1967 Yamaha 305 (YM1)

1967 Yamaha 305 (YM1) Red and White  1967 Yamaha 305 (YM1) Red and White Candle Wick Resturant

This is a picture of my 1967 Yamaha 305 (YM1). I truly don't like saying anything bad about anything, but I am going to make an exception. This was the worst bike I ever owned! It must have been running this day but I notice the right engine cover is off.

I had lots of problems with the kick starter. The kick starter gears kept breaking and often would take the engine casing along with it. The dealer kept telling me it was my fault and to stop kicking it like it was a Harley. Yamaha eventually came out with bigger kick starter gears, so I know I was not the only one having this problem. If Yamaha engineers discovered a faulty design with the kick starter gears, I would think a customer oriented company would recall the products and fix them for free. Yamaha never did this! I put the bigger gears in myself and sold the bike. I will never buy another Yamaha again! I used the money I got from the Yamaha as a down payment on a Harley. You can always tell a 250 from a 305 engine... just look at the fins on the cylinder head...If the front of the fins are the same as the rear fins, then it is a 250... If the front fins are taller than the rear, then you have a 305...

I had several problems with my YM1. The biggest one was the kick starter... It would keep on breaking the teeth on the kick start gears.... Often it would break the engine casing also..... God I hated that bike for that...Yamaha always said I was starting it wrong, but when they came out with bigger teeth gears, I knew they were not doing it just for me.... They knew they had a bad design, but just did not want to admit it. I will never buy another Yamaha... I guess I sound a litter bitter, and I guess I am... Yamaha really screwed me...

So I you ever take the engine apart. Be smart and get the heaver kick starter gears. They have fewer teeth, but the teeth are bigger and stronger...

Also on the YM-1, when you pull in the clutch, YOUR OIL PUMP STOPS!!!.... How dumb is that.... Talk about bad design... That's OK if you are shifting, but don't stop at a light and hold you clutch in....