Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1536483
T here is an old saying in the sales community that "nothing happens until somebody buys something." Of course, we don't really need most of the things we buy, but some- one or something, be it a body or a bot, has told us that we must have it, and so we dutifully put it in our cart. That's how it's been working for a few years. There is an undeniable link between capitalism and democracy, so perhaps it's best not to challenge the system. In the late '60s and early '70s, motorcycle companies were giving us what we thought we wanted, which was to move more quickly, so bikes became faster. They also became bigger, wider and heavier. Most of the OEMs, however, continued to offer cycles that were more closely matched to our needs, which is where the Yamaha DS-7 250 comes into play. To this point, Yamaha stood alone as the manufacturer that believed size mattered, and smaller was better. True, they offered their venerable 650 four- stroke twin, but the rest of the street lineup was comprised of two-strokes, singles and twins, and Cycle News borrowed the 250cc version for a test in the July 11 issue, way back in 1972. Out of the gate, the staff had a legitimate question for Yamaha. The company was offering a 350cc version, which could be had for only $84 more. "Can a 250 justify itself when it has a bigger brother that is only slightly more expensive?" they asked. The fact that the DS-7 250 and the R5-B 350 (an Arturo Fuente cigar to the Yamaha exec who opined that a simpler label of "RD" would suffice for 1974 and beyond) shared many of the same components gave strong legs to such a query. But the bike in hand was the 250, so Cycle News gave it a go. Lighting fire to the machine was nearly as easy as pushing a button, with the staffers claiming that the Yammerhammer was a one-kick affair. A little choke until the machine warms up. The 250 was something of a heavy smoker while cool, but kicked the habit once the bike was crisp. Wise men can readily explain the process by which a two- stroke engine warms its way to full power, but anybody who has experienced it knows that correct gear selection, the right engine speed, and a properly planned throttle roll do more than bring the steed up to speed. It is also a way of engaging the rider in the process, making the human a liv - ing, breathing rider by wire. "The engine is surprisingly strong, and performance is rather spectacular," CN wrote. "Acceleration is on a par with, or YAMAHA DS-7 250 Yamaha stood alone as the manufacturer that believed size mattered, and smaller was better. CNII ARCHIVES P134 BY KENT TAYLOR