Restoration of a 74 RD350

[Last Chance]

I am happy with it. Actually the seat on the bike right now. Is it great condition, no blemishes. I haven't seen the pan yet. The seat on the bike is a aftermarket. I paid just over 300.00 for the seat I just bought. That was with shipping and taxes. Compared to other seats on ebay, it seemed like a fair price. If there is such a thing. (fair price)

 

[Last Chance]

It's an alloy, 'shouldered' rim - stronger and lighter than the chrome plated steel original that I expect came on the bike and is on the rear. No chrome to peel and no steel to rust

I will say tho that the lacing on that front wheel looks WAY off. Like "dangerous don't ride-it" off. Can you snap a pic of the front wheel from each side?
View attachment 240585

I took some pictures. I couldn't get the right hand of the wheel.

 

[Last Chance]

B

 

[irk miller]

74 is the first year of the alloy high shoulder Takasago. They came on 74-79. That's the rim to have on any XS, imo. The steel rear rim is not original for 74. Steel rims were 70 - 73 and 80s Specials.

The front wheel is definitely not laced right.

 

[Last Chance]

74 is the first year of the alloy high shoulder Takasago. They came on 74-79. That's the rim to have on any XS, imo. The steel rear rim is not original for 74. Steel rims were 70 - 73 and 80s Specials.

The front wheel is definitely not laced right.

Thanks, I like the idea of the alloy. The front wheel was put on so it would roll.

 

[Last Chance]

Lifted up the seat and noticed this. Of all the seats I looked at online to buy. I never saw this sticker.
It tells you how to route the battery breather tube.

 

[Rider52]

The 74 RD350 still had 18" steel rims. WM2 (1.85" width)on front and WM3 (2.15" width) on the rear if I remember correctly. The alloy rims were on the larger bikes in 74. I think you have a badly laced front hub on a rear 650 18" rim. If your rear wheel is in good shape, the cheapest wheel solution is to replace the front wheel with an original.

Finding a nice OG complete front wheel at a swap meet or on line would be nice. A new steel rim and some new spokes would also get your sorted since I think (assume???) the front hub is a RD350. The average cost is $400 per wheel if you buy rims, spokes, professional lacing/truing with tires, tubes and rim strips. A friend told me it was over $800 in just parts for sun rims & stainless spokes from Buchanans when he built his RD350 a couple of years ago. Mikes is a cheaper source if you do go with alloy rims and I have been satisfied with both the spokes and rims from Mikes.

The sticker on the seat pan was common on most motorcycles in the lead acid battery days. A nice find for a restoration as every original sticker counts as does the original seat pan and upholstery.

 

[Last Chance]

The 74 RD350 still had 18" steel rims. WM2 (1.85" width)on front and WM3 (2.15" width) on the rear if I remember correctly. The alloy rims were on the larger bikes in 74. I think you have a badly laced front hub on a rear 650 18" rim. If you rear wheel is in good shape, the cheapest wheel solution is to replace the front wheel with an original.

Finding a nice OG complete front wheel at a swap meet or on line would be nice. A new steel rim and some new spokes would also get your sorted since I think (assume???) the front hub is a RD350. The average cost is $400 per wheel if you buy rims, spokes, professional lacing/truing with tires, tubes and rim strips. A friend told me is was over $800 in just parts for sun rims & stainless spokes from Buchanans when he built his RD350 a couple of years ago. Mikes is a cheaper source if you do go with alloy rims and I have been satisfied with both the spokes and rims from Mikes.

The sticker on the seat pan was common on most motorcycles in the lead acid battery days. A nice find for a restoration as every original sticker counts as does the original seat pan and upholstery.

Thanks for the info. I guess once I get the rear wheel cleaned up. I will see what I am working with. The seat cover is not original. It's in great shape but not even a replica of OEM.

 

[irk miller]

The 74 RD350 still had 18" steel rims. WM2 (1.85" width)on front and WM3 (2.15" width) on the rear if I remember correctly. The alloy rims were on the larger bikes in 74. I think you have a badly laced front hub on a rear 650 18" rim. If you rear wheel is in good shape, the cheapest wheel solution is to replace the front wheel with an original.

Finding a nice OG complete front wheel at a swap meet or on line would be nice. A new steel rim and some new spokes would also get your sorted since I think (assume???) the front hub is a RD350. The average cost is $400 per wheel if you buy rims, spokes, professional lacing/truing with tires, tubes and rim strips. A friend told me is was over $800 in just parts for sun rims & stainless spokes from Buchanans when he built his RD350 a couple of years ago. Mikes is a cheaper source if you do go with alloy rims and I have been satisfied with both the spokes and rims from Mikes.

The sticker on the seat pan was common on most motorcycles in the lead acid battery days. A nice find for a restoration as every original sticker counts as does the original seat pan and upholstery.

I may have been confused by the conversation. I didn't think the aluminum rims came on any RDs, except the mags. Most people I know, including myself, use XS rims for RDs to get aluminum which is why I posted what I did before. XS and RD use the same hubs, so you can easily run an XS hub or RD hub with an XS rear wheel on the front. They're both 36 spoke with the same rotor pattern. That front wheel just needs to be relaced, but he can still run that on the front to keep with an 18in aluminum wheel, then find another 18in Takasago to match the rear. (You can also run Honda hubs with the same rotor pattern, just needs to be under 500cc to get 36 spokes)

 

[Rider52]

I may have been confused by the conversation. I didn't think the aluminum rims came on any RDs, except the mags. Most people I know, including myself, use XS rims for RDs to get aluminum which is why I posted what I did before. XS and RD use the same hubs, so you can easily run an XS hub or RD hub with an XS rear wheel on the front. They're both 36 spoke with the same rotor pattern. That front wheel just needs to be relaced, but he can still run that on the front to keep with an 18in aluminum wheel, then find another 18in Takasago to match the rear. (You can also run Honda hubs with the same rotor pattern, just needs to be under 500cc to get 36 spokes)

I could never understand why Yamaha didn't run the aluminum rims on the RD series. Cost maybe? I thought the RD/XS disc hubs were the same, but never checked the part numbers.

 

[Last Chance]

I may have been confused by the conversation. I didn't think the aluminum rims came on any RDs, except the mags. Most people I know, including myself, use XS rims for RDs to get aluminum which is why I posted what I did before. XS and RD use the same hubs, so you can easily run an XS hub or RD hub with an XS rear wheel on the front. They're both 36 spoke with the same rotor pattern. That front wheel just needs to be relaced, but he can still run that on the front to keep with an 18in aluminum wheel, then find another 18in Takasago to match the rear. (You can also run Honda hubs with the same rotor pattern, just needs to be under 500cc to get 36 spokes)

Wow, I really appreciate all the info. I think I found the right forum.

 

[teazer]

They are right that the front wheel needs to laced properly and that RD350's always came with steel rims but an alloy rim from an XS1/650 or aftermarket are a nice upgrade. MikesXS.com has spokes and a replacement rear rim for very reasonable prices.

When you remove the front disk rotor, look for a number under/behind the rotor. If it's 351, it's an original RD350.
RD motors are very easy to rebuild and to modify should you desire a little more get up and go. Good luck and welcome to DTT

 

[Last Chance]

They are right that the front wheel needs to laced properly and that RD350's always came with steel rims but an alloy rim from an XS1/650 or aftermarket are a nice upgrade. MikesXS.com has spokes and a replacement rear rim for very reasonable prices.

When you remove the front disk rