The classic Yamaha fanboys have idolised the RD350 for years. It is a bike that has attained a god-tier status for enthusiasts who feel today’s bikes are too synthetic. The Yamaha RD350 is one of the first sports bikes sold in India and has cool details you may struggle to find on modern bikes. The RD350 soon became the “widow-maker” as it was hazardous. However, the RD350 sold in India wasn’t a full “RD”. Due to our conditions back in the day, Yamaha sold the RD with reduced power. So, what if I told you, I got to ride the “balls to the walls” version as this particular RD had various components from the US spec RD350 as well as RD400? Let’s dive into this unique project.
A little history lesson is important to understand the Yamaha RD350. Back in the 1970s, Yamaha was the pioneer of sports bikes as they launched the RD350 at an affordable price. In 1983, a licensed version of the RD350B (an evolution of the original RD350) made its way into the Indian market. Considering the kind of things the RD was popular in the international market, it attained popularity quickly.
The licensed copy of the RD350B was sold in India as Rajdoot 350 by the Escorts Group from 1983 to 1989. In the international market, the RD stood for “Race Derived” but in India, it meant Rajdoot as promoted in collaboration with Yamaha Japan. You may wonder how they managed to sell a bike that ended production in the mid-1970s due to emission norms getting stricter in Japan. As the Indian Bike market had just started growing, a 5-year-old bike could’ve still made sense back then. However, to suit the buyers in India with their concern for fuel economy, the 2-stroke parallel twin motor made 30.5hp compared to the 39hp it made internationally in the High Torque trim. In the Low Torque Trim, it made only 27hp. However, that isn’t the case with this particular RD!
Several components were changed to allow this bike to make 39hp! To convert it to a balls-to-the-walls RD350, it got various upgrades such as the US Spec RD350 Carburetor allowing the engine to run more smoothly and efficiently. There is an addition of the US Spec RD400 (successor to the RD350) Twin Exhausts which can be made out by the serial number embossed, RD400 Gearbox which allows the engine to handle the power increase, and RD400 Rear Disc brakes. The engine was sourced from a Junkyard in the US and then imported in India to make its way into the RD350! With the engine, various mechanical components such as the US Spec Transmission Sleeve and Transfer Case allowed this RD350 to produce 39hp! The owner also added the Interceptor 650 rear shocks making the ride more stable.
If you are talking about the RD350, it would be criminal to not mention the styling. The period-correct silhouette exudes a café racer persona appealing more to younger buyers compared to the Bullet 350. The Comodo headlight fairing adds to the boy racer reputation the bike has. You’ll also immediately notice the more red-looking turn signals which look the way they do because US legislation didn’t require an orange-looking turn signal. A touch that I particularly liked was the seat which was put from an RD400 and the rear carrier that was removed which elevated the rear 3 quarters by a country mile.
On the road, this RD350 was a delight! As an owner of the RX100, I didn’t understand the hype of the sound but in real life, the sound signature is like a deep growl. It isn’t the flat high-pitched signature of the RX100 making it a delight to hear! The Yamaha RD350 is like a traditional bike which doesn’t give you much response at the lower end, but the moment you hit 5000rpm, it takes off! Whilst cornering, it produced a respectable amount of grip and didn’t feel under confident for even a second. The RD350 always tempted me to take a corner at a higher speed but due to my inexperience I couldn’t push it all the way even if I could feel it. The braking was also good for a bike without the safety suit like ABS you get nowadays. It may not be the best bike for a track day but if you have the grit, you can have the time of your life with this one. It takes you to the days before precision and the fuel smells make it an occasion when you are riding it! The heaviness doesn’t feel overbearing for a second which was a surprise, especially for a rider who is more used to lighter bikes like myself. As compared to the Indian RD350, this particular RD350 felt more engaging and had a more athletic nature. It is worth mentioning that the owner has specifically altered the clutch and throttle to have weight which added to the drama of riding this time capsule!
The story of this Yamaha RD350 is just as interesting. The current owner got it from a friend who picked it side unseen where it was sitting completely rusted for about 10 years. The former owner spent about 20000 just restarting the bike at which point, he decided to sell this to its current owner for about 1 Lakh. The amount of fabrication, sourcing of parts and various other details required a monumental effort. It was at that point where the current owner decided to swap various components from a US Spec RD350 which he got as a parts bike whilst residing in the USA. The cost for all of that including import duty would amount to Rs.4 Lakhs! That is an incredibly handsome amount of money but that is what your dream bikes make you do. We are so glad that the owner put the effort into actually bringing this machine to life as it is a rare sight seeing an RD350 in an immaculate condition!
