RD350R

[rd350r]

Just got my September edition of Classic Motorcycle Mechanics, and the Lemon this month is the RD350R.

The article is a complete hatchet job on the bike.

Slow, powerband flatter than a witch's bosom.

Horrific build quality.

Built to a budget.

Price £500-£1500

This is not like my bike at all, as the build quality is as good as the F2 and the fairing looks like it was made to fit not a cheap after thought like the F2.

The article has no credited author, but to me was writen by a young journalist who hs no idea what he is talking about just stiring up 20yr old prejudices.

Rant Over,

I'll get my coat.

[copper99]

Dont worry about it mate, just ride your bike and enjoy it, they where all built to a budget, which is why its a credit to all us guys n girls who lavish time ( and £££) to keep them on the road, any 2 stroke is cult & desirable with the majority of us id wager.

[icarus001]

Did he test it back to back with an F2?

I don't think its a conspiracy, there is no denying the F2 had better build quality and the 350R suffered from poor quality control but most of the RD350R's have been rebuilt by now anyway so should be on a par with anything else mechanically.
I think if you rode an F2 out of the factory and a 350R you'd see a difference, but they're all 20-odd years old now so its probably a moot argument, if you're happy with it then just ride it and enjoy it.
The only time any of this stuff matters is if you want to sell it, but then you wouldn't have paid Jap prices for it anyway, so you shouldn't lose out much.

[rd350r]

Quick reply from Bertie Simmonds editor Classic Motorcycle Mechanics.

Quote.

Articles like this are designed to get people to interact with the mag so send us shots of your pride and joy sir! We will include them and your comments below!

So just a shit stirring article no fact's.

Just like MCN.

[icarus001]

Aug 18, 2013 20:28:57 GMT 1 rd350r said:

Quick reply from Bertie Simmonds editor Classic Motorcycle Mechanics.

Quote.

Articles like this are designed to get people to interact with the mag so send us shots of your pride and joy sir! We will include them and your comments below!

So just a shit stirring article no fact's.

Just like MCN.

Its all just opinion, my mate rides a 2012 GSXR and he thinks my LC is shit, so do a lot of people I come across.
And in truth compared to the latest bikes I suppose it is.
But in my opinion I've got the best bike in the world.

So why worry about what anyone thinks, whether its the best bike in the world or the worst only matters to the bloke riding it.
As for the price in a sale, well you asked for honest opinions about the price you'd get and those were the answers, its up to you what you advertise it at.

[lovelydog]

All my mates have big diesels and I indeed have one too that is great for rides out with them,but my mate who has the ZX10R gets funny as hell when I go out on the LC and it get more acclaims than his bike,it's hilarious. (sorry Aaron,but it does make me laugh) When the world finally comes to an end I would look back through history and say that (to me) mans greastest creations were the JCB DIGGER,the JET FIGHTER and the YAMAHA RDLC.

[steve h]

Take no ***king notice mate, just enjoy her.
If I'd taken notice about the bikes journo's rant about I would have been crippled years ago and be hobbling around in a racers crouch. Anchors with a "W"


I have a Hornet, you never hear them ranting over one, but they do their job admirably.

[Norbo]

If they had asked me I would have set them right . they don't have a clue some times who ever did the pice was just gowing on stuff he has ether read or word of mouth not from people who have owned them or know anything about them .

I used to think the same because that's what every one used to say about them but the more you talk to people who actually own one you fined that they are not as bad as people used to make them out to be and are infact an ok bike .

They are not as popular that's a fact and they don't fetch the money ether people don't like the twin light front end but as a bike they are still a good bike .

[speedysquires]

Well, I love mine and can't fault it for the money. Just ride it and enjoy it

[JonW]

Typical poor journalism. This crap annoys me as I work in the industry and hate it when all anyone does is have a quick look in the archive at what was said when the bike was new, then read forward thru the other mags that also just looked backwards thru the archive and then proceed to write up the article. Anyone using an ounce of effort could have looked on a forum or asked about properly (its called research, but takes effort apparently) and done a real job and finally set the record straight. Sigh!

[icarus001]

Aug 21, 2013 3:53:32 GMT 1 JonW said:

Typical poor journalism. This crap annoys me as I work in the industry and hate it when all anyone does is have a quick look in the archive at what was said when the bike was new, then read forward thru the other mags that also just looked backwards thru the archive and then proceed to write up the article. Anyone using an ounce of effort could have looked on a forum or asked about properly (its called research, but takes effort apparently) and done a real job and finally set the record straight. Sigh!

