The YDS3 in focus…
It’s kinda right that we (well, Stavros) are looking at the
YDS3 at the moment. July 1 signified the 65th anniversary of the Yamaha Motor Company so it’s fitting that this – one of their real ‘breakthrough models’ – is in the magazine.
Now, please look forward to a more expansive feature on
YMC and some of their best bikes ever in the next issue, but let’s look at the YDS3 for a while. Coming out in late 1964, this little Yamaha could arguably claim to be the bike to really bring the marque’s attention to the UK bikebuying public, just a decade since the company was formed, off the back of the manufacture of the YA-1 ‘Red Dragonfly’.
The bike press of the day reacted favourably to the launch of the YDS3 and its visual ‘punch’ (blue or red with a pearlescent white, albeit with the back-up of a sober black/silver scheme), it was at odds with Honda’s then conservative paint jobs. Usefully, the YDS3 was fitted with Yamaha’s ‘Autolube’ system, which meant that for many the issues (or main one) with a two-stroke (plug fouling or engine seizure) were finally gone.
It was clear that Yamaha wanted this to be a practical machine – even for a speed demon like Parrish! It had a five-speed box; adjustable rear shocks; twin leading shoe front drums; cush-drives to smooth out the power; and the thing even had a tyre pump and friction steering damper. It was a bit of a step up for the time and all for £272.19s back in 1965. That price alone made Honda weep, while the speed demons (Stavros) relished the fact that the YDS3 was the quickest 250cc two-stroke of its day, at least until the arrival of the Suzuki T20 Super Six…