Can I Get This Old Yamaha 2-Stroke Twin Running?

Cameraman Dan made me do this because he's the worst.
Check out our new store! thebeardedmech...

[@jasonwittler6537]

The joy from Craig and Dan when the bike fires up is what makes this channel great. You guys make Friday my favorite day. Keep up the great week.

[@BrianSnider-de1tt]

One of the things that make this channel great 👍

[@van_trippin5260]

For years i thought his name was Creg!

[@rondavey185]

Yeah I really enjoy them together and their reaction to things

[@TheVTRainMan]

Outta all of the bikes I've seen you frankenstein back to life... this one is the coolest! Honestly, I would love to see this one finished. She's a sexy beast.

[@XRV750Andy]

"We gotta be safe here" 😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@royfrye2871]

After loosing an arm and getting whacked in the head by a handlebar😂

[@strangeuniverse1199]

Mechanical work can be very dangerous. It takes a lot of concentration. I lost the tip of my thumb oiling a motorcycle chain while the engine was running.

[@richgwozdz8580]

@@strangeuniverse1199my cousin nearly lost his kneecap once riding his brand new 07 kx250 the front forks collapsed and he put the peg in his knee nearly when he fell luckily it just skinned his entire kneecap instead of inpailing it

[@firesurfer]

Since when?

[@Davesknives]

Brilliant😂😂

[@kirkkephart6615]

“The spark of hope is with in Greg…”

[@exothermal.sprocket]

Craig. Hahaha

[@clanggedin]

I don't ride motorcycles, nor do I work on engines, but this channel is one of the best ever. Craig, Dan and Greg produce some of the greatest/funniest content on the internet. Thank you for the laugh today.

[@stevepicot9004]

I owned one in 1968 in the UK, I was 18 at the time, mine was a 250cc blue and white, with tapered cut back exhausts, fantastic bike for its day!

[@millymoo6575]

What do you ride now ?

[@stevepicot9004]

@@millymoo6575 nothing unfortunately to old

[@stevepicot9004]

@@Eeeeeeeee-p7s yz ???

[@as3cs3]

was it a YD1 or something?

[@stevepicot9004]

@@as3cs3 from memory I think it was 😁

[@jjwaters]

I love the child-like exuberance when the motor kicked over. That's why I keep coming back again and again. Dreams really do come true.

[@williesweetjr8713]

I said I would not sub to yet another channel. At 428K you don't need any support from me but by every wrench turning I have ever done, this has got to be the most infectious channel I've seen when it comes to mechanical resurection!

[@tommontague5721]

Back in the 80's when I was in my 20's I was restoring several 60's bikes. I picked up a Yamaha 305 Big Bear in pretty good condition. When I got done restoring it I was surprised how strong it was. It gave my BSA 650 Lightning a run for it's money. Good video, Thanks!

[@ghettosled1976]

Imagine. In the 80’s it was worth restoring 20 year old bikes. Kinda hard to think of a 2004 bike you’d want to restore in 2024 lol. I always tell customers at my shop, nobody is going to open a barn in 60 years and get excited about finding a pristine kia rio 😂

[@LiveForTheSeason]

Love your videos Craig! I spent last winter restoring my 1989 honda goldwing, and today my wife and I are taking it on a 7 hour ride across my home state of Wyoming, and she is gonna take her MSF course. Watching your videos has inspired me to look for an old bike to rebuild with my 11 year old son, so he can learn to work on and fix things, and also get a better bike than his little 110 that is getting too small for him. Love your videos, and I look forward to seeing the next one!

[@Kevintherubiconjeep]

Damn that sounded good when it came to life. Cool.

[@jimp.7286]

YAAAAY. An old two stroke episode. Two strokes are awesome. Even missing the carbs and it still tried to run. Kick start broke off on my rd and we welded it. Memories, lol. Another good one here. Cheers! 👍

[@SchoolforHackers]

Yeah, who needs it? They push start really easy!

[@Bug62Uy]

Im here watching, a viewer from south America Uruguay 🇺🇾 always present🎉

[@octaviogullini4163]

Eee que onda gurí

[@SyThco13]

¡Motociclistas son mundial!

[@dantecardozo7541]

Que haces locoooo?

[@sofiezooms]

🇺🇾❤!!!

[@EpicTomaHawk45]

eee uruguay representando loco

[@jamespalmer4727]

I grew up in the 60's with a single cylinder 2-stroke 175 kawasaki "trail bike" and saw many of these two stroke twins. since they were pretty cheap a lot of kids were buying them and they (we) rode the tar out of them. quit often we removed mufflers to get that awesome sound this ancient yamaha made when you started it with ether. After the kawasaki 175, I had a 500 Mach 3 briefly and of course had to try it without mufflers just to see what it sounded like. The sound your old yamaha made triggered a hole bunch of also ancient memories of that old 500 2 stroke single growling loud enough to be heard miles away. it was awesome to hear and ride like that. probably why I have hearing loss today.

