Old Yamaha's - as good as their motocycles?

[Yamaha B-2]

I rode into her driveway on a Yamaha XS-850.

My first 'big' motorcycle. Bought it new in '79. Had about 20 miles on it when I hit a tree so hard it bent the forks. Two days later was back on board for a trouble-free 10K before trading it on a Moto Guzzi CX-100. Only Yamaha left in the herd is a 250cc single street bike.

 

[bully]

In highschool I had the use of my brother's BSA 650 while he was in the army as a green beret.
In the mid-80s I got a used Kawa Z-1 903cc, which when it was new was the fastest, most powerful bike there was with about 85 hp.
Now midline 650's are pumping out that hp and more.
Things can get better with experience.

 

[johnny ro]

rd vx ??

Well this is an unexpected pleasure, talking bikes on an audio forum, right after reading up on A6M2s flying against Claire Chennault with his unpopular smart thinking.

Not flaming RD350s, but

I picked up a running RD350 3 years ago, thinking it was the "then more modern" modern competition of my 1975 norton commando I had back then, in 1975. I was jealous of mysterious modern RDs in 1975, having gone british. Now I want to recapture my youth.

In 2002, the RD seemed no more modern than the Norton. Same finicky connections and clunky parts, instantly out of tune, horrible everything except it was small and light. Museum piece. Gotta have right state of mind to tolerate it. Also tops out at about 6k, even my '86 SRX250 goes to 8k and can live there all day long, all summer long, year after year. RD gives one quick rush and have to shift, then stop to fix something. I like a few thousand rpms to play with. Maybe a new one is better.

The 1975 KH250 I owned in 1979 was nicer than the RD, which I gave away, but its hard to be sure with decades separating ownerships. The KH was also a maintenance pig, I admit.

My modern bikes require ZERO unscheduled maintenance. Very mature technology.

 

[motorstereo]

I had a 72 yamaha r5. The predecessor to the rd series. Johnny ro is right. The bike was fun to ride and did go quite well for it's day; but it did require contant tinkerin. I'll take my modern counterpart any day. It's an 04 kawi 2000cc v twin. That's a fun bike to ride; almost no maintenance and enough torque to pull a freight car at an idle.

 

[junkaudio]

i smashed two yamaha bikes on the road so i'am more into the stereo stuff of yamaha

 

[the-real-mandak]

i smashed two yamaha bikes on the road so i'am more into the stereo stuff of yamaha

What do you mean? If that is not stereo what is?



PS. Hope you walked away from both of them.

 

[johnny ro]

RD not that bad

I mean, it does look like a bash what I wrote above, take it back a bit in spirit but not in detail, the thing does have an identity, stable, low, you can feel that it is more coherent sportbike than a CB750 or a Harley of same vintage, won on the track, a real halo.

Guy in California was selling better than new ones, done up as dirt trackers, street legal, for $12k, if I were Billl Gates I would buy a dozen. Jay Leno should buy one or two..

Anyone who buys one should put clubmans on it for first real ride.

 

[motorstereo]

Those rd r5 series were rocket ships on a dirt road. I Lived 4 miles down a dirt road in my misspent youth and those 2 stroke yammies would outrun anything. Bone stock with bald tires it would go by the dirt bike riders with all the fancy equipment; Johnny Law also didn't stand a chance. I'd like to ride one once again now that I'm a lot older and hopefully much wiser. Having riden both the rd and the r5 I preferred riding the older r5 with it's lower center of gravity. The mag wheels, disc brakes, 6 speed tranny and electronic ignition on the rd's were nice features though.

 

[meggy]

I still remember the great sound from a YZ400 in my high school daze. Quick, quick, quick MF. Could really take it too. Never had a Yamaha amp though, just a CDP transport.

 

[yamahammer]

first street bike was a Yamaha dt125 sleeved up to 175c.c. since in Illinois you couldn't have a bike over 150 cc if you were under 18 but the bike i drove on the road most was my 360wr Husquavarna w/ enduro kit had a nice place a license plate if you know what i mean!!!! after turning eighteen my street bike became a kaw 750 triple complete w/ expansion chambers, big mikunis, and tie suckers, my dad called it a popcorn popper more like a hand grenade

 

[Yamaha1]

My first bike was a shining blue RD-350B, it was fast like hell, poor brakes and tires almost made me loose my life a couple of times, I was young ( in 9th grade ) and rank stupid as well, I still love that bike, subsequently I have owned many Yamaha bikes, notably FZR 750 and 1000 and now currently own a Honda RC 45, nothing gave me pleasure as my RD 350B.