE DONE FALL 2010
By Speed Motorcycles in NYC - receipts available

- Clean points and check ignition timing
- Check charging system
- Clean carburetors
- Fix oil leak, new crank case gasket
- Install new shocks
- Install new throttle cable
- New battery

NEW or NOS PARTS INSTALLED FALL 2010: Most parts bought from 2-Stroke specialist store HVCCYCLE.COM
$600 VALUE - Copies of receipts available.

- New Yuasa 12V battery
- New Battlax B45 tires 90/90/18 and 110/90/18 purchased September 2010
- New European handlebar with bar snake
- New front brake lever
- Brand new reproduction Throttle cable from HVC Cycle ( hvccycle.com ) -
- New Crank Case Engine Gasket - resealed (NO LEAKS!)
- New drain plug seal (HVC Cycle reproduction)
- New left front foot peg rubber
- New chrome mirrors, reproductions
- NOS Red Wing high performance shocks from the '70s - never used before I bought
- NOS right front signal light flasher stay
- New brass swing arm bushing (HVC Cycle reproduction)
- New center stand rubber bumper

NOS MISCELLANEOUS PARTS ADDED TO SALE: OVER $300 VALUE

- NOS Steering fork lock with key (never used in package)
- NOS Front foot peg cover
- NOS front foot peg
- NOS left front flasher stay
- NOS Beston style Throttle grips
- NOS Front brake lever holder
- New Brake shoes
- Spare/new light bulbs for ALL lights, signals, headlight, displays
- New pet cock seal kit
- New Chain guard rubber damper (HVC Cycle reproduction in package)
- New Exhaust mount dampers (HVC Cycle reproduction in package)
- New oil tank level view glass (HVC Cycle reproduction in package)
- New Petcock Seals (HVC Cycle reproduction in package)
- New Allen head bolt set polished stainless steel (35 pieces for oil pump cover, right and left crankcase cover, clutch adjuster cover, generator cover, reed valve, exhaust)
- Gasket set: 8 pieces: Cynlinder head x 2, cylinder base x 2, valve seat x 2, exhaust pipe x 2
- 3 x 1 Liter bottles of MOTUL 710 2 STROKE High performance oil
- 2 x 1 Liter bottles of MOTUL TRANSOIL Gear box oil 10W30
- 3 sets of keys
- Original Combined Yamaha R5C, RD250, RD350 Service Manual published 1971
- Reproduction Yamaha Parts list catalog

BLEMISHES: Mostly cosmetic

- Some paint chips on headlight bracket
- Usual 40 year old chrome pitting and scuffs, not perfect, but overall chrome is very nice and shines up great, no major rust.
- Several dings on front and rear fenders, same way I got it. See pics.
- Right throttle grip has a small tear on bar end. I have new replacement with sale.
- Seat has small tear on right side and long tear on top across middle width. Sealed with pro Tear-Aid brand vinyl repair tape so it is sealed nicely. Unless you want to recover for restoration it works perfectly fine.
- Rear brake light switch attached to front brake lever not working. Foot pedal for brake light works fine.
- Left front foot peg slants down, I got it like this. Not a problem at all, just disclosing
- Could use new fork seals and front fork new springs to make like new.

Definitely check it out, and get in touch if you are interested... a deal like that won't last too long...

Questions from Bangalore

RK from India writes in with this question:

Hello,

Amongst 5 bikes that I own [a Honda CB400SF Version S, RD250 G Daytona look alike, a RD350 LC non YPVS, a RD 350 Indian Version and a R1-Z], I am on the verge of buying a Yamaha DS7. This bike has a 6 speed tranny, cylinders, Heads and CB points electrical system - all from an Indian RD. FYI, the Indian RD is a scaled down version of the US's RD350B - it has a 30 BHP cylinders + matching Heads + front drum brakes of a DS7/R5. The owner also has DS7's 5 speed GB + the original 250 CC cylinders [no heads, unfortunately] with him as spares and is willing to part it along with the bike.

