Yamaha 350 LC YPVS or ebike ?

That sounds grim @somafunk. Sorry about your mate. Road riding might be worth another look with an older, wiser head on your shoulders and a mature appreciation that the throttle goes both ways. I am a classic born again biker. Messed around with them as a teenager and had tons of crashes and a lot of near death experiences. In retrospect I’m lucky to still be here.

Coming back to them at 39 (20 years ago) and it was an altogether different experience. Modern tyres are phenomenal, possibly the greatest improvement in motorcycling and rider aids like ABS and traction control help too. Add those to maturity and some advanced training and road riding can be relatively safe.

joelowdenFull MemberI had three LC’s…2 Naked and an F2, I would love another shot on one… however, old age and rose tinted specs I think 🤔🤔.

Me too, followed by an RD400. Loved ‘em at the time. Have one now? No. 

Power Valve motor in a 250LC frame, lighter than the YPVS, bit flexy but sooo fast, did have the 350LC front end for a bit of extra stopping power.

I bought my YPVS after 45K miles on an NC30. The Yam was so flexible I assumed the frame was cracked and promptly stripped it down to check…

My 350YPVS came fitted with a steering damper, I nearly died when I jumped on a mates without one and it promptly threw a tank slapping hissy fit at speed.

Get a couple of old KH250 triples and make a 500cc four out of em…..may involve some seriouse engineering skills tho….(18 mins for the noisy bit)

I had a RG250 for a while – the parallel version. Easily the best handling bike I’ve ever ridden (well – the combination of power and weight) . I used to love overtaking bigger bikes on the bends. Riding it from Edinburgh to Peterborough and back over a weekend wasn’t my best move ever though.

A few folk put YPVS 350 engines in the RG frame 🤪

TBH get a Honda Grom and live somewhere nice for bike riding :-)

The next toys on my list a are a Suzuki ltz400 quad and a Honda Grom but I literally live where there are 100’s of miles of dirt tracks and quiet roads :-)

Not that quiet roads  are necessarily safer,just remembered riding home today a motorbike and me on my  MTB both hit the brakes harshly at a junction :-(

Classic Bike prices have taken a bit of a hit recently, RD’s were especially overpriced not all that long ago and seem to have come back to a more sensible level (although still with a huge amount of nostalgia tax)… Now’s the time to buy if you’re going to, they’ll probably go up again if/when we start to move out of this current cost of living crisis.

But… Do you want something to look nice in the garage and polish occasionally, that might add a tiny amount to your bank balance in the longer term? Or do you want something to use that will actually add value to your main hobby and though a depreciating asset, there’s never been a better time to buy on than right now with all the deals going on at the moment…

I’m sick of looking at things I’ve bought over the years thinking they’d be nice and might appreciate slightly, or at least won’t go down in value. I’m genuinely only buying things that I will use and that add value to my life from now on!

^ Good philosophy. 👍

Do you want something to look nice in the garage and polish occasionally

I’ve never gone outside to look at, or just run a rag over a bicycle, the various motorbikes in my life I have.

An ebike is a tool, a vintage motorbike not so much. YMMV

The YPVS was the when they’d smoothed them out, the frames stopped flexing and didn’t need a steering damper IMO.  I had one, after the RD250E I got at 17 and passed my test on, then two RD350LC’s.

Then moved onto a new FZ600 – original one using an XJ600 engine in a FZR400 frame and year or so later I rode a pal’s LC and then another pal’s YPVS – couldn’t wait to give them back, not a patch on the FZ.

And to answer the OP, I could’ve bought lots of new & s/h stuff instead of my eeb – but didn’t as I wanted the eeb.

As an ex 350LC owner (which I sold to get on the property ladder 25 years ago), I would get the LC, BUT I’d be prepared that it isn’t going to be the same as you remember.

So…. I’m just going to leave this here:

I would say if you were considering an e bike, you’re probably not man enough for an LC anyway 😉

I would say if you were considering an e bike, you’re probably not man enough for an LC anyway

I had a CG125 when I was 17, because my parents were sensible.

Hired on one a few years ago and the power / weight ratio isn’t what I remembered 😂

I thought those were the ugliest thing ever when they launched it, but it’s grown on me. Still not as pretty as the Z900-RS though

An ebike is a useful a vintage motorbike not so much. YMMV