[@cedhome7945]

Great to see you finding bikes from garages sheds barns whatever and getting them going (or best shot at ) there's a whole treasure trove still to find in the USA , the pickings are getting a bit harder hear in the UK with everyone thinking any old rust bucket is at least £1000. Great work 👍🇬🇧🇺🇲

[@robbieracer3294]

Trust me we have a lot here in the States that want top dollar for clapped out bikes. Hell, try to find a 90s quad like a Banshee and your looking at 5k up to 12k ...still can find good deals, but the used market is still crazy given new bike prices are absolutely insane right now, a lot of dealers are trying to get 3-4k over MSRP/out the door

[@adylevene4318]

That is one cool Yamaha, liking the David Attenborough look hacking thru the jungle.

[@TauJensen-by4qy]

You guys are so lucky, nothing rusted out. I am from Denmark Skandinavia. all old bikes are rusted and rotten when you ever have the chance to buy one...🤯😁 Thank you for your videos, they are so amazing. Keep up with, whatever you do...😊💪👍🇩🇰🇩🇰🇩🇰

[@TauJensen-by4qy]

Owner of a Honda nx 650 dominator.😊👍🇩🇰

[@chrisjohn4101]

So, just as I think your videos cannot get any better - you pull this one out of the hat - genius. You HAVE to get this thing back on the road. All the best to you from the UK - keep doing what you're doing.

[@treeguyable]

Got a 71 R5 ( rd) 350 yamaha 2 stroke you can have .Even have the title. It needs MAJOR help. But it is do able, lots of money though.

[@RideSlide13]

The laughs and smiles I had during this episode made my cheeks hurt . Top series 👌 keep it up and keep saving (or try) the forgotten bikes of the past .

[@WillAda-id5eb]

I was looking for a hobby to get me off my couch and working with my hands again. No formal mechanical experience, occasional tinkerer. When an opportunity presented its self, my buddy gave me his dads 1998 Vulcan 1500 that has been sitting for a few years. I picked it out of his old yard in November, and after getting it home and inspecting the scope of the project. Immediately intimidated. Hopped on KZbin and found Craigs first few videos and was hooked. Sir, your willingness to share your knowledge and experiences helped me build confidence for my own project. Here we are now in May and i just finished cleaning the tank out. Hoping to get it button up and idling. Hope you get to see this comment! Thank You for what you do!! P.S. Bro your intro on this was funny and ridiculous. The faces killed me.

[@SchoolforHackers]

Very cool! Good luck -

[@ayedee6681]

dang, that pop had me giggling as well, so much fun. That old bike sounds awesome! It needs to live! Hope you can find the parts you need to restore it.

[@chadhanebrink8009]

I did a YDS3 a few years ago and this project reminds me a lot of it. Please be careful as the oil pump runs off the clutch, so if you pull in the clutch, the oil pump isn’t pumping.

[@SchoolforHackers]

Seems kind of important.

[@jeffomalley100]

This is really cool. My uncle had a Honda he restored it looked around the same time period as the Yamaha.

[@Iorvethh]

Seeing Craig smiling, makes my day

[@Charger1908]

Craig I have an interesting story you’ll appreciate. Back in the 70’s I was in the army in Fort Myer, Va. one of my buddies took a 750 Honda out for a ride without permission. He got a flat rear tire so he took it off and got it repaired, when he put it back on he didn’t get it aligned quite right and the chain came off and bunched up in front of the front sprocket to the point it broke the engine cases and bunched up there. He was forced to buy the bike off the owner and here’s where I came in. I bought the bike off him for 400 bucks. I took it home got the chain out of the transmission and all the pieces of the case. I used a piece of a Budweiser can, toilet paper and epoxy. I was riding it that afternoon and I had the bike for 3 years before getting rid of it. Needless to say my buddy was pissed that I fixed it the same day I got it.

[@SchoolforHackers]

I’m love it! Brilliant!

[@bobtheman4500]

Another fun video. I can't imagine Craig, not cursing up a storm trying to work on these bikes... Thanks for the content, guys.🏍🤘

[@winstonlanda7731]

Got my coffee, got my donut, got a new Bearded Mechanic video. This weekend is already starting off right.

[@wellandsfinest4766]

Beer and a cig for me but still starting out great

[@winstonlanda7731]

@@wellandsfinest4766 Safe riding out there!!

