Pics and discussion of your favourite oil burner
Two Strokes
- Thread starter CaribooBC
- Start date
Wow, beautiful bike
Don't really have a favorite. These are my current two strokes.
Just started resurrecting this barn find parked in 1976.
Just started resurrecting this barn find parked in 1976.
I have three of these IZH Planeta sport 350.
I'll start off with this....all my pics are on another computer that has locked up
Front to back...
RGV250 VJ21SP / RGV250 VJ22SP / RGV250 VJ23SP / RS250 Challenge Cup / RGV250 VJ22 project....now sold and in California
And in some mags....UK magazines.... Very few in the States mess with these things, so they are rarely seen out in public
Front to back...
RGV250 VJ21SP / RGV250 VJ22SP / RGV250 VJ23SP / RS250 Challenge Cup / RGV250 VJ22 project....now sold and in California
And in some mags....UK magazines.... Very few in the States mess with these things, so they are rarely seen out in public
Last edited:
I want to be you when I grow up. You have an outstanding collection of two strokes.
Last edited:
I wouldn't wish that torture on anyone.
But since I have survived those somewhat insane points in time, life is pretty good at the moment
I like your GT. I loved the one I had and was planning on building a Cafe version from a pile of parts I had....but gave up on the idea after I finished my RZV.
My 72 back in 2014 at the Chicago Motoblat event
This pic was on the Motoblat web site for years
Last edited:
Mine has been a fun bike to have. Not much of my stuff is stock or original. I just can't seem to have a two stroke without chambers on it. LOLI wouldn't wish that torture on anyone.
But since I have survived those somewhat insane points in time, life is pretty good at the moment
I like your GT. I loved the one I had and was planning on building a Cafe version from a pile of parts I had....but gave up on the idea after I finished my RZV.
My 72 back in 2014 at the Chicago Motoblat event
This pic was on the Motoblat web site for years
Seen today at the monthly NTNOA meeting at Moto Liberty. First Ossa Street Bike I have seen in the wild in North America.
The corner with my Yamaha’s
1991 TZR250RSP
3XV2
One of 500 for homologation purposes for Japanese home market TT/F3 racing
3XV2
One of 500 for homologation purposes for Japanese home market TT/F3 racing
My 1984 RZ350 I bought back in 1985
Been through a number of various lives, but I got it all back together for its 30th birthday, and it’s been sitting like this ever since.
Been through a number of various lives, but I got it all back together for its 30th birthday, and it’s been sitting like this ever since.
And my 1984 RZV500R
This was my dream bike ever since I read about it in Cycle magazine back in 84.
Japanese home market only version with Yamaha’s very first production aluminum frame. A long story goes along with all my strokers.... I’ll try to do some write ups in the future here.
This was my dream bike ever since I read about it in Cycle magazine back in 84.
Japanese home market only version with Yamaha’s very first production aluminum frame. A long story goes along with all my strokers.... I’ll try to do some write ups in the future here.
I need a drool emoji for that last one...
My 1989 RGV250 SP rebuild.
Built as a TT/F3 race bike
Built as a TT/F3 race bike
Nice!!
Wished I had your skills.
Wished I had your skills.
My two stroke history in pictures...
I had an '74 RD350 in high school. Photo below of me shortly after HS graduation in 1977. Sold it about 1980 or so and started my engineering degree.
Then a few years later bought an '77 RD400, about 1982 or so. This blue RD was a great bike. I nearly lost my license on it.
So decided I'd try roadracing and bought an RZ350. That was the start of my 7 year long roadracing career. I started roadracing on the RZ350 in 1985, and raced it through 1987. Photo below on my 1985 RZ350 racer. I'm #59 out in front leading the pack at Summit Point raceway. By the next turn, any one of those other guys could be the leader. You never knew who was going to win. We were all similarly competitive.
Then I bought a 1982 TZ250-J in 1988. It was way outdated and was not competitive at all.
For 1989 I raced an 1986 TZ250S. Started getting better results with that bike.
At the end of the 1989 season I bought Bill Himmelsbach's 1989 TZ250-W and ran that for the 1990 season. I started winning club races and managed to finish once in the top 15 at an AMA Natl race weekend... I was in the money! This was the bike I really began to improve on and gain confidence. Photo below from Roebling Rd Raceway in my brand new leathers.
In 1991 I bought a brand new '91 TZ250-B and ran most of the AMA Natl schedule but for the CA races. Started winning a lot of club races and was consistently in the top 15 at the AMA natls in 250GP. Bike was fast and my riding made a big jump. This was my most favorite motorcycle I have ever owned. Updated the shocks and forks and ran it for the 1992 season as well. But at end of 1992 money was getting tight and I needed to go back to college to finish my engineering degree. So at the end of 1992 I hung up my leathers. 1992 was my best season!
About 1995 or 96, while wrapping up my mech engr degree, I managed to collect up a few 1979 Daytona Specials. I put all the best parts onto one bike, then sold the others. Eventually sold this in 2006. This was the last two stroke I owned. But for my chain saw.
