1965 Yamaha TD-1B - 2-Page Vintage Motorcycle Article

Description

1965 Yamaha TD-1B - 2-Page Vintage Motorcycle Article
Original, vintage magazine article
Page Size: Approx. 8" x 11" (21 cm x 28 cm) each page
Condition: Good
Yamaha’s TD-1 “production” road racing machine, which
is a development of the 250cc Yamaha touring twin,
has for a long time been one of the better bikes available
at reasonable cost to the amateur racer. It has superb
brakes, good handling, plenty of power and a 5-speed trans-
mission. When running properly, it is a match for anything
in its class. However, and most unfortunately, it has been
a trifle fragile. Its engine is basically a super-tuned version
of the unit used in Yamaha’s road bike, and in the past the
crankshaft and certain of the transmission components
have not always been equal to the stresses of racing.
With the introduction of the YDS-3, the situation
changed rather completely, although the fact that it had
changed was not immediately appreciated by everyone.
With the YDS-3, the Yamaha 250cc twin was given a
stronger crankshaft and piston pins, and the transmission
was strengthened as well. Obviously, these changes make
the touring Yamaha a bit better, but even more important,
they provide a basic power unit that will take the loads
imposed in racing.
The Yamaha production racing bike in which these
changes are incorporated is designated the TD-1B: and
not content with merely making the engine more reliable,
Yamaha has taken advantage of the stronger lower end to
add more power as well. Also, there are numerous wide-
spread detail changes that all add up to a better racing
motorcycle. Just how much better was seen at the Willow
Springs ACA professional road race, when Tony Murphy,
on a new TD-1B, ran away from everything to win by a
very comfortable margin.
We were considerably impressed with the performance
of the TD-1B; it was very fast, and it ran a 75-mile road
race on a course that is definitely not kind to engines, with-
out missing a beat. It became obvious, in watching, that
Yamaha had found reliability to match their 250cc twin's
speed. It was equally obvious that we would have to try
out this latest TD-1, because in “B" form it is faster than
previously, and we were told that it handles somewhat
better.
When our chance came, we were presented with not
one TD-1B, but two. One was a new machine, fresh from...
11998-6503-08