One Mans Junk.... '72 CS5E (RD200) Build.

Jim

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... is another mans.... um.... treasure? :er:

Got a text from @RustiePyles this morning....



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Here's the Facebook ad.


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Guy didn't know anything about it.... was his Dads... he's clueless.
He called me back about 2. The other two guys passed on it. Jumped in the truck and headed down to the part of town you try not to be in when night falls. Place is kinda creepy. Down a back alley barely wide enough for the truck. Weeds are so overgrown we have to stomp around both sides before we can get the gate open. Trip to the back door woulda been easier with a machete. Back door had 2 of 3 hinges rusted in two.... a wrestling match. House is 19th century brick with stone and dirt floors. Down 4 steps and a hard right. down 4 more steps and a hard left. More steps to the basement. No window, no lights... hell, no electricity.... cell phone lights it is. Dirt floor leads to the back wall where the bike is. Mind you, his Facebook pic didn't show the mounds of junk requiring removal just to get a hand on the bike.
Venancio turns out to be a heck of a nice guy. His Dad passed away 15yrs ago. He finally decided it was time to clear the place out and put it up for sale. He said he offered the bike free to the previous two lookers if they'd just help him get it out of the basement. They both passed... lightweights. :cautious:

Anyway, I'm rambling here.... It's not the RD350 I was hoping it was. It's a '73 RD200. Major missing bits are the rear wheel, the carbs, clocks and the pipes. Now, what the hell am I gonna do with my new "treasure"... :umm:



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Jump on this

https://www.ebay.com/itm/403710408845?hash=item5dff03f88d:g:Fq4AAOSwg2Vio5kU

And you may have a fighting chance at a bike.

Parts are slim, atleast when I’ve looked for the various bits and bobs I’ve needed for mine.

Carbs and exhaust are both hard to find.

No one makes chambers for em anymore. Custom is the only route.

You can run other carbs with a custom manifold. I think someone sells em.
 
I’ve never ridden one, but I knew a guy who had one and he said it was surprisingly snappy! 😃
A buddy had one back in my RD/R5 days. Rode it a few times. Compared to the 350's it was a little weak. Did manage to absolutely smoke a Honda 175 once, but that ain't sayin' much.
Dunno.... I hear tell they make nice little cafe bikes.


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Considerin' this bike owes me nothing, 450 bucks is a deep rabbit hole to chase down. I'm leanin' more towards either partin' it out or a one off cafe.... with whatever bits and bobs I have layin' around. I don't think a resto is in the cards unfortunately.

If you build a racer I’d like to see the process. I would guess it would be a somewhat spendy build. Nothing more expensive than a free motorcycle haha

Mine will smoke a cb350 (no pun intended haha). And my cb160 too.

I’ve always wanted to do a bunch of mods to make mine faster but being it was my first bike and it’s all original it’s got a lot of sentimental value and I can’t bring myself to it. They aren’t particularly desirable but fun to ride around town for sure.

Correct tires were hard to find when I was looking. The front anyways.

Think carbs off a rd125 will work and easier to get.
 
Looks like the RD200 originally had 20mm carbs, I don't think there's any reason a pair of VM20s wouldn't work, and they can be had for about $100 each. Probably even cheaper if you dig around a little. Probably find a used set for half that. I'm pretty sure you can get a set of RD350 pipes to work with very minimal finagling, and there's loads of em available.
 
Anyway, I'm rambling here.... It's not the RD350 I was hoping it was. It's a '73 RD200. Major missing bits are the rear wheel, the carbs, clocks and the pipes. Now, what the hell am I gonna do with my new "treasure"... :umm:
You’re gonna love it just like all your other children lol
 
Looks like the RD200 originally had 20mm carbs, I don't think there's any reason a pair of VM20s wouldn't work, and they can be had for about $100 each. Probably even cheaper if you dig around a little. Probably find a used set for half that. I'm pretty sure you can get a set of RD350 pipes to work with very minimal finagling, and there's loads of em available.

They work but you need a manifold. Sometimes you can find em for sale, sometime gotta make one. Or hunt one down from another bike that will work. Forget what it is though.

Stock carbs bolt up to the reed block. I dont like the design. Quite limiting.

Rd350 pipes could certainly be modded to fit, but most likely run like garbage.
 
They work but you need a manifold. Sometimes you can find em for sale, sometime gotta make one. Or hunt one down from another bike that will work. Forget what it is though.

Stock carbs bolt up to the reed block. I dont like the design. Quite limiting.

Rd350 pipes could certainly be modded to fit, but most likely run like garbage.
You can get Flange mount VM20's with slotted flanges. And Boyesen make enough reed blocks that finding one that will fit with little trimming usually isn't to hard.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/302711264656
 
Stock carbs bolt up to the reed block. I dont like the design. Quite limiting.
From what I've read/learned, '73 was the first year change from CS3/CS5 to RD. Reeds came along in '74.
EDIT: From what I've been able to gather so far, it's a '72 CS5E. No reeds on this bike, just a spigot where the carb fits. So yeah.... wouldn't be hard to adapt just about any carb to it.

If I decide to build something out of it... and that's still being mulled over... I'll most likely pick up a sheet of stainless and "roll my own" pipes.... literally. :smoke:



If you build a racer I’d like to see the process. I would guess it would be a somewhat spendy build. Nothing more expensive than a free motorcycle haha
My SG cost me 500 bucks. When the resto was done, I was all in at just under $2500. That's relative I guess, but when you consider some folk will burn through that much just on paintwork and powder, that ain't bad. Daily Ebay searches and patience are the order of the day.
Right now I'm thinkin' that what I have will make a nice little cafe bike for well under $1500. That ain't a bad way to enjoy your retirement. ;)


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Just thinking out loud, you ought to be able to throw one of your DT250 rear wheels on it so you can at least roll it around, they both used a similarly sized 18.
I'll decide where I'm goin' with it in the next few day. If I pull the trigger, I'll just order that rear wheel you showed me yesterday. It's a good deal.
 
From what I've read/learned, '73 was the first year change from CS3 to RD. Reeds came along in '74. No reeds on this bike, just a spigot where the carb fits. So yeah.... wouldn't be hard to adapt just about any carb to it.

If I decide to build something out of it... and that's still being mulled over... I'll most likely pick up a sheet of stainless and "roll my own" pipes.... literally. :smoke:




My SG cost me 500 bucks. When the resto was done, I was all in at just under $2500. That's relative I guess, but when you consider some folk will burn through that much just on paintwork and powder, that ain't bad. Daily Ebay searches and patience are the order of the day.
Right now I'm thinkin' that what I have will make a nice little cafe bike for well under $1500. That ain't a bad way to enjoy your retirement. ;)


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Nice!!!

Score on those spigots!!!

I looked at swapping carbs at one point cause I had a body that was corroded and it was a chore.

I wanna see a racer!!!
 
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