I had an '74 RD350 in high school. Photo below of me shortly after HS graduation in 1977. Sold it about 1980 or so and started my engineering degree.
Then a few years later bought an '77 RD400, about 1982 or so. This blue RD was a great bike. I nearly lost my license on it.
So decided I'd try roadracing and bought an RZ350. That was the start of my 7 year long roadracing career. I started roadracing on the RZ350 in 1985, and raced it through 1987. Photo below on my 1985 RZ350 racer. I'm #59 out in front leading the pack at Summit Point raceway. By the next turn, any one of those other guys could be the leader. You never knew who was going to win. We were all similarly competitive.
Then I bought a 1982 TZ250-J in 1988. It was way outdated and was not competitive at all.
For 1989 I raced an 1986 TZ250S. Started getting better results with that bike.
At the end of the 1989 season I bought Bill Himmelsbach's 1989 TZ250-W and ran that for the 1990 season. I started winning club races and managed to finish once in the top 15 at an AMA Natl race weekend... I was in the money! This was the bike I really began to improve on and gain confidence. Photo below from Roebling Rd Raceway in my brand new leathers.
In 1991 I bought a brand new '91 TZ250-B and ran most of the AMA Natl schedule but for the CA races. Started winning a lot of club races and was consistently in the top 15 at the AMA natls in 250GP. Bike was fast and my riding made a big jump. This was my most favorite motorcycle I have ever owned. Updated the shocks and forks and ran it for the 1992 season as well. But at end of 1992 money was getting tight and I needed to go back to college to finish my engineering degree. So at the end of 1992 I hung up my leathers. 1992 was my best season!
About 1995 or 96, while wrapping up my mech engr degree, I managed to collect up a few 1979 Daytona Specials. I put all the best parts onto one bike, then sold the others. Eventually sold this in 2006. This was the last two stroke I owned. But for my chain saw.
Last edited:
Youtube video from my very last race weekend. The WERA GNF at Road Atlanta. This is one of the morning practice sessions during the weekend. I go past the GSXR1100 camera-bike on my '91 TZ250 at the 7:52 minute mark.
Those last years of my racing days were about the best days I have ever lived! I'll always cherish those memories.
Those last years of my racing days were about the best days I have ever lived! I'll always cherish those memories.
Very cool history. Thanks for sharing your story.My two stroke history in pictures...
I had an '74 RD350 in high school. Photo below of me shortly after HS graduation in 1977. Sold it about 1981 or so and started my engineering degree.
Then a few years later bought an '77 RD400, about 1982 or so. This blue RD was a great bike. I nearly lost my license on it.
So decided I'd try roadracing and bought an RZ350. That was the start of my 7 year long roadracing career. I started roadracing on the RZ350 in 1985, and raced it through 1987. Photo below on my 1985 RZ350 racer. I'm #59 out in front leading the pack at Summit Point raceway. By the next turn, any one of those other guys could be the leader. You never knew who was going to win. We were all similarly competitive.
Then I bought a 1982 TZ250 in 1988. It was way outdated and was not competitive at all.
For 1989 I raced an 1986 TZ250S. Started getting better results with that bike.
At the end of the 1989 season I bought Bill Himmelsbach's 1989 TZ250 and ran that for the 1990 season. I started winning club races and managed to finish once in the top 15 at an AMA Natl race weekend... I was in the money! This was the bike I really improved on. Photo below from Roebling Rd Raceway in my brand new leathers.
In 1991 I bought a brand new '91 TZ250 B and ran most of the AMA Natl schedule but for the CA races. Started winning a lot of club races and was consistently in the top 15 at the AMA natls in 250GP. Bike was fast and my riding made a big jump. This was my most favorite motorcycle I have ever owned. Updated the shocks and forks and ran it for the 1992 season as well. But at end of 1992 money was getting tight and I needed to go back to college to finish my engineering degree. So at the end of 1992 I hung up my leathers. 1992 was my best season!
About 1995 or 96 I managed to collect up a few 1979 Daytona Specials. I put all the best parts on one bike, sold the others. Eventually sold this in 2006. This was the last two stroke I owned. But for my chain saw.
Here is a photo of the 250GP pre-entry list that was in the program of the 1992 Road America Natl event, my comp # was #59. I can honestly say I spent a season racing against Colin Edwards, Kenny Roberts Jr, Rich Oliver, Jim Filice, and some other real fast guys. Not that I was even anywhere close to being competitive with them. Wouldn't have been unusual for me to get lapped by any of them towards the end of the race.
What I would give to be young again and know what I know now. These days I'm just a 64-yo guy looking at my old pictures and knowing... "The older I get, the faster I was"
What I would give to be young again and know what I know now. These days I'm just a 64-yo guy looking at my old pictures and knowing... "The older I get, the faster I was"
Last edited: