The Yamaha RD250 is a

two-stroke A two-stroke (or two-stroke cycle) engine is a type of internal combustion engine that completes a Thermodynamic power cycle, power cycle with two strokes (up and down movements) of the piston during one power cycle, this power cycle being comple ...

motorcycle A motorcycle (motorbike, bike, or trike (if three-wheeled)) is a two or three-wheeled motor vehicle steered by a handlebar. Motorcycle design varies greatly to suit a range of different purposes: long-distance travel, commuting, cruising ...

produced by

Yamaha Motor Corporation is a Japanese multinational manufacturer of motorcycles, marine products such as boats and outboard motors, and other motorized products. The company was established in 1955 upon separation from Yamaha Corporation (however, Yamaha Corporation ...

between 1973 and 1987. Four generations of RD (also known as the RZ250 in the Japanese and Australian markets) were produced: the

air-cooled Air-cooled engines rely on the circulation of air directly over heat dissipation fins or hot areas of the engine to cool them in order to keep the engine within operating temperatures. In all combustion engines, a great percentage of the heat ge ...

models from 1973 up to 1979, and from 1980 until 1987 the

liquid cooled Liquid cooling refers to cooling by means of the convection or circulation of a liquid. Examples of liquid cooling technologies include: * Cooling by convection or circulation of coolant, including water cooling * Liquid cooling and ventilatio ...

models; known as the RD250LC, RD250LC-II and RD250 YPVS. The name RD stood for Race Developed. The standard bike weighed 152 kg dry and had a 247cc 2-stroke twin engine that produced 30 hp. It had a 6 speed gearbox and chain final drive. In 1983 the UK government reduced the maximum cc for learners to 125, killing off the 250 cc motorcycle class in a stroke. At the time, it was considered that the reason for the sudden change in the law was the RD250 which put a high-speed vehicle into the hands of inexperienced users.

References

RD250 The Yamaha RD250 is a two-stroke motorcycle produced by Yamaha Motor Corporation is a Japanese multinational manufacturer of motorcycles, marine products such as boats and outboard motors, and other motorized products. The company was e ...

Two-stroke motorcycles Motorcycles introduced in 1973 {{motorcycle-stub