Description
This is Lot 429 in the Bonhams Spring Stafford Sale on April 20 & 21, please see the Bonhams website for full details.
The traditional British method of building a 350 - to sleeve down a 500 - usually resulted in an overweight sluggard with little more performance than a 250. The customary Japanese approach - over-boring a 250 - achieved exactly the opposite: a machine as light as its quarter-litre sibling yet with sufficient performance to see off most 500s. Yamaha's YR5 is a case in point: an over-bored YDS7, it weighed a little over 300lbs, produced 36bhp from its piston-ported two-stroke engine, and was good for around 100mph. The cycle parts bore close resemblance to the TD2 and TR3 racers', so good handling was assured. Produced between 1971 and 1973, the YR5 was superseded by the reed-valve induction RD350.
Originally destined for the US market, this charming R5 was won in a competition by the current vendor last year and has been dry stored since. Sadly little of its previous history is known but is offered with a current V5C, VJMC dating letter and current MoT until May 2024.
