Last of the Two-Strokes! 1985 Yamaha RZ350 Review | Daily Rider
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- Опубликовано: 7 авг 2020
- Last of the Two-Strokes! 1985 Yamaha RZ350 Review | Daily Rider
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In this episode of Daily Rider, Zack rides a true blast from the past: a 1985 Yamaha RZ350! This two-stroke gem represents the final days of ring-a-ding streetbikes. Were they as great as we remember, or do we look back with rose-colored glasses? Zack's about to find out!
1985 Yamaha RZ350 Specs
MSRP (new) $2,400
Fuel capacity: 5.2 gallons
Weight: 370 pounds
Seat Height: 31.5 inches
Horsepower: 50 bhp
Torque: 30 ft-lb
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I hope that one of these days you do a daily ride of a sidecar Ural. Please, please, please make that happen.
More love for the 2 Strokes. Over here in my country, Malaysia, the RXZ 135cc is very famous back in the 80s and 90s. The popularity has since surged back up once more.
More yamaha 2 strokes please ! Ive got one its a rd 80 its basically the same as you rode but only 80cc ,make me giggle every time
To ride this bike well with the factory footrest you have to climb all over moving your body position for every corner and lay on the tank in the straits...from Wyoming USA 🔫🤠🇺🇸p.s stay safe
Shocking review, an iconic 2 stroke bike known for its wicked powerband and you ride it on a freeway, try riding it on a twisty road. Comparing it to an R3 was the last straw, there is no comparison
I think you underestimated the 'cool' rating for this bike.
If you hit a bike meet at your local coffee shop, I'm sure you'll get a lot more people gawking at the RZ over any other bike.
Exactly what I want! Someone wearing a flannel and beanie gushing over my bike! :^)
I guess it would depend on the age group. All too many today don't know two stroke bikes existed, let alone this bike. Me? I would go nuts!
@@Pavorish You are so going to wrong bike nights if that is the crowd.
In my youth the Rz50 was the best ; yes 50cc better than a NSR
@@michaelkrenzer3296 DUCK!
Nothing as involving as a 2 Stroke coming on pipe, totally addictive.
Nothing as involving as when the piston nips and throws you into the hedges! Still, I would have another one tomorrow :)
Lol. To this day I still have a habit of covering the clutch on a 4str.
you gotta have the fastest clutch hand of the west.
100% agree!
@@morrisbagnall2690 piston nips? as someone who never rode a 2 stroke can ya inform me?
I miss that 2 stroke sound and smell. It was everywhere in the 70s!
Even in the 80s.
By then, people were a little sick of the smoking cannons though ?? LOL.
It was my best chance to keep up with the big bikes until i eventually brought one.
2nd bike i owned was a brand new RD 250 LC then converted to a 350 with
a good porting job and set of noisy expansion chambers ??
Flat out in top gear 220 kmh, ( not to bad for a 350 cc )
Klotz oil and a 2 stroke bike was the shit back in the 70s and 80s
@@weldmachine 220 kmh thats insane for a 350cc 2 stroke.
@@Toxic2T LOL.
It does seem fast i guess.
The only reason i knew what speed i was doing at that time, was because i had a few other mates with big bikes with me to compare the speed.
When we finally stopped.
They could not believe my little RD could go so fast.
Another mate on a RG 250 who got left behind, LOL actually brought my bike when i brought a GPZ 900R.
Even that bike felt slow after a few months of riding it.
Best i stop now otherwise i will be writing a book ?? LOL.
Absolutely LOVE Bikes.
Best drug ever made.
At least there are still a lot of two strokes in southeast asia although they are starting to disappear
We used to endurance race those things in the early mid eighties. Imagine a two stroke running flat out for 8 hours and no issues. Pretty cool little bike.
This for me is the most fun "Daily Rider" so far.
Maybe it's nostalgia, or possibly because this one seems to have extracted the most giggles from the pilot...
Giggle factor was pretty high with this one, no doubt :-)
I had it too. Loved it.
Zack giggled every time it hit 7,000 RPM. That’s the best way to tell that it’s definitely a fun bike.
The powerband on a 2 stroke is one hell of a drug.
Depends.
The GT500 or 750 have wide powerband but low peak.
Also the old style 2-strokes are designed for low peak but wide powerband.
You can even tell from the shape of the exhaust systen what style the engine is...
@@JenniferSmith-yl6lr true, my dad's ke... or kd 175 is very linear and tame for a 2 stroke, especially when comparing to my kx 125 dirtbike. XD
Dante S550 10R80'S
The rotary intake valve engines spin out without a sharp power decline, but the spin-up power ramp is still steep and addictive.
Fun begins at 5000 Rev’s
I owned an RZ and later a Yamaha TDR250. Riding a two stroke motorcycle is such a sensory experience. It commands all of your attention and does not disappoint in thrilling you every time you twist the throttle.
What a nostalgia kick! I got the RD350LC when they came out here in ‘81. Got the YPVS in ‘85. Got a couple of scars from both. These bikes were just awesome and part of the fabric of my youth.
I had the LC too. That little back tyre made life very interesting if you weren't facing forward and accidentally hit the power band. Out of all the bikes I owned in my life, that was very much one of the more exciting ones.
Could listen to that thing coming on to the pipe all day. Maybe it’s my age, but I’m a sucker for a 2T
Same. I miss two-strokes.
I was born in 1992 and even i am a sucker for 2 strokes!
My first bike was a 150cc single cylinder 2 stroke and i miss it very much!
Seems you must miss the old 2 Smokes.
Definitely a great bike in there time.
Most hated them because of the oil burning.
But at least we had a chance to keep up to the big bikes if you own a 2 Smoke.
Luckily my Husky 300 keeps me from missing them too much. But would love an RZ or 90s NSR for the street.
It's crazy how much power even the 135s make
My RZ, with a few mods, was my favourite canyon carving weapon ever. Guys on 750s struggling to keep up. Those were the days. First bike I ever dragged knee on, and first bike that I lifted the front wheel in a corner. Crazy powerband. Loved that bike. Thanks for the memories!
I had a RD350 F2(UK model name), loved it, regret selling to this day. Mine was race tuned, and you could bury the speedometer as far as it would go, 120MPH, if you tucked in behind the bubble. The smell of Castrol R and the sound of power valves cycling when you turned the ignition, awesome. Front end would get lively at speed, so I had a steering damper fitted.
I had on of these as well. Unfortunately it got a major front end modification after a car pulled out in front of me! It WAS a great bike until that point.
I had an RZ250 and the smell of Castrol R was addictive. Simple, light, fast and so much fun with pipes, steering damper and Ohlins shocks.
Key on, burrrrr, buzzzz, burrrrrrrrr. Magic times mate. I had an 89 TZR 250 - similar to the RD. Loved that bike - It was restored and painted in the red Loctite colours just before I bought it.
1st bike I got after passing my test , I think it gave me more grins per mile than almost anything I've ridden since ,certainly the most grins per CC !
And my bike can bury your 350 at 170mph
I had one of these in 1987 when I was 17. That sound! Thank you for the memories!
And you’re still alive?! Congratulations
I got one at 13 in 76, Pocket Rocket, ❤
I love where this is headed. You definitely should test out more cool, classic bikes.
agreed except learn the history or good info next time though please
Yep definitely need to do the rz500!
An old BMW boxer would be cool
CX650 Turbo!
I doubt you giggle like that when riding an MT03...2-strokes are pure fun, can't be measured, just experienced.
I bet you never tried the redline of a 03 either
Marco Martins rekt
Actually, he did....
@@kingkrimson8771 so true Ahaha
@@Marco-cl9pb But it won't do a wheelie with just power like the RZ350
I had one of these when I was a teenager and early 20’s and I’ve never ridden anything that was as fun. “Bottle rocket 🚀 intensity “ is how Motorcyclist Magazine accurately described its acceleration when on the pipe. The lack of weight transfer inherent in a two stroke when decelerating with engine breaking made high speed sweepers dream like. Coming off an exit / entrance ramp you could just rev match the down shifts and carry your speed through the corner and be right in the power as you accelerate away. My favorite bike of all time. 0-60 I NEVER lost. Nighthawks, Ninja 600’s, even a CBX Honda I’d just leave them so far behind they’d give up not realizing that at that point they could walk me down. Lol LOVED it!
My one and only bike in 1982 was a Suzuki GT380 triple. This really brought back some memories. I think we've lost something by not having 2 stroke road bikes anymore. They were absolute, pure fun!
The suzuki two strokes with oil injection never fail because the injector pumps were driven off the main shaft of the transmission .they turned at a much slower rpm and did not get the high frequency vibration from the crankshaft ...yamaha single cylinder oil injection pumps were mounted on the end of the crankshaft and would get vibrated to death ...
When you see a suzuki that has had its oil injection pump removed and the oil lines removed the engine is already destroyed ...the left main bearing only gets pressure feed oil from the pump and continues feeding down a hollow crankshaft to the connecting rod bearing where it then sprays into the intake air and fuel mix . There is another oil line to the intake also .. but removing the pump and lines starves the left main bearing of receiving any lubrication at all even if you mix cause the left main bearing is sealed to force injected oil onward through the hollow crankshaft to the connecting rod also ...suzukis oil injection never failed for reasons given ...but people will be fixing thinks that dont break and destroy the best
Just now looking up the old two stroke suzukis and some where water cooled ..these would make q great cafe race project .and very reliable due to the oil injection pump being driven from the transmission main shaft ...im not familiar with the yamaha multi cylinder injector pump reliability but if they are driven directly from the end of the crankshaft they will fail ...same as a polaris two stroke quad ...but suzuki no problems with the injector pump geared to the transmission main shaft ...set up with chambers and a 1/4 cafe racing fairing modern alloy or carbon fiber wheels brembo calipers gaffer rotors ohlins front forks and rear piggy back gas shocks ...ported balanced and tuned would be the best two stroke track and street experience of your life
never had an injection pump fail on an RD yamaha but I turned them down till there was almost no smoke with Full Bore synthetic oil. I raced them for years with no pump failures. Suzuki x6 and 380 two strokes were slo in comparison but they were always trying my Yamahas.
Thanks so much for this; it made my day, week, month, and year. I bought one new in 84 in Yamaha racing yellow and black livery. I had many two strokes previously, but it was the first that you could ride every day without worrying about fouling plugs or seizing up. I commuted in the heat of Dallas, Texas, toured around the southern USA, and basically lived on my RZ; great memories.
They were a great bike, bought one second hand back 1987 rode it till I done a crank bearing about 2 years later, then traded it in what an idiot I was should have kept it.
@@fullboostturbo1 same here, sold mine in 88, and have regretted it ever since.
I had 2 of them. I rode one again about a year back. It felt sketchy on its 15 year old tyres and bent fork but brought back so many memories. That rapid change to the power band pulling wheelies, having to refill them daily as the 22 litre tank only did about 200ks and I commute d 160. Ahh my teenage years.
Damn that’s a blast from my past. I purchased one new when I was 19 and rode by myself from D.C. to New Mexico. Best time of my life. Great review
Sir, writing from England, what a staggering adventure on a 350! It is a trip I have wanted to do having worked in Virginia and New Mexico and loved both States.
I did keep the two-stroke faith all these years. I have a Kawasaki H2C but in all honesty I don’t fancy riding across the States on that, but I have enormous admiration for what you achieved.
That beats the hell out of my 2 stroke long ride. Johannesburg to Durban on a Montesa 250. Enduro. Normally takes about 7-8 hours on a regular big bike. Took me 10+ on that trip. To be fair, I did stop quite a bit to let it cool down, plus took 2 different short off road romps.
2 strokes really do pull at the heartstrings for me. the first bike which I maintained and modded myself was a 2 stroke. it's delicate yes but significantly easier compared to modern-day bikes. a set of screwdrivers, allen keys and wrenches is almost all you need. in my country the last batch of 2 strokes was in the early 2010s, really do miss em.
Thank you for this content.
Any bike that makes you laugh that much has to be a great machine.
A 350 doing a power wheelie? Man I love 2 strokes
The rz350 comes on so hard in the mid range,, lots of people lost skin off there ass.
We nicknamed my cousin Johnny one bun , after his 2and to 3rd gear wheelie over at 50mph plus.
Jake Edgell yeah those weren’t beginners bikes. I had a 1973 RD 350 I bought off a new rider who scared himself when it lofted the front wheel.
350 cc two stroke = is 700 cc in four stroke. Awesome power for a small and light engine.
Here in Europe two strokes were still common even in the 2000s. When I was a kid in the 90s and the 2000s you could see everything from two stroke sports bikes (Aprilia RS50, RS125 and RS250, Cagiva Mito 50 and 125, Yamaha TZR50 and TZR125, Honda NSR125 and NSR250, Kawasaki KR1S, Suzuki RGV250, Derbi GPR50 and GPR125, etc.), to cruisers (Aprilia Red Rose and Red Rose Classic, Gilera Eaglet, Cagiva Roadster, Laverda Custom 125, etc.), to dirt bikes, to scooters and mopeds on the streets over here. In fact,my first and still current motorcycle is a two stroke,a 1994 Aprilia Red Rose Classic.
So you're saying this wasn't actually the last of the the two strokes. You're right of course, but it was definitely the coolest.
Plenty still for sale brand new at the dealers in 1993 yamaha tzr125 tzr250 rd350ypvs tdr125 tdr250 just to name a few
@@davidbesant Depends on how you define cool but definitely not the last of the two strokes. I would argue the RGV250 and NSR250 are cooler bikes
Bazza the RGV was actually quicker and better than the NSR. Here in Australia, back in the 90’s they had a national race championship for 250 production bikes. You’d rarely ever see the Honda in it, just because the Suzuki was better... 👍😎
@@marcusgeorge1825 I certainly loved tracking my RGV250 around countless laps of Eastern Creek.
Wow man! I'm super stoked to see this bike! I bought mine second hand for $900 in 1987 and to this day it's hands down the best bike I've owned and ridden! The handling was amazing (I'm not as tall as you Zack) and I was always tucked in and went 180kph everywhere and first bike I dragged my knee....regularly. It ate the winding ranges for breakfast, lunch and tea AND the much bigger bikes!
Thanks so much because now I can sleep knowing I can view this video anytime, day or night. Two thumbs up!
Saw one of these at a vintage bike meet. despite there being legitimately rare and expensive bikes all over the place, THIS is what I kept coming back to and pouring over. It was a black and yellow one, and it was absolutely mint. what a lovely model, just wish i could afford to own one.
I had a ‘86 black fully faired RD350 back in the ‘90’s. this was a trip down memory lane. Thanks Zack.
Same here, got a RD250 Red/White then sold it to a guy at the Ace cafe that owned two RD350's and I brought the Black and Purple one of him.
The cool older bloke had an RD350 and a girlfriend I had a DT50 and Miss Wrist.
