Yamaha TDR 250 2 Stroke REVIEW - PURE 2 STROKE - FULL MOTORBIKE RESTORATION - JIM LOMAS PIPES

The video is live! A complete review of the fully restored 1989 Yamaha TDR 250...Find out what I thought of the bike now its completely finished and join me for an absolutely flat out ride through some of my favourite local twisty roads.
I'd love to hear your views on the bike and the video so please feel free to leave some comments in the box below.
Any questions on where I got some of the parts for the rebuild and any hurdles I came across please do let me know.
If you liked the video please hit the thumbs up button and if you could subscribe that would be amazing.
More content coming soon!
Thanks for watching and see you on the next one.

[@lambaroo]

Super reliable engines, tuned or stock. I had 2 tzr 250's then a tdr. I toured europe on the tdr in the very early 90's. People said i was nuts to try it on a 250 performance 2 stroke, but it never missed a beat.

[@gregconcepcion2833]

Nothing sounds better than a proper two stroke engine !!!!!

[@sulaimanalk9527]

Sounds exactly like my Yamaha Banshee, i got goosebumps watching this video. Thank you very much for sharing

[@jamescrawshaw71]

Yes!! Love that. Bet that banshee is good fun? Thanks for watching

[@drewsimpson5967]

Great video on every front! These are great bikes and I'd have one in an instant. There were 4 modded TDR's at a local car and bike show I was at recently. Some seriously modified 350 Powervales also. Incredible bikes and workmanship. I blew near a whole roll of film on them. And here I am now on your excellent channel. Zzzzzzzing.

[@davapod]

I bought a TDR 250 new back in 1988, it was fantastic, right up to the point an uninsured builder in a transit van pulled across my path and destroyed the bike and sent me to hospital. It was only 6 months old😭. Great rebuild, mine was black and yellow which for me was the colour to get.

[@jamescrawshaw71]

No way! Thanks for sharing

[@BRAD.-]

Concentrated & listened until you kicked it up & my face had the same smile as yours. Well done to you, brought back memories of my own & I shall be smiling for a long while. Thanks & enjoy, you deserve it.

[@jamescrawshaw71]

Glad you enjoyed it thanks for watching. 👍

[@MajorTom6]

Just found this channel, and it's making an old codger very happy. Starting in 1980 I went 250LC, 350LC, 350YPVS before going on to 4 strokes. I never had one of these but I'm sorely tempted now!

[@jamescrawshaw71]

Thanks for sharing!!! Ohh these are lovely bikes. High recommend getting one 🙌

[@alanpawson2039]

Snap,crackle and pop. Exhaust from the god's.

[@ItsRael108]

Very nice bile, a wee stroker thanks for sharing 👍🏍️

[@peterconnor4193]

Had a black and red one years ago , your bike looks amazing 👏

[@stephesquivel8035]

The best vídeo of TDR 250🔥🔥

[@jamescrawshaw71]

Thank you!!!!

[@b12kult]

Awesome bike, have a friend who has a few of these. Nothing like the sound and smell of a 2stroke. Takes me back to when I owned an RD400 or my RD350LC. With the latter fond memories of starting it up in the underground garage. Kind of a foggy day for all who entered the garage after I left 😎

[@jamescrawshaw71]

Couldn't agree more!

[@jeredalmeida1880]

The Banshee was based on that 350 platform.

[@TonyChapmanVrR46]

Great video, I’ve just finished restoring my TDR (changed mine to black and yellow) just finished running it in and it’s just a bloody hoot! A grin a min 😂 I live in Cornwall so plenty of back roads to play on 👍

[@jamescrawshaw71]

Awesome Tony! Yeah I bet the roads down there are great. I plan to take my over to Wales when the weather gets a bit nicer, I can't wait.

[@Luke_lw]

What an awesome bike!

[@spazda_mx5]

She sounds so crisp! 😎

[@jamescrawshaw71]

Crispy duck 🦆

[@tdrman9482]

Great job on the rebuild James. Can't wait to get mine finished now! 👍🏻

[@jamescrawshaw71]

Thanks very much! It's a good feeling when it's done!!

[@colinmaddocks9352]

The Gelera Nordwest 600 single, many including myself think this was the beginning of the supermoto. I remember them coming out.

[@colinmaddocks9352]

A very good job. Well done lad.

[@leechurchman6831]

Did a nut and bolt on mine same as you but black carbon. On me jollies at the moment. Just the fix I needed hearing it. 👍😁

[@rustymurray]

You have just motivated me to take my Aprilia RS250 out for a spin, sounds and looks awesome, well done

[@isaaclopes3911]

Nice and Clean! i have a Yamaha DT200R 1999 Brazilian Version, a Nice and Fun YPVS TwoStroke Bike. Some Tunners from here Brazil extract so many HP from old Twostroke Yamahas, the bikes wheelie only hitting the throttle. Hugs from Brazil 🇧🇷!

