Yamaha RD250C 1976 Rolling resto and daily rider

[adventure steele]

Wow I'm shattered!! Another full on day on the RD250C it's amazing how far its come from the wheels and other components being a corroded mess to the current state in just over a week since getting her on my 30th Birthday. Looking forward to the new tyres and getting out on her few more bits to order and a few more jobs to do this week.

So far rebuilt the forks.
Fixed the 2t oil joint union that was hanging out!
Refinished the engine cases and cylinders.
Replaced the engine anti vibration rubbers.
Removed all the paint from the rear grabrail/subframe.
Endless bolt polishing from rust back to the correct finish.
Fitted new Anti vibration bar rubbers + the missing clips to stop the handle bars falling off!
Compression test A OK!
Lots of cleaning and polishing on her.
Fitted new clutch perch + lever + genuine grips + genuine brake lever after 2 pattern ones didn't fit.
An the bane of my life got the front wheel an rear wheel from a corroded mess to shiny!
Stripped the front brake disk carrier an got all the corrosion off polished the splines and repainted it.
Stripped the front caliper and 1 half is beyond repair.

Hope you are all enjoying the progress.

Tomorrow's plan is going over the oil pump/engine setup new fluids and bleed it all through

As the gearbox oil is well overfilled been leaking out the crankcase breather with the bike canted back with the front wheel off or a seals gone on the pump an the 2t tank has emptied itself into the gearbox. gonna drop it tomorrow an find out whats going on.



IMG_20190421_191104_142 by norton.rider, on Flickr

IMG_20190421_191203_553 by norton.rider, on Flickr

IMG_20190421_191301_577 by norton.rider, on Flickr

IMG_20190421_191525_580 by norton.rider, on Flickr

IMG_20190421_191009_423 by norton.rider, on Flickr

IMG_20190421_191713_555 by norton.rider, on Flickr

IMG_20190421_191849_760 by norton.rider, on Flickr

IMG_20190421_192051_326 by norton.rider, on Flickr

[adventure steele]

Just started changing all the fluids so thought I'd check the pump out quite a bit of 2t kicking around not sure if it's been coming from the main shaft Few mullered bolts as well including the bleed screw.


IMG_20190422_125546_175 by norton.rider, on Flickr

IMG_20190422_125644_172 by norton.rider, on Flickr

Dropped the gearbox oil ready to remove the r/h casing to take the oil pump off.

Pump removed an ready to send off to arrow after finding the leak

IMG_20190422_155640896-01 by norton.rider, on Flickr

Gonna check the clutch out at the same time now it's all removed.

Well hope you all enjoyed so far this has been the progress in one week since buying the bike. Oil pump is now away for refurbishment and I've ordered a set of Metzler Me77 Tyres Next steps are to order the replacement caliper tomorrow and a few other bits.

First big trip I'm gonna do is down to Cornwall Dad his bro an me all have two strokes so will be a classic two stroke adventure!

[mark vb]

Great stuff, I well remember the '76 model RD250, first of the coffin tanks. I had a Kawasaki KH250 at the time....happy days spent in a haze of pungent blue smoke!

[Richard Simpson Mark II]

Good effort and shows what can be done with elbow grease, rather than deep pockets and NOS parts.

[adventure steele]

Cheers guys yeah I've been down that Nos rabbit hole in the past haha! On a Rd250lc that I've owned since I was 18 had my first Rd350lc at 16 with dad
Luckily I got most of the bits way before everyone got back into them. So got enough bits to allow me to constantly use the Elsie's. Although the 350 stuff is scarce cylinder and pipe wise. Which is why I've been flying around on the 250lc's last year pipes an cylinders are around. The 250lc proved to be totally reliable even did 2,000 miles in one week on one of them.


It's been refreshing to take the approach I did last year with my 250lc I was flying around on and a few Norton's I have that I've restored just refurbing the original stuff it's amazing what can be done with lots of effort the wheels are totally unrecognisable from when I started cleaning them up last week put a huge grin on my face and it's super rewarding getting stuck in. + She's such a original survivor of a UK bike. Trying to save as much as I can.

Unfortunately the front Brake caliper on this is far to gone and the cost of refurbing that is more than a replacement caliper so in the interests of safety thats being replaced with a pattern caliper that's High quality looks the same just made outta better stuff. Everything else on her is nice and original even down to the 2 inch split in tyre! Hence the ME77's.

Gonna have a delay of about 5 weeks on the pump as the waiting list for rebuild is long. Give me a chance to sort all the other little jobs out on her.

Great thing is the list is getting really small now as it's mainly just rubber bits that have perished oil tank mounts etc.

Itching to get out on her.

Plan for this week is new fork oil, refurb the brake system an fit the front caliper, tyres once they are in and if we get a nice still day I'm going to paint the frame with some paint that's pretty much a perfect match for the original Yam stuff.

As much as I loved my GS I super enjoy wielding a spanner an it's nice to have a full understanding of exactly what's under me it's been super cool so far on the air-cooled how much stuffs crossed over knowledge wise from the LC, been interesting comparing between the two as well!

Yeah I totally do get you Richard I'm on a sabbatical at the moment so refurbing what I can helps the funds after the print company I spent the majority of my years at went under so having a nice long think an spending time with family.

My uncle had a KH Mark. Dad an him set off from there older bros in the 80s dad's LC went round the bend his bro's KH went straight on!

Seating position on the Rd reminds me of a cross between the Himalayan an a GSX 750 ET

[johnnyboxer]

Marine Blue

I had a 1976/77 RD400C

Happy days

[adventure steele]

Nearly mate it's Brigade blue 250's were Brigade on the 250c 400 was Marine

Would love a go on the 400 version one day

[frenchy3]

Great project,you are really getting on with it quicker than i would. I owned a few RD,S in my youth an RD250E ,RD200DX,RD400C,RD400DX,RD350LC X . Great bikes and they all suffered terribly from a boy racer who didn,t know his way around a tool kit

[adventure steele]

Thanks Frenchy that's a great set of bikes you have owned

[fatowl]

Dont forget to check the shims on the oil pump. It should be in the manual but people often forget.