I'm drooling
1st time I rode one was as a passenger
My friend took off nice and smooth
Shifted into 2nd...Again, smoothly
Then twisted the throttle hard and instead of shifting into 3rd, he messed up and went back to 1st
Brand new RZ went right in the field, about 6-7 ft from trees... My friend rolled in the street (no injuries)... I ended up on my 2 feet running (don't ask me how) and fell on my hand and knees, just scratching my jeans and gloves.
The bike was litterally 3 hours old with about 70 miles on it
MEMORIES 🤪
3 weeks later I bought an '82 RD350 ... To this day it's still my favorite (GPz550 being a close 2nd)
Cool story totally believable by anyone who hasn't ridden a motorcycle before...It is impossible to accidentally go from into 1st from 2nd unless your friend was a complete moron who went down rather than up...
@@rolandbonser9883 Good ... You understood. Here's a star for you ⭐🤦♂️
Yeah that's kinda impossible
We owned the Kawasaki shop, our old mechanic owned the Yamaha shop, when dad retired I worked as their mechanic… he had the RZ and I had the first GPz 550 in Canada… we had a blast going over “Going to the Sun” every weekend.
@@grandenauto3214 I had a '82 GPz 550 ... Best bike I've ever owned. God dammit did I had fun on that thing
Happy to say that I've owned two of these in my days. Great memories...
Pure nostalgy. No 4 stroke gives more thrills than a 2 stroke.
Sadly an area that has gone and won't ever come back.
I miss those 2 stroke bikes!
Zack, that was the greatest review ever! Loved the bike and your enthusiasm.... every time you giggled with happiness, priceless.
First name Last name I agree.
When Z&A left the other channel I didn’t follow, but the replacement couldn’t touch the way Zack does these vids.
Glad to see you are back on an easily viewed (i.e. not pay extra) channel.
Keep it up, I’ll let the ads run so you get paid.
Z&A rides are also great. More of those please. Really liked the Baja monkey bike ride.
@@markr641 . Hammond hahahahahahahaha
Yeah, boi!!! Dank two-stroke wheelies coming up! *gets popcorn ready*
That engine had a future home in the Yamaha Banshee . That was a great quad.
They took a Toyota Supra, a Honda V65 Sabre and Eddie Lawson was on the RZ 350. He gave the Supra and Sabre a 1/2 mile head start and within a mile he passed both
I had a totally built RD400 air cooled . I could literally smoke anything on the road back then. There’s nothing like when she would hum like a finely tuned instrument and everything turned a blur.
I once raced a Harley 1200 up 805 hill and I was a mile ahead of him at the top!
Smiling all the way!!
I love the instant giggles it produced after 7000 rpm
Can almost smell the 2-stroke exhaust from here.
The good old 2T oil smell.
I never used to wash my jeans.
You can buy 2stroke scented candles if you miss the smell that much. Unfortunately I haven’t found Blendzall Gold Label scented candles yet.
I prefer Golden Spectro!
@@tedecker3792 Holy shlt it's actually REAL.
We all ran against Kenny in the early days of AFM (mid 70's) in California on our RD350's and of course Kenny was always in the top five. RD350's were great track bikes.
Really enjoyed this episode! I was lucky enough to work in a Yamaha dealership in the early 90s (In the UK) and we still had the swan-song version of the RD350. She had become a little too weighty, a little bloated. Sat as she was next to the likes of the svelte TZR250s, RGV250s and KR1S. It always made me feel a little sad for them. As a bike-mad teen in the 80s. The 350 "valve" was almost worshipped like a deity by my friends and I. You could hear one coming a mile off. Somewhere off the edge of the city, where the roads were verdant and flowing. On the pipe in every gear, barking those down changes. Eventually they'd reach the bus stop that we called home and we would grin the biggest grins and breathe in the intoxicating fumes. If were were really lucky, they'd be using Castrol R and that would make our night! Fast forward to the late nineties. I'm in a position to finally get my bike test passed. What's the first bike I buy? An RD350. I went to those same verdant, flowing roads and I put her on the pipe, barked those down changes and blew her up two days later. -_- Oil pump had seized... Pre-mixed after the rebuild and had a really happy two years having unrequested 2-up wheelies at every set of lights. At the time I remember thinking I was the only 2-stroke fan left, but then I'd go on organised ride outs and realised that everyone one was trying to position themselves behind me! That's the allure of Castrol R. I can tell you, I wish my channel had videos of me on my RD over any of my R1s or Fireblades. Thanks again, really nostalgic ride. Also, you had a 350 on the pipe and you didn't have one hand covering the clutch? Bruh, do you even 2-stroke? :P
The sound that you can hear all day long. Eargasm
Zack, just wanted to say how much I missed your presentation style and approach to motorcycling and reviews when you went behind the payroll. Glad your back for the little guy to appreciate every Saturday morning. Awesome job sir!
You said payroll. Did you mean paywall?? LOL!
I'm also so pleased about his return
I was smiling through many parts of this presentation. It became especially so much more fun from about the point of your entry into Lover's Lane. Well done on the metaphors for the exotic nature of the riding experience.
It’s been a year since I watched this but man the dash is so perfect and I love the giggles as you wheelie everywhere.