[@jamescrawshaw71]

Brilliant! Thanks for sharing

[@unnikuttanmurali2517]

Beast when opens the ypvs... 😍

[@ZXTAS1977]

amazing video and sound, thank you

[@jh-tech5546]

Nice rebuild. Sounds great!

[@bryanandrew7729]

I had one mine was yellow and black great bike

[@jonnyvt6602]

Nice, I have a TZR 2ma, great on the road n even better on track!

[@jamescrawshaw71]

Very nice!

[@andywing2030]

Loved mine. Had mag wheels fitted, black and gold. Ran like a dog most due to the carbs and no one I could find could service them properly. When it ran well was brilliant. The YPVS is excellent when it hits 6,000RPM or so. Think it’s the bike I’ve had the longest.

[@torryan5644]

Wow, so fast in the twisty stuff 😮

[@mickeygi8332]

Your turn signals and tail light are the funny versions and all the cars coming at you on the wrong side of the road - OMG

[@jamescrawshaw71]

Hahahaha

[@AridersLifeYT]

Beautiful thank for sharing

[@jamescrawshaw71]

Thanks for watching 😁

[@Captain-Donut]

Wow…..just subbed 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 love from Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@jamescrawshaw71]

Thanks bud 👍

[@gustaveluna9349]

nice vid, in fact it is a 240 cc. Excellent work Sir. such good memories with this bike, just after my 350 RDLC-4Lo

[@jamescrawshaw71]

Pretty sure it’s says 249cc on the barrel!

[@Emily-ou6lq]

240s were only made for sh*thole countries like france n such

[@MagicTouchAudio]

I had a tdr 180. Im from South Africa. It was magic. This one is probably epic!

[@jamescrawshaw71]

Great bikes 😁

[@comfysofa1549]

Yep - owned one of those in the same colour....fucked up my spoked wheels at the time chasing a Porsche from Bristol to WestonSuperMare when i was supposed to be going to a wedding reception in the other direction....changed to TZR wheels (at the time that was the thing to do...) i had stock pipes (gutted front pipes) and DEP tail pipes on mine. Took the barrells of and polished the exhaust ports out and skimmed the head....never changed the top end but made it get there faster...those were the days...

[@jamescrawshaw71]

Awesome! Thanks for sharing!

[@ekspatriat]

I had an xr500 in 85 which I re-laced front to 17 inch. Fitted road tyres. So this sort of thing was already going on.

[@rorbber]

I had one of these beauties when I was 18 just wondered how mush a rebuild like this would cost.

[@jamescrawshaw71]

You can pick these up for about 4-5k in UK spec. Rebuilt cost me about £1500 but I did most of the work myself. Get one 😉

[@savagehamzter8850]

beauty of a bike

[@John_heidinger]

My Dream bike 🤗🔥

[@jamescrawshaw71]

They are a very good bike!

[@John_heidinger]

@@jamescrawshaw71 better than new

[@DragonNova]

So good :)

[@jamescrawshaw71]

Thanks! 😄

[@phoenixvids]

Nicely Done!!!

[@jamescrawshaw71]

Thanks!

[@TheClassicMotorcycleChannel]

Good video :)

[@jamescrawshaw71]

Thanks very much 👍

[@BikesofRye]

Enjoyed this one 👌🏼

[@jamescrawshaw71]

Glad you enjoyed! Thanks for watching 👍

[@TheBeechwoods]

Sounds amazing.

[@jamescrawshaw71]

Thanks mate 👍

[@Stormcloakvictory]

Still the best sounding dual sport/adv bike to exist.

[@barrycrawshaw8557]

Beautiful!!!!

[@johnhosie2405]

Just been given one with my 2 sons we are going to strip it down and restore

[@jamescrawshaw71]

Awesome!! You’ll have a lot of fun!

[@stephenthorpe8142]

The engine covers lovely colour.

[@Jean_vdm]

What a sound!

