Motorcycle Repair: 83 yamaha xt 250 (enduro), yamaha xt 250, proper lubrication

Question
hi christopher-
Yesterday i got a '83 yamaha xt 250. Its in great
shape, looks like its been in a garage, and has
registration stickers from '01 so it hasnt been
sitting for 15 years. Today i checked the bolts
for tightness, checked the oil and gas, and then
just jumped on and gave it a kick to see what would happen. In 2 seconds it was idling normally!
i went about 2 miles and hour, listening and watching for gas leaks, it ran and idled great for
about 3 laps around my condo building. But when
I shut it off and went for a restart, the rear tire froze when i put it in gear. Did my piston seize in the head? Did i overheat? Should i take
the motor out and give it to a shop for new rings?
Thanks
Dan Brownell
Danbrownbear@aol.com

Answer
Hi Dan.
 You say that the rear wheel froze.  Did it lock up or did the engine just stop running?
 Take the bike out of gear and see if it will turn over.  That will tell you if it's a seizure or something in the rear wheel.  If the engine siezed, then something very serious is wrong with it and the engine will need to be gone into.

If it's just the rear wheel, then you need to start by checking the rear brake, axle and related components.  They may be in need of adjustment, repair and/or proper lubrication.

If the rear wheel refuses to turn with the bike in neutral and there's nothing wrong with the rear wheel and related components, then the problem is in the transmission.  Then you are back to going into the engine.

Let me know what you find.
Good luck.
FALCON