1990 Yamaha XT350

Trail bikes from this era almost never survive in this condition, and that is the first thing worth saying about this one. The XT350 was built to be used. People bought them to ride green lanes, commute through winter, learn on, drop, pick up and ride home again. Most of them ended up with cracked plastics, faded panels, a mismatched exhaust and a set of decals that peeled off somewhere around 1996. Finding a 1990 example with the graphics still crisp and the bodywork still straight is genuinely unusual, and it is why we were happy to take this one on. Have a look at the panels. The XT lettering on the tank shroud, the Yamaha block on the seat unit, the 350 4 Valves badge on the side panel and the Mono Cross decal on the swingarm are all still there and still sharp. That red and white scheme was one of the best looking things Yamaha put out in the late eighties, and it looks every bit as good now as it did then. Underneath the paintwork it is a properly sorted piece of engineering. The 346cc four valve single is one of those Yamaha motors that simply keeps going, with enough torque low down to pull you up a muddy climb and enough top end to sit comfortably on a main road. Air cooled, mechanically simple and easy to work on, which matters a great deal on a bike you actually intend to use. The chassis is the other half of the appeal. Long travel front forks with red gaiters, Mono Cross rear suspension, a front disc and proper spoked wheels front and rear. It is light, it turns easily and it is forgiving, which is exactly what you want whether you are threading through Dublin traffic or heading for a forestry track at the weekend. Some of the highlights: 346cc four valve four stroke single Air cooled and mechanically straightforward Mono Cross rear suspension Long travel front forks with gaiters Front disc brake Spoked wheels front and rear Original red and white bodywork and graphics in lovely order Mirrors, tool tube and rear rack fitted 9,165 km showing This is a bike that suits a lot of people. It works as a first big bike because it is light and honest. It works as a second bike for someone who wants something to throw about on green lanes without worrying. And it works for anyone who remembers these from the first time round and has been quietly looking for a clean one ever since. Dual sport bikes of this age in original condition are getting scarce, and clean ones are getting expensive. If this is the one you have been waiting for, come down and have a proper look at it. We will happily walk you round it and let you sit on it and see how it feels.