Twistedsouls: How to 'aquire' a project bike

It is an interesting tale as to how one comes across a project bike, I wasn't looking for one I was actually photographing sheds (garages/workshops) for a photo project I am working on. While in the shed the photo you see in the sidebar of this blog is the sight that greeted me about 4pm on the 20th of February 2007.

It was the shed of a friend of mine TL (tyabblemons) and when I saw it the conversation went something like this

ME: Hey TL !

TL: Yeah ?

ME: What size bike is this under here ?

TL: Ummm I think it is a two fifty...

ME: Oh yeah, here it is it says two fifty on the side cover,its a Yamaha.

TL: Yeah a Yamaha

ME: Where did you get it ?

TL: I inherited it.

ME: Do you ride much ?

TL: No I've never actually ridden that one.

ME: Well if you ever decide to sell it let me know, I might be interested.

TL: If you want it you can have it....

ME: Okay, Ummm... I wonder if we can fit it on the trailer this time.. HEY MICK... can we fit this bike on trailer with the fish tank ?

(ED. Paraphrased due to memory leak)

We didn't get it on the trailer but I did get my brother sprocket2cog (S2C) to check it out and he said it looked like a Yamaha RD 250,Mick disagreed as he thought they had squarer tanks, and a sportier look rather then the cafe racer look, as it was when I got home and did the internet research thing it turned out S2C was right it is a Yamaha 1974 RD. Have a look at this site for some photos of a few 74 RD's. ( www.cyclechaos.com a wiki on motorcycles. )

I got to speaking to Mick (from my cartoon strip www.twistedsouls.com ) about the history of the bike and the story goes like something like this...

I think...

Bike is brought brand new in 1974 by a gas engineer with love of motor vehicles.
Bike is garaged sometime pre 1979 due to health of owner.
The owner never rides again.
Owners son inherits the bike.
The bike is garaged again by son after a quick attempt to start it with no sucess.
I buy bike of son (tyabblemons.)

Originally manufactured and assumed brought circa 1974
Garaged pre May 13 1979 (this is when the rego ran out)
Assuming 12 month registration periods we can say first licensed May 1974
Ridden at most 13 May 1974 to 13 May 1979 5 years
I found it 20 Feb 2007

So that means with a quick calculation or to that the bike is 32 years and 9 months old, and outof that time it has been unridden undercover for at least 10148 days or 27 years, 9 months, 10 days. That means at least 85% of its life since it was manufactured has been spent under cover and unridden. So I am wrapped with it,and hope to have it all fixed up and registered by Christmas. So anyone that buys me gifts may I be so forward as to ask for bike bits to restore my bike :) thats if you want to give me a meaningful gift..

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