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1983 Yamaha with two kilometers on the clock

In the studio: Yamaha RD 350 LC YPVS

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Classics can be found on the Internet, in advertising papers or specialist magazines. But sometimes also in very unusual ways. Like this splendid example, a 1983 Yamaha RD 350 LC, with two kilometers on the clock.

Finally after work! A quick look at the newspaper, maybe a little beer and the TV news – everyone has their own ritual to activate the relaxation mode after a hard day. Kai Haase’s TV is also on that November evening. It still takes until the news, so he zaps through the program rather bored. Finally got stuck with a regional contribution from a private broadcaster. Today he doesn’t really know why either. Only that the evening suddenly turns out to be completely different than planned.

The key scene in the report about a dropout who, after more than 20 years, wants to sell the remains of his two-wheeler business, is a simple pan of the camera. Instead of a range of “new” bicycles from the early 80s and shelves full of Roman helmets, two RD 350 YPVS are suddenly in the spotlight – “also new”, as the remainder emphasized in the article. Now Haase, Yamaha dealer and with his company Motocenter since 1983 in Hanover, is wide awake. “When I saw it, I had ventricular fibrillation immediately,” says the 45-year-old. Instead of relaxation, high tension is now the order of the day. What was the name of the protagonist again in the report? Where are the RD? After three hours of intensive research, he finally has a phone number and address. But no connection – always busy. Of course, many bikers sit in front of the television after work…

D.The Hanoverian does not give up. And after just under half an hour, the RD owner is actually on the line. Kai Haase does not miss this opportunity. Immediately concrete, while the other callers have so far only expressed vague interest. And actually wins the bid, the pick-up is agreed for the following day. But the next morning the deal seems to have collapsed, and the great interest in the Yamaha makes renegotiations necessary.

In the end, the two new RD 350s from 1983 are in Haase’s transporter. And one of them now in the Classic Studio. In a state that is unlikely to exist anymore. After all, the two-stroke athlete is in excellent shape after a long period of use. Scratches, scrapes, rust, brittle plastics, porous seals? Nothing like that, the Yamaha gives the impression that it recently rolled off the assembly line. Even the sticker with the safety instructions on the windshield is still supple – an unmistakable sign that the RD has survived the decades under the best conditions. So Haase only had to renew the fluids. And get a new front brake cylinder, because it was probably unscrewed as a spare part. After installing a fresh battery and refueling for the first time – the Yamaha had never run before – a short function check was carried out. Result: Everything is fine. So the happy buyer, who made his RD 350 available to us at short notice for this studio session, can carefully start running in the 29-year-old new machine in the spring. In the meantime, we are enjoying the flawless original condition of the Yamaha, which is still on the first skin.

And the fact that there is still a second chance for a new RD 350 LC. It goes without saying that such a rarity is not available at a bargain price. A restoration with a comparable result satisfies the screwdriver ego, but is hardly cheaper. It also costs a lot of time and nerves. So why not climb onto a new, old RD right away – this also saves the evening you deserve.

Technical specifications

MPS photo studio

That always kicks in: Usually one or two casual kicks are enough to bring the 59 horses of the cultivated two-stroke engine to life.

Yamaha RD 350 LC YPVS (Type 31K)
Engine:
Liquid-cooled two-cylinder two-stroke in-line engine, slot-controlled, diaphragm inlet and power valve outlet control, bore 64 mm, stroke 54 mm, 347 cm³, 43 kW (59 hp) at 9200 rpm, two 26-series Mikuni carburettors, oil bath clutch, six-speed gearbox, Separate lubrication, kick starter, chain drive
Landing gear:
Double-loop tubular steel frame, air-assisted telescopic fork, Ø 35 mm, two-arm swing arm with central spring strut, spring travel 140/100 mm (front / rear), double disc brake with floating caliper at the front, Ø 267 mm, rear disc brake, Ø 267 mm, tires 90/90 H18 and 110/80 H 18 (v / h), weight 170 kg (full tank), tank capacity 20 liters
Driving performance / consumption:
0-100 km / h: 4.9 seconds, top speed 189 km / h, test consumption 9.1 liters Super (MOTORRAD 10/1983)
Prize 1983:
5,838 marks
Contact:
www.rd350lc.de (German forum with lots of tips and links to specialists), www.rd350lc.net (English-language forum with extensive detailed information and brochures)

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