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1973 Yamaha RD350 Cafe Racer in Progress

15K views 34 replies 14 participants last post by  quarkdude 
#1 ·
Hello all,
I just joined the site a couple of days ago and found this motorcycle section and wanted to share with you a few pics of my cafe racer that I am building. I have been working on this since 2008. I have a family so it gets attention once every few months but it is getting there. I have ridden it and man is it a screamer. When I get it done I definitely want to take it to the track and see how fast it will 1/4 mile. Here are a few shots of the bike - What do you guys think? I have another RD350 with some crazy porting done to the head and a set of 34mm Mukuni's carbs for it. That bike is not put together, but maybe one day - ha ha..
 

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#6 ·
Well technically a cafe racer is a bike you strip down to the bare essentials to ride it on the street (lightening the bike as much as possible). Soup up the engine for more power. Usually you change the seat or fabricate one to give it that sort of bullet look and then you put some lowered handlebars on it to shift your weight forward on the bike. This one lifts the front wheel off the ground in the first three gears of five gears and it is only 40hp roughly. The bike weighs in at a little over 200lbs. The engine is 2 stroke 2cylinder 350cc and is the first year that Yamaha put reed valves in the intake and man do you feel it when the power band kicks in. This is a pretty scarey bike to ride. I have ridden GSXR 750's, Honda Hurricane's (back in the day), Harleys, dirt bikes...you name it, but this one is just plain mean compared to the rest. Now it won't do 160mph but it will get to about 110mph faster than some modern day 750cc bikes.
quarkdude
 
#10 ·
I have heard that a Cheetah Banshee motor would possibly work in the RD350 frame - Now that would be InSaNe. :wheelie:
Of couse with some liquid cooling add on's. I got some tank sealer that is used for fiberglas (that is what my gas tank is made of - really light weight) so when it gets to a warmer temp, I'll seal it up and clean my fuel system out again and I should be riding. The sealer in the tank is getting broken down by the ethanol in our modern day fuel so I have to reseal it with some epoxy based stuff to seal from the ethanol. Always something ya know.
quarkdude
 
#11 ·
Thanks turbomopie. I wanted a bike that was sort of unique and not really out there - at least in Albuquerque in cafe style. After I get my tank sealed up I should be able to get it on the road again. I want to take it to the 1/4 mile track sometime just to see what it can really do. That would be a fun night for sure. Don't think I have ever seen any 2 stroke bikes at the track.
quarkdude
 
#17 ·
Your bike is badass bro. I been wanting to build me a cafe racer for a while now. Cus i really like the look and history of the bikes. But cant justify buying or building one since i dont know how to ride a motorcycle.
 
#18 ·
I have been riding bikes all my life, well at least since 5 years old -ha ha. The best way to learn to ride a bike in my experience is ride a dirt bike first before getting a street bike. Get a feel of where the clutch lever, brake lever, shifter and back brake lever are on the dirt bike - they are in the same place on a street bike. Get used to having to use those levers in an instant while on the dirt. Then when you ride a street bike, it becomes natural on what lever to use in an emergency situation.
The other thing to do is go for it. If you find a good deal on a bike to make a cafe racer out of, buy it - build the cafe racer and sell it - it can be a nice profit. The easy ones to do are the mid '70's Honda CB500 4 cylinder. Nice power, incredible sound and they just look cool after being converted to a cafe racer. I got hooked on the 2 stroke street bikes like the ones in the picture here.
quarkdude :wheelie:
 
#19 ·
Well, the temperature is right to flow the Caswell plating tank sealer thru the tank. I am getting it ready to seal now and hopefully run the sealant thru it this weekend. Can't wait to fire it up again and hear the scream of (2) 175cc pistons working together at 10,000 rpm. Ohh, Yea!
quarkdude :wheelie:
 
#24 ·
Well, I got the gas tank sealed with the Caswell Plating sealer. I must say, that stuff is the best sealer I have ever seen. A simple 2 part epoxy style mix with a 30 minute work life. Was able to coat the tank evenly and uniformly. Very nice stuff to work with as well. Best of all the problem I was having before is now gone - Whooohoooo! Took it out for a ride around the block and it hasn't run better. Been awhile since I have been on it and just like before, at 4500rpm - Hang On.... Now just got to finish hooking up a few wires in the headlight bucket and get my seat final mounted and it will be street time. Can't wait.
:wheelie: quarkdude :wheelie:
 
#26 ·
Thanks 12th.hour,
Took it around the block yesterday after replacing the battery - the old one wouldn't take a charge. Everytime it has been awhile since I have ridden it, It always surprises me how powerful these 350cc motors are. This is the first bike I have ever had that I am reluctant to full throttle the beast - it is kind of unpredictable on what's going to happen. For sure though, 4500 rpm is where the power band kicks in and that pulls all the way to 10,000rpm's. Just insane. I took a quick video on the bike and the tach while revving it up after warm up. I'll upload it to the Tube and post a link here.
quarkdude
 
#27 ·
Cool build, We are doing a few cafe racer builds, really wanting to do a 2 stroke also. Bring that thing out to Napa speedway for a day at the track. I have just started riding the vintage bikes and the track and I have never had so much fun with 20hp and two wheels, its really a great time.
 
#30 ·
Hello ibz34,
A day at the track sounds like a ton of fun. I have been out there during the 2008 vintage motorcycle show/racing/swap meet. Had a great time. I did see a couple of RD350's. I stayed to watch them run the track and they seem to run the track pretty good.
I have a running 1975 Kawasaki H1 500cc 2 stroke triple that is screamin to be converted into a cafe racer :wheelie: for sale for a good price.
Thanks, quarkdude
 
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