“When there is a love for two-strokes, speed, and handcrafted work, there is only one right thing to do…” These are the words of one of our favorite builders, Wilco Lindner of the Netherlands (@builtbywilcolindner), […]
Tag: Yamaha RD
Orange Crush: Yamaha RD350LC Hybrid
Dusty Miller builds an electric orange giant-killer… The Yamaha RD350LC was the first liquid-cooled evolution of the RD series, which appeared in 1980 to succeed the air-cooled RD400. It had the same bore and stroke […]
White Heat: Yamaha RD400 Hybrid
Retired firefighter Dusty Miller builds one hot RD! In 1975, the Yamaha RD400 appeared as the evolution of the RD350, featuring 51cc more displacement, new cases/barrels/head, a new airbox design, and a rubber-mounted engine. “The […]
Two-Stroke Hybritza: Yamaha 350 YPVS Cafe Racer
A project dream for 30+ years! At the Cologne Motorcycle Show in late 1982, Yamaha unveiled their new RD350 YPVS, featuring the breakthrough Yamaha Power Valve System, which utilized a servo motor to change the […]
Ultimate RD: Yamaha RD400 Restomod
An 80-bhp Harris/Mark Dent RD400 Special… Introduced in 1975 to replace the RD350, the Yamaha RD400 would quickly become the alpha wolf of the late 70s sport middleweights, producing ~40 horsepower at 7000 rpm. Front […]
RD Rescue: 1975 Yamaha RD350 Resto
A California husband and wife rescue and rebuild an abandoned RD… Introduced in 1973, the Yamaha RD350 (RD for “Race Developed”) was an evolution of the beloved R5 350, featuring seven ports instead of five […]
For the Love of Screaming 2-Strokes: Yamaha RD125 Street Tracker
Wilco Lindner’s stunning RD125: Built for the love of screaming two-strokes… The Yamaha RD125 was an air-cooled, two-stroke twin that boasted 17 horsepower at 9000 rpm and a top speed of 78 mph. It was […]
Lightweight Monster: Yamaha RD400 Café Racer
“Like riding a lightweight monster…” –Derek Molinski, Bikeshop DM In late 1975, Yamaha introduced the RD400 — a stroked and updated evolution of the 350, featuring a rubber-dampened engine, disc brakes, longer reach spark plug, […]
2-Smoker: Yamaha RD350 by Marc Martin
“Don’t feel bad. You’re not the first 750 rider to get blown off by a Yamaha 350.” That was the headline of a 1975 magazine advertisement for the Yamaha RD350, and it was true. Introduced […]
Race Derived: Yamaha RD350 Cafe Racer by MotoExotica
A 1984 (!) Yamaha RD350 from the Himalayan foothills… The Yamaha RD350 is one of our favorite two-stroke street bikes, a parallel-twin standard that boasted 39 horsepower, Autolube oil injection, best-in-class brakes, and lovely colors […]