I remember that sound! I had it predecessor the RD 350, loved the smell, and so fun to ride!
yeah! my dad just got his fixed up because he bought it from a friend and it never ran and I have NEVER heard it run since this year (2022) when his friend from college who fixed it up for him the reason he didnt do it earlier is money but im glad he did it when did because it wouldve been beyond repair but I cant wait till in 16 and can ride it!!! i dont think I can ride it when Im 15 with my permit (im 14 now) but yea! i hope you can get a new one
That was awesome!
The laughter at 7k on the tac or above!! 😂😂😂
The RZ was one of the best two strokes ever made, no doubt, but of course it was not without faults.
I rode one back in 86 when I traded my DT200 with a friend for the day, and had one of the scariest moments of my life hitting a speed wobble at 160kph. Terrifying. But what a great motor.
I'm no expert on the yamaha 2 stroke history either, but the RD400 was the air-cooled version. The RD350L/C was the liquid cooled version. The RZ350 came with YPVS, which was a power valve that altered the exhaust valve according to rpm, providing for much better low end power while still giving lots of power on top.
Thank you for that blast from the past! I had a Yellow/Black 85' RZ350 and loved it! One thing I didn't hear you mention was engine braking, or rather the lack thereof. You needed decent brakes (and they were) on these bikes due to the fact that when you let off the throttle, the engine DID NOT help slow you down!
2 strokes have never had any decent engine braking, and on my RZ350 I only had front brakes, which made it quite interesting when an idiot in a car with trailer attached pulled out in front of me blocking all 3 lanes, lets just say I prayed n survived, locked up the front wheel for a good few meters without dropping the bike, don't ask me how just LUCK I guess. Lets say the car panels what were once all straight did not end up staying straight after I was finished with him.
yeah! my dad just got his fixed up because he bought it from a friend and it never ran and I have NEVER heard it run since this year (2022) when his friend from college who fixed it up for him the reason he didnt do it earlier is money but im glad he did it when did because it wouldve been beyond repair but I cant wait till in 16 and can ride it!!! i dont think I can ride it when Im 15 with my permit (im 14 now but i what I do know is that my dads friends put on VERY high quality race brakes. (also this friend raced these bikes)
2 strokes were not meant to slow down, corner speed is best to stay in power band lol
Radical man! I’m 16 and started riding on a restored 1970 Honda CL350 I did. I love a vintage bike I get pride and satisfaction after working on it.
Awesome mate, 16 /17 and playing with old bikes. That’s cool man and working on your own bike is a real buzz
We're gonna need more classic bike reviews now. You've opened the can of worms. I vote the MC22 cbr250rr next!
Yeaaappp.. much needed 😊
Thanks for the video. I had one of these in the late 80s. Man it have me so much fun. Just as you said it was happy to rev. Sitting here grinning with nostalgia
I really miss the classic analogue instrument clusters. Perhaps you get more info on the digital screens, and they probably weigh a lot less than the three instruments we see on this RZ, but the old instruments just look so good!
Other thing with analogue instruments? Read somewhere that psychologically you can easily read an analogue needle almost subconsciously in your peripheral vision. Digital you have to look at and actually read.
But hey - gizmos sell.
@@duncanjowett5575 The problem I find with digital speedometers is the quoted speed has no reference, on a gauge you know where fast is based on where the needle is on the dial, seeing 68 mph on the digital display doesn't give you as much information. It's also hard to hold a constant speed when a police car is behind you, or you are just trying to observe a speed limit as you cannot see when you are speeding up, or slowing down as clearly as you do with a needle on a dial. I'm all for technology when it serves a purpose, but on a speedometer I just don't find it works for me.
Yes love the dials on my zx14r!
Only one gauge is needed tach, but i started life on 2 stroke dirt bikes, i could feel when to shift. Ridden bikes for 40 plus yrs, 99.9999 percent of time i never looked at guages. Eyes on road and rode by feel. Gauge clusters today are just distracting from The ride.
YES!!! The instrumentation is awesome! It never looks outdated. I love it!! I love the two stroke experience!!
I could listen to this this redline gears all day. It’s beautiful
In Canada there was another generation after. Our stock pipes never came with cats, they were just light and the last generation had an expansion chamber style pipe with aluminum silencers at the tips with a full fairing. That 5 gallon tank was needed as my RZed only got 30mpg with a top speed of 145mph top speed (I can personally confirm). It's definitely no slouch. I live in Niagara falls Canada and I rode mine from where I lived to the west coast in Vancouver down to LA, then over to Florida then up the east coast back to Niagara . In 85 Yamaha had Barnett design the clutch and it was bulletproof. You could beat the living piss out of it 24/7. At 6k rpm that front wheel is going to climb high no matter how hard you tried . It was the most fun I ever had . I always thought how much it sucks that you guys got shafted with the emissions . I could cruise down the highway on the back wheel and pass cars at 70mph all day long. It will punish you if you get stupid .
Love your comment. What a ride. In 1984 at 19 yr old, my dad came with me to J and B cycle in Timmins to look at bikes. I wanted the RZed 350 in the showroom. But my farmer of a dad was wise enough to know better. He agreed to co sign on a seca 400 xs instead. Was no rocket but i enjoyed that seca alot. The Rzed 350 still remains like « the girl i could never get ».
Update: last week I bought a 1982 Seca xs400r in decent shape as a spring commuter project/possible starter bike for my son's if they are interested.
I had a yellow and black version 1984 back in the day. You somehow captured and embraced the pure fun of that little machine. Zack, yet another excellent video thank you for sharing sir
Wow, talk about bring back memories - I have had a 1972 Yamaha R5 - this bikes grandfather, a 1982 RD250LC, a 1985 RZ250FN [Full fairing model] and the grand daddy of them all an RZ500 V4 two stroke - awesome bike, lethal tank slappers, but awesome. One bike I wish I had never sold
Yup. The RZ 500 could bite you in the arse. The one that I had came with Yokohama, hard as rock tires. What a handful in the rain. A switch to soft Metzlers helped.
Zack always press that indicator button every 5 second, so im not alone here...
I ALWAYS do that too....some form of OCD or sumthin.
Thank you for the video, it helped me to realise I need to get a RD350 ypvs in my garage which I have achieved. Had one of the 1st ones back in 83 and remember reading a “bike” road rest whilst taking it to France on a 2 week tour. What a fantastic bike!
I remember in my early riding days being envious of those screaming little wild machines! They were cool back then and even more so today - as evidenced by the guy on the Duc! Thanks for sharing this one.
Since I used to own one, I can help with some of the questions at the end of the video. The question about riding one now and maintenance is a good one. The RZ350 engine was later used in the Banshee 4-wheeler, minus the YPVS system. Parts for engine are still available from 3rd parties (especially replacement parts like reeds and gaskets). However, if you crash one, parts like the fairings and instruments are impossible to find. Tire selection is very limited. Maintenance on the engine is super simple, so if you are resourceful, you can keep one going without any trouble. You also mentioned the oil injector system, which was a weak point of the engine. The oil injector worked very well for the street and was simple to use. You filled the oil reservoir every couple hundred of miles, and it was right under the seat. However, a lot of owners forgot to fill the oil reservoir, and then damaged the engine. There was no warning or indicator if the injector failed. When I raced one, I removed the injector pump because it was extra weight and I would be able to pre-mix my fuel. The injector was driven off the throttle (and not adjustable), and so it would be a little behind in providing enough oil in the mix. The danger was at high RPMs the pump would not be able to inject enough oil to lubricate the engine, so pre-mix was safer and much more reliable. You couldn't adjust oil rate from the injector, so pre-mixing was the only way to adjust the oil-to-gas ratio. As for whether I'd choose a RZ350 or a MT03, I'd choose the RZ every time!!
Can use the Banshee big-bore cylinder kits to make 500cc RZ350. :)
I had one too. My favorite bike.
The AMA had a series of races just for them. One of the requirements was the oil injection system had to be in operation.
Such good memories.
All quite true, except oil mixer. It works great, even on track, with a stock motor. After some 20 years a seal can get weak and starts leaking, but it still works.
You can find quite a lot of fairing parts on ebay, and even instruments. Tyre selection is really scarce, but bridgeston bt45 are great.
Weak point: suspensions, they are soft. A Yam Thundercat fork and R6 rear shock makes miracles.
Breaks are good but can be great with 298mm rotors from r6.and suzuki sv650s master pump.
I bought an rd350r (brazilian build) in 1994 and still own her.
The best bike on earth, simply....
Exactly, 2 stokes are super easy to maintain and super fun to ride. I have a single cylinder 2stroke. Unfortunately the registration expired so its in the garage, but we never had any problem maintaining the motorcycle on our own for the last 26 yrs in my family.
That's odd because my 1974 rd250 had an adjustment for oil flow. I wonder why they would omit this feature 🤷♂️
Makes me miss my old RGV250!! That bike was so much fun at the race track. I was stationed in Japan when bikes like the RGV250 and NSR250 were all the rage
Lucky man
Great video! I had a 1985 RZ350 in the early 90s that looked just like this one. Of all my bikes, it's the one I wish I could have back. I rode mine on many long trips and loved it on the highway and twisty roads as well. I spent a month riding around the west US, starting with the 870-mile ride from St. Louis, MO to Boulder, CO, then all over Colorado, down to Albuquerque and then back to St. Louis. I would just lay down on the tank behind the bikini fairing and jam for hours, once keeping it above 100 for over an hour on the sweeping roads near Denver. I love how he's laughing all the time when accelerating. That's exactly how it felt to ride the RZ. This video is a really great tribute to the RZ.
I had two one that was stolen twice in NYC and a Kenny Roberts yellow version that seized up at about 60 mph! But they were the best and way faster than most bikes on the road when in the powerband! Truly an epic and exhilarating ride every time!
This is so incredibly cool. Fantastic to have reviews of older, especially legendary, bikes. To both show where we've come from, and to further appreciate where we are now.
Thanks for your video! I used to run its uncle, the RD400, which was an absolute terror for the other Philly guys I would square off with....BSA's, Bonnevilles, Nortons, Guzzis, Big BMWs....you name it, the RD just toasted them. I used to particularly pick on Harley riders...it made them nuts when I would pull ahead 20+ feet, then turn and wave goodbye. Interestingly, on short traffic light to traffic light drag races, the only bike I was worried about was a properly launched BSA 441 Goldstar, which could launch pretty hard. Fortunately, the old Beezers would usually break on the 2nd or 3rd.pass...
