1980 YZ-465G #3
"...Third times the charm!"
That's what they say, isn't it?
It's been a while since I last had a 465, and I have been looking for one ever since I sold my last one, but they have become as rare as gold, and just about as valuable. So it was with an sense of urgency that I jumped on this one. It is clearly the roughest YZ465 I've yet owned. You can click the following links to compare it to my first one, and my second one, and see what I mean. And to think I thought my second one was rough!
I bought this one sight unseen from a fellow vintage racer over in Yakima. He sent me a couple pictures, and we spoke on the phone and I sent him a check. Another racer graciously volunteered to ferry the bike from Yakima, to Puyallup for me free of charge. That was too cool. Then the big snow storm or December 2008 hit, and I was stuck with a bike in transit for two long weeks. Finally I got it, and got to see what sort of YZ I had...sort of like finding the prize inside the box of cereal when you were a kid.
Here's the bike after an initial "previous owner sticker removal" flurry. You can see it's all there, but certainly rougher around the edges than my previous two 465's. My favorite part are the flames lovingly painted on the pipe...
...Not.
They'll soon be gone. Sorry.
It's a 1980, but discerning viewers will note the addition of an '81's intake boot and boost bottle.
Discerning viewers will also note a lot of rust.
Some previous owner in this bikes long history thought yellow fins and hi-lighted YAMAHA might make it go faster. I think that's why they added the flames to the side too.
Ratty: Nice shot of the general condition of the bike upon my receipt. Note the missing upper chain roller, footpeg bolt, and overall oxidation.
On the plus side, take not of the nearly new knobby, the still present chain guard, and the after-market clutch lever extender. Ooooh!
I rolled it off the truck, took a couple pictures, then launched right into disassembly.
The previous owner had told me it had suffered a minor top end seizure, and I wanted to get the jug out to be bored, or at the least honed right away.
When I got the cylinder off, I was astounded by how nice everything looks. The rings were both stuck, but a flick of a plumbers scribe and each popped right out. The cylinder looks and feels perfect. I think I'm going to try and find new rings, and just replace them, and give the cylinder a quick hone for good measure.
While I have the bike taken this far apart, I have decided to finish the disassembly, and get the frame powder coated. I have new 43mm forks on order, as well as new plastic.
This bike will rise again, like the legendary Phoenix...
...I swear it!
Keep watching this spot to view the progress!