Basket Case Posted April 21, 2020 Share Posted April 21, 2020 For some reason, Yamahaâs earlier machines donât get the same name recognition as vintage Hondas (with the possible exception of the XS650 line). That doesnât mean they werenât important in the history of motorcycling, though, and it doesnât mean theyâre undesirable. Just the opposite, in fact. Because thereâs less hype over vintage Yamahammers, you might actually find a good deal on one. Need proof? Check out this 1970 Yamaha HS1, for sale in New Hampshire. This two-smoker was built with a 90cc engine to get around the Japanese domestic marketâs 100cc restrictions, or so the rumor goes. That might have endeared it to buyers in its home country, but in power-mad North America, a 90cc wasnât the stuff of dreams for most riders. As a result, while Hondaâs CB750 went down in legend as the worldâs first Japanese superbike, this HS1 spent its days as part of a dealership collection. The tiny, mighty HS1 is powered by an air-cooled, 90cc, two-stroke parallel twin that breathes in through a pair of the smallest carburetors youâve ever seen and out through a two-into-two exhaust. The engine is mated to a five-speed trans that delivers power to the rear wheel via a chain final drive. The suspension is pretty standardâforks at the front and two shocks aftâand the brakes are drums front and rear. This bikeâs ad claims the machine was rated for 10 horsepowerânot that youâre going to be buying this for drag strip runs or highway commuting. This particular example does appear to have lived an easy life, and it seems the dealership did a basic freshening-up before it went on the market. The ad says the carbs were cleaned, and the intake and breather hoses replaced. The odometer only shows 3,000 miles; visually, itâs obvious the bike has been used, but it appears to have been well taken care of. The ad also says the current seller, who bought it from the dealership collection, has ridden it, so it should be in running order, more or less. Best of all? The price is $1,000 at the time of posting. No doubt itâll rise in the days ahead, but this is a vintage machine, in good condition, that almost anyone can afford. The classic motorcycle scene has seen quick rises in pricing lately, but for now, a clean machine like this is still within most ridersâ reach.  Let's block ads! (Why?)Source 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XTreme Posted April 21, 2020 Share Posted April 21, 2020 @YamaHead Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catteeclan Posted April 21, 2020 Share Posted April 21, 2020 Had something like that years ago. YL100. Was a bitch to keep running right. Â Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pedro Posted April 21, 2020 Share Posted April 21, 2020 That can't pull the skin of a pudding, or something like that  edit: or is it peal a pudding? edit 2: peal a peach? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catteeclan Posted April 22, 2020 Share Posted April 22, 2020 12 hours ago, Pedro said: That can't pull the skin of a pudding, or something like that  edit: or is it peal a pudding? edit 2: peal a peach? Mine wasn't too bad when in the power band, sounds better than it really was. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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