Ken, you are so good at these overviews. I love these, it's like a history lesson every time. The moto professor. I look forward to these videos with the same excitement as I did when I was a kid waiting for the A-TEAM to come on TV.
My friend Terry had the exact same bike back in the 80's. He told me the stories that he took the bike to California sand dunes. He would fly on his YZ 250!
I had the 82, 125. That first year of the liquid cooled bikes, so many made comments about my bike because they thought I put a headlight on a YZ!! Really nice bike here, brings back some great memories!
How cool is this gem. I was 12 when my friend bought to tall bells 250j. My mate was 16 ,he could not ride it very good on the track. However he could do the best wheel stands on it. He used to pull mono's for miles. Great memories 😀
Had the same bike about 10 yrs ago I loved it.. if I rember we had to re route the coolant hose cause it was having problems going threw the frame.. I forget what we actually did but those coolint lines running threw the frame or goose neck.. had problems.. love the bike I rode it every weekend for about a yr straight .
@@joewhitehead3755 the IT 490s were better all around bikes than the YZ 490s because the ITs had 5speed transmissions and the YZ 490s only had a 4speed .
@@johnpena9165 Yeah I've got several ITs also 465 490 and a 250. The YZ490s did become a five-speed in 86 I believe because I've also got an 88 YZ490 and it's a 5-speed I love big air cooled bikes lol
Nice bike! My dad and I just picked up two '78 pe 250's the other day, need a little work but they're some rippers. Editing the video for them now! 🤘 🤙
Love watching these videos, I get to drool over some truly awsome bikes and learn about them and the history of motorcross at the same time. Outstanding work fellas. Keep em coming! 🤘🏻💪🏻
RM 250z motor the fastest then . True. Full floater suspension was better and no radiator on handle bars either. My Yamahas missed gears notchy shifting.
Was on a 82 YZ 80 back then. The 82 YZs still have a soft spot for me (still have my Dirtbike magazine issues with the 82 YZs). Drop dead gorgeous. Though they weren't loved then, I think they're really cool. From an era when the manufacturers weren't afraid to try ideas outta the box. The 82 YZs definitely reflect that (radiator at the bars truely an outta left field design). The 80s were a great era for dirtbikes. The manufacturers were practically revamping bikes every year (especially Honda). Great video! 👍👍
The "bike development race" from the mid 70's to 1985 was amazing. I experienced it from 1976, and a kid could buy a new bike every year, (I bought one every 2 years making $1.00 part time until 82, when I got up to minimum wage busing tables.). It was a race, that bike development, and fueled by free enterprise that kept the development moving, and the prices down. Now development is run by the EPA/government, no matter what the cost, and that is called a dictatorship, not free enterprise. You see, when we were kids, we were told by teachers that we were free in the USA to grow up to be what ever we wanted to be. That meant that we have a brain in our head, and a free enterprise system in our hands. Today, kids are taught that they are free to be what ever government approves. Big difference. Yep, there is a big difference between communism (serving the state), and individual liberty with free enterprise, and it is much more than a matter of opinion. It is a matter of life and death. We are falling to communism, and with any rational definition, we live under a dictatorship today. Oh yea, I had the 82 YZ250 too. :)
I have a very sad 82 Yz 250 in the garage right now. Pulled it out of a field it laid in for 3+ years ! Cleaned it up a tad and she fired right up what a machine !
Gorgeous bike. My uncle had the 1983 Yamaha YZ 125 of that version, only water cooled. Great history lesson on this beautiful ripper. You're The Best on You Tube, Brother, and I'm so happy for y'all doing so well on You Tube. Y'all deserve it, and a whole lot more.
Those seats were so comfortable, great year! I colored the YAMAHA letters Red, White & Blue with a marker and I remember my Dad got pissed cause the bike was brand new!! 🤣
In 1994 I was 14 and this exact bike was my first big bike. My Uncle and dad bought it for all of us to ride behind his mechanic shop in Houston. I jumped from 80cc and 100cc to this monster.. This bike turned me into a man! 😂😂😂😂😂
Also I have a yz 60 in a building. It looks just like this, and yes it is liquid cooled. Same year as this. It was bought by my dad from bigger bros racing in Charlotte NC. It is my brothers first dirt bike. I also have a RM 465. It is bored 60 over, and I’d love to restore both of them. That 465 was awesome to ride.
