I was quickly set on the idea of getting a two stroke bike. The simplicity linked with the relatively strong performance were factors that pushed me in the direction of the YAM, the other criteria was the fact I had had both an RD400, and a RD250 YPVS, followed by an RD 350 F2, in my youth, and the excitement of hitting the powerband on these bikes was something I had always regretted, after having moved onto to four stroke bikes later on, even my current Triumph Daytona, although having more than enough power, can not beat a good old two stroke for excitement.
I started looking around the web sites in the “For Sale” categories, and soon came across Ebay, as the source for a good number of bikes. After bidding on a couple, I settled on a 1983 RD 350 YPVS with approximately 25K Kilometers on the clock, only problem was that I did not meet the sellers lowest price on my initial try. After some negotiation, which was difficult, as the seller was based in Stuttgart – Germany, and me in Grenoble France, we reached agreement, and I was all set.
The deed was done in a rural part of Stuttgart, me handing over 1050 Euros, to receive in exchange a car full of second hand spares, plus the road going bike itself. With my son we loaded the bike onto a trailer (I had borrowed for the weekend), and filled the car with all the spare, some rubbish, but a lot of useful parts aswell.
The German guy had obviously had a racing career with a similar bike, but the model he sold me was his road bike, he started the bike in front of me, and offered me a ride, which I turned down based on the fact, that having driven 5 hours, I was not going home without it. With hind site I made a good decision.
On arriving home, we un loaded the bike and parts, and I made an inventory of the parts and begged them up, and put them into storage above my garage. I had already negotiated with my wife the fact that she would not be able to get the car in the garage for the next few months!
I started looking around the web sites in the “For Sale” categories, and soon came across Ebay, as the source for a good number of bikes. After bidding on a couple, I settled on a 1983 RD 350 YPVS with approximately 25K Kilometers on the clock, only problem was that I did not meet the sellers lowest price on my initial try. After some negotiation, which was difficult, as the seller was based in Stuttgart – Germany, and me in Grenoble France, we reached agreement, and I was all set.
The deed was done in a rural part of Stuttgart, me handing over 1050 Euros, to receive in exchange a car full of second hand spares, plus the road going bike itself. With my son we loaded the bike onto a trailer (I had borrowed for the weekend), and filled the car with all the spare, some rubbish, but a lot of useful parts aswell.
The German guy had obviously had a racing career with a similar bike, but the model he sold me was his road bike, he started the bike in front of me, and offered me a ride, which I turned down based on the fact, that having driven 5 hours, I was not going home without it. With hind site I made a good decision.
On arriving home, we un loaded the bike and parts, and I made an inventory of the parts and begged them up, and put them into storage above my garage. I had already negotiated with my wife the fact that she would not be able to get the car in the garage for the next few months!
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