What is your advice? Do I continue to run it as it is OR should I plonk in the original 5 speed GB and 250cc piston ported cylinders OR should I plonk in the original 5 speed GB and 350cc piston ported cylinders of a R5? The present owner says that the original 250 piston ported cylinders + its 5 speed GB is best suited to its exhaust but could not fit these as he had misplaced the heads and has only the choke side carb.

I heard that piston ported cylinders are bad at low speeds, guzzle lots of fuel, is prone to plug fowling etc but has raw power which we can feel in our hands when compared to reed valve cylinders. And hence, there is a cult/fan following for these machines. Is it true?

Please let me know. Basis which, I will decide to purchase the DS7.

Regards,

RK Menon
Bangalore, India

Anyone have suggestions? I agree with the seller in that the 250 items are probably best suited for the 250 exhaust, but the increase in power could be helpful, if RK would be willing to go aftermarket with the exhaust and fiddle with the jetting...

More Reader Mail

Hi, my name is Rob from Minnesota. I just wanted to tell you how excellent the web site is for these bikes from the past. Most people have forgot them and info has been very hard to find 'til now. Good job on this and great info.

Thanks so much, Rob!

Duplicate Keys?

Laura from Fishtown writes in:

Have you ever gone about getting an extra key made by anyone?

Good question... No I have not. Has anyone else had to go through the process?

I've been able to locate NOS keys cut to match the code listed on the original key (if you still have one) or from the ignition or steering lock:

- http://www.reproductiondecals.com - sells NOS and blanks
- looking on Ebay finds bunch of people selling precut keys (for example)

Hope that helps. Anyone out there have any information or experience to share?

UPDATE: Andrew wrote in with this good suggestion:

Just stumbled across the site and saw your most recent post about lost keys, i think i may be able to help. A few months ago i ended up losing both the keys to my 75' xs650b which led me to frantically start searching for replacements or what i hoped wouldn't be the only option, a new ignition. I ended up coming across motorcyclekeys.com which is run by John Blakenship out of California. Send him a copy of your title, license, and the 4 digit code, which will typically be stamped right on top of the lock (very common on bikes of this vintage) and he'll send out as many copies as you want. I ordered two keys and had them shipped priority, total bill was $35, not bad and they work perfectly. He's an easy guy to deal with and very honest, a great example of the type of mom and pop approach thats rapidly disappearing.

ANOTHER UPDATE: Philip wrote in with this eBay link...

Paul's Netherlands Cafe Racer

Paul writes in to share his creations:

Hi, I'm Paul van Vessem and I live in the Netherlands, Europe.
I have restored an Yamaha R5 of 1970. It took me 3 years, because there are no nos-parts available. When I was finished I had a lot of parts left.

So I decided to build a caferacer.

Specs:
Engine,case/gearbox RD six speed. Cilinders R5, modified. KN filter, DG pipes etc.

It only needs to be painted. It runs great.

Wish you lots of succes with your site.

Thanks, Paul. Great job on both of them!

R5C Service Manual For Sale

Ward from Burbank California wrote in offering an original Yamaha R5C workshop manual for sale. He's looking for $20. Interested parties, please contact him here.

Jesse's R5 Project - Tips and Questions

Jesse in Pittsburg writes in to show us his progress, share a few things, and ask some questions:

Hi Lawrence,

After a long hiatus, I'm back to working on my R5C project. I've got the bike stripped down to the frame, as you can see here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jtroy/sets/72157624609357225/

I've made a list of items that are going for powder coating and painting (see attached). I wonder if anyone can add to the list? Did I forget anything? If you want, post this list on your site. It might be helpful for others doing a frame-up restoration. You may also want to post the PDF copy of the parts catalog that I found (also attached).

Please also ask whether anyone has advice for removing the steering lock from the frame. I've drilled out the rivet but the lock still won't slide out (see photos at the link above). Is there some trick to getting it out? I'm hoping it won't be necessary to drill the lock to pieces to get it out!

Thanks Jesse! I'm sure some folks will find this useful:
R5_powder_paint.xlsx (40k Excel doc)
R5_R5B_R5C_Parts_Catalog.pdf (484k PDF)

As for the fork lock, I'm not sure how that's held in... It's not very well illustrated in any of the diagrams I have (see links at right). Anyone?