@@jebirmann2989 it wasn’t stock, it came from bigger bros racing around Charlotte nc. It is in my building that is about an hour from here, but I will see if I have one. It is liquid cooled, has a radiator behind the number plate in front of the handle bar. Let me see if I can find one, or if my wife has one on her phone, it is yellow and black. In its day it would run with a yz80
I had the 1982 YZ125 looks just like that! But that cooling system running through the frame was a pain in the rear end when it started to leak! But it was neat! I wish i would've kept it! But if i kept every bike i ever owned id need a bigger garage for sure!
And this bike, (with 12" of suspension travel.), does corner better than any modern bike today. How can I tell from the vid stopped at 8:57? He can touch both feet on the ground. There is a 1.5" difference approx of center of gravity, (bike and rider), between then and now, and tall bikes just don't corner as well, (with out a berm). I lowered my 2019 YZ250 2-stroke, (now about this height), and that will be me passing you on the inside. :)
This was a good bike and would have been a great bike if it would have had the radiators mounted lower in the chassis, the way it was set up the center of gravity was too high making it hard to ride fast on a fast technical motocross track !
Other 250 Japanese bikes were water cooled in 1982, but they put the radiators on the frame. I think Honda did the 250 first in 81. Not sure about The other yellow and the green, but Yamaha might have been tied for last in 82. I had this bike, (used and local ported), and started racing on it. It was a good bike for my first year. Had a great engine that made starts pretty easy. It was the rest of the track I had problems with, but not the bikes fault. :) I had to replace the lower steering tube seal once a season, or it would leak coolant on the front fender, taking the lower steering bearing grease with it. The bike had a great engine IMO, (the short shift strong mid-range kind), and the suspension,--well, they all had their issues with brand new 12" of travel in 82,----until about the Yamaha SSS forks introduced in 2006. :) The biggest difference between this bike and my 2019 YZ250 2-stroke is better suspension and mass centralization, with more refined controls, (my brakes are too powerful for me actually today.), and a little brother frame from the 1988 works YZM. Hey, I thought Yamaha wanted to quit making works bikes to ride in 1985! Europe got them, (still do). An anti-American FIM move actually, that we learned nothing from. I don't know how much this bike retailed for in 82, but I bought it in 84 used (well maintained and ready to ride/race), for $850.00 and started racing with it, (with no parental support.), and paying for my own part time college making minimum wage of $3.45 to $4.00/hr of the time flipping burgers. Those were the days.
~ Big bright yellow, and spankin good tidy , bit of a stunner, I always liked the early 80s yz 125 models, theres a few on ebay uk atm, not the level this one tho
Hey guys, I have a 1982yz250 that was running before I diosassembled it. would you be interested in buying it. have new cables, chain, dg national pipe, gold rims are nice and hold air. motor needs work as I pulled the head. was owned by my buddy since the 80's We call it the slam pig because everybody we know rode it for a while lol
I like seeing older bikes that time has forgotten at the track. They are the only thing my brain can tolerate amongst a see of 10g cookie cutter bikes.
My brother almost died on one of these bad boy's! He has shoulder replacement, a ankle with 2 plates, and a plate in his collar bone! These bad mofos don't Play!
![Seungmin "그렇게, 천천히, 우리(As we are)" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/kAzmhLHePqU/mqdefault.jpg)
Ken, you are so good at these overviews. I love these, it's like a history lesson every time.
The moto professor.
I look forward to these videos with the same excitement as I did when I was a kid waiting for the A-TEAM to come on TV.
Love ripping my 82 yz passed on from my father. Gotta keep em running!
My friend Terry had the exact same bike back in the 80's. He told me the stories that he took the bike to California sand dunes. He would fly on his YZ 250!
Gotta love the Mono X - these Vintage Yamaha's give ya goosebumps in a good way - that "Yellow and Black with gold wheels.
I had the 82, 125. That first year of the liquid cooled bikes, so many made comments about my bike because they thought I put a headlight on a YZ!! Really nice bike here, brings back some great memories!
How cool is this gem. I was 12 when my friend bought to tall bells 250j.
My mate was 16 ,he could not ride it very good on the track.
However he could do the best wheel stands on it. He used to pull mono's for miles. Great memories 😀
What a joy getting up and going to work at Kaplan must be , those Yamaha's where the bee's knees in the early 80s beautiful
Still my favorite color scheme on a dirt bike. Wish they would bring back. The blue 👎🏼
I like the yellow/black color scheme as well..Yamaha should bring this back..tired of the blue...