Thanks again for the memories of my fabulous Yamaha!
These were plentiful at the track in the early and middle eighties. I can still smell them going by as we were marshalling the corners, nice and near!
R - Zed 350, that's how you say it!
That lil giggle you make when it hits the powerband is a perfect description of how 2 strokes are to ride on the street. It’s like nothing... nothing...WARP SPEED! 😂😂😂👌🏻
True.
OMG i had one of those back in the 80's, had to sell it when i got married (sigh),
will never forget it, thanks for bringing back good memories.
You should not have sold it.
When I got married, my wife told me to get rid of my 1988 GSXR 750. I told her I choose the bike over her anytime. That was the end of the discussion.
I still have it to this day. Unfortunately it is not running, due to sitting for a long period of time.
I have a 2005 GSXR 1000 that I ride currently.
Sold mine in December 1990 when my wife became pregnant and I bowed to the presure from family members to stop riding. I did vow that I would take up street riding again some day, and I did! My RZ was a Yellow/Black 85' with full Toomey kit. I do miss it dearly!
I was a Honda tech back in the late 90s. The parts manager had one of these. We had a engine overhaul party at the shop one night and put new Wiseco pistons and rings in the RZ. Nothing like a late night blast down the strip on a fresh two-stroke! Great memories!
I fell in love with these because of my obsession with the Yamaha Banshee 350, pretty much the same engine as an RZ350 minus the YPVS power valves
Whomever is the sorry SOB that gave this bike a thumbs down. I will find you!
Sure
Probably the guys from Motorcyclist online because they lost the best moto journalist.
Surround the heathen in clouds of blue smoke!
extinction rebellion woke millenial vegan hipster
That was the penalty buzzer for the YPVS explanation.
The ypvs was made to give the bike midrange.
The high end hit is there naturally, see RD350
Allegedly an extra 10 bhp and 10 extra mpg. Mine was still the most fun bike I've ever owned!
yes, i can turn my key part way off, it cuts power to the servo, if timed right while the servo cycles you can cut power and make it stay open or closed. when "stuck" open at low rpms the power is noticably lacking and it is a lot louder. the powervalve definitely cuts down on shifting gears when not in race mode.
RD400 Daytona was a beast too.
In 88' i was 17 and got an 85' Suzuki RG500 Gamma. I loved it and I survived it.
Thanks for posting this. Brought me to my youth, my buddies had RD 350s. Those were great times.
Had had one for 13 years (from 2020 to 23). I bought if for my love of the old RDs. I did all the mods to it after it melted down one day. It was a blast and an eye catcher too. It produced around 69 hp and went around 112 mph. The full air tech ferring helped at the hi end. Power wheelies shifting into 2nd gear. What a blast it was. I miss it.
Old-school, I had a little 2stroke liquid-cooled 50cc when I was in my teens, loads of fun (that bike was as old as I was, made in 86) but some time spent with wrenching it.
Thrashed it 2 years after owning it though...
Time for an update Yamaha, that engine with direct injection and updated variable ports, same frame with updated suspension..... 👍
Brian Hanson What is wrong with manufacturers they could do better. If I had the cash I have been dreaming of buying a KTM RC390 and putting a 300 TPI engine from the XCW in it.
Yamaha needs to build an RZ 350RR, 500RR, RZ1000! But i'm just biased.
European emission standards are bitches
$20,000
@@sivvinod3187 fuck the european market anyway
I grew up with these Yamahas. I had a YDS2, Big Bear Scrambler and an RD350B (not all at once but all bought brand new). I loved every one of them! TOO much fun!
Gorgeous bike !
Remember for 50% of the time, a four stroke, is basically a “Wasteful Pump” !
I know right? I have thought about it a lot. The best I can come up with is that the 4 stroke allows much more of the power to be utilised through the entire length of the power stroke whereas the 2 stroke has the exhaust and then intake ports open on the bottom half of the stroke.
@@ruthmoreton6975 you are correct !
Aah that was good! Thanks for making my Saturday afternoon. I respect your ability to speak in somewhat reasonable terms while riding this bike. I would mostly make strsnge sounds.
It is so refreshing to see reviews on older bikes. Makes it much more credible too. Keep them coming please!
Zack yeay !! Positivity in a gone crazy negative world.
I owned one of these back in the early 90's. Loved it. Biggest problem was not wheeling every time I twisted the throttle. Frikin' awesome. Totally impractical, but still Frikin awesome! Thanks for the ride down memory lane. What a treat.
Oh my goodness the nostalgia just oozed out of my heart and soul... This bike was my first road bike, God i loved it so much. Wish i had a time machine, id go back keep it and it would sleep in my bedroom with me. .. What a trip
This reminded me of ripping about the the B roads around Silverstone on my Aprillia RS125 when i was a kid, grinning like a mad man
The best one yet... maaaaan this takes me back. You just made me lust after an RZ so hard right now!
Parts are no problem, performance parts are still made to this day, that motor went on to power the Yamaha Banshee for 20 more years and people still build them
Great memories being stirred there. More old 2-strokes, please! A Kawasaki KH or a Suzuki GT, perhaps?
Is anyone else questioning this guy after he didn't bump start the bike while still rolling up to the stop light?
He lost most of his credibility when I saw that.
Totally.. especially after saying his ridden/raced MX and RR two strokes.. otherwise not a bad review. As I've got one and his laugh when you hit the powerband is real..
I haven’t raced on a track or ridden any 2 strokes, but I did stall a friend’s ZX6R while rolling to a stop light. I bump started it without much thought. I don’t know why he didn’t bump it either.
I did wonder.
Pretty sure a smoker wont bum start like your 4 stroke not enough back pressure but don't quote me I'm no mechanic
those downshifts woke up amazing memories....!
I had this bike, in Spain was called RD350 and I can tell you I was the happiest guy on the street. I used to go out with 750cc bikes and 600 and no problem to keep their pace. This engine was amazing.
So my Dad ordered one in November 1983 and picked it up in March 1984. Serial number 100000001. It was not a starter or beginner bike like a Ninja 400 is now. The “R Zed” had a power valve and about 6000ish RPM Vtec would kick in and pick the front tire mid corner.
First bike I ever sat on, and rode on. First bike I ever found out what the throttle did on, my mom also fell off the back before I was born.
I have a picture of my Dad doing a dank wheelie on it. Thank you for the memories revzilla. I know where it is and it will be brought home eventually.
Zack you have to remember that this motorcycle is 35 years old! The rds were awesome motorcycles also! Minus the water cooling. I enjoyed your ride!
Yes people need to remember that the bike is 35 years old in its day the RZ or RD 350 was a brilliant small sports bike. I live in the UK and the RD350 ypvs had a cult following and a cottage industry supplying go faster goodies and tuning for them . When they were launched top litre sports bikes didn’t do 140mph so a light 350 that did 115 to 120 stock was very competitive and with the right bits and work the RD would do 130. Sadly two strokes have been killed by emission regulation but the feel /sound of one when they hit the power-band is something every motorcyclist should experience.
@@johnludmon7419 when the 400/4 4 strokes came out revving to 14k and making the same horsepower cbr400r vfr400f gsxr400 fzr400 zxr400 thats when they got fazed out. Not really emissions. Remember there are still 2 strokes now and they never really went away.
Chris Hart yes there are still two strokes but mainly moto cross bikes and some trail bikes. I haven’t seen a road bike of any capacity that is a two stroke in the UK for years we don’t even get scooters these days.
@@johnludmon7419 you can still buy a 2 stroke aprilia sx50 in the UK. De restricted it has 12hp 6.5hp stock
@@johnludmon7419 I ride a dt125x on the road everyday as my only source of transport and it always gets a good thrashing 😂 at 20,000 miles it's lasting me pretty well although I did do a piston and reborn somewhere in there 😬 easy fix though
Definitely one of the coolest bikes of all time. Lucky you.
The RZ was no where near the end of the 2 stroke era. KR1s, the RGV 250, RS250, TZR 250, were tearing up well into the late 90s. The RS/RGV 250% were some of the best bikes ever made.
How many of them were commonly seen on the streets?
I grew up racing RD250,350 and 400 bikes then moved on to SECA 550 and then a 900. I missed out on the RZ and really regret that I didn’t pick one up and hang on to it. Those two stroke twins from Yamaha were the best smiles per miles I’ve ever experienced. Great video.
Thanks for bringing back some good memories of two strokes!
Just finished watching this, entertaining! When you stalled it, why didn't you just drop it in 3rd and let out the clutch? My first street bike was a '77 RD400 in 1979. LOVED IT! Keep up the great work Zack!
I love the old 2 smoke bikes. Hard to beat for just a fun and simple bike.
I remember these bikes when they had a few years on them. I saw my first back in the early 90's and it was so damn cool!
And on the next episode we have the.......
RG500!!!!
I still have my rg 250, would love a 500 but getting a little to expensive for me
I still have my rg 250, would love a 500 but getting a little to expensive for me
In the UK the RD500 is around £12,000 and for a minter abit more. Always the bike I wanted and maybe one day I’ll get one
@@Mind-your-own-beeswax one of my dream bike's....from Wyoming USA 🔫🤠🇺🇸p.s stay safe
A Gamma 500? The coolness factor would be off the chart!
I'm still in awe of the quality of these little rides. Fantastic stuff. How do you get such good audio from every bike, with screens, without? 10/10 would click like twice
A lot of people don't realize that the main reason for dual front rotors is not for brute stopping power, but to stop straight. Back when this bike was made, single rotor front brakes caused the equivalent of FWD torque steer, only it was brake steer caused by the one fork with the rotor being tweaked by the braking forces. That thing was so ahead of it's time.
I owned a 1970 R5 350, purple and white, loved that bike. Year before turn signals. Cost $720 cash out the door. Lotta money for a 16 y/o to save, but the memories are priceless.