[@robertgardner8680]

No one cares dude.

[@winstonlanda7731]

@@robertgardner8680 have a great weekend!

[@winstonlanda7731]

@@ryangeiter5869 have a great weekend everyone!

[@rodolphomoto]

I love your solution for kick start...

[@billsheppard2433]

Love these videos. It is awesome to see these pieces of history brought back to life.

[@olto3000]

That made my day! Please get it put back together and film it driving down the road. Absolutely love the old fender 😊

[@maddogrob]

Great job as usual Craig!

[@NorthViewModelShop]

My favourite part of Friday. New videos from you guys.

[@Roblet217]

That bike looks like its from the Fallout universe.

[@ivanromero7274]

ohh yes sr!

[@TheRealBanana]

26:47 The smoke coming out of the "kick starter" was pretty funny. My kind of mechanic work!

[@ionstocke4701]

1958 Yamaha YE1. And I've been looking at that bike for over 10yrs. Can't believe one of my favorite KZbinrs grabbed it.

[@crebbsjd]

You really have been looking at that exact bike. Talk to Craig and get it. That is an awesome bike.

[@SchoolforHackers]

You know he’ll reach a point of putting it in the back or doing a giveaway. Couldn’t hurt to ask!

[@ionstocke4701]

@@SchoolforHackers no I'm ok lol. What I meant by looking at it is Ik the lady a few doors down and I've physically seen it in the garage. I personally don't want it, or want to find parts for it. Craig having it is better lol

[@CharlieBrown379]

I desperately want this project finished. Out of all the bikes I have seen you work on, something about this bike calls to me like nothing else I’ve seen on this channel. I absolutely love this bike 🥹

[@markclemens9964]

25:20 😂 love that "surprised....err I knew it would work all along" face

[@leifhoffman6533]

Man, I think you need to keep working on this 305. Might be hard to find parts but that engine sounds so good when it's running. Brings back my childhood. Come on Craig, please.

[@hi_tech_reptilez]

Not always the biggest Yamaha bike fan but man that color combo is awesome. Really pretty for sure.

[@mcgo3595]

Why not? They’ve always been my favorite. Love my Tenere 700 & WR250x Just curious as to what experiences you may have had..

[@guylr7390]

Not the original colors which were candy red or blue.

[@robbieracer3294]

​@@guylr7390you know, I was watching this and thinking the whole time, those colors don't look like a Yamaha at all...look nice though, very period correct even if they are painted

[@bren42069]

i learned an old timer trick from junkyard digs the other day about sanding points. after you sand them, use a dollar bill to polish them up a little and get out all the grit from between em

[@SchoolforHackers]

Nice!

[@Billthebaker420]

Craig seems better at starting a project than finishing a project... 🤣

[@DarthDainese]

I'm waiting for the Busa turbo rebuild

[@Billthebaker420]

@@DarthDainese I'm curious if they can get the GEICO bike going....

[@ricko3145]

Funny 🤣

[@dietznutz1]

​@Billthebaker420 it's never gonna run properly, show bike, needs engine work to lower compression for a start

[@Billthebaker420]

@@dietznutz1 You don't see a pattern developing here? 🤣

[@user-Borgus]

That's a beautiful find. I gotta sleep, but I look forward to watching this tomorrow. Wish I was there helpin' ya.

[@EmperorDamian]

I wish Craig was my dad 😂

[@DaddyDamien859]

I wish someone wouldn't give up on me like Craig on a random bike...cheers

[@scarborough291]

Hope your dad didn’t hear that one 😳

[@dunroamingfarm9007]

How incredible, welding a handlebar to the kick and spraying directly into the engine, boom! She runs again. Beautiful work gentlemen! Beautiful work

[@kenwillis8487]

Please finish the bike!

[@Jeremy_Adams]

I CANT WAIT TO SEE THAT BIKE RIDING! I’m in love with older Yamahas and this is one of the most beautiful bikes I have ever seen! I can’t wait for the next episode with this bike!

[@ianrawlings2546]

Craig isn't going to do anymore work on this bike.

[@pandaboirap7762]

Helloooo! How is yall?

[@ElijahBraden-n2k]

I’m hungry 😅

[@benb5489]

Great got from work early grabbed a beer turn up the phone Craig's video showed up 👍

[@pascaldesnoeck8671]

today very good it's friday👍👍

[@ricardo6861]

Hey yall

[@93z32]

hellur! how you durrin?

[@kirkwhite6578]

What an awesome bike! Beautiful colors and some killer style!

