Yamaha R5 Two-stroke History & Specifications
The Yamaha R5 / YR5 Japanese motorcycle model was introduced to the market in 1970 - a successor to the 1965 305cc YM1, 1967 350cc YR1, 1968 YR2 & 1969 YR3 / R3. It was a street bike designed around the racetrack success of Yamaha two strokes. By that time Yamaha was already a second-best Japanese motorcycle manufacturer, ahead of Kawasaki and Suzuki, yet behind Honda.
The 1970 Yamaha R5 motorcycle was a slightly larger sister of the DS7 250cc twin. It was lighter and slimmer than earlier Yamaha two strokes, and it had excellent handling and engine performance. The fact that it was modular meant, that R5 350 spare parts were interchangeable with other Yamaha models and thus cheaper to replace.
Technical Specifications of Yamaha R5 & Yamaha YR5
Briefly said, Yamaha R5 350 had air cooled 350cc twin two-stroke engine with piston port controlled fuel injection. The horizontally split crankcase housed 5-speed gears, and the front wheel as well as rear wheel were fitted with expandable drum brakes. The oil injection was served by Yamaha's dedicated oil pump. Full model specification below:
Model: Yamaha 1970 (R5), 1971 (R5B) and 1972 (R5C)
Year: 1970-72
Motorcycle Type: Street Sport
Dry weight: 146 kg
Ground clearance: 180 mm
Fuel tank size: 12 litres
Displacement: 247 cc
Engine: Twin cylinder, two-stroke
Top speed: 153 km/h (95 mph)
Fuel system: two VM28 SC Mikuni Carbs
Ignition: Battery, dual coils & breaker points
Lubrication system: Yamaha Autolube
Cooling system: Air cooled
Gearbox: 5-speed
Transmission type: Chain
Frame type: Duplex cradle frame
Front suspension: Telescopic forks
Rear suspension: Swing arm
Front brakes: Drum brake
Rear brakes: Drum brake
Starting: Kickstart
It came in a range of bright colours as well.
1970 Yamaha R5 / YR5 - R5-000101 – 013649 - Metallic Purple/white
1971 Yamaha R5B - R5-015101 – 042209 - Mandarin Orange/white
1972 Yamaha R5C - R5-100101 – 130606 - Mandarin Orange/black
The popularity of the 350cc engine R5 Yamaha started the biggest era of Yamaha motorcycles.
Yamaha R5 350 Parts
As motorcycles evolved, so did their parts and factories had to adapt. Some parts are just not economical for Yamaha to produce any more, so we have decided to stock some high quality reproductions as well as original OEM parts for this classic two-stroke bike. We understand that especially rubber parts and seals disintegrate over time. We now stock over 100 essential Yamaha R5 parts required for your restoration project.
Air Cleaner Parts
If your motorcycle loses power, it is usually a sign of an intake issue. We stock most of the essential rubber items for R5 air box repair such as airbox dampers, airbox strap, carburetor manifold, and well as intake joint with matching clamp and spring band.
Stand, Footrest & Brake Pedal Parts
If exposed to element, footrest rubbers crack, we therefore stock front & rear footrest rubbers, gear lever as well as kickstart rubber. We also have footrest dampers, stand stopper, tension spring and various nuts and bolts in stock.
Crankcase & Transmission Parts
If you need to rebuild your crankcase, you should not opt out for cheap oil seals. We supply ARS Japan OEM original crank seal kit with smooth seal edges ready to be fitted in. Add new gaskets or breather and your restoration is set for success.
Oil Pump Parts
Rebuilding an old oil pump is certainly easier than finding a new one on the market. Through we don’t supply hardware for it, we have a full kit of seals and gasket to help you restore your classic Yamaha lube oil pump in no time. We also stock replacement oil tank windows, dampers, pipe holders or even blanking plugs if you decide to remove the pump altogether.
Many of these parts have been discontinued for decades! We don’t aim to provide a complete list of spare Yamaha R5 350 parts, but If you can’t find a specific part on our website to fit your restoration project, or you need a parts list, please contact us via email address or the contact-us form below. We also offer free shipping on orders over certain value.
If you need spare parts for Yamaha RD models, we have a dedicated category for these bikes too.
More handy links:
Twin road test article at Motorcycle Classics
Few helpful links: Renovation Project of 1972 YamahaYR5 & 1970 Yamaha R5 Restoration Forum tips