I like the blue but damn this is cooler
they did this color scheme i believe in ‘14 or ‘16 i forget
@@jakegrigioni6935 true..for their anniversary models(2016 i believe)..too bad they didnt stick with it
I made my 2005 yz250 look like a 1984 yz250 gold takasagos,yellow plastics
Beauty. I had both an 82 yz80 and yz125. Was glad when I got on the 83s!!!!
Had the same bike about 10 yrs ago I loved it.. if I rember we had to re route the coolant hose cause it was having problems going threw the frame.. I forget what we actually did but those coolint lines running threw the frame or goose neck.. had problems.. love the bike I rode it every weekend for about a yr straight .
Had one of those. Brings back fond memories.
This bike showed the rest of Japan "WHATS-UP"
I had a 1983 or 84 cant remember but the radiators were different. Still my favorite dirt bike I ever owned.
1983 - 85 YZ 250s were excellent motocross bikes with the best powerbands for 250 two strokes ever !
I've got an 84 it's an awesome bike
@@joewhitehead3755 the IT 490s were better all around bikes than the YZ 490s because the ITs had 5speed transmissions and the YZ 490s only had a 4speed .
@@johnpena9165 Yeah I've got several ITs also 465 490 and a 250. The YZ490s did become a five-speed in 86 I believe because I've also got an 88 YZ490 and it's a 5-speed I love big air cooled bikes lol
@@joewhitehead3755 The '84's were my favorite YZ 250's.
Damn, the holy grail. As much as I’d love to ride it I couldn’t, it’s just too damn BEAUTIFUL. Definitely aged better than Megan fox LOL
Nice bike! My dad and I just picked up two '78 pe 250's the other day, need a little work but they're some rippers. Editing the video for them now! 🤘 🤙
I just bought one
Picking it ip tomorrow
Gonna restore it… something I can pass down to my kid
Love watching these videos, I get to drool over some truly awsome bikes and learn about them and the history of motorcross at the same time. Outstanding work fellas. Keep em coming! 🤘🏻💪🏻
Amazing piece of history. That is definitely a Unicom!!! FYI The 1982 Suzuki RM250 actually blew the doors off all the other 250’s that year.
my 82 rm would have ate this
RM 250z motor the fastest then .
True. Full floater suspension was better and no radiator on handle bars either.
My Yamahas missed gears notchy shifting.
Honda cr250 was better than yz also
100%correct
You are right, I fucked up and bought the Yamaha and it sucked ass, the worst MXer I ever had. I should have bought the Suzie, it was THE bike of '82.
That Yz250 is mint
badass.
i love the rm 125 with the rad on the front plate too.
super game changer.
thanks kapt.
Was on a 82 YZ 80 back then. The 82 YZs still have a soft spot for me (still have my Dirtbike magazine issues with the 82 YZs). Drop dead gorgeous. Though they weren't loved then, I think they're really cool. From an era when the manufacturers weren't afraid to try ideas outta the box. The 82 YZs definitely reflect that (radiator at the bars truely an outta left field design).
The 80s were a great era for dirtbikes. The manufacturers were practically revamping bikes every year (especially Honda).
Great video! 👍👍
The "bike development race" from the mid 70's to 1985 was amazing. I experienced it from 1976, and a kid could buy a new bike every year, (I bought one every 2 years making $1.00 part time until 82, when I got up to minimum wage busing tables.). It was a race, that bike development, and fueled by free enterprise that kept the development moving, and the prices down. Now development is run by the EPA/government, no matter what the cost, and that is called a dictatorship, not free enterprise.
You see, when we were kids, we were told by teachers that we were free in the USA to grow up to be what ever we wanted to be. That meant that we have a brain in our head, and a free enterprise system in our hands. Today, kids are taught that they are free to be what ever government approves. Big difference. Yep, there is a big difference between communism (serving the state), and individual liberty with free enterprise, and it is much more than a matter of opinion. It is a matter of life and death.
We are falling to communism, and with any rational definition, we live under a dictatorship today. Oh yea, I had the 82 YZ250 too. :)
@@EarthSurferUSA
Agreed! I was fortunate thru 80s. 82 YZ80, 85 CR125, 87 CR250 and 89 CR250....
