Vintage Enduro Bike for Local Mayhem?

[ZenMan]

According to this rather sparse wiki on Yamahas, the green 360 would be a '74 DT360. The '73 was a RT3 and a '75 would be the DT400.

Actually, the bike I'm thinking of buying looks more like the DT3 in green.... it has the smaller tank, and the front fender down on the wheel. It's definitely a 360 though, and it is in original condition.

Did the DT3 come in a 360?

I don't know much about the dirt Yamahas. All my dirt bikes in the past were RM's.... from 125's up to my 465. The only off-road Yammy I ever had was a TT500 when I lived in Okanogan.

[Red01]

I assume that "DT3" is a typo and you meant RT3?
In the early days of the Yamaha Enduros, each cc size had it's own two-letter code followed by a single digit number.
JT1-2 was the 60cc Mini-Enduro
HT1 was the 90
LT2-3 was the 100
AT1-3 was the 125
CT1-3 was the 175
DT1-3 was the 250
RT1-3 was the 360

In '74, they changed all the Enduro line to "DT" followed by the engine size (rounded off in typical m/c fashion, of course).

[ZenMan]

I assume that "DT3" is a typo and you meant RT3?
In the early days of the Yamaha Enduros, each cc size had it's own two-letter code followed by a single digit number.
JT1-2 was the 60cc Mini-Enduro
HT1 was the 90
LT2-3 was the 100
AT1-3 was the 125
CT1-3 was the 175
DT1-3 was the 250
RT1-3 was the 360

In '74, they changed all the Enduro line to "DT" followed by the engine size (rounded off in typical m/c fashion, of course).

No, it wasn't a typo, that's what I was asking you. I said I didn't know that much about Yamaha off-road bikes.  

So looking at the Wiki pics, the bike in question looks exactly like the RT3, except it is green and has a luggage rack.

I guess I'll have to look at the title to be sure.

[pmackie]

Hey Zen

Looking at the pictures of the RT-3, it DOES have Reed Valves, as Red01 suggested, otherwise looks very close to my old 250.

Comments stand, great reliable bikes in their day. NOT overly powerful, but I still rode my 250 on the secondary highways. Quite heavy and not great handlers (compared to newer bikes.) Flexible frame at the swingarm pivot, and flexible swingarm as well.

Remember, Yamaha upgraded the dirt bike line to the revolutionary (in it's day) "monoshock" starting in the late 70's. You might not find any decent used shocks/swingarm that will fit. Forks wouldn't be a problem...

But, if it starts and runs well, and you take it for a ride, you might like it, or hate it. I loved my old bike at the time, but I know I would NOT want it now. By 1982 everthing had better suspension and handling.

[ZenMan]

Well, ya snooze ya lose. I called today to find out the exact year/model of the Yamaha and POOF! It was gone!

Somebody walked in and plunked down $900 for it yesterday. Funny, after sitting there for several years, I finally get serious about buying it and thar she goes...  

Oh well, so much for that. Thanks ya'll for all your comments, suggestions, and information. I learned quite a bit about early 70's Yamaha 2-stroke Enduros, so it wasn't a total loss.