YAMAHA RD 350N (1983-1984) Specs, Performance & Photos

The Yamaha RD 350 was a motorcycle made by Yamaha in 1983, replacing the Yamaha RD 350LC, and continued production until 1986 when it was succeeded by the RD 350 F2. It was presented at the Cologne motorcycle show and was the nearest thing to a road-going racer motorcycle ever produced at the time.

The bike was powered by a parallel-twin two-stroke engine with stroke and bore identical to its predecessor. It was the first motorcycle featuring the Yamaha Power Valve System (YPVS), revolutionizing the two-stroke engine.

In 1983, the Japanese motorcycle manufacturer launched the Yamaha RD 350N, a naked motorcycle fitted with standard features, such as a round headlight, a one-piece dual seat with a passenger grab rail, a dual exhaust system, and three double-spoke aluminum wheels.

In the performance department, the 1983 Yamaha RD 350N had its heartbeat set by a 347cc two-stroke twin-cylinder liquid-cooled engine fed by two Mikuni carburetors, delivering 59 hp with a peak force at 9,000 rpm and 47 Nm (35 lb-ft) torque at 8,000 rpm.

The bike's engine was coupled to a six-speed manual transmission with a wet multi-plate clutch and sent its power to the rear wheel through a final chain drive, pushing the motorcycle to a top speed of 188 kph (117 mph).

From top speed to a complete stop, the bike relied on two 267 mm discs with one-piston calipers on the front wheel and a single 267 mm disc with a single-piston caliper on the rear wheel.