1965 Yamaha YDS-3, 250 Catalina
After 28 Years, It Started on the First Kick

Super-Clean Paint and Body:

1965 Yamaha YDS3 250 - Catalina:

A friend of mine in the choir gave me this bike. It was in the back of his father's garage. During clean-up of his father's garage, my friend tossed out a box with some parts in it. Turned out they were relatively important parts - the cylinders, pistons, and heads.

No problemo. Fortunately, these bikes are collector items. A quick search of Ebay and some vintage motorcycle sites got me the parts I needed to complete the bike. What happened was, my friend's brother started doing a ring job back in about 1967. He gave up and left the bike in the back of the garage for the next 28 years. It still had the original tires. The paint was very clean paint because it had been kept covered. The only real rust to it was to a few parts that were exposed on each end of the bike.

After putting it together with re-honed cylinders, and new rings, pistons, plugs, and gaskets, it started on the very first kick. It had new oil in the engine case, but the oil mix tank still had the original premix in it. Smoked like a mad dog.


Yamaha Catalina 250 as Found - Note Lack of Cylinders

Some Corrosion on the Front Fender

Tiny Bit of Rust in the Tank - Basically Clean

These Bikes Came With a Gas Tank Screen

Closer View of the Clean Gas Tank

A Catalina Without it's Top End

5601 Orignial Miles With Original Tires - Amazing

Another Angle - Check out the Perfect Seat

Black Knob on Steering Column is an Adjustable Damper

Another View

Last Registration: 1969

Oil Injection Tank Still Has Oil From 1969

All Decals Were in Good Shape


Even the Seat Stamp is Very Clean
The Bike Outlasted San Diego Yamaha

Check Out the Cool Registration Tube

San Diego Yamaha Sticker

Installed a Brand-New Tiny Little Battery

All the Instrument Lights Work

Taillight/Brakelight Work

Headlight Works (High & Low Beams)

Complete - Note the Old European-Style (Left) Kicker

Another View of the Completed Bike

Started on One Kick With a Typical 2-Stroke Smoke-Job

Took it for a Short Ride

Took it for a Short Ride

Ran Like a Bat out of Jello (Actually it was Very Quick)


A 1966 Yamaha Catalina 250 was the Basis for
The Bat-Cycle in the Original Batman Movie

The 1966 Catalina-Based Bat Cycle Looked Like This

Note the Working Go-Cart/Side-Car


Links to Some Other Projects:

Buckheart Ranch Rail Road Cars
1972 Yamaha TX650 Restoration
1974 Grumman Canoe Restoration - The USS Global Duck
1976 Dodge Motorhome Rebuild
1984 Honda CR 500 Restoration
San Diego Ibotics - Stingray Autonomous Submarine

 

Link to Some of Our Other Trips:

Main Page:

 

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