Vintage Road Racing Association

Still following the sterling example of "the older boys" when it comes to downsizing, one of my buds and I are looking at shifting our '68 Yamaha 350's. We were going to convert them to either P1 350's (if the tech committee gives the nod that the bikes are "the same as" the 1967 350cc Yamaha that we already have) or make a low budget clone of the Yamaha TR-2 350cc production road racer for P2.
One bike is more or less complete while the other is mostly there but missing the odd bits, so I would consider this a project bike with ample spares if you are looking at a restoration and probably 2 complete race bikes if you are good horse traders. Both bikes are currently in street trim though - no racing bits, so you'll have your work cut out for you LOL.
We were looking at installing one of the motors into a T-250 Suzuki frame and modifying it to look like the TR-2 frame, but that might be more of a project than you're willing to take on.
We're not super-interested in breaking the bikes for spares, but could probably be persuaded - with the right financial incentive - to flog a few bits if you desperately need them to finish your project. Such things as the front forks and wheel look to be the same as the YDS-3 250's and there may be other detail bits that fit other Yamahas of the same era, but I don't know for sure.
These bikes would be total rebuild projects - no, you can't dump some gas in the tank, inflate the tires and go riding for sure - so please understand this from the get go.
Unfortunately we couldn't get ownerships for these bikes and there weren't any licence plates on the bikes when we rescued them from a chicken coop in rural Ontario. Probably paid more for them, than we should have, but our loss is your gain.
The ice jam in front of the storage locker door is almost gone, so in a day or 2 I'll chop the remaining ice away and drag the bikes out and take some photos, but before I go to all the trouble, just testing the waters to see what interest there is.
I'm away for most of today (Saturday), so either email or phone message...
Thanks for looking.
Pat Cowan.
905-873-3171
pacomotorstuff@cogeco.ca

hi Pat
the 1967 Yamaha YR1-350 grand sport is a 3 port head and a true P1 bike. in 68 the YR2 was changed to a 5 port and the proto for the TR2 race bike. definitely NOT P1. I know as I'm building a YR1 for P1 this year.
also the 68 YR2 doesn't even make it into the lightweight class in P2, as its a 350 TWIN , so would have to run in middleweight production and I think would be under powered up against Wallers 550, Mackenzies 550 and Ryan Hunts RD400 putting out close to 70HP .
I think the bottom ends of the YR1 and YR2 are the same so maybe swapping earlier barrels would let the bike run in P1

just my 2 cents

Allan
#393

Sorry Allan but you are wrong about the Yr2.The yr2 was not a true 5 port as it has a grove in the cylinder wall to make an extra boost port.(just like the one on the td1c 250 which is a P1 bike)
Any one with a grinder could do the same thing to a YR1 as there is no restriction on internal mods.It is the YR3 that has the cast in 5 ports you are talking about.I have had this conversation with Stan about 4 years ago when he was head of tec & I have an email to confirm that the YR1 & YR2 are P1 legal.

Hey Pat,how much are you asking for the bikes?

Brad

Back about 6 years ago, the tech committee okayed the use of '68 barrels but not '69 barrels and for sure, no TR2 parts in P1 (ya, I remember the TR2 - I was there the first time LOL) which I think is a sound decision.
The YZ608 Yamaha project is another kettle of fish - was it the "prototype" for the TR2 or not - some say yes, some say no, some say they were built by Yamaha Japan, some say Yamaha North America - me, I don't know but they were pretty groovy bikes at Daytona in '67 when I saw them in the motorcycle mags and probably why I bought a YR-1 the next year. I have never seen inside a YZ608 motor and could not even conjecture how similar - or different - the guts were compared to the YR-1 street bike, but cylinder-wise, I would surmise, "significant". I've heard there are one or 2 in a collection in Holland.
I call the '68 cylinders "trench ports" and as pointed out already, anybody with the skill, patience and a die grinder can make a '67 cylinder into a 5 port cylinder - or why not 7-port it, as (I think) the rule book says it doesn't matter what goes on inside the cases as long as it's within the displacement rule.
I sent one of my usual long - winded emails to the tech committee, letting Jim know what Stan's ruling was, regarding no YR-3 and TR2 top ends in P1, but what my issue really is / was, I have only one "true" 1967 Yamaha 350 YR-1 and it's a licenced street bike that I want to keep that way so...
I needed clarification on whether or not a YR2 chassis and motor (I'm getting low on true 1967 YR1 bits) could run in P1 or not so we could build the bike accordingly, but then this week, we decided to stop working on it and see what interest there is, from other parties.
Sure would be a different bike for P1-350 to race with the hordes of CB350's...
As far as people who have been phoning and emailing regarding prices, I will either 'phone you back, email or PM you.
Pat.

Hey Pat,The Yr1 & Yr2 frames are the same,so as I was told before there is no problem.It's a nice project for sure & should put to shame some of those modified cb350's that they keep sneaking in to P1.

Brad

Brad,
My fallback plan, should the bikes sell and I still want to give a shot at the wild and woolly world of P1 350, is to freshen up my '67 350 YR1 street bike, take off the lights, lockwire everything in sight and then fight my way to the back of the pack. Even with the stock motor and exhaust system, should still be as fast as the CB350's. BTW, have owned it for 45+ years...
Vive la difference!
Pat