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Post by krishnakc on Sept 9, 2017 9:43:54 GMT 1
Hi , my Name is Krishna, have been a life long fan of The RD bikes, spent quite a few years of my youth around them.
I am looking to acquire my first project bike preferbally an rd350 , and was adviced on Facebook to join this forum.
I have been given some advice on what too look for, budget etc , have picked up a Hayes manual as well , also was told that group admin norbo usually has all the parts
Any other advice is welcome, also how do i actually go about finding a project bike , i have tried to look on ebay, any other websites i should be looking at ?
my ideal budget would be 1500-2000
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Post by copper99 on Sept 9, 2017 13:24:40 GMT 1
Theres a couple of projects on the for sale section but you'll need to post a little more to have access to that section of the forum...welcome in anyway.
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Post by markhoopy on Sept 9, 2017 23:51:02 GMT 1
The for sale and wanted sections will appear as if by magic once you reach ten posts.
I'm hoping you just use your middle name for some obscure reason and your first name is Harry ..
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Post by Ozhammer on Sept 10, 2017 0:51:00 GMT 1
Welcome Krishna, it is good to have you on this forum and I wish you well in your quest. When you say you are looking for an RD350, does that mean liquid cooled or air cooled?
If air cooled, you might also want to sign up to the aircooled RD forum but if liquid cooled, you are definitely in the right place! 👍
Please just bear in mind that the budget you have in mind will likely mean you starting with a bike that needs a fair bit of work, as RD prices have been rising strongly for a number of years. That said, there are still guys on this forum that ask reasonable prices for good bikes to other members, which would also mean you not having to deal with the barn find brigade out there.
Good luck and make sure to post any questions, as there is a wealth of collective knowledge within this group.
Rgds
Ozhammer
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Post by dusty350 on Sept 10, 2017 9:11:38 GMT 1
Hi Welcome to the forum  10 posts gets you to the classifieds section where you can post a wanted ad and view the sales section. Try and get as complete a bike as possible - whichever model you go for, as collecting all the missing bits really adds up. Refurbing parts you already have is cheaper than buying and then refurbing !! There are often german imports on ebay which seem good value as project bikes, but is very much a case of you get what you pay for. Good luck Dusty |
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Post by krishnakc on Sept 15, 2017 15:42:48 GMT 1
Theres a couple of projects on the for sale section but you'll need to post a little more to have access to that section of the forum...welcome in anyway. thank you will keep posting then |
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Post by krishnakc on Sept 15, 2017 15:43:14 GMT 1
The for sale and wanted sections will appear as if by magic once you reach ten posts. I'm hoping you just use your middle name for some obscure reason and your first name is Harry .. thank you |
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Post by krishnakc on Sept 15, 2017 15:44:43 GMT 1
Welcome Krishna, it is good to have you on this forum and I wish you well in your quest. When you say you are looking for an RD350, does that mean liquid cooled or air cooled? If air cooled, you might also want to sign up to the aircooled RD forum but if liquid cooled, you are definitely in the right place! 👍 Please just bear in mind that the budget you have in mind will likely mean you starting with a bike that needs a fair bit of work, as RD prices have been rising strongly for a number of years. That said, there are still guys on this forum that ask reasonable prices for good bikes to other members, which would also mean you not having to deal with the barn find brigade out there. Good luck and make sure to post any questions, as there is a wealth of collective knowledge within this group. Rgds Ozhammer many thanks for a wonderful reply, i am looking for a air cooled rd350b circa 1973-1979 , sure i will join that forum too |
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Post by krishnakc on Sept 15, 2017 15:45:35 GMT 1
Hi Welcome to the forum 10 posts gets you to the classifieds section where you can post a wanted ad and view the sales section. Try and get as complete a bike as possible - whichever model you go for, as collecting all the missing bits really adds up. Refurbing parts you already have is cheaper than buying and then refurbing !! There are often german imports on ebay which seem good value as project bikes, but is very much a case of you get what you pay for. Good luck Dusty thank you |
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Post by reedpete on Sept 15, 2017 19:43:04 GMT 1
There are quite a few importers of USA bikes. Some are a bit more strait dealing than others, others need to be approached with a health warning.
