Classic take: Ex-Delhi police Yamaha RD350

Yamaha RD350. Two words that evoke a barrage of emotions in any Indian gearhead. The RD was such a revelation in terms of performance back in the day that it cemented Yamaha’s reputation in our country. While most RD riders’ stories I have heard teeter on the felonious side of things, this particular ’87 Rajdoot-Yamaha RD350 is one of the few surviving units that was officially used by the police.

This story is possible thanks to Hakim Rawat, the gentleman who is the custodian of UGK 3974. Our readers may recall his name from when we rode his quirky WWII Welbike and to read more about that, tap HERE. The motorcycle you see here is as original as it can get with the patina adding character and sharing old stories.

Like with those cops all the way back in the ’80s, this was my first time riding an RD and I wonder if they were as nervous as I was. Most of the people I had spoken to before riding an RD had warned me that it was a temperamental machine to start, but pleasantly, this one fired up in just one kick. After slotting it into gear, I gingerly let out the surprisingly heavy clutch, and even idling along, it seemed like all this bike wanted to do was GO.

Exercising restraint isn’t my strong suit and as soon as the opportunity presented itself, I rolled the throttle wide open. And I remember feeling taken aback at how hard the 37-year-old RD surged forward. In just a few seconds, seeing the needle on the small analogue gauge hover near 100kph scared me enough to apply the brakes.

Which is when I realised that they were about as good at their job as I am at embracing new technology – we get the job done but after immense persuasion. As the brakes are its Achilles heel, the engine is the shining star. Violent, loud and leaving plumes of smoke everywhere it goes, this twin still feels strong all these years later, so I can only imagine how potent it must have felt back in my dad’s day.

A majority of the RD owners I have spoken to have admitted to unceremoniously meeting the tarmac aboard one of these, and a large part of those mishaps were attributed to the weak brakes, soft chassis and dodgy tyres. Funnily enough, the story goes that many policemen back in the day were also caught out by this and that’s perhaps why only a handful of police-spec RDs survive today.

There are no real records of when the police started using RDs, but considering that this is an ’87 model, and this bike was sold in India from ’83-’89, it is likely that a fair few lawmen must have used one. And considering that the bike of choice for policemen back in the day was in most cases a Royal Enfield Bullet, it’s not hard to see why some struggled to adapt to the RD’s ferocious performance. Take it from me, it feels frightfully quick even today.

As expensive as sourcing a clean example has become, and as tough as sourcing the parts to keep it running has gotten, there’s nothing – even today – that encapsulates the wild nature of the Yamaha RD350. And if you ever get a chance to ride one, take it! But you’ll probably struggle to find one as special as this.

Also See: Yamaha RD350 review: Blast from the Past