I have a very sad 82 Yz 250 in the garage right now. Pulled it out of a field it laid in for 3+ years ! Cleaned it up a tad and she fired right up what a machine !
wow!! thats cool ..one tough machine..
Gorgeous bike. My uncle had the 1983 Yamaha YZ 125 of that version, only water cooled. Great history lesson on this beautiful ripper. You're The Best on You Tube, Brother, and I'm so happy for y'all doing so well on You Tube. Y'all deserve it, and a whole lot more.
Ken Kaplan is THE savuor of motocross motorcycles.
KAPLAN AMERICA MOTORCYCLES KING😀😀😀😀
Those seats were so comfortable, great year! I colored the YAMAHA letters Red, White & Blue with a marker and I remember my Dad got pissed cause the bike was brand new!! 🤣
I had a 1979 yz250 when I was 15 yrs old. That bike is awesome.
I had one too, loved that year, it ran and handles great.
Had one when I was a kid...great memories.
God bless the classic bikes 😉
In 1994 I was 14 and this exact bike was my first big bike. My Uncle and dad bought it for all of us to ride behind his mechanic shop in Houston.
I jumped from 80cc and 100cc to this monster.. This bike turned me into a man! 😂😂😂😂😂
Wonderful, wow. Looks like showroom! What a find.
Wow, that has to be the coolest Yamaha YZ250 ever.
They looked just ok. then you race it and it turned to shit quick.
I at the age of 13 had that exact bike brand new!!!! Xmas morning was awesome 👌😎👏😀.... what a beautiful machine 😍!!!
Love them old Yammies..Had the YZ125C tricked out. Bike was awesome. Nothing better then the Yellow and Black..
I had 82 yz 125 and it ripped but my 85 cr 250 was my favorite that I still have in 2024
WOW...Lovely!!!! The proper exhaust tip!
very cool bike thank you for sharing your collection
I just picked one of these up it’s in pieces but it’s all there I’m hoping to get it running over the winter
Also I have a yz 60 in a building. It looks just like this, and yes it is liquid cooled. Same year as this. It was bought by my dad from bigger bros racing in Charlotte NC. It is my brothers first dirt bike.
I also have a RM 465. It is bored 60 over, and I’d love to restore both of them. That 465 was awesome to ride.
The yz60 was produced in 1981(H) 1982(J) 1983(K) and was air cooled. Post pix
@@jebirmann2989 it wasn’t stock, it came from bigger bros racing around Charlotte nc. It is in my building that is about an hour from here, but I will see if I have one. It is liquid cooled, has a radiator behind the number plate in front of the handle bar. Let me see if I can find one, or if my wife has one on her phone, it is yellow and black. In its day it would run with a yz80
The 82 RM 250 was very good also ranked very well in 82.
Very Nice motorcycle
WONDERFUL motorcycle
Congradulations my friend KAPLAN
GREAT JOB KAPLAN
👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
Back when they still looked like bikes. Gorgeous.
I've got 2 of those 1 parts bike and the other waiting in line to be gone through.
I had the 1982 YZ125 looks just like that! But that cooling system running through the frame was a pain in the rear end when it started to leak! But it was neat! I wish i would've kept it! But if i kept every bike i ever owned id need a bigger garage for sure!
It doesn't get any better than this .
So beautiful..
KAPLAN AMERICA KING😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀🤨😀🤨
Ooooooh yaaaaaa! That’s what I’m talking about! ❤️🍻😎
Best YZ I've owned.
Yo ken your missing a yz50. 1980 model I belive .love these vids brother
Love this!
I bet it's all you can do to hold on to handle bars very quick bike
That thing is so sick first view and comment
Had an 81 yz125 watercooler with no power valve. Radiator same place
And this bike, (with 12" of suspension travel.), does corner better than any modern bike today. How can I tell from the vid stopped at 8:57?
He can touch both feet on the ground. There is a 1.5" difference approx of center of gravity, (bike and rider), between then and now, and tall bikes just don't corner as well, (with out a berm).
I lowered my 2019 YZ250 2-stroke, (now about this height), and that will be me passing you on the inside. :)
Magnifique 👌💪🏻🙏🇫🇷
Droooooling!!!!!!
Absolutely awesome!!
What is the stainless cylinder below the gas tank?
For the rear suspension
@@ricketycricket1237 Thanks. Is it adjustable?
Got pics of me as a teenager on that bike. Was the weirdest design Yamaha did with the radiator on the handlebars.
Niiicccee bike a blast from the past
This was a good bike and would have been a great bike if it would have had the radiators mounted lower in the chassis, the way it was set up the center of gravity was too high making it hard to ride fast on a fast technical motocross track !
right.. I think they had a problem getting hot sometimes too...
@@aarmancuda3570 I had one and I love Yamahas, but this bike was a pile of shit.
Sweet bike
Sounds about as close to a 500 as a 250 can!
Other 250 Japanese bikes were water cooled in 1982, but they put the radiators on the frame. I think Honda did the 250 first in 81. Not sure about The other yellow and the green, but Yamaha might have been tied for last in 82. I had this bike, (used and local ported), and started racing on it. It was a good bike for my first year. Had a great engine that made starts pretty easy. It was the rest of the track I had problems with, but not the bikes fault. :)
I had to replace the lower steering tube seal once a season, or it would leak coolant on the front fender, taking the lower steering bearing grease with it. The bike had a great engine IMO, (the short shift strong mid-range kind), and the suspension,--well, they all had their issues with brand new 12" of travel in 82,----until about the Yamaha SSS forks introduced in 2006. :)
The biggest difference between this bike and my 2019 YZ250 2-stroke is better suspension and mass centralization, with more refined controls, (my brakes are too powerful for me actually today.), and a little brother frame from the 1988 works YZM. Hey, I thought Yamaha wanted to quit making works bikes to ride in 1985! Europe got them, (still do). An anti-American FIM move actually, that we learned nothing from.
I don't know how much this bike retailed for in 82, but I bought it in 84 used (well maintained and ready to ride/race), for $850.00 and started racing with it, (with no parental support.), and paying for my own part time college making minimum wage of $3.45 to $4.00/hr of the time flipping burgers. Those were the days.
gorgeous!!!
Wow first bike i ever owned bought from a guy when i was a freshman saw walking to school me n my buddies h ad a ball on that bike
Wish i had the money to buy one, or even find one to restore
Amazing bike
Why did they move away from the radiator up front. ??
Way to ride that bike jr.
it looks so good holy shit
~ Big bright yellow, and spankin good tidy , bit of a stunner, I always liked the early 80s yz 125 models, theres a few on ebay uk atm, not the level this one tho
I had a 1981 YZ125
Hey guys, I have a 1982yz250 that was running before I diosassembled it. would you be interested in buying it. have new cables, chain, dg national pipe, gold rims are nice and hold air. motor needs work as I pulled the head. was owned by my buddy since the 80's We call it the slam pig because everybody we know rode it for a while lol
Yes 860 454 7024
Where can you get a crank for a 1983 yz80?
I get a heart ❤️ but no answer?🤔
Make no mistake YZ 250 is made for jumping. The suspension rocks
Dime piece no doubt!
👊✊💨💨💨👍
WOW that radiator.
👍🏻so mint👌
I like to see a 19 82 or 84 rm400!!! I had a yz400 but that are in 400 had balls!! 👽👽😍
I have the same exact bike what are they worth???
Did you see that Gas Monkey is having a auction with over 200 rare bikes in a few week. look into it lots of 1 of a kind and very rare stuff
It's got the 4 magical letters
I like seeing older bikes that time has forgotten at the track. They are the only thing my brain can tolerate amongst a see of 10g cookie cutter bikes.
Gas tank is mint still has orginal decals on swing arm an gas tank no dents
All the big 4 except Kawasaki were liquid cooled in ‘82 👍
U get problems with the seals in head stock cause of coolant corrosion I have on in UK
Yep. Replace the seals once a year. I had one in Michigan USA..
My brother almost died on one of these bad boy's! He has shoulder replacement, a ankle with 2 plates, and a plate in his collar bone! These bad mofos don't Play!
Can you get Dennis Franz mini V8 powered motorcycle on your channel please
Sweet Model J
Wow ! 😳
Ken you are MR 2STROKE
I had one !
The clutch Grenaded and I had no money so I threw a xt250 motor in it...16 at the time...learned a lot.
Sorry but the 82rm250 was the bike to have that year
Not mellow yellow 👊🏻✊🏻💨
😍😍😍😍
I have one, pretty clean but obviously not like this one. I also have a clean 1982 yz125.
💪👍✌
Toppppppp Yamaha