You might think Rs 2.5 lakh is not your cup of cheap tea. I know I do. But this story arose from the good sales of the Hyosung Comet. If 500 people turned out with Rs 2 lakh to purchase the sporty, smart, V-twin, would they be willing to shell out between 25 percent more for even more serious horsepower? A few phone calls later, we had a list of seven machines, of which we knew a few would not make the test and photography session.The final four, in the pics, are the 1989 Honda ‘Busybody’ CBR250F, the 1998 Yamaha ‘All-rounder’ XJR400, 1987 Yamaha ‘Oh-bloody-hell!’ RD350LC and the 1986 Yamaha ‘I think I wet myself’ TZR 250.
You can already see that these machines don’t look showroom glossy, and that’s important. Each of the four owners actually uses them on a daily basis, apart from Sunday scratches – a sign that all, despite their age, are quite reliable.
In fact, when we quizzed mechanics in the know, each machine got identical reliability feedback. They all said, ‘After purchase, the battery and the tyres – if required – should be replaced; that apart, it’s a precautionary oil change and service, and you’re on the road.’ The tyre sizes, for all except the XJR, are easy to get in India and spares for all the four machines can be had off the internet with ease.
Yamaha TZR 250
The TZR, for a machine pushing twenty, is in pretty good nick. All the bits are there, and while our favourite colours remain the Yamaha white with red square blocks running from the lower fairing cowl to the tail, this one looks pretty smashing as is. The cans on this one are new and the TZ still turns heads. Those that aren’t turned follow when the snorting 2-stroke racebike soundtrack begins to play.
The TZR’s engine will morph your surroundings into something approaching the Circuit de Catalunya at every twist. The raw two-stroke (still) feels race ready and has a famously narrow powerband that takes a bit of getting used to. It’s happiest millimetres from redline, a place which can be scary and superfast all at the same time. This near-200 kph monster demands respect.
The TZR was the customer version of the TZs that Yamaha used to blow away the competition with at the racetrack. And we didn’t research this, the bike told our backs as much. The ride quality is firm and the dropped down clip-ons will hurt, sooner rather than later. However, get used to the tucked-in ergos and you have a phenomenal handler to play with. If you wanted to sort out your riding skills, this is probably the machine to do it on.
Yamaha RD350LC
Before you point out the missing fairing, let us point out that the owner does, in fact, have it and other items safely stowed at home. With fairing (and without), the LC is quite a handsome motorcycle, especially in lighter colours. This particular example was repainted, rebuilt and refurbished about a year ago, and is the shiniest, save for the XJR.
This machine has just about 2,500 km since the last (comprehensive) engine rebuild. That means its run in is complete and there’s almost a lakh kilometers left in it. It rings and dings till about 6,000 rpm when the YPVS kicks your butt into orbit. YPVS also helps save loads of front tyre wear by lofting it high, and often.
The gearbox is quite slick.
When we were out riding, the LC wobbled a bit under braking – the head bearings probably need a check. That apart, the LC is a legendary handler, capable of combining its stonking engine power with light, agile handling to run rings around much bigger, newer machinery. The brakes need a bleed as well, but the rear shock felt well-settled, if a little low on preload.
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