The Yamaha RD56 cemented itself within the annals of motorbike racing historical past when it carried Phil Learn to Yamaha’s first-ever Grand Prix championship title in 1964. However that wasn’t the RD56’s solely accolade that 12 months; it was additionally the bike that Canadian racer Michelle ‘Mike’ Duff claimed their first Grand Prix race win on.
Duff would go on to win one other race within the following season, ending second general within the 1965 250 cc Grand Prix championship behind Learn. They retired 4 years later, however stay the one Canadian motorbike racer ever to win a Grand Prix. And it’s that legacy that impressed Canada’s Matt Wieckowski to create this nostalgic Yamaha RD56 duplicate.
“I used to be impressed after re-reading the guide ‘Make Haste Slowly’ by Michelle Duff, which chronicles her time (she was ‘Mike’ again then) as a manufacturing facility Yamaha racer within the early 60s,” Matt tells us. “It’s an awesome learn, by the best way, for anybody who enjoys motorbike racing.”
Based mostly in London, Ontario, Matt customizes and providers bikes beneath the banner of Large Dream Bikes. He races traditional bikes too, so tasks of this ilk are proper up his alley.
Nicknamed the ‘RD256,’ Matt’s retro race duplicate began because the body, swingarm, and many of the engine from a 1974 Yamaha RD250 two-stroke. The body and swingarm had been stripped, de-tabbed, and bolstered, and the swingarm was lengthened and modified to accommodate a wider rear tire.
Subsequent, Matt massaged the forks, yokes, and entrance Brembo brake caliper from a 2001 Cagiva Mito into place. “It went on surprisingly simply—aside from that I needed to make and set up a brand new steering stem, and cross-reference the steering head bearings,” he says.
The rolling chassis was completed off with customized rear shocks from Race Tech, and a set of KTM supermoto wheels from SM Professional within the UK. Matt mounted a Brembo entrance caliper off one other KTM for the rear brake, hooking it as much as a Nissin grasp cylinder from a Yamaha YZF450. The brake discs are Goldfren components.
The RD250’s engine was removed from operating when Matt received his arms on it, so he set about rebuilding it from the bottom up. Highlights embrace a Vape ignition, a rebuilt crank, modified outer covers, ported and polished heads, and a modified VForce reed valve system from a Yamaha YZ80. Matt did many of the work himself, save for the cylinder work, which was outsourced to a pal—Tanner at Sib’s Efficiency Machine.
The engine runs race gasoline, fed by 34 mm Mikuni round-slide carbs. For the exhaust, Matt initially fabricated enlargement chambers that he refers to as “unsilenced.” These clearly proved too loud, because the exhaust system now consists of aftermarket Yamaha RZ350 chambers and cans.
Transferring to the bodywork, Matt put an order in at Ragged Edge Racing for a set of RD56 duplicate components. They equipped the fairing, stomach pan, tail part, and windshield, whereas the handmade fiberglass gasoline tank got here from a provider in Toronto.
“As soon as I had all of the components I went via the gradual and tedious strategy of mounting them to the bike,” Matt tells us. “I made a entrance fairing keep that additionally holds the tacho, in addition to all the opposite brackets and mounts to carry every little thing of their correct positions.”
“My objective was to all the time keep as true as doable to the RD56 so far as the look. That meant performing some issues I hadn’t achieved earlier than—like making fork covers out of aluminum tubing, and sprucing the anodizing out of the fork tops to offer the looks of typical forks, despite the fact that they’re inverted.”
Matt completed the bodywork off with the RD250’s unique entrance fender, which he shortened to swimsuit the construct. Then he took a Koso tachometer, stripped it, and added Yamaha branding for a period-correct look. Different ending package contains Movement Professional grips, a YZ250 clutch perch and lever, a Suzuki GSX-R600 entrance brake grasp cylinder, and HVC Cycle rear-sets.
As soon as every little thing was in place, Matt stripped the Yamaha again down for paint and finishes. The body and swingarm went off to Chris at Crashburn Cycles for recent powder-coating, whereas Blair at Fibernew added foam and fabric to the uncooked seat pan.
“The bodywork and gasoline tank went to a different pal of mine, Mike Murray, who completely hit it out of the park,” Matt provides. “I principally confirmed up with unfinished bodywork, a uncooked fiberglass gasoline tank, and some footage of an RD56. It got here again spot on.”
“I put lots of hours into this bike, however was additionally blessed to have an incredible group of people that I couldn’t have achieved this with out. One different shoutout I might give is to my welder, Doug Cloutier.”
Matt’s Yamaha RD56 duplicate is a picture-perfect tribute to one in all motorbike racing’s finest eras. However despite the fact that it seems to be too good to get soiled, he assures us that it’s no storage queen. “Regardless that I don’t get it out as a lot as I would love,” he provides, “it does get some observe time at an annual occasion that I assist sponsor, known as the Grand Bend Pageant of Pace.”
What we wouldn’t give to see this sleek machine ridden in anger.
Large Dream Bikes | Fb | Instagram | Photos by Pink Button Pictures
