[Rokrover]

The attached picture is of my first Yamaha in 1979. Perhaps half the SCR950? It's quite the collectors' item today and the current production SR400 derivative has a loyal following, particularly in Europe. I prefer the more robust punch of the SCR, particularly out on the freeway >

 

[TheScrambled]

That's their secret! Yamaha has been working on the SCR950 since 1979! Do you still have it squirreled away in your garage?

 

[YamiGuy]

If you still have it, should do a visual comparison of it vs the SCR950 and post it up here.

 

[Rokrover]

Sorry, I traded it up to a Ducati 900 in 1981. The Yamaha SR500 was lighter but slower and lacked the SCR950's modern advantages like electric start, fuel injection, 4-valve heads and ceramic cylinder walls. The one interesting feature of the SR500 was dry sump lubrication with oil carried in the frame.

 

[Cruze]

Oil carried in the frame ?? I am far from familiar with that. Could you give me a quick briefing on how that concept is

 

[Rokrover]

A modern wet sump design (like our SCR950) carries all the oil it needs inside the engine crankcase. In the old days, many motorcycles like big singles had a "dry sump" lubrication system with an external oil tank feeding the pump. The Harley Sportster continues this tradition to this day. Yamaha had the bright idea with the SR500 to dispense with a separate tank and make the hollow frame tubing large enough diameter to carry the required 2.5 qts. of oil. The oil filler cap was located in the top tube just behind the steering head. Hope this simple description helps.

 

[eddie]

A modern wet sump design (like our SCR950) carries all the oil it needs inside the engine crankcase. In the old days, many motorcycles like big singles had a "dry sump" lubrication system with an external oil tank feeding the pump. The Harley Sportster continues this tradition to this day. Yamaha had the bright idea with the SR500 to dispense with a separate tank and make the hollow frame tubing large enough diameter to carry the required 2.5 qts. of oil. The oil filler cap was located in the top tube just behind the steering head. Hope this simple description helps.

Honda uses a similar arrangement for it's XR650L.
Yamaha's Super Tenere is a bit of an oddball, semi-dry sump design. There's an oil reservoir, but it's inside the engine. As such, there are two oil drain plugs on the case: One that lets out whatever small amount of oil's down in the bottom of the engine and a second drain for the remainder of the oil. I keep a supply of copper drain washers on hand! =)

 

[Cruze]

A modern wet sump design (like our SCR950) carries all the oil it needs inside the engine crankcase. In the old days, many motorcycles like big singles had a "dry sump" lubrication system with an external oil tank feeding the pump. The Harley Sportster continues this tradition to this day. Yamaha had the bright idea with the SR500 to dispense with a separate tank and make the hollow frame tubing large enough diameter to carry the required 2.5 qts. of oil. The oil filler cap was located in the top tube just behind the steering head. Hope this simple description helps.

Thanks ! I was actually able to visualize that, that was a good explanation for it. Sounds like a "space efficient" design lol