Parallel Lines
Classic Motorcycle Mechanics|December 2018

While the R1-Z didn’t officially come into the UK, there is a lot to love about this Yamaha parallel-twin two-stroke, according to Andy Bolas.

Andy Bolas
Parallel Lines
A few decades ago virtually everyone at the beginning of their biking career would have owned or ridden a two-stroke 250: it was a given! Okay, so – as time went on – not all were giant killers and not all were tuned to the edge of sanity, but many are looked at fondly today, with the benefit of hindsight.

I have a hunch that, if the bike we’re about to test had been a UK model (and I can’t for the life of me see why it wasn’t an official import) it would have been a sales success and a successor to the cult of the RD-LC! At a quick glance you can pick up on its LC lineage and while not a racer for the road (looks can be deceiving as we find out later on) it does take its heart from Yamaha’s ‘street racer’ the TZR250 and that most mental of motorcycles the TDR250, so it’s also a bit of a parts bin special with wheels from this forks from that, but the end result is so much more than the sum of its parts! It really is that sort of motorcycle.

These 250 parallel twin motors were once the benchmark for 250 performance and are still sound performers today – think of around 50bhp... It’s also easy to get parts for as it’s a common motor across the 2MA model TZR and the TDR range, so even if it does go wrong you shouldn’t have a major headache rebuilding it, not that they’re unreliable, of course.

As two-stroke 250s go these are pretty good and speaking from experience as a TZR250 owner my own 2MA had covered over 18k miles on its original pistons and rings which were only replaced really as a precaution. That’s pretty good.

هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة December 2018 من Classic Motorcycle Mechanics.

ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.

هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة December 2018 من Classic Motorcycle Mechanics.

ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.

المزيد من القصص من CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE MECHANICS مشاهدة الكل
Classic Motorcycle Mechanics

Honda VFR750R - RC30

If there’s a more worshipped V4 out there, we’ve yet to see it: welcome to our reboot of the awesome VFR750R RC30…

time-read
2 mins  |
September 2021
Mountain tension!
Classic Motorcycle Mechanics

Mountain tension!

Award-winning motorcycle engineer!

time-read
5 mins  |
September 2021
Fazer set to STUN!
Classic Motorcycle Mechanics

Fazer set to STUN!

What do you get when you mix CRK’s lovely café racer kit to Yamaha’s budget middleweight and the recently-retired Martin Fox? Well, one helluva foxy Fazer!

time-read
6 mins  |
September 2021
Project Suzuki 1984 RG250 part 4 BRUNO BARES ALL!
Classic Motorcycle Mechanics

Project Suzuki 1984 RG250 part 4 BRUNO BARES ALL!

This month, while we wait for backorder engine parts, we strip the chassis back to the bare frame, assess what is needed and plan the reassembly…

time-read
6 mins  |
September 2021
Project Kawasaki Z900 Stocker part 2 Ralph has a blast!
Classic Motorcycle Mechanics

Project Kawasaki Z900 Stocker part 2 Ralph has a blast!

For the best finish on his Z900’s motor Ralph wants the best, so he visits Stephen Smethurst Casting Renovation to find out how it’s done properly.

time-read
10 mins  |
September 2021
Project Suzuki TS400 Part 8 Loom with a view!
Classic Motorcycle Mechanics

Project Suzuki TS400 Part 8 Loom with a view!

We’re getting down into the nitty-gritty this time with component testing and loom building. What could go wrong?

time-read
6 mins  |
September 2021
Project Yamaha TX750 Part 12 A question of balance…
Classic Motorcycle Mechanics

Project Yamaha TX750 Part 12 A question of balance…

Only The Beach Boys had good vibrations… so what’s Mark been up to, to sort out the bad ones coming from his TX750?

time-read
6 mins  |
September 2021
Splitting links
Classic Motorcycle Mechanics

Splitting links

Ralph Ferrand works with tools all day long – he sells them too at bikerstoolbox.co.uk so he knows what works.

time-read
4 mins  |
September 2021
Classic Motorcycle Mechanics

STAVROS: PRINCE OF PRANKSTERS!

It’s probably fair to say that Stephen JamesParrish’s persona and overall levity throughout his life have muddied the waters as to just how good a bike racer he was back in the day.

time-read
1 min  |
September 2021
Metal magic!
Classic Motorcycle Mechanics

Metal magic!

Ralph Ferrand works with tools all day long – he sells them too at bikerstoolbox co uk so he knows what works.. .

time-read
3 mins  |
July 2021