RD350 YPVS - full restoration

[Andymann]

So I joined the forum a few days back and have been following with interest all the projects out there. I figured that maybe I should add my own. Ok, it's already finished, but I there are a bunch of pics, and the bike has got a few comments here in RSA so let's see if it can hold its own amongst the beauties over in Aus!

So here goes - the bikes as I got them back in December 2008. I work for Yamaha SA, so this was going to be a fun build....

[Geeza]

Great find! i will be watching your build! good luck!

[Andymann]

It would go a lot quicker if I knew how to put pics on direct instead of thumbnails.....

[Geeza]

yea its a pain in the arse to post pics on here!

[Marty MOOSE]

Open a photobucket account and just copy the IMG link easy as.

MM

[Geeza]

Or tinypic.com

[Andymann]

Got down to stripping. I wanted this bike to be exactly as it came from the factory so I made sure I had a good record of where everything went. Pics always help with that! I also had the 2 bikes, so I had a choice of the best of either part. Lucky!

I also started making a list of what I would need. My rule was simple - if I could buy it new, i would replace it, not restore - luckily I get good discount from Yamaha, and I know a few of the guys at the factory in Japan....

[Andymann]

The bodywork was ok, apart from the usual 350 sidecover problems (cracks!) and the melted and broken belly-pan. Both the bikes were remarkably accident free, although when we get to the pics of the engine from the donor bike I'm surprised it wasn't totalled. Conrod wrapped around the crank.....

If anyonis wondering that black oval chainguard on the left is from a 1957 Velocette!!!!

Swingarm was ok, but all bushes are shot - will need to replace those!

[Neil-51]

They look like the basis of an excellent restoration. Nice to have the contacts to get parts.

Nice Alfa.

[Graelin]

I wil be watching this with interest and allready impatient for the final result. Mine is far from original and I would love to have an original one. The more I ride it the more I feel sorry for those who never experienced the two stroke!

[Benno #03]

Alway's love another RZ story, more more more.

[Andymann]

The engine in the one bike was totalled - the thing must have siezed at full throttle judging by the flat spot on the tyre and the conrod that looked like a question mark! The other engine was a runner, but despite assurances it had had a top-end, it was noisy. So, build one good one out of two dodgy engines. We had a complete crank in stock (old stock redundant!) so I bought that and replaced all the bearings, gears, shafts, selectors, you name it!!! Had a problem with the barrels - they weren't lying - it had a new top-end - brand new Wiseco's, but no kidding, the one was 0.3mm undersize! I have since heard that this is not uncommon for Wiseco - any comments? I was really keen to go back to standard bore, but this meant new barrels - unobtanium, even with my links to Japan. "Sorry, Andy-san, but this is impossible!!!" So I had to make one concession to originality and go with a set of ProX.
No messing with the ports, part from matching the transfers - a common RD fault - this bike is going to be ridden in classic runs, so no need for any crazy mods. The old girl is going to enjoy her retirement! Someone had recently replaced the powervalves, so only needed new seals and o-rings there.

Cases were vapour cleaned and then blasted with cement - a really good tip. You get a great finish, and if you seal them after with a 2-Pack polyurethane matt clear coat you get a finish which is very close to standard and it doesn't allow any oil and dirt to get in again.

Finally, I sent all the parts off to our Technical division, who after settling on a price of some beers and a bottle of Whisky (the universal currency!), it was carefully assembled.

[Andymann]

LOL - 2-Strokes and Alfas - will keep you busy most weekends!

[Andymann]

I would have done the assembly myself, but we have Alan North in our technical department - and he has a bunch of experience racing/building 2-stroke Yamaha TZ250 and 350 engines, so why not use the help when you can!

[Andymann]

Yea - 10 years ago I would have gone wild with the modifications, but for this I really wanted an original - the red and white is pure 80's!

[Andymann]

The red isn't spot on - the closest I could get was a "coke-red" but it's not far off. There's always a debate on whether to paint or powdercoat - I prefer the latter - it's harded wearing, and if your guy is good at it, you can get some really good finishes. Just remember to keep an area clean for a good earth point.

All the suspension bushes were replaced, and also all the links. Interestingly enough, all the links and bushes have superseded part numbers, which means they changed something over the years - in this case the material: 1983 - steel, 2010 - vesconite I think.....I guess this is so that the bush doesn't wear down all the bearing surfaces.

As for the rookie mistake - yea I know - always watch out you don't drop the tapping wrench on your newly painted frame when you are chasing through the treads

[Richie Rich]

Hey there Andymann, thanks for sharing your restoration, I'll be following it with interest. Good to see these bikes are loved around the world. I finished mine about 8mths ago - she's my 5th RZ350 and one bike that I'll not be parting with.

Good luck with the rest of your build!

[Andymann]

Another concession to originality - the aluminium on the standard bikes was brushed and then covered with a clear coating - which scratches and yellows with time - getting the stuff off is a mission, and I've had some scary experiences on my previous projects where bead-blasting damages the insides. So, I decided to go with sliver paint - not original, but still doesn't look too bad I think.

Of course all the insides were replaced - bushes, seals, o-rings.

I left the rear shock alone - I had a choice of two, and they really didn't look to bad. Had the shock expert check them out, and as long as I don't go racing around, both of them were still pretty good....

So in with the forks and the shock then.

[Andymann]

Forks went in ok - no problems there, and a new harness (old stock YDSA!) completed things. I kept all the plastics you couldn't see - some of them you just can't get anymore, and some of mine cleaned up pretty well.

Shock adjuster belt was stripped - (aren't they all!), but I new one was easy to get (but expensive, even at cost!), and It also seems as it there has been some part supersession, so maybe the composition of the belt has changed?

Taillight was still good, so it went back fine too.....

Handlebars were given to me as a present by one of our local dealers, and I sourced a new ignition lock-set. The bike had two keys anyway (one for the tank and seat, and the other for the iginition, so I had no worry changing the ignition.)

You can't get a matching cap, seat and iginition set like on the modern bikes, which is a pity....

[Andymann]

I'm probably going to get some comments, but I decided to retain the Microns. I was lucky enough to get a set of really really good original pipes from one of our dealers in a tiny town way up in the northern province - seems like a customer dropped them off during a service once in about 1985 and they have been lying there ever since! I thought about putting them on, but the Microns were a period modification and they just sound sooo good. And they were in really good nick apart from the missing "Micron" stickers on the cans. Oh well, you can't have everything! So off to the chromers they went, with the rear grab rail, top-yoke bolt, brake-hose clamps and calliper bolts (for some reason, the new parts are the same part number, but are not chromed - odd), so I had to do some chroming.....

I also decided to have the wheels polished (once again not quite original) but they came out really well, and once the paint guy had put on the necessary satin black, they really looked the business.

When I had the cases bead-blasted I also did the disks - they were all still in great condition and within tolerance so it wasn't a problem re-using them.

Of course, both the wheels got new bearings, spacers and seals.