Yamaha TDR 250

[blurredman]

Now, someone on chat listed this as one of his bikes,

I looked into it and I can't stop thinking about it, it's like a dream bike. But I wanted some third party thoughts on this motorbike.
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CBT: 12/06/10, Theory: 22/09/10, Module 1: 09/11/10, Module 2: 19/01/11
Past: 1991 Honda CG125BR-J, 1992 (1980) Honda XL125S, 1996 Kawasaki GPZ500S, 1979 MZ TS150.
Current: 1973 MZ ES250/2 - 18k, 1979 Suzuki TS185ER - 10k, 1981 Honda CX500B - 91k, 1987 MZ ETZ250 (295cc) - 40k, 1989 MZ ETZ251 - 51k.

[tsmith]

tzr 250 engine in dirt bike chassis. 135kg and approx 50bhp. loadsa fun.

i had the 125 version and loved it to bits. always wanted a 250 but could never find one in good nick.

[delvey91]

https://cgi.ebay.co.uk/YAMAHA-TDR250-TDR-250-1991-/280580341353?pt=UK_Motorcycles&hash=item4153e43e69

ends in 4 mins, be quick

[Blau Zedong]

Incredible bikes, good ones are getting expensive, cheap ones are usually fucking horrible. Further lulz can be had by adding a TZR proddie tune into the mix.
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18:54:48 Rob Fzs: jews don't give away stuff for free

18:54:59 Rob Fzs: unless its their clothes/ hair/ golden teeth

[Teflon-Mike]

It was indeed a brilliant bike, & way ahead of its time. A factory 'Motard' before such a thing was 'invented', but with a two-pot street motor (detuned to 42bhp I seem to recall from the TZR's 45), for better streetability. A really loonie wheelie machine, & a thugs bike in the twisties. But, it wasn't popular. The 250 class was pretty dead back then, it was the 'old' learner capacity, full of of old Honda Super-Dreams, learners couldn't ride, & most full licence holders didn't want. (It was pre 33bhp restriction, I seem to recal). The few 250 machines that did sell, were commuters and the loonie two-smoke race-reps for proddie racing, but in small numbers. TDR was an 'oddity', and most in the country now I believe are imports as so few genuine UK bikes actually sold.
Remember some reviews of it, & people just didn't 'get' it.
Recall one magazine actually tired testing it as a dirt bike, & slating it for not working as one! But most journo's struggled, becouse they couldn't catagorise it. Curiousely NOW, if KTM built a twin-pot Motard, it would probably sell like hot-cakes.....
Research carefully before you buy though, as I have a feeling that theres some 'stuff' that can catch you unawares. One possibly being the Grey-Import bikes. I'm pretty sure that genuine UK sales were pretty low, so most in the country are greys, but I have a feeling that there are some noteable differences in different market specs. Japan had a 45bhp 250 limit at the time, which was why that was all the TZR made, & 'Restricted' Jap-Market 250's & 400's had trouble being de-restricted. Technically I dont think that either pareallel twin TZR or TZR were restricted, but theres some anomolies in the power valve & emmission controls for the different markets, and I seem to recall that where most TZR's & 400 'greys' came from Japan, the majority of TDR greys came from somewhere else.... I REALLY dont know where, but something in my memory keeps saying 'Germany'. But I'm probably just regurgitating half remembered crap. So do, do the research as to how they fare now, & be sure you know whats what before you part with hard earned!
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My Webby'Tef's-tQ, loads of stuff about my bikes, my Land-Rovers, and the stuff I do with them!
Current Bikes:'Honda VF1000F' ;'CB750F2N' ;'CB125TD ( 6 3 of em!)'; 'Montesa Cota 248'. Learner FAQ's:= 'U want to Ride a Motorbike! Where Do U start?'

[Blau Zedong]

Further to the above, build quality is bollocks hence the need to tread with caution. Indicators brackets crack and fall off, dropping the rear indicators onto the rear wheel, spokes break for no apparent reason whatsoever and it's damn near impossible to change the plugs without removing at least one spanny. If you want one I'd be looking to spend as much as I possibly could and find one owned by a TDR enthusiast. Lots have TZR wheels fitted (possibly to get around rusty rims and broken spokes), although this doesn't necesarilly mean better handling. A few years ago I was offered one for £500 and I walked away, it was that far gone.
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18:54:48 Rob Fzs: jews don't give away stuff for free

18:54:59 Rob Fzs: unless its their clothes/ hair/ golden teeth

[blurredman]

I just think they're bloody nice looking bikes. They are a fair HP, and 2 stroke which is what I am after, they are a mix of offroad with on-road. I am under the understanding that this CAN be a good bike, but unless you've got adequit money which could be spent on something far more trustworthy and worth.

