INTRODUCTION.

 

This site is entierely dedicated to the first YAMAHA 2 stroke liquid cooled street legal sport bike: the RD/RZ350LC and covers all models from '80 to '95.

This bike is wonderfull because it gives many sensation, due to it 2 stroke engine with a very good ratio power / weight, easy handling, sound, smell and the fun you have when you ride it ! The RD/RZ350LC's are always a good remember in the memory of a bike rider who owned one !!! This is a very popular model and still appreciated: there are some 350LC clubs in France, UK, Italia, Holland, Brazil...! In the USA, due to stric pollution law, it was the last street legal 2 stroke bike !

When YAMAHA presented this bike in october 1979 to the Paris bike show, everybody thought thats 2 stroke was dead and the 350LC was the rebirth of the 2 stroke. For the first time in the history of bike, YAMAHA proposed a real competition replica bike (a road version of the 350TZ ! Yamaha use this parallel on his publicities & brochures). At this period, there was no very performing bike (750 was powerful but heavy and with bad braking and handling) and the "Elsie" (UK appelation) was powerful, light with a very good braking and handling. That's the reason why the 350LC was a "750 killer"...

This is the first model RD350LC (4L0 model code) without YPVS wich was the bigger volume of sales wich create the myth of ELSIE in 3 years ('80 to '82)! The following models reinforced it image of performant, fun and reliable bike. Thanks to the water cooling (compared to the air-cooled RD350 & RD400), the power could be increased without the typicals air-cooled problems: over-heating/spark failures/consumption and so a more reliable engine and quieter too.

RDLC is abbreviation of: Race Developped Liquid Cooled.

Xavier BLANC - France