1969 Yamaha 350 TR2
One year only TR2 350cc twin-cylinder production road racer
Engine number: R3 900389
Frame number: TR2 900389
When Honda announced their withdrawal from the world of grand prix racing at the start of 1968 Yamaha abandoned development of their successful V4s. By April 1968 Yamaha decided their future lay in a new range of production road racers based on the street bike series. For the first time a 350 joined the 250, this derived from the second series of 350cc street bike, the YR2 (and R3 in 1969). The 250 TD2 and 350 TR2 introduced a new order that would see 250 and 350cc GP grids of the 1970s dominated by Yamaha twins.
Yamaha’s new TR2 twin-cylinder production racer became available early in 1969. Although ostensibly an R3 road bike-based, the TR2 was also strongly influenced by the earlier TR1 road racers. Basically, an amalgam of the YR1 road bike and racing RD56, the TR1 was developed by Yamaha USA in 1967 and raced at Daytona in 1967 and 1968. Here they were severely disadvantaged by the restriction to four-speeds but the TR1 proved the effectiveness of the RD56-based chassis. As it was derived from the R3, the TR2 engine differed significantly from the 250cc TD2. It was the first Yamaha production road racer with horizontally-split crankcases and featured new chrome-lined aluminium 61x59.6mm (five-port) piston-port cylinders. The compression ratio was 6.50:1 and with a pair of Mikuni VM34SC carburettors the power 55 horsepower at 9,500rpm. This engine was installed in the same Norton “Featherbed” style replica RD56 frame as the TD2, with an identical Ceriani-style front fork. The brakes were also identical; a 260mm double twin leading shoe on the front and 220mm single leading shoe on the rear. Weighing only 11kg and rolling on a short 1,316mm wheelbase, the diminutive TR2 (and TD2) became the preferred mounts for all privateers. After a strong performance at Daytona Rod Gould took his TR2 to Europe, and after some close finishes to Giacomo Agostini’s MV Agusta triple in GPs finally beat him in the post-TT race at Mallory Park. This was the first time Agostini was beaten in the UK.
This 1969 Yamaha TR2 is reputedly a Bill Horsman bike that was sold with the release of its replacement, the TR2B in 1970. It was sold through Pitmans in South Australia and owned by Ron Adam in Victoria through the 1970s. More recently it has been campaigned by NSW rider Roly Orr in Period 4 Classic Racing in Australia, culminating in a win in the Period 4 350 class in the 2021 South Australian Historic Road Race Championships at Mac Park near Mount Gambier. Roly last raced the bike on 1st Jan 2021 and won an award at that time
The engine and frame number make it one of the 400 examples manufactured. Most of the original components are present, Koni shock absorbers have replaced the inadequately damped stock items. It is provided with a Motorcycling Australia Historic Motorcycle Log Book and CD manual.
To view high resolution images of the motorcycles, please follow the below Dropbox link;
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/n5bcjb2nuoc16t4y3k5hs/h?dl=0&rlkey=exyqlbxilyvv4n3ue8jmppkbx
This motorcycle is sold unregistered.