If the TDR is not the one, then what is something similar? I just love the looks!
____________________
CBT: 12/06/10, Theory: 22/09/10, Module 1: 09/11/10, Module 2: 19/01/11
Past: 1991 Honda CG125BR-J, 1992 (1980) Honda XL125S, 1996 Kawasaki GPZ500S, 1979 MZ TS150.
Current: 1973 MZ ES250/2 - 18k, 1979 Suzuki TS185ER - 10k, 1981 Honda CX500B - 91k, 1987 MZ ETZ250 (295cc) - 40k, 1989 MZ ETZ251 - 51k.

[Kickstart]

Hi

There have been similar bikes, although no 2 stroke twins. As a 2 stroke Gilera built the "Fast Bike" 125 and 200 2 strokes a few years before with similar on / off road design. And a few years later they built the Nordwest using a 4 stroke single (with lovely brakes). Plenty of similar 125 2 strokes.

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[dougon2wheels]

i've got 2 tdr's,and they are massive fun,i've had 5 of them so far and they are brilliant bikes,quirky but brilliant,pretty solid and reliable,yes the pressed steel rear indy brackets break.....but they can be welded and the huge o,e indys replaced with lighter ones.....and the 22 year old spokes go too.....throw the rims away and have some nice bigger rims laced onto the hubs,or go for some other type of rim......tzr rims are a bugger to fit and give you a limited tyre choice.
tzr's and tdr's have exactly the same power,tdr's are not down tuned,they both make 45 bhp standard,but the tdr has a different cdi to the tzr which has a slightly fatter midrange curve,also the tdr has a shorter 1st gear.
there were quite a few sold in the uk,about 1700 if i recal........most of the imports came from japan,and they were slightly different to the uk ones,having an alloy swingarm and different shock.....
come on over to www.tdr250.co.uk and have a look......
here's my 2......
https://p1.bikepics.com/pics/2010/03/20/bikepics-1931335-800.jpg
this one has.....twin disc conversion with r1 calipers,road and track tuned motor,martin77 underslung spannies,fzr400 rear end and a crappy paint job(i will finish it one day,i kind stopped this project when i started the mito350)
and the other.....
https://p1.bikepics.com/pics/2008/08/07/bikepics-1378384-800.jpg
slightly more standard but not by much.......mito wheels,proddy tuned motor,gutted standard spannies(not the dented ones in the pic)tzr alloy arm,dep cans and a few other bits

[c_dug]

Was me who said about it on chat

Still stand by it being the most fun bike I have owned, mine had the TZR wheels and R1 brake calliper, other than that it was pretty standard.

Think I payed £250 for it, it was a bit of a mess when I got it (it wasn't a huge amount better when I sold it ) It had the original spoked wheels but they were rusted to buggery with broken spokes. The back disk was dead, I don't think it had front indicators, and the original calliper was knackered.

Anyway, the good thing about bikes like the TDR is even pretty dead bits are worth something. I bought the TZR wheels, then sold the dead TDR wheels and covered half of the price straight off.

The TZR wheels will fit BT45s which were adequate for everything I needed them for

As doug said pop over to the TDR forum, they are a friendly bunch of people, always very helpful. Just don't expect replies quite as quick as here!

This is the day I got it (dodgy photo )

https://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee81/paddy2007dug/TDR250/DSC00833.jpg?t=1288685883

TZR wheel and R1 brake.

https://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee81/paddy2007dug/TDR250/DSC04425.jpg?t=1288685883

Regret selling it
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I am a bellend, I am a man of constant sorrow, I am a gummy bear, I am a rock.

[27cows]

I don't know how I've never owned a TDR. I've ridden several and they're addictive. Totally impractical for anything other than hooning around on, of course, but that's why they're such fun.
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The RXS100: vehicle of choice for Chuck Norris

[G]

If I was looking at for-fun-only bike, I'd go with a converted 250-380cc enduro bike - similar power but a decent chunk less weight and better suspension.
For a bit more usable 'daily'/occasional utilitarian use bike, the TDR is going to be a better bet.