Yamaha’s naming system can be a head-scratcher at times. I’m a big Yamaha fan, have owned a couple of them since the 1970s, and have books about Yamahas, but I don’t even know what some of the initials refer to. This 1975 Yamaha RD (Race Developed) 350 Cafe Racer is listed here on Facebook Marketplace in Keystone Heights, Florida and the seller is asking $4,500. Here is the original listing, and thanks to PRA4SNW for the tip!
RD, as we know, stands for Race Developed, but what does the 350 part mean?! Just kidding. I’ve had a 1960s Yamaha YL-1 Twinjet for decades, but don’t have a clue what YL means, is it a code or did Yamaha have a definition for those two letters, as it did for the RD series, or how WR means Wide-Ratio gearboxes, or TW is Trail Way. Does anyone out there know? Does anyone out there care? Hello? Is this thing on?
Back to this great-looking modified RD350, done up in cafe racer style. A lot of motorcycle fans have heard of “King Kenny Roberts“, famous for motorcycle racing, and especially noted for his work with Yamahas, and the RZ350 Kenny Roberts bikes. They’re somewhat similar in appearance to this custom bike, but came right from Yamaha as a motorcycle you could buy. This example has been put together with different parts and pieces, and it would draw a crowd at any gas station or vintage motorcycle show.
In case you were wondering, it does have a headlight (is the top of the windshield knocked out?), and you can see the small taillight in the previous photo, so it should be street legal in most areas. The gauges look pretty standard for the mid-70s RD350, which would have been made from 1973 through 1975. This example is wearing a set of Tarozzi rearset footpegs, a nice cafe-style gas tank, beautiful AirTech Streamlining bodywork and seat (unfortunately, that company is now out of business), and more custom work. There is some minor damage to the bodywork as you can see here.
The engine is Yamaha’s 347-cc two-stroke parallel twin with around 39 horsepower when new. This example has had some work, including new 65-mm pistons, a new crank, new carbs, electronic ignition, and more. They say it’s street legal, and this one would be incredibly fun to own – with a matching helmet, of course. Any thoughts on this reworked RD350?
A barely street legal road racer. With a little work, a Toomey expansion chamber and decent tires the right rider would really outdo the European and Brit bikes anywhere with curvy roads or track.
This bike helped give KR the opportunity to set the bike world on its lid when he got to race in Europe and succeeded despite their best efforts to “keep him in his place”.
You pick the best bikes, Scotty G. Thank you.
Ring-ding-ding.
Belter.
Why is it called “cafe” ?
If you’re asking why it’s deemed a cafe racer, the explanation would be from the riders of old racing from cafe to cafe (or more often pub to pub) on beefed up bikes of the time.
If you’re asking why it’s called a cafe racer instead of road racer, you’re absolutely correct in that this bad boy was ready for road racing right out of the crate and not one that required any great amount of fiddling to make it so!
Your correct Geronimo, this is not a Cafe bike.
🙏 love all the motorcycle 🏍 posts 😎
https://youtu.be/8k8hJWKIVNs?si=GBNSwpWC7RPYvbH9
Great video.
That was awesome thanks Stan!
Thank you, Scotty! Great write up and my love for RDs knows no bounds!!! If you’ve ever ridden one or had one blow past you, you know.
RD Road Racer, or RDRR, get it, har dee har har. What, too early? These make an incredible racket, like 2 of those old widow maker chainsaws coupled together. I was watching the GP Moto, and amazing how low these bikes can get. These were the grandaddy’s of the modern GP bikes, and the riders that rode these had real grapes. These have explosive power bands, and made poor street versions. Keeping them “on the pipe” was imperative, and not for traffic jams. Cool find.
Again Howard A talks about something he knows nothing about. Own(ed) the 350/400’s for years and hung out with a guy that raced the TD350…..great bikes and this one looks to be priced well for the work done !
I am still alive because @16 I kept my 4 wheels and didn’t buy that RD400 I test rode! I tested another Daytona Special and speed wobbles at 90 told me I can drive better than I can ride.
YL = Yamalube (?)
I had a ’75 RD with all the mods of the time. It was a beastly little bike that I could not wheelie worth a darn, but it gave even the Kaw 900’s a run for the money! Hit 7 grand and it turned into a rocket.
Tiring to ride (took it from Melbourne FL to Houston once) and the racket alone would wear you out.
Rode it home from work at 3am, 35 degrees outside, burned a hole in the piston so snuggled around the engine till I was awakened by a kick to my helmet. A bunch of drivers stopped and one brave soul checked to see if I was alive.
Was kinda glad to get rid of it. Not the greatest bike to be addicted too..,
Have owned Rd’s in my long and sometimes painful love of motorcycles.First was a RD250 fast for it’s size, but not for my size.Next was a ,RD 350 that I was part of a trade deal , didn’t run but was all there, got it running was surprised at how much faster it was than 250 , darn thing almost killed me.Was out on nice gently curvy road, came around curve and there was a cow and calf , got on brakes, knew I couldn’t stop in time , so layed ot down, caught my pants leg on it ,daughter me about 20 feet head first into large rock, no helmetout cold don’t know how long, woke up couldn’t focus , huge headache, and nausea, definite concussion.knew I couldn’t ride, even if bike would run, got lucky farmer came looking for couldn’t took me to hospital.I sold that bike as soon as I got out of hospital, haven’t ridden without helmet since. ..
260
Have owned Rd’s in my long and sometimes painful love of motorcycles.First was a RD250 fast for it’s size, but not for my size.Next was a ,RD 350 that I was part of a trade deal , didn’t run but was all there, got it running was surprised at how much faster it was than 250 , darn thing almost killed me.Was out on nice gently curvy road, came around curve and there was a cow and calf , got on brakes, knew I couldn’t stop in time , so layed it down, caught my pants leg on it ,drug me about 20 feet head first into large rock, no helmet out cold don’t know how long, woke up couldn’t focus , huge headache, and nausea, definite concussion.knew I couldn’t ride, even if bike would run, got lucky farmer came looking for cow took me to hospital.I sold that bike as soon as I got out of hospital, haven’t ridden without helmet since.
As others have said, what a ride! When it hit that start of the power band, hang on!
So was there a factory Yamaha RD350 cafe racer? Is this a tribute? I only ask because BITD a friend had a Harley 2 stroke cafe racer that was highly competitive, and I wondered if it was these that were in the same class. For the price, this could be a blast on a track day!
My first bike was a ’73 RD350. Put flat bars on it the second day, before I even had my bike license. Eventually it morphed into almost a carbon copy of the subject bike with clip-ons, bikini fairing, rear sets, Borani expansion pipes, milled heads, raised/hogged out ports, aluminum rims, dual front discs, etc. Ran it in cafe class races at Summit Point, WV. No torque, but so fast it scared the sh* out of me. Sold it before it killed me.
Sorry, I meant Bassini expansion pipes. The Boranis were the aluminum rims. I sometimes suffer from CRS.
IIRC my pipes were Gemco’s or Jemco’s?