Have the opportunity to pick up a running big bear for $130, (high schooler I work with wants to get rid of it) but I guess the drive shafts are screwed, he says the rear stripped on the inside (dont know if that's transmission side or rear end side) and the front snapped inhalf. If I go and check it out and it runs as good as he says, is it worth it? How difficult/expensive


could the stripped issue be? I dont have any experience with driveshaft driven wheelers.

 

If the rear wheel bearing goes and the owner doesn't fix it all the weight is transferred onto the rear axle splines and diff bearings, usually resulting in the splines wearing out. With luck it will be just the axle, and the ones in the crown wheel will be "good enough." However although a common fault, because Yamaha were always changing rear axle designs, nobody made pattern axle shafts for them. So it is Yamaha parts at Yamaha prices. Here in the UK we found someone who would rebuild the axle shaft with weld and machine new splines on it. Also, more recently, a CNC machine shop which has the programes to make any Yam rear axle, and will machine one from bar, to order. Front prop shaft splines can wear out, and universal joints too, my guess would be one of these gone at the front. These splined shafts are expensive, but not "scrap the bike" costly, as are UJ yokes which you may also need.