[@covercalls88]

Many years ago I helped a friend get going a 155 cc Yamaha 1968 two stroker, its been so long I don't quite remember. We were high school juniors. It was complete but needed cleaning and minor fixing, took about week of work but we got it going.

[@fasfan]

It sounds really cool. It looks amazing. If someone restores that it's going to be an awesome bike.

[@kennycarter8179]

1974 14 yr old me my first st bike was a 1968 SUZUKI X6 HUSTLER. The engine was apart in a box with a bad 4th gear. I only had a diagram and spare gears to try and put it together. It took a few tries get all all 6 gears working but was pretty fun to ride. Love the old 2 Strokes!

[@SchoolforHackers]

Was that the 500 twin? Those things were beastly fast -

[@kennycarter8179]

@@SchoolforHackers 250 twin 6 sp pretty fast for the era.

[@rosssenkbeil2894]

Pretty familiar with that oem parts page with nothing available for an early 90s Yamaha I am rebuilding. That thing sounded rad, thanks for making my lunch break entertaining.

[@claytonelton5892]

I wonder how many project bikes are taking up garage space in America and around the world thanks to Craig and Dan...love this channel!

[@marsmars9130]

Another banger! And nice bike! I had one as a kid! We managed to break the frame doing jumps

[@dre4011]

50yrs ago....on Monday, my Uncle (R.I.P.) bought the 50th 1974 Yamaha MX175A when he was 20. I received this beauty 10yrs ago from him personally, it's the 1st motorcycle/dirt bike I had ever been around seeing it first in 1984 when I was 3. Well this morning, I cut the yard and went back into the shed.....realized it's been 50yrs...I primed the pump,threw some gas in it, adjusted the carburetor being that I hadn't ran or ridden it in 8yrs...since August of 2016....she fired over after a bunch of kicks and I took my "Honor/Memorial Day/50th Anniversary cruise around my neighborhood this afternoon....WITH THE SPARK‐ARRESTOR OUT!!!💥💥💥💥💥💥 IT WAS GLORIOUS CRAIG!! I LOVE MY '74 !!!!!

[@GarryCharlesworth]

Fantastic, what a sound, well done chaps !!

[@Bxnfnsndnf]

Just talked to him at Home depot in Lebanon. Very nice guy. Was so cool. Thank you for taking the time to chat with.

[@studiowilds9879]

Hey I live near Lancaster, and I would absolutely love a project bike like that! Let me know if you would let me and my son bring life back to that beautiful old bike!! Love you guys!

[@Iwan.Spillebeen]

100% love these videos, the enthusiasm is insane even if it feels like no project is ever actually finished 🤣

[@gregseale7818]

Love the "Lift" sound effects :-)

[@jacobpenkava2980]

Good morning guys 👋!! Awesome video Craig , I appreciate your content bro ..

[@stevenjameswyatt2032]

Nice classic from the mid 60's,might have to get creative with spares though.Anyhow greetings from the UK and another great upload,cheers have a good one.👍

[@cedhome7945]

Still think it's a finders market in the USA because of the amount of non European models turning up hear in the UK .🇺🇲🇬🇧

[@keithbarry886]

Seriously this is the greatest stuff on KZbin! Watching you problem solve old Japanese bikes is just the best!

[@bluestripes1]

i have a '67 YDS5, i love it, electric start 250, did a flat slide carb conversion, port job, and custom pipes

[@royfrye2871]

When I was about 10 my dad ended up with a 60s model yamaha 90, it was a faded blue whith a chrome exhaust pipe. There was no frame in front of or below the motor, just that one cylinder poking out behind the front wheel😂 it was a cool little bike😊

[@АндрейЛавращук]

Damn, Craig is a real genious! I love this channel so much! So talented, such a great piece of information about bikes and how to maintain them! Anf the most beautifel is how Craig and Dan are working together and how they joking and everything! Thank you sooo musch guys! I always looking forward to seeing the new episode on your channel!

[@garystein9536]

Craig hand crank starting with was hilarious. Dan best sidekick kickstart commentary ever

[@_vintageyamahagarage_1862]

Craig, I absolutely adore these old Yamahas and I love that you have one. Every bike you get running is just so cool.

[@T.Rathfelder]

It's amazing 🤩 that old Yamaha! It stinks of his ancestry I can smell it from overseas. You can't ignore the relationship with the two stroke engines coming from Adler: Clutch on crank, generator and pulley on the right, kickstarter on the left hand side. It's absolutely raw. Well, the MB 250 was a one-piece casted tunnel block even more original, but technically this Yamaha revives an inventive epoch. Beautiful. Thanks for your work I'd be glad to fulfill this project, it's just a bit far from where I am. Any other amateurs of genius engineering there? 😊

[@joshmoore526]

I felt the same joy yall did when that thing started. Finish some of these up and ride em!

