my project RD350LC

[tripodtiger]

As Nike suggest 'Just do it'.  There isn't any time limit in that phrase.  It'll get done when it is and then you'll have something to carve up the HD owners and blow blue smoke at them

If it's not Christmas that slows you down on these sort of projects, it's someone's birthday, or someone is getting married, or having kids, or you've got doctors bills.  Our toys really do have to sit in properly in our priority lists.

My garden isn't taking so much money, but it is using time.

It's progressing beautifully, imho.

[ken008]

thanks for that ,i cant wait for it to run either, bought a oil pump repair kit today from the old dart and thats it for the fortnight, its not quite come to a grinding holt but close, anyway at least im not counting on it for something to have a ride on,

[melbxs]

You do some very tidy work Ken. I can't wait to see a video of this running. They make a great sound .

[ken008]

gday, been a bit quiet of late, a little bit further along than before, but not much, have to do a rebore etc, hoping the crank is good, money a bit tight aswell so it wont be finished untill sometime next year, no hurry



mucked around a bit with the head, blasted and painted



and how it is now,see ya

[makzy]

Yeah sorry it was air cooled stuff, if what your talkin about the museum is the Craigsleigh swap, yeah, probable be there, forget when it is tho, i picked up a benneli 250 mini bike come monkey bike today, i work at a dump, find lots of interesting things, so will be going to most swaps around the south east, yeah poor buggar hey! he was at the camp beside us, to of his mates also got beat up by some young kids down at mcDonalds, but they picked on the wrong old fellas to hassel, kids ended up coppin more than the dished out, the old fellas held 2 of them till the cops got there, they got the 3rd one the next day, send us a PM next time your headin somewhere around the south east corner i'm  tryin to get on the road a bit more now that i got a tank with NO rust, cheers

[ken008]

gday maczy, yeah i did see it actually, a couple of years ago i would have seriously considered it if the price was right, i did see some rd bits, but the ones i saw were for air cooled ones, i seen an older model tank at the site that had all the tanks spread out on the tarps, i seen another site in front of the indoor bit that had from memory a 84-85  350 2 stroke and an older  blue 250 for sale, from memory i think they were around the 3 grand mark,i think after about an hour of not finding anything i wasnt looking as hard,  seen a couple of nice nortons and a couple of nice old BMWs,for sale,,terrable about the poor fella that died on friday night at the pub,i guess it will come out in the news one day, im thinking about going up to the swap meet at the museum when its on,do you know anything about it? i dont expect to find much but will enjoy looking at all the bikes that will be there, seen  some nice z900s and a couple of xs650s out front near the entrance, having a good look at them made my day, i didnt see any xs1100s though, see ya

[makzy]

G'day Ken, I was at Gatton too, i got a good set of xs carbs for $40, and a set of instruments for $40,did you see the xs750 for sale? that is my brothers, would have been good to have a chat, maby next year, i saw quite a bit of rd stuff, tank, side covers, instruments' blinkers! 

[petejw1966]

this is he 1st ive seen of this thread,
beautiful work on the bike ken,
i luved the rd's in there day, never had 1
had mates that did, like brian said
once that power band kicked in they haulled arse.

[ken008]

gday melbxs, i went to the gatton swap meet on the week end, and got talking to a couple of blokes trying to sell stuff, when i told them about my resto , they started laughing and bagging the RD, i should have figured it out before i opened my mouth when they had the leather and silver rings and all that, bloody harley clowns, this swap meet is suppose to be the biggest in queensland, if you arent into harleys, triumphs,norton or bsa theres not alot there, i came across i thing for my bike, it was a damaged set of clocks, everything seemed over priced to me, i was a bit disapointed.

[melbxs]

These things don't only look good, they pop your eyeballs when you hit that powerband. Heaps of fun.
Very nice job Ken.

