fubars
Drag-strip hero
Posts: 294
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Post by fubars on Aug 26, 2020 19:56:49 GMT 1
What's everyone's thoughts on the early RD round tank ? I'm thinking of getting one when the right one comes up that is !
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Post by tony2stroke on Aug 26, 2020 20:29:26 GMT 1
Personally I love the look of them.
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Post by reedpete on Aug 26, 2020 21:17:26 GMT 1
I have a pile of them so a bit biased...but essentially they are where the RD story starts ...
The fat EU/UK tank is how they were intended to be...the skinny tank on the USA models forced by peculiar rules over there at that time.
The general hierarchy puts the Eu/UK 1975 350B (521 model) at the top of the tree, had the CR box etc etc. Next but not far behind is the 73, gets its cudos from being the first. The 74 suffers from middle child syndrome a little and a ‘plain’ graphics scheme, although the candy Ruby red paint is gorgeous! My first Rd was a 75 350A.
This all said they are ‘generally‘ all the same under the skin .
As with the LC, 250s can be converted to 350 in much the same way
Chrome has become eyewateringly expensive to get redone, so either find nice tidy authentic original or something that can rechrome With expectations your wallet will be emptied.
Power and handling....the package became infamous as being a giant killer in the twisties. Let’s face it they share crankcases with a TZ350 ! Front fork internals are a bit grim...but very easy to grin and bear it ! Various upgrades if you can’t .
Summary, if you have a space in the garage ....get one!
I’m still learning but I can probably answer any questions you might have.
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Post by reedpete on Aug 26, 2020 22:56:18 GMT 1
A couple of my better looking ones...  |
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Post by tony2stroke on Aug 26, 2020 23:08:30 GMT 1
OOOOOOOOO!!!!!! I do like the one that looks burgundy in the pic, very nice  |
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Post by flames on Aug 27, 2020 21:24:52 GMT 1
I agree, that is lush.....they both are but the burgundy one is particularly so.
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Post by pidjones on Aug 28, 2020 1:02:52 GMT 1
I had ~73 RD250. That's why I jumped at the RD400 when they came out.
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Post by ozzysbikes on Sept 12, 2020 4:51:15 GMT 1
I have a RD250A converted to a 350 with the correct primary gear and oil pump and if I could only keep one of my bikes (6 in the garage) it would be my "little spindly bike" as swmbo calls it,
It's the metallic blue colour and is just so enjoyable to ride, full of character and looks great, people who know nothing about bikes say that it looks "lovely"
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Post by steve h on Sept 12, 2020 13:50:43 GMT 1
My thoughts on them are...No matter how much you love them...... they are completely trumped by the LC.
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Post by reedpete on Sept 12, 2020 20:30:23 GMT 1
My thoughts on them are...No matter how much you love them...... they are completely trumped by the LC. That’s not a point of contention....but the LC would not have been were it not for its AC and TZ predecessors... |
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Post by ozzysbikes on Sept 13, 2020 7:56:08 GMT 1
If I have to explain...............
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Post by Norbo on Sept 13, 2020 11:36:03 GMT 1
I prefer the look to the newer ones
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Post by museumman on Sept 13, 2020 12:04:07 GMT 1
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Post by museumman on Sept 13, 2020 12:11:03 GMT 1
My thoughts on them are...No matter how much you love them...... they are completely trumped by the LC. That’s not a point of contention....but the LC would not have been were it not for its AC and TZ predecessors...
Unbelievable Yamaha went from air cooled to TZR in a decade then they were close to design peak then interest dropping off
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Post by steve h on Sept 13, 2020 15:26:06 GMT 1
My thoughts on them are...No matter how much you love them...... they are completely trumped by the LC. That’s not a point of contention....but the LC would not have been were it not for its AC and TZ predecessors... Correct it's not. Its my thoughts on them, after covering thousands of miles on both and racing an LC. The TZR trumps them both......  |
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Post by reedpete on Sept 13, 2020 21:32:10 GMT 1
From an engineering perspective every year from 1970 onwards saw better and better bikes but without doubt the 80-83 LC remains the most iconic. The delta box bikes and various crankcases induced reed engines configurations continued to raise the performance bar but they were ‘lightweight sports bikes’ , only the LC was a hooligan grade loop skoot !
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Post by 123 on Jan 4, 2021 22:13:50 GMT 1
I have a yr5 rd350a and 350lc love them all
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Post by reedpete on Jan 4, 2021 22:51:01 GMT 1
Snap...plus a few of the others.... but even though my 350A got me hooked on Rds, it was the desire for and ultimately ownership of a 4L0 that cemented a life long ‘love affair’..
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