'Summerbudimports' up near Stratford has bikes that are generally good value, nothing swapped out between arriving and selling. There's a 350 up for 2K at the mo on eBay. Should imagine that would sell for 1800. Don't think he would have a problem you take the heads off before you bought to have a peep.
I do know him quite well but Im not connected.....I don't get commission !
If he doesn't have what you want you could add to his shopping list for next time,
If you want a UK bike...you can add another £750 for the same sort of condition, and if you really mean 350B i.e. Made in 75/76 with 521 model number then just finding one is a challenge, let alone one up for sale. If you do find one you need to know what to check for as the carbs, pipes, airbox, clocks, gearbox and a pile of other small things were different to earlier models and USA models.
Needless to say in the aircooled world a nice 521 silver dust is up there behind a 2R9 400F in desirability and value.
As ozhammer said the AC forum is more focussed on those bikes but probably won't help you any more than this one to find what you are looking for. Certainly your budget will only get you a reasonable import or a dog of a UK bike.
My advice would be 1. Do you really want a B? If so why? 2. Would a 250 bike with 350 top end be an alternative consideration.
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Post by dusty350 on Sept 16, 2017 14:50:38 GMT 1
There were 2x 350B's at Kempton today. One restored - it was clean and nice but not stunning - £4500, and the other unrestored with a fair dent in the tank and a bit tatty but not bad, and that was £3500. Dusty |
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Post by reedpete on Sept 16, 2017 15:42:48 GMT 1
521s? Right parts?
if they were then maybe the rising market is pulling a few out of those dark places!
atlesat it helps Krishnakc to understand how prices are...and that 1500-2000 isn't really much of a budget to hunt for any AC 350 let alone a uk/euro 350B
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Post by cbm on Sept 17, 2017 6:48:46 GMT 1
There were 2x 350B's at Kempton today. One restored - it was clean and nice but not stunning - £4500, and the other unrestored with a fair dent in the tank and a bit tatty but not bad, and that was £3500. Dusty I've seen both of those bikes at the owner's place in Hayes Middx, Algy's a nice a Guy who specialises in Triumph & Enfield's mainly. The unrestored A model has a sweet motor in it but needs everything else sorting, unfortunately he's already spent £550 getting it through an MOT to make it road worthy, buying before that could have been ideal. I'm pretty sure the bike could still be bought for under £3k though and IMHO isn't worth anymore than that but hey wtf do I know . Agree re the other one Dusty, nowhere near a nice as the owner seems to think it is. |
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Post by dusty350 on Sept 17, 2017 7:52:04 GMT 1
Hi Chris I had a look as they were the only Yam strokers I saw there yesterday - I went as an "earlybird" but it was still very quiet for Kempton ! I wasn't sure if they were "A" or "B" models - I'm not really up on them, but thought I would ask the price out of interest. Pretty shocked when his missus said how much they were !! There was some interest in them but I don't know if he sold them. Dusty |
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Post by reedpete on Sept 17, 2017 22:02:42 GMT 1
UK 350B - not that many of them made in the first place and only a hand full of those around now. However as a result of this many 350s or even the identical 250B (with top end swapped) are dressed up with silver dust tinware to fool the unsuspecting , very easy to see the paint and say 'oh a 350B'.
As with all yams the VINs will quickly tell all, then is just a case of knowing what to look for on the components.....not dissimilar to all the small details on a 4L0 that differentiate them from a 4L1.
The 350B saw the introduction of the 6 speed box, close ratios on 4th,5th and 6th. New carbs with external venting to the air correction circuit, unique pipes, baffles that are the same part as used on the 4L1 /4L0 LC ( 521 part number prefix indicates their lineage) , introduction of heads with long reach plugs.....many things that were then carried through the rest of the AC bikes and then in to the LC.
