Remember the lyrics of AC ~ DC's song 'For Those About To Rock, We Salute You'. Well mates just a small change in them 'For Those Who Ride This Rock, I Salute You'. People keep referring to bikes as beasts, babes, monsters and so on and yeah yeah I know, I called by bikes beasts in a different review. Welcome to the High Torque, Road Kissing, Gas Guzzling,
Rock Solid
world of the RD 350.
I have personally never owned one of these bikes but then I have had the pleasure of taking one of these bikes for a real long ride on wide open tarmac. Any person like me who is into long distance riding will agree that, one thing that brings a grin on thier faces is freedom of space and right of way. What better a bike than the RD350 to do this.
The interesting part of the bike is not just it's power, torque, grip, beat or style it also lies in each one of the 6 gears this bike has. I still remember, a few years ago when I ran into trouble with my Yezdi RoadKing and was waiting at the mechanic's I saw this lovely ride with all original kit and was drooling at it. The mechanic said that since it was a customer's bike he could not let me rip it, but after a tea and ciggy he agreed to let me take to over, but only at 9 in the night and me thinks, mate you are cool, 9 in the night, very less traffic my home is just half a kilometre from the NH5 ( In the city of Visakhapatnam, my home town)
9 o' Clock and there we go, just about hundred metre down the highway, I am happily ripping the bike in 5th gear and the mechanic yells over the find ' change to 6th, change to 6th'. for a moment I was mildly surprised and then I thought well whatever makes you happy man, and sure enough there was a 6th gear and woah was that powerful. For the next half hour and 2 litres of fuel later I was a happy man .
The very thought of that makes you want to rip. I honestly know very little about this bike because I have only taken it on one long ride ( not this mechanic's bike, but a different one and a different story) but will definitely vouch for the bike . Enfields, Yezdis, Jawas, RD350s. what would we do without them on road ?
Another important thing that this bike shares with its contemporaries i.e. the Jawas and Yezdis is the trademark twin diffuser and I actually did not believe my eyes when I saw a rare version of this bike A VTwin. For the 'Whats a VTwin? ' crowd its a bike with two pistons and twice the power and mates that is true biking experience. Unfortunately the owner of the VTwin was not that cooperative or I would have had the pleasure and privellege of riding one. Of course if I was the owner, I would also chase away any one asking for a ride.
In Hyderabad I have seen quite a few RD350s decently maintained and also this was the bike which carried the original circular indicators which are now the trademarks of the RXs .
Alas, all I can do is write a review on this bike and continue dreaming about it, coz at this point of time when I have more bikes than family members ( for my first time readers, I own five bikes and a moped) I cannot think of buying the RD350 ( but who knows ? ) till then its Adios and Cheers .
Wishing All Riders A Happy And Safe Riding
