Five beautifully modified Yamaha RD350s from around the world

The Yamaha RD350 holds a special place in the heart of every biker. The two-stroke twin cylinder motorcycle is a rare find and many owners take extreme care to keep them as new as possible. Even though it is unusual to see a modified RD350, there are many such beautiful modifications which will make your heart skip a beat.
The RD350 is a living legend. Indian enthusiasts loved it when it arrived in 1983. There were two variants available in the form of 27 Bhp Low Torque (LT) and 30.5 Bhp High Torque (HT) engines. A six-speed manual transmission was standard with the motorcycle. Come, fall in love again with five such examples from around the world.

Justin’s RD350

The idea behind this customised RD is to make it look like a perfect blend of the modern age and the heritage of the motorcycle. The motorcycle has been radically changed but still carries the heart of the RD350.
The rear shock absorber springs were shaved off by 5-inch to add Hagon shock absorbers which lowered the rear of the motorcycle and gave the Cafe Racer look. The front drum brake was replaced with the disc brake and 18-inch Excel custom spoke wheels are installed with Pirelli MT90 tyres.
The seat, tail section with an integrated tail light, side panels and fork guard are customised by the owner himself. The frame has been modified to take a small battery and has been black powder coated. The engine gets new rings, paint coat and DG exhaust pipes for better sound and performance.

 

Twinline RD350

This custom RD was made to extract every last bit of performance the motorcycle can offer. To improve the handling, the Racetech emulators were installed in rebuilt forks. On the rear, Works Performance shocks have been installed. The swingarm comes from DG and the rims come from DID. The clip-on handlebars from Woodcraft along with custom footpegs from Motobits changed the riding position to make it more aggressive.
The front brake has been rebuilt with the custom-drilled disc while a custom cable takes care of the rear drum brake. The bike lost a lot of weight with the help of antigravity battery that has been installed in the tail of the motorcycle. The motorcycle gets power from MZB ignition while the cylinders are mildly ported to replace the stock head with Webco units.

The expansion chamber and muffler comes from top tuner – Jim Lomas. The motorcycle now produces around 45-50 Bhp and makes a beautiful sound during throttle. It looks super attractive with the custom black paint scheme.

86 Motorcycles RD350

This beautiful looking motorcycle will make you jealous. The motorcycle has been designed to lose all the excessive weight. The forks are cut down by about 2.5 inches and are then hand polished. The rear gets Showa shocks.
The motorcycle also gets new transmission kit and rebuilt carburettor and air filter.

The engine has been completely rebuilt with new rings, pistons and cylinder. The bike runs on CDi ignition and does not need a battery to start. The engine, rims and the frame have been powder coated while the seat gets custom stitched with cafe racer hump on it. The green shade of the motorcycle adds special character to the motorcycle.

Peter Rowland’s RD350

This is one of an example of RD350 getting converted into a dirt bike. The motorcycle is made from a lot of parts of other motorcycles. The wheelbase was shortened by altering the frame of the motorcycle but a stretched swingarm made sure that the motorcycle retains the wheelbase length. The front wheel is of 19-inch and the forks come from Kawasaki 250. The rear wheel is from Kawasaki KLX250.

The engine has been restored with new seals, bearings and gaskets and also gets new rings. The engine also gets PVL ignition that eliminates the need of alternator, rectifier and the battery. The alternator cover has also been cut down to narrow the motorcycle. The carburettors have been re-jetted to suit the exahust pipe and that helps with stronger mid-range. The motorcycle is called RDT350 as many parts come from the Yamaha DT250.

Buraq Customs

This is one true example of transforming the RD350. The motorcycle has gone through a lot of chopping to make it shorter. It gets Cafe Racer styled handlebar with rear view mirror at the end with full LED headlamp. The motorcycle also gets a custom paint job and a leather seat. The custom motorcycle retains the stock engine, suspensions and the exhaust system but after a thorough restoration to all these parts.

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