[ken008]

gday again, not alot of progress,did the seat,restored seat latches and attached grab rail and handle for raising and lowering centre stand, wasnt completely satisfied with the chrome on the grab rail but will do for now,have gotten into the engine and need a few bits,money a bit short at the minute but at least i can look at something that looks like a bike, see ya

[ken008]

thanks for all of that,i enjoyed it alot, i think more and more people are discovering these little beuties, they are big in the old dart, its where ive gotten most of the parts for it from, finally finished of the brakes, even put the little emblem on them, they came up well,the motor shouldnt present to many hassles as it was very tight when i got it and started on the 1st kick, most of the time, all i plan to do at this stage is new oil seals, gaskets,etc and paint it all up ,anyway heres a photo of the brakes, thanks for you interest and you great photos,see ya ken

[Christian Raith]

Great lot of pictures and stories. Good work

[melbxs]

When I wuz a lad in the UK there were hundreds of RDs on the road. The learner laws back then let you ride a 250, so the RD was the perfect bike. Never had one, but I did have a Suzuki GT250 X7. It was quicker than the Air cooled RD as it was incredibly light, but the water cooled RD came out shortly afterwards and wiped the floor with it.



The red and white RD400 is definitely my favourite bike of the era.

[tripodtiger]

Yes, that is nice.  How soon before the engine is done?

Some inspiration for you.


This is mine from several years ago.


I've now got the correct fork sliders and front guard.  Managed to pick up the very rare drum front sliders as NOS from Retro Yamaha in Adelaide.  And that was just on an off chance of finding time to drop in whilst I was in Adelaide.  My RD350 friend gave me the front guard.  Bit of chroming at the front (which cost $700 and it wasn't even 'show' quality!) and that's where I'm at.  Still have more chroming to do - mufflers and the rear end of the bike - plus a proper seat cover and it's fully finished.  But the absolute best thing is that it is now reliable to ride!!  I love it.  Takes me back to when I first got my learner's permit on it in '77.  Such a ball tearer to ride.  Been in the family since the day it was bought from Ace Motorcycles inLiverpool - late '72.  Mine is rare in Oz, except for the 3 or 4 drum brake ones that I've seen recently that I presume have been imported from the US and are advertised for sale from the classic bike re-sellers that are proliferating at the moment.

Then there is this one I saw at a VJMC rally several years ago.

Looked like it had never been ridden.  It was static for the whole weekend, if memory serves. 

My mates RD350 is in the back ground. He's had it for many years, and knows where it was when he didn't have it.  He loves to describe the 350 as the XU1 of motorcycles - the original giant killer.  There'd be a few that might  argue.  Of course, his is just a red one.  Mine is beautiful Butterfly Blue.

I love this one.  I think it's one in England.  England appears to be the current 'spititual home' of RDs.


Or how about this?

Another pommie bike.  Inspiration for the wreck I've got under the verandah.

One at the Macquarie Towns Rally a few months ago.  The young bloke/ owner - who probably is newer than the bike - painted it in the European colour scheme.  Looked great.


Then there is the ultimate expression of RD...

I've got a better framed photo that contrasts the RZ and the R100S, but it shows less of the RZ.

This one specially as inspiration.  The owner got this on the road, fully finished only to fall off and scuff it up almost immediately.  Another younger bloke, he used Armourall on the tyres.  Ahh, he didn't stop at the sidewalls.   


And the great grand mother of the RD

Adler 250.  Very nice.  Even if it isn't an RD.

 Just a few years ago two stroke Yams were fairly thin on the ground.  Lots of them stripped down for racing, as you'd expect, but not that many on the road.  At the Macquarie Towns Rally this year it was almost like there were enough RDs (air & elsie) to have our own class.  Mine would've won of course.

I'm thinking of starting an RD/RZ owners register via email.  If it happens, keep an eye out in Old Bike.  Any opinion?  Would you sign up?

How long until yours has an engine?  Come on, you've just wasted how many minutes reading my crap - get back out into the shed!  I want to know that another ring-ding is  upsetting the neighbours and putting a huge smile on a rider's face - just as it comes onto the pipe!!!