The Yamaha TDR250 was a bit of an outcast, not really fitting too neatly into any particular dirtbike category.
The styling was Paris-Dakar inspired but the engine was a detuned version of the two-stroke twin in the TZR250 roadie.
The TZR tipped the 250cc proddy road racing class on its ear when it was released in 1986, and it seems that someone at Yamaha thought it would be a good idea to drag the motor out of that alloy frame and stuff it into a trailbike chassis with slightly longer-travel suspension. The rotary exhaust-valve engine breathed through two 28mm flatslide Mikunis and was basically two YZ125s on a common crankshaft, running an Autolube system.
Concessions to dirt use were milder porting, lower compression and a lower first gear, but there was no bashplate, and only 160mm of fork travel (preload adjustment only) and 150mm at the rear.
Wheels were 18-inch front and 17-inch rear and the front brake was the 320mm disc and four-piston floating caliper from the TZR, which suggests that it was intended more for road use.
In stock tune the liquid cooled engine was docile enough up to 6500rpm, then hit with venom before signing off at 9500rpm and 170kmh. A little enlarging of the exhaust ports and skimming of the heads would see 10,000rpm and 200kmh from the six-speed gearbox.
Hence the need for the big front brake which had good feel, enabling the front tyre to squirm and chirp to the point of lock up. High-speed stability was said to be good, with the steering being light and flickable at low speeds.
The TDR250 was only 137kg but spirited riding gave just 8km/litre from the 14-litre tank, but cruising at licence-preserving speeds could stretch that to almost 15km/litre. When the engine sang, it sang loud, possibly a reason why no one bothered to attempt to get it passed the recently-introduced Australian Design Rules.
The PD styling was attractive, with a speedo mounted in the usual spot behind the small screen with a temperature gauge and row of idiot lights above it.
The tacho was mounted at the front of the tank, right behind the steering head, an absolutely useless place to put it, but otherwise it was a user friendly machine and easy to kickstart.
Despite the “Ultimate Dual” claim on the tank the TDR was much more road focussed than dirt, with ADB’s tester putting it at about 95 percent road and 5 percent dirt.
In New Zealand it was a lot cheaper than its TZR sibling and a more practical mount for everyday use, as the TZR had the head down, bum up riding position of a pukka road racer. The TDR was a big hit in Paris-Dakar Rally-mad France, so much so that they had a super motard series designed around it called the TDR Cup.
The circuits were 75 percent tar, 25 percent dirt and included tabletops and doubles, but it would be a brave Frenchman who would try to clear those on the stock suspension. It’s an interesting bike that still has a keen following among the retro crowd.
What a shame we didn’t get it here in Australia, I wouldn’t have minded owning one. Heritage Editor Warren Jack
TDR250 Details
WHAT: 1990 Yamaha TDR250
WHEN: July, 1990
PURPOSE: Dualsport
HOW MUCH: Not sold in Oz, $6597 in NZ (about $5000)