I think there has only been one on eBay in the last 12 months 😮
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Post by cbm on Sept 18, 2017 9:12:56 GMT 1
UK 350B - not that many of them made in the first place and only a hand full of those around now. However as a result of this many 350s or even the identical 250B (with top end swapped) are dressed up with silver dust tinware to fool the unsuspecting , very easy to see the paint and say 'oh a 350B'. As with all yams the VINs will quickly tell all, then is just a case of knowing what to look for on the components.....not dissimilar to all the small details on a 4L0 that differentiate them from a 4L1. The 350B saw the introduction of the 6 speed box, close ratios on 4th,5th and 6th. New carbs with external venting to the air correction circuit, unique pipes, baffles that are the same part as used on the 4L1 /4L0 LC ( 521 part number prefix indicates their lineage) , introduction of heads with long reach plugs.....many things that were then carried through the rest of the AC bikes and then in to the LC. I think there has only been one on eBay in the last 12 months 😮 RP, the 2 in question here are both imports. Not sure about the "350B saw the intro of 6-speed box" bit as My Brother bought a new UK 350 in Competition Green in early '74 and that definitely had a 6-speed box, can't argue with the rest of the spec quoted though as i've no idea whatsoever  |
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Post by reedpete on Sept 18, 2017 15:01:13 GMT 1
6 speed box....
Strange situation actually. All 350s had 6 speed box but 6th was 'blanked off' so uk 'pre-A' and A were marketed with 5 gears. A popular mod was to enable the 6th gear but the ratios were wrong so as to make it an overdrive. The 521 saw introduction of box not only marketed with 6 but the raitios of 4,5,and 6 were closer so that it would turned into scratchers paradise....each change as you exit the powerband dropping you back onto the bottom of it in the next gear.
We take that for granted now but that was the introduction.
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Post by reedpete on Sept 24, 2017 19:53:58 GMT 1
I heard via the AC forum that having adjusted his expectations krishnakc now has now secured a Rd350, budget was limited because he has just also bought a new Ducati 😮
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Post by morgy on Sept 26, 2017 10:12:21 GMT 1
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Post by reedpete on Sept 26, 2017 14:27:51 GMT 1
Ah yes ....that's a 'known' one. It's like they are all on a register ! Got an interesting story. Was bought by the Scottish tank regiment as soon as they were available and went from the docks to the track. Finally was put in the road years later and thus the late plate. Details are here. www.aircooledrdclub.com/smf/index.php?topic=52933.0Hats off for getting it back to where it is. Not sure what it will make reserve as there's lots for the rivet counters to get there teeth into even though a pile of cash has been poured into it. That said with those things it's all about the matching VIN and other things can always be changed out. |
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Post by krishnakc on Oct 3, 2017 13:18:17 GMT 1
There are quite a few importers of USA bikes. Some are a bit more strait dealing than others, others need to be approached with a health warning. 'Summerbudimports' up near Stratford has bikes that are generally good value, nothing swapped out between arriving and selling. There's a 350 up for 2K at the mo on eBay. Should imagine that would sell for 1800. Don't think he would have a problem you take the heads off before you bought to have a peep. I do know him quite well but Im not connected.....I don't get commission ! If he doesn't have what you want you could add to his shopping list for next time, If you want a UK bike...you can add another £750 for the same sort of condition, and if you really mean 350B i.e. Made in 75/76 with 521 model number then just finding one is a challenge, let alone one up for sale. If you do find one you need to know what to check for as the carbs, pipes, airbox, clocks, gearbox and a pile of other small things were different to earlier models and USA models. Needless to say in the aircooled world a nice 521 silver dust is up there behind a 2R9 400F in desirability and value. As ozhammer said the AC forum is more focussed on those bikes but probably won't help you any more than this one to find what you are looking for. Certainly your budget will only get you a reasonable import or a dog of a UK bike. My advice would be 1. Do you really want a B? If so why? 2. Would a 250 bike with 350 top end be an alternative consideration. thank you for such a detailed and informative reply , will consider all these points |
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Post by krishnakc on Oct 3, 2017 13:20:54 GMT 1
There were 2x 350B's at Kempton today. One restored - it was clean and nice but not stunning - £4500, and the other unrestored with a fair dent in the tank and a bit tatty but not bad, and that was £3500. Dusty i had looked at them, the unrestored one required a lot of work |
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