Nearly identical in appearance to a YDS-3 except for a "305" badge on the left side cover, the 305cc YM-1 was introduced in 1965. Priced at $690.
The "Twin Jet" 100cc was introduced in 1966 and featured dual carbs and the Autolube system in a pressed steel frame. List price was just over $400.
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Short History of this 1965 Yamaha
Model: YDS-3 Catalina
Engine: 246cc 2-stroke twin
Mileage: 9660
This motorcycle was purchased new in the
summer of 1965 from Borden Motor Company in South Bend, Indiana. Ned
Borden had just become a Yamaha dealer and my father, a machinery dealer, had
acquired a small electric fork lift as part of a package deal from a liquidation
auction.
Borden was also selling used cars
and his office/workshop was a former gas station. There was little floor space, but plenty of
ceiling height and Borden needed a way to stack crates of incoming bikes. Somehow without eBay or Craigslist, a
connection was made. Borden got the
forklift he needed and I rode a new bike home.
The list price at the time was about $660.
I rode the bike for the next two years
commuting to classes in Bloomington, Indiana.
In August of 1967 through March of 1969 it performed the same duty in
Kalamazoo, Michigan, weather permitting.
During three years of active military service overseas it was rarely ridden,
and the short riding season in the upper Midwest had always kept the mileage down. In the summer of 1974, I bought a small
motorcycle trailer and brought the bike to southern California, where I had
relocated in 1972.
I kept the Yamaha licensed and on
the road through the mid 80’s when a leaky fuel petcock and a broken front
brake cable gave me more reason (in addition to California traffic & drivers)
to shut it down. There was usually garage
space to store it in one piece, but in the early 90’s I decided to take it apart. I drained the fluids,
cleaned, packaged, and boxed everything except the big pieces, which were stored under the
workbench in my garage for nearly 25 years. Throughout that time period, I
thought a total restoration was the logical next step.
But by 2017, patina had become acceptable
(and even desirable) in vehicles of all kinds and I reassembled the bike. This
YDS-3 has plenty of patina and is nearly all original, except tires,
some cables, seat foam, grips, foot pegs, shift, & kick
rubbers have been replaced. The engine has
never been rebuilt, but starts easily and runs. The forks have new seals and the suspension & brakes work well. Ignition, fuel,
exhaust, lighting, horn, indicator lights, tach and speedo function. I have not yet reconnected the Autolube system but
run a 20:1 mix, per the manual.
Yamaha did not issue YDS-3 series VINs
indicating year of manufacture. The D9-XXXXX
Motor and Y23-XXXXX frames were manufactured from 1964 through 1966. This example was assembled in the last 300 of
1965 models, as indicated by the serial production number. Stock color combinations were: red/white, blue/white, and black/silver.
Several YDS-3 details evolved
during the production run and this bike has the early style front fender, all-black
late style seat, and late style ribbed rubber on kick, shifter, & foot
pegs. The tank has “YAMAHA” badges with
the original scallop paint scheme.