Any dialog about the nice previous days of motorcycling will ultimately embody the phrases “they don’t construct ’em like they used to.” After which somebody will point out the Yamaha RD350.
The fiery two-stroke was liked when it was launched, received even wilder because it developed, and has been missed ever because it was discontinued. Given the motorbike business’s present obsession with nostalgia, the time is ripe for a contemporary tackle the enduring RD—however there aren’t any indicators that Yamaha plans to resurrect it. In any case, ever-tightening emissions legal guidelines have put the kibosh on two-stroke growth.
Customized builder Renato Frateschi remembers the RD350 effectively—notably the later RD350 YPVS F2, which made waves in his native nation of Brazil when it was launched in 1987. (In the event you don’t understand it, it was known as the RZ350 within the USA.) With over 60 horses on faucet and a paltry curb weight, it was an on the spot hit.
Like many, Renato misses the RD350. So when he and a shopper couldn’t fairly choose a course for a customized construct, he got here up with a radical proposal. “Look, I’ve an RD350 chassis and gas tank right here,” Renato advised his shopper, “and I feel we will do one thing superb with it.”
The shopper agreed, and Renato set about sourcing an engine for the bike. Since the price of an authentic, good situation RD350 energy plant would have wrecked the price range, the thought was to create a contemporary tribute to the enduring Yamaha. So he settled on utilizing the four-stroke, twin-cylinder mill from the entry stage Yamaha R3 sportbike.
Housing the trendy parallel twin in a classic RD350 body took some doing, however that wasn’t Renato’s solely problem. These following the challenge have been fast to level out that the R3’s efficiency is a great distance off from the RD350’s. So Renato did the one logical factor he may: he added a turbocharger.
A small turbocharger was imported from Japan, and mounted discreetly simply in entrance of the engine’s exhaust ports. Renato put it there to combine it into the bike’s design—however the placement additionally helped to reduce turbo lag.
Subsequent, he needed to discover house for the air consumption, injectors, sensors, and an ECU chip that may permit him to tune the bike (by way of smartphone). So he designed and 3D-printed a tidy field to deal with all the pieces. The R3 engine nonetheless appears to be like petite, however now packs a sneaky punch.
As for the chassis, Renato carried out a slew of modifications to accommodate the engine, and to strengthen the body for a safer journey. He additionally managed to drag it off with out ruining the RD350’s basic strains.
The trendy theme continues with a number of upgrades to the Yamaha’s working gear. It now rolls on 17” wheels (in contrast to the RD350’s authentic 18” items), with a Triumph Daytona 675 swingarm and shock out again. The entrance brake calipers are Brembo items; they’re mounted on CNC-machined aluminum spacers, and pinch 300 mm discs.
For the bodywork, Renato turned to digital strategies to get all the pieces good. First, he created a rendering of the total bike, in order that the client may see precisely what he was shopping for into. As soon as that was signed off, the fairing, tail part, entrance fender and stomach pan have been all 3D printed in a tricky ABS plastic.
The tail piece takes inspiration from Yamaha’s iconic race-spec TZ collection, and encompasses a distinctive wraparound taillight design. The entrance finish echoes the design of the Suter MMX 500 race bike, whereas twin headlights pay homage to the 1987 RD350 YPVS F2. Sitting middle stage is the unique RD gas tank, modified to just accept the R3’s gas pump.
Ending equipment features a CNC-machined high yoke, with new clip-ons, grips and bar-end mirrors. The exhaust system is customized; its twin mufflers supply a small hat tip to the RD350’s twin pipes.
Renato has nicknamed his creation ‘RD Turbo,’ and wrapped it in a livery to match. Shiny crimson ‘pace blocks’ sit on a matte black base; one other nod to the bike that impressed this construct.
It took Renato two years to construct the RD Turbo, stretching the boundaries of his and his suppliers’ abilities. There have been hurdles aplenty—from determining learn how to mate a brand new engine to an previous body, to 3D-printing elements with an unusually massive floor areas.
However ultimately, all of it got here collectively—proving that it is doable to construct a contemporary tackle the legendary RD350.
Frateschi Storage Fb | Instagram | Photographs by Gustavo Epifanio
