Should I buy a wee two stroke?

[lingeringstin...]

I like zippy little bikes with primitive engines but I have some hesitation about buying this one. It's apparently in fairly good condition but...

Yamaha RSX100 from the 1980's and was made in India (drum brake model) so I'm wondering if the frame is prone to rotting away on these.

6v electrics suck. It would have to go LED and 12v and that means bother.

Can you still get a new expansion chamber that doesn't cost more than the bike did? Doesn't have to be the exactly right original one, something like a RD250 expansion chamber usually works a treat on most things as long as you can cobble it to the downtube.

I realize "vintage" two strokes are silly shit for old men to tinker with, and to be honest all the good old ones are long gone and in spares heaven by now, but you can't beat them for smiles per mile.

[stinkwheel]

They are good, pretty nippy, they are already "full power" unlike the 125 learner bikes which were detuned to the 12bhp limit.

It's an early 80's budget learner bike, of course the frame is prone to rust. However, it's also probably leaking oil all over the shop and covered in 2t residue so there's a winner right there. It's a tubular frame and swingarm rather than pressed steel so all is not lost in that respect.

I bet you could retro-fit one of the GY7 charging and electronic ignition systems to it. You can get the whole lot (like everything except the sparkplug) for less than £50 off amazon. You'll need to figure out a back plate for the stator and a taper for the rotor. I fitted one to my Minsk 125 and it works well, self exciting spark and just about enough power to light up a head and tail ight and flash some flashers.

I got an MZ125 spanny off amazon for £60 last year. Although I think it'll surprise you how nippy it is as standard. They aren't restricted as such.

I know you know 2-strokes inside out so you can sort out whatever mechanical fuckwittery four decades of learner riders have inflicted on it. It's a bog-basic reed valve, air cooled 2-stroke. They do 2-stroke things and break how 2-strokes break.

The head nuts will be M7 threads, just so you know and can get the swearing out of the way early doors. Mrs stinkwheel has it's baby brother, a YB100.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[piazza]

Aaaaah go on you can't beat the smell of a two stroke!

I've got a couple of wee 70's Gilera trail bikes and a PXR thats hilarious on wee tracks. Cheap to insure run and (free) tax and looks good in the living room!

What was the question again!?

[A100man]

Yes.

Best Wishes Mr A100 Man
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Now: A100, GT250A, XJ598, FZ750, SL1000

Then: Fizz, RS200, KL250, XJ550, Laverda Alpina, XJ600, FZS600, Skorpion

[lingeringstin...]

Somebody snapped it up while I was dithering. To be honest I thought it was a bit overpriced but at the moment I could afford it so I was tempted. I'm kind of glad somebody else snatched it. I don't need more bike shit.

And anyway if I want a tiddler I can just fit a 125 engine to my 250 (233) bike because the engine mounting points are identical. The only difference is the 125 engine uses a 180 crank so I need two lots of sparky gubbins but that's no bother.

It's kinda neat having a bike frame that will take 125 or 250 engines without changing anything. It only takes about an hour to change the engine on my bike if you hurry.

And if I REALLY wanted a two stroke I could just remove two of the strokes from my four stroke engine.