[@KH102695]

I had a 1965 Yamaha 250 Catalina, a buddy had a Big bear Scrambler which had the 305CC motor and the upswept pipes, very similar to that bike. That bike has to be an earlier model because mine had the clutch and kickstarter on the right side and the magneto on the left. Also mine had what Yamaha called Autolube which had an oil reservoir for 2 stroke oil so you didn't have to pre-mix. The oil pump was also located on the right side of the engine where the magneto is located on that bike. It was an awesome motorcycle that was fun to ride and super reliable.

[@michaelb.42112]

YES ! Another new Craig and Dan adventure. I liked the Kip "Geez" at 1:58.

[@LuisCipher]

Great job.👍 Love the sound of that little engine. Vroom Vroom!

[@KiraDidNothingWrong]

Its amazing to me how many times he says "I dont know." And still comes out successful

[@SchoolforHackers]

It’s the root of all success.

[@0bm31770]

Amazing. You help me maintain hope of getting my '81 Honda CM400A running.

[@diego61422]

i would love to see check ups on old projects and info on how to do fine tuning after the bike runs. anyways, banger content as always

[@williamthompson2222]

My life sucks...but, watching you two somehow makes the suckage factor tolerable. You guys crack me up!

[@beardo52]

It looks a bit like the YDS series, Clutches were crank mounted, which accounted for their shorter than average clutch life. Good luck finding a kick starter for that, they were impossible to find even in the late 60's. The Fenders on yours are a mystery, mostly that series had chrome, and fairly simple fenders. I hope you get it back on the road, they were a good dependable bike in their day. Further, check the oil pump to insure that the pump body isn't cracked, it happens, and if so, it will starve one, or both cylinders of lubrication, leading to a kaboom. If all is well, make sure to turn the thumb wheel to prime the oil lines up into the cylinders.

[@46danz]

such a cool looking bike, even the paint job.

[@freddiemansky7102]

you guys are a BLAST! great job!!

[@andrewstamps2806]

SPARKS!!! ....OH YEAH!!!😎, Cheers you two for another excellent feature Andrew UK 🇬🇧

[@michaelseibold9977]

I used to have a '64 Yamaha 250. Fun to ride, handled well and all that smoke! Pre auto oiler so you had to mix.

[@Myrussell67]

Another great video with Dan and Craig!!!

[@sachinnaikabc]

Greetings from India it was so awesome to c u start the bike good job bro looking fw for more video on this

[@Jim-MT]

Brings back memories of my YDS-2, Big Bear scrambler and RD 350B. Thanks! Yes, I'm old LOL.

[@gregoryjasongranado5248]

I love how excited y'all get when it pops off!!!

[@spacecoastz4026]

Back in the 60's, when I was a young teenager, an older high school kid down the street had that kind of bike. It was brand new and awesome looking. He always wore a helmet, jacket, and gloves, and he was like a "rock start" with having suck a cool bike.

[@stevedrane2364]

Fantastic. . You are a brilliant engineer. . 👍👍

[@gummball]

Might be my favourite bike of yours yet. This cool looking bike needs someone to do a full resto - it probably has enough power to use as a daily rider

[@mikefu71]

You guys make me laugh out loud. Thanks for all the hard work.

[@RobertHatfull-df4ch]

That old bike looks like a mild custom peppermint /seafoam green and scallops nice find 👍

[@gcolwill]

I LOVE that kickstart solution! I'm gonna try it on my Villers 8E. Also, I, too want to see this one finished - very cool bike!

[@gregoryblair9810]

My friend sold me his 250 big bear (1965) after flipping it. Front forks bent so I bought a 63 street version with the lower exhaust. It was old enough to not have oil pump. I just used the whole front end.

[@TechWithMarc]

That is a beautiful bike! Cant wait to see it done!

[@1911MikeinOregon]

That's awesome Craig. I had no doubt it was going to pop off. It's to bad it's missing some parts because most of the bike that is there is in decent shape.

[@stuartessenhigh2793]

Legends!! Can't wait for the next video. Greetings from UK

[@krisley5178]

Nice job! She is beautiful! All she needs now is to be re-powered with a newer motor. 👍👍

[@kellydrover1994]

Please finish that old bike ! What a great show guys thanks.

[@me734]

Another Friday fav channel of ours.... Keep the laughter rolling guys !

[@TaylorHomeCare]

My jaw dropped just like Craig's when that fired, wasn't expecting that growlll