Your vids are timeless just seeing this now. I grew up on that same bike dad got it new in 73 I was born in 70 he use to strap me to him with a bungy in front of him till I got big enough to hold on on the back love that bike. Now I ride a HD and a yz 250 on the track. My dad created a monster thank you for taking me on a trip down the lane

Fond memories of my 73 were brought back to life after finding your video.......thank you!

I had a '74 back in 1975. Crazy fast. Lucky it didn't end my young life. It was advertised as the first production bike equipped with front disc brake. Enjoy all of your videos. Congrats.

Talking to an old guy at my 650 Bandit, he had air cooled RD250, He said it would do 100MPH, total biking respect, he took it to the limit, kicked it's arse.

I had a 74'..great fun those bikes were. I put a weiseco pistons and spec 2 exhaust on it and Holy cow..just hang on. This is a pretty nice one. I like watching your vids man..I always learn from them. Keep em coming.

Hi name is bob I had a new R5 350 from cycle springs Yamaha tarpon Springs FLA MOST FUN i EVER HAD AS A TEEN. LOVE IS HARDLY THE WORD. I have OWNED AND BUILT MANY bikes since, But this was my first new purchased ride. (first was a 59 cushman husky used) yup I'M that old,66. STILL MY HEART AND EYES ARE CRYING FOR THIS BIKE. The kids of today have no clue where it all started,thank you guys..

This is an old comment thread, but what the heck. A friend of mine had one of these he bought new in the 70's. It was quite the motorcycle and performed well. I was following him one time on my old CB-350 which had a small fairing. When we stopped we noticed that it had a thin coat of oil on the windshield from the Yamaha's exhaust and had a good laugh over it. Nothing like a 2-stroke. The late 60's to the very early 80's seemed like a golden age for motorcycle change and variety.

When I was a Boy and just started being intrerested in Motor bikes this were the latest model, The previous models the YR5 (350) and YDS7 (250) were more common, also the triple cylinder Kawasaki KH range were on the go. The early RD 350 and later RD 400 were my favourites of the two strokes. The early RD was always referred to as the round tank model and the later the coffin tank! The Suzuki GT 750 was a super bike (The Kettle ) and the KO model 750 four cylinder had just been released. Oh man, happy days, only seems like yesterday.

Way back when, 1970s. etc. Used to prepare these for production racing . Actually really an overboard Rd250, about 322 c.c. If I remember. Had many problems with pistons failing. A good well prepared RD 250 was quicker and super reliable. Especially when the came with electronic ignition as standard. Later came the RD400 version which was super quick and reliable. Extremely good handling and successful in racing until the water cooled LC version was brought out. Spent quite a few years building Yamaha and Suzuki bikes for racing. Miss the old two strokes, my favourite ? Suzuki RG500 4 cylinder, awsome !. ( But I had a big Kawasaki triple two stroke as my normal road bike, just unbreakable).

I love them old Yamaha’s, I was raised up riding them! Back in 79-80 I had almost the same Yamaha RD350 but the guy I had got it from had bored it out and put bigger jets in the carbs and that thing was scary fast! A boy that was in the Ky National Guard with me had a Kawasaki KZ900 and I could smoke his a** in a quarter mile!

I had one of those! Mine was a 1971. That brings back memories....

i have enjoyed watching these videos very much and you can always learn something this guy is great keep up the great videos cheers

I'm pretty sure that my buddy's dad has either a rd or maybe an rz..either way he loves it! I'll keep my eye out for part two...with this new gasoline it can clog your carb in only 6 months...I would clean out all the jets while you are working on it.

I had one of those back in '77. Amazing torque for a 350.

oh my god the memories on those 350 and 250 with modified chambers those things were monsters in their time. also like to mention the Kawasaki gpz 550 was nice too.

Sunday morning re-runs with Mustie. Don’t get no better!

Been there done that. Its fun watching someone else do it.

I had Suzuki Bergman 125cc very good bike

The RD series of Yamaha's were awesome little bikes. Very peppy!

Hey Mustie you call your garage a shed, for a shed, it looks well prepared and you can get anything started, cars, tractors, lawnmowers, is there anything you haven*t tried yet,👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻✌🏼✌🏼✌🏼✌🏼✌🏼✌🏼✌🏼✌🏼✌🏼✌🏼👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻, I thought of something, but I don*t know if you have snow over there, a snow mobile, now that would be a challenge for you to do,👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

Good video! Clean the jets and that bike will run like a champ. We should create a new workout routine called "The Cold Start" All that kicking is just as good as the Total Gym.

A friend had one of those in high school. It had the tallest first gear I had ever seen. Just riding around the neighborhood, it never got enough revs to get out of first. Shifting to second would nearly stall the bike. Two stroke bikes are crazy fast, and I decided not for me.

Jamie, many thanks for this, you are correct. It was just the tank style and the colour scheme that made me think it was an earlier model.

i used to have a 175 i think it was , man it was fast , great video .

great bike well designed

Cool little bike!

I love it

would love to have this bike!

it will lift the front wheel just crackin the throttle

Bought a new '73 Rd in '74 on the showroom floor...I didn't like the color of the '74 ( Burgundy and no raised letters)and the '73 was sold...told the dealer I wouldn't buy unless I got the '73 so I suppose he gave the guy a deal on the '74 and I got what I wanted....loved it and really loved it when I put J&R Chambers on it...handled corners like a race bike..though the K87 Dunlop tires helped that ...wish I had a picture handy...I'd post.

Nice bike!

I had one @ 15 yrs old . . had oversized tires and knob on the rear . . used to ride it as dirt bike and jump it lol

you know your gettin old when you have to kickk from off the bike

Good ol kick start!

Hi my favorite bike Rd 350

As I remember from having one of these that there was oil injection and there would not be any oil in the gas from the tank. Drain the tank and the carbs and put fresh gas in it and she is bound to run.

i have an RZ 350, scary in the rain but 2 strokes are always fun i also have an RGV 250

it ended up clearing up

One of the reasons I saw why it didn't want to start was because the headlight is on. I have a '75 model and it doesn't start with stock ign and headlight on. And yes, change the fuel, that filter looked brown.

Charlieswag, you are correct, I thought when I first saw the video that it was an R5, it was the paint scheme that threw me. Agreed, an RD it is. Robbie

You go way more ambition then I do. That would kill my back mustie1. I wouldn't be able to walk next day.

97 kicks to try and get it going, that's determination for you.

a bit of fun in every one,,

Id keep the Yamaha...granted i wouldnt let my wife on it because theyre a bit dangerous when you get on them...but with control...theyre a decent learners bike with INSANE potential in a straight line

When starting any kickstart bike , turn the headlight off,more power to the spark!

Whenever its a cold start, keep the headlights and indicators off and after the start keep the carb chock off.

just got the ford home an hour ago, stay tuned

cool - makes me want another project haha

Like those 2 stroke street bikes Light and fast. But I would rather have a 4 stroke for reliability

i would not even trie to start on that old fuel :) but it made for a good video :)

l rod the scooter a while ago, ran nice,,

right

My older brothers friend had a RD200 witch he threw in one of the local fishing ponds to collect the insurance. I wonder what condition it would be in now. It was at lest 30 years ago .

Beautiful bike wish i traded it but Mustie your more man than that mate two stroke are so easy to kick start its the fours stroke that kick back are your ankle

My first bike, right down to the color, lol. Was she a 5 spd or 6? You're right about them lifting the front wheel, mine loved rearing

👍👍👍👍

cool stuff....oh how did the ford truck turn out for ya? lov the projects you work on and the finds you run across. glad ur backs better it shows in ur vids. t/c and gb

You were getting your excercises.. Lol.. but love the bike..

Hey WHOA! That metal shim under my tookus was cold! Nice old bike too bad it's not electric start, but depending on the scooter it's decent trade.

I'd ride it 2 stroke gotta love em haha nice vid

I see back healed up well.Id be on the floor by then. lol

I love the shots of your puppies but with all the mice around maybe it time to get some cats

Sweet bike

nice bike how do u take care spair parts r not available

does it work if you block the carb intake with your hands instead of the choke

Today is Aug. 17, 2022. This could have been recorded yesterday. Same great guy.

The tank color and striping a bit different mine was 1970! and it screamed! RD-350 2 stroke the tank was a better teardrop design than the one here. my tank had a beautiful purple striping motif against dead white.

very cold)

did it tickle

Choochin'!!

I allways found it easer to bump start mine

think they bailed out in the shed,,

That would work for us to go to WalMart? Are you making room for more "stuff"? When you get the VW done you'll have an extra "slot". D has been watching your Video's on TV.

had the 400...Oh YESSSS..that was a bike..

Must've, do you still have that tw200...im very interested??? Cash money???

Are you in NJ?

my KX500 won't start if the plug is oiled up, and fresh fuel with octane booster helps.

oh it screws,,

Dump out the fuel, drain the carbs, change the fuel filters, get out the starter fluid!

Man. What do you have against RD's?

not me

12/1972.. i like the year... this is now been 9 years from this video... you still have it ? Edit: Heeh the fan on the backside makes the backwheel seems to be already be turning in the video.. add some engine sound and your done :P

Is this bike for sale?

Suzuki made a wankel water cooled bike "water buffalo" In the 1970s all kinds of funky two stroke Street bikes. Yamaha had TZ 250-750 competition racers.....very fast 200mph at Daytona

Love this. The old widow maker

What??? no mice?

Oh yea....hey threw in a free Farnicastaff too.

need to adjust the ignition timing, it seems is the latest ignition and it would be better to replace the capacitors

no throttle full choke to start these things

do you still have that rd350?

That's a sin leaving that sat at the back of the garage,,, oh what I would give for just one of your bikes..

You don't have a motor to try to kick start it rather than YOUR leg motor? You probably crushed the mice.

as far as you are kicking K.S. so frequently, why you don´t build a rubber rolling caddie like those used by racing teams ??? they are not difficult to do, some scrap metal. a swicht & wires and a car starting motor.....

I think this is a pre RD model called the YR5!

Lord I'm getting mad just watching you kick it..lol I would hate that bike for no electric start

only a little... LOL

Are you sure that is not a Triumph?

Uhh your carbs are dirty, silly. Clean the carbs, and add fresh fuel! Also your fuel valve is probably gummy too... fresh spark plugs couldn't hurt either.

no such thing

Just thowing this out there but have you ever given any thought of building a "boss hoss" style or inspired "rat bike/steam punk bike" like only you and your talent could build one. Maybe using a V twin engine???????? Hhhhhmmmmm food for thought....just saying😀