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Did he say only 32 bhp, I had a 1976 low exhaust model,, adn I currently ride a RE classic 500. I would have thought the overhead cam engine on the Yammy was making more power than my classic by more than a couple of bhp, the RD 400 I had prior to the XT500 made 44bhp.
Love the video and your commentary. I keep referring back to it as a reminder of the sound of British bikes from my youth. I will be 72 next month and would still like to buy a Golden Flash. Does this model have automatic Advance / Retard and does that make it easier to kick start?
I can assure you that one hour a week. To prep a motorcycle for any type of racing event, is not enough time. My neighbors race professionally and at that time I was at their house maybe Friday night and first thing Saturday morning to help work on the bikes. we spent a lot of time taking the bikes from track to track. still to this day I ride. How come there are any Hodaka super rats out there?
I had a 1974 450 Desmo I bought second hand in 1978. Quintessentially the same bike with a larger capacity motor with CDI instead of points. A mate bought the 250 Desmo around the same time, so had a direct comparison. Only mods to mine were new Koni suspension fitted to the rear & top end rebuild (P, R & L). As I recall, a light & good handling bike whose most outstanding feature was its excellent ground clearance restricted only by its bias ply tyre tech of the time, but even the 450 was truly as gutless as. Great going downhill & cornering. Of course with their 6v electrical system & incandescent headlight, daylight riding only. A good Brembo front brake with a large sintered steel faced disc, but really didn't need to use it much. Torquey through the tight twisties, but slow as uphill. My 1972 CB350K-3 twin (front leading and trailing drum cable brake) had more grunt and higher top speed, but not the ground clearance or light superb handling and braking of that Ducati. Still of its time, the 450 Desmo (& 250) were fun bikes to ride through the twisties downhill with nothing of its time better handling. The 750SS (which I also owned) & Sport V twins were overall a better ride albeit without the light handling or steering. Their wheelbase and steering angle ensured they tracked instead with the stability of a train on rails. It wasn't until the arrival of the ground braking liquid cooled Yamaha RD250LC & 350 in 1980 that I think there was a better handling, albeit much more powerful, much quicker and superior handling small capacity light sport bike than those Desmos. The earlier RDs were much quicker accelerating, faster & light handling so they would easily beat a Desmo single hands down on any road in capable hands, but without the ground clearance or the pretty much viceless handling of the Desmo singles. Today there's much romance surrounding them (Desmo singles) but that's what it is. For sheer 250 ride fun, give me a late 1990s RGV250T or earlier peer equivalent KR1-S, TZR , NSR any day.
Great video mate, really top notch. Helped me tune my xs that really needed some tender loving. Might I add. My bike really was floundering a lot trying to idle while changing the balancing screw for the carbs. 1200 +-50 rpm is the desired rev range at idle so make sure your balanced carbs are holding that while you tune. Happy days ❤