[@donweaver1600]

Love one but crazy money

[@gregconcepcion2833]

I'm hoping to do the same to a rz 350. It's on my bucket list

[@jamescrawshaw71]

Awesome Greg that sounds really cool

[@williamdoyle7152]

Lush just got one ....need a bit doing

[@jamescrawshaw71]

Awesome!! It’s a great bike I bet you’ll love it

[@stuartmartindale249]

Hi James, what a beautiful machine. I've bought one as a project bike, so once my workshop's been rebuilt I'll then start on my TDR. Just to let you know this is the last bike on my bucket list, so it will be given special treatment, when life allows. I'd really appreciate any images or videos of your restoration, along with any recommendations to suppliers and services that you used. OK I'm up in Lancashire but will use contractors anywhere from a personal recommendation. Great to hear yours, mine doesn't even have an engine in the he chassis yet but I have the matching numbers unit to fit. Thanks for bringing a smile to my face today. Stu

[@jamescrawshaw71]

Hi Stu, That sounds really exciting! I'm glad you liked the video, it goes a long way when people give positive feedback, great to know it put a smile on your face, there is just something about these bikes isn't there!! Get on over to the TDR OWNERS group on Facebook. It's a really good place to find information and also a bunch of friendly like minded people on there who are happy to help. I others are always sharing links on there for these builds and where to get new bits 👍

[@stephenthorpe8142]

Brilliant.. just going looking at a R1-Z this Friday.. not to keen on the standard bars and thinking of a renthal bar a bit more upright. Have you any suggestions and what type clamps and other bits I’ll need ?

[@jamescrawshaw71]

Not sure about that mate I think 7/8th bars will fit but no idea what bend would be correct for that bike!

[@emukhtar59]

Love it Did you still have it ?

[@jamescrawshaw71]

Sold it to fund more vids and projects 🥹

[@glovester]

damn. damn damn damn damn damn.

[@raziframli4642]

In malaysia we got this too.. But its very rare items

[@pietervanbreda4360]

It is time to do mine but I just cant think of it standing stripped and not riding it. My baby is black and yellow.

[@SteeeveO]

Had an R1-Z a few years ago & now hankering after a TDR, only problem is I occasionally do a 300 mile round trip - do you think this bike is up to that? I never did more than 100 miles on the R1-Z, stupidly thinking it might break down on me. Course it never did....

[@jamescrawshaw71]

It would do a 3000 mile trip I rekon!! Bulletproof.

[@SteeeveO]

@@jamescrawshaw71 That's great, though my backside can only cope with 300....cheers

[@theriderdtm8650]

Sweet ✅ ❤✌🏻 Stroke

[@andreaalbero2885]

Hi! I would love to share few thoughts and I have few questions! How can we get in touch?

[@jamescrawshaw71]

Can send me a message on instagram? jamescrawshaw71

[@guiltygearcore]

Eargasm.

[@colinmaddocks9352]

In 1989 I had a brand new TZR125. I did 28,000 miles in one year on it (bizarre but true) I changed the engine oil every month with ESSO EX2 car engine oil. And used Valvaleen outboard two stroke oil. The bike never ever let me down and I never changed the clutch plates either. Not that i knew how to do all that at the time. But it makes you think about car oil and motorcycle oil. Is it BS? Take care fella

[@jamescrawshaw71]

I always wonder with engine oils! I’ve actually seen a well known engine builder use Morris oils. He did some tests and found the larger names such as motul were actually causing more wear on engine. Would be an expensive test to get it fair and correct and there’s always so many variables in engines such as tolerances ect! Tough one. I just stick to manufacture recommendations and try and forget about it all 🤣

[@colinmaddocks9352]

​@@jamescrawshaw71 Yes that's what I did and do after partexing the TZR for a FZR600. The TZR took 1 litre so was cheap. The FZR took 3.5 so wasn't cheap. But it's always made me think. We are lead like sheep.

[@Emily-ou6lq]

Just found one with 15k km on it

[@perakimatt]

Another pristine bike with what I’m guessing will be one day sold with low mileage on it

[@jamescrawshaw71]

It’s currently about 17,000 I think so I doubt by the time I’m finished with the bike it will be low miles! I’ll probably do about 1500-2000 a year on it, not sure I’ll ever sell it to be fair as I love it way too much!

[@perakimatt]

Glad to see your using it,beautiful bike mate 👍

[@sponge111111]

pity the speedo ain't working!!

[@daveyspider]

i take it your speedo is not working lol

[@MartinMcAvoy]

The Yamaha TDR 250 was the ultimate hooligan bike. If they were still made, they'd be the perfect thing to wind up the NPCs at Greta Loonberg climate hoax protests. Blue smoke fever forever! 😁😁

[@jamescrawshaw71]

HaHaha

[@danstevens2204]

Wtf is that?? I’ve never seen one or heard of them.

[@jamescrawshaw71]

It’s badass that’s why it is haha

[@wgrantbaileybailey3]

All kinds of blind corners and hidden roads. Not a place for riding anywhere around there 👎👎👎

[@jamescrawshaw71]

Only a little 2 stroke mate, probably never going over 50mph!