http://www.adbmag.com.au JANUARY 2018 | 237STREET-LEGAL BUSH WEAPON
TheendurobikestheJapanesewereofferingin
the’80swerebetterthantrailbikesbutstillnot
quiteuptothestandardofEuropeanbikesand,as
thenatureofenduroswaschanging,converted
motocrossers were popular. Peter Woods of
Woodys Motorcycles in Wyong, NSW, recognised
thedemandandsetouttosatisfyit.
Thisrequiredadrawn-outprocessdealingwith
government bureaucracy until he finally had
approval to convert CR Honda motocross bikes
into street-legal machines, complete with ADR
compliance plates.
Sowhatdidittaketosatisfytheboysin
Canberra?TheWMWswerefittedwithanXR
headlightwithbothhigh-andlow-beam,fullwiring
harness, XR switchgear, a battery, electric horn,
custom alloy muffler, XR brake-light switches, XR
stop/taillightandanoptionalbashplate.
Ifyoucouldgetone,ittook$4900plus
on-roads to call it your own.GLOVE TROTTER
Founding editor Geoff Eldridge liked trying events
inexoticlocationsand,astheNewCaledonia
Rallywason,whynotgo?Theironyofhistripwas
that the ACU of NSW refused him an international
licenceduetohimhavingriddena“black”event
inNewGuineabutasAustraliahadn’tpaiditsFIM
affiliationfee,NSWhadnorighttoissueorrefuse
international licences. The President of the French
Federation was in New Caledonia and welcomed
Geoffonboard,licenceornot.GErodeaKX250
andhadnavigationalproblemsduetothelackof
a speedo but finished second.ONESTEPTOABRANDNEWU
The1988YamahaYZ250Uwassaidtohaveanew
engine from the crankcase up in pursuit of
improved low- and mid-range power. The cylinder
hadanadditionalintakeport,reshapedtransfers,
thepowervalvewas5mmlowerintheportand
theburntgasesexitedthroughareshaped
expansion chamber with new alloy muffler.
Reliability was improved, with strengthened
crankshaft, gudgeon pin, main bearings and
transmission. Each of the five cogs in the gearbox
had been beefed up, along with the clutch and
other components, to give smoother changes.
Despite the upgrades, the engine was lighter and,
thankfully,pumpedoutmorepower.
ADB’stesters declared it the best YZ ever. “The
motorboastsasensiblespreadofpowerthatwill
be fast enough for guns with the right gearing and
yetcontrollableenoughforCGraders.”TheYZ-U
made52hpat8000rpm,weighed97kgdryand
had 340mm of ground clearance, all for $4499.Ads
back
thenMIDNIGHT SPECIAL
Aussie company
Midnight was clothing all
the fashion-conscious
riders in the 1980s.FACTORY RIDE / READERS RIDE / HERITAGE / ACTION / OAS / BUYERS GUIDE
CHEN OR LIEN?
Lienshin rubber was
sometimes known as
Lizard due to the frill-
necked lizard logo. Made
in Taiwan, they are mostly
available as new old stock
on eBay. The company
went on to become
Chen Shin.NO NOISE NO MORE
Sadly today both Liverpool
City Raceway and Tralee
Raceway have been killed
by suburbia and the noise
complaints that come
with it.TOKYO DELIGHTS
The Tokyo Motor Show displayed many bikes that
might have been popular in Australia but never
made it to these shores. The DT125R Yammy was a
road-going version of the YZ125, the TDR250
dualsport with its liquid-cooled, twin-cylinder donk
would have been a screamer, the AX-1 Honda
four-stroke single looked good with its mag wheels
and the twin-headlight XLR Baja 250 would most
likely have been a top seller here given the chance.
The DR-Z 800cc Dakar racer ridden by Gaston
Rahier gave birth to the DR750 Big which we did
see in Australia for a while.Top
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