Description
1962 YAMAHA YDS2
Coming up for auction on Sunday the 22nd of November in QLD, Australia. Head to the Donington Auctions website for more details.
Barn find condition of very early Yamaha two-stroke
Frame number: Y14-12214
Engine number: D6-12214
Yamaha’s released their first two-stroke 250 cc twin, the YD1, in 1957 and this evolved into the YD2 and sporting YDS1 for 1959. Lean and mean, the YDS1 established a link between racing and production models that would come to typify Yamaha. With the arrival of its successor, the YDS2, in 1962, Yamaha’s sports 250 hit its stride.
When Yamaha introduced the YDS1 they adopted a short-stroke (56x50 mm) configuration over the square 54x54 mm layout of the touring YD2. While the piston-port design was conventional, the use of separate Mikuni carburetors and a five-speed gearbox was revolutionary. Also revolutionary was a racing-style tubular steel duplex frame, this imparting a considerably more modern look than the ubiquitous pressed steel frames of the YD2 and other Japanese sporting models. The YDS1 was extremely successful, spearheading the new export markets of Australia and the United States. Despite already possessing one of the best power-to-weight ratios in its class, Yamaha wanted their sporting spearhead to be the most powerful, and in March 1962 released the YDS2. With a pair of new Mikuni VM20SH carburetors, now with an integrated choke, the power increased 20 per cent, to 22 horsepower at 7, 500 rpm. The front brake was now a more powerful twin-leading shoe type, and despite a weight increase of 5 kg over the YDS1 (to 125 kg), the YDS2’s straight-line performance was significantly improved. The claimed top speed was 145 km/ h. Unfortunately, as the suspension was soft and under-damped the handling was less assured. Despite the soft suspension Cycle World magazine found “the steering and stability are of the highest order.” But when it came to performance Cycle World found the YDS2 “right up there with some peppy machines, and down in the speed range will give most 250 cc bikes a lot of trouble.”
This 1961 YDS2 requires a full restoration. It is not running and is missing some components. The YDS2 didn’t originally include side covers, the handlebar is non-standard and one rubber tank pad is missing. Sold without documentation and unregistered, this is an excellent opportunity to resurrect one of the first Yamaha sporting two-stroke twins.