Thats a reasonable point, I haven't seen the article but assumed that they had actually ridden a couple of them, compared them with Jap built 350's and then written the article.
Otherwise they are ripping their readers off by regurgitating old articles and charging people to read them.

If Practical Sportsbikes do a review then they find the bike in question, usually a standard and a tuned version and then try them out.
Then write the article.

As I said I wouldn't expect many RD350R's to still be as they left the factory, most of them will have been rebuilt to the same standard as every other rebuilt RD350 still running today.
On that basis I'd buy one and nearly did, I just wouldn't pay as much or expect to sell it for as much as a Jap one.

[mboddy]

If you ever have to ride distances at night then the 350R is the best of the 350s. The twin headlight is great.

[cb250g5]

The 'article' was written by Scotty. He's not a journalist, but a bike breaker. He will probably be at the dyno day next month. We could all point out the errors in the article to him then.

My 350R was a great bike, I swapped it for a Ducati - big mistake.

[icarus001]

Aug 22, 2013 9:55:57 GMT 1 cb250g5 said:

The 'article' was written by Scotty. He's not a journalist, but a bike breaker.

Thats not necessarily a bad thing, I often prefer to read stuff by real life people who are involved with bikes rather than a journalist writing to satisfy an editor.

And at the end of the day its just his opinion.

[JonW]

Aug 22, 2013 10:06:02 GMT 1 icarus001 said:

Aug 22, 2013 9:55:57 GMT 1 cb250g5 said:

The 'article' was written by Scotty. He's not a journalist, but a bike breaker.

Thats not necessarily a bad thing, I often prefer to read stuff by real life people who are involved with bikes rather than a journalist writing to satisfy an editor.

And at the end of the day its just his opinion.

... and another source in the archive to be read for the next time...

[chris64]

Aug 22, 2013 11:41:37 GMT 1 JonW said:

Aug 22, 2013 10:06:02 GMT 1 icarus001 said:

Thats not necessarily a bad thing, I often prefer to read stuff by real life people who are involved with bikes rather than a journalist writing to satisfy an editor.

And at the end of the day its just his opinion.

... and another source in the archive to be read for the next time...

New to the site so looking forward to finding my way round. I couldn't help but join in on this one. I bought a 350R 2 years ago with only 9000 on the clock 2 owners and in fab original condition, I disagree with the stories of poor build quality although some things could have been a little better... I Personally think its the best looking out of the LC family and the twin headlights make it look a much bigger bike than it is, The only disappointing thing for me was the lack of power through the band. I've a standard 350lc which leaves it for dead - maybe a re-bore and power valve rebuild might be the answer!!

[rd350r]

chris64
quote]New to the site so looking forward to finding my way round. I couldn't help but join in on this one. I bought a 350R 2 years ago with only 9000 on the clock 2 owners and in fab original condition, I disagree with the stories of poor build quality although some things could have been a little better... I Personally think its the best looking out of the LC family and the twin headlights make it look a much bigger bike than it is, The only disappointing thing for me was the lack of power through the band. I've a standard 350lc which leaves it for dead - maybe a re-bore and power valve rebuild might be the answer!![/quote]


Are you sure it's been derestricted, as mine seems to go like a cat with it's tail on fire after 6000rpm,

I thought the first 350LC,s were lacking in all round performance, when I test rode one when they first came out, couldn't understand all the hype, maybe a bad test bike, always been a Suzuki man, it put me off Yamaha 2 strokes until two years ago when I bought my RD350R, as it pulls cleanly from low revs to 10,000rpm +.

[JonW]

A 350R in good condition engine wise with the washers out of the pipe and the upjet will pull hard for sure, I would say yours needs a little work Chris if it's flat.

[icarus001]

Aug 24, 2013 15:16:55 GMT 1 chris64 said:

Aug 22, 2013 11:41:37 GMT 1 JonW said:

... and another source in the archive to be read for the next time...

New to the site so looking forward to finding my way round. I couldn't help but join in on this one. I bought a 350R 2 years ago with only 9000 on the clock 2 owners and in fab original condition, I disagree with the stories of poor build quality although some things could have been a little better... I Personally think its the best looking out of the LC family and the twin headlights make it look a much bigger bike than it is, The only disappointing thing for me was the lack of power through the band. I've a standard 350lc which leaves it for dead - maybe a re-bore and power valve rebuild might be the answer!!

Oops, thats not a great advert.
9,000 miles, fab original condition.......but a standard 350LC leaves it for dead.

I think thats the point the articles have been making.
With some work they're not bad, but out of the crate they were poor compared to the other YPVS's.