For Sale

Yamaha RD350LC 1983

£7995

An excellent opportunity has arisen to own a highly sought-after, legendary two-stroke classic: a 1983 Yamaha RD350LC. Finished in the iconic and universally loved Black and Red ‘Mars Bar’ colour scheme, this iconic 80s pocket rocket is presented in good, clean condition and is ready to be ridden and enjoyed. This particular example is a non-matching numbers bike, which means it does not carry the premium price tag of our concours, matching-numbers examples. Instead, it offers a fantastic, budget-friendly entry point into RD350LC ownership for anyone looking for an honest, usable classic rather than a garage queen.Mechanically, the bike is in great shape and runs exactly as an LC should. The engine starts easily, crisply revs through the gears, and delivers that legendary, peaky two-stroke powerband. Enhancing the performance and soundtrack is a set of period-perfect Allspeed expansion exhausts, which give the bike an incredible look and that unmistakable, crisp two-stroke crackle. The bodywork is smart, the paintwork presents very well, and all the major components are in good order, making it an ideal choice for weekend blasts, classic bike meets. If you have been looking for an RD350LC that you can actually take out on the road without worrying about putting miles on a flawless restoration, this is the perfect bike. It strikes the ideal balance between vintage kerb appeal and practical affordability. The bike comes with a current UK V5C logbook and is located at our showroom for viewings.

No motorcycle of recent times has achieved ‘cult’ status to the same extent as Yamaha’s legendary ‘LC’. Launched at the Tokyo Show in 1980, the RD250/350LC marked the introduction of water cooling to Yamaha’s range of potent middleweight two-strokes while also bringing mono-shock rear suspension and – in the 350’s case – twin disc front brakes to the package for the first time. Water-cooling had been a feature of the Hammamatsu firm’s TZ racers for some years, and the LC’s family resemblance was obvious. The 350LC continued the Yamaha tradition of giant-killing performance established by the air-cooled RD350 and RD400, and although its circa 110mph top speed was inferior to that of the larger, multi-cylinder opposition, over twisty going a well ridden 350LC could show almost anything the way home. It was also relatively inexpensive, endearing itself to impecunious younger riders, whose high-street stunts rapidly established the easily wheelied LC’s ‘hooligan bike’ credentials. The availability of noisy expansion chamber exhausts and a host of other tuning accessories – some of dubious merit – only served to further enhance its ‘bad boy’ image.

Select an image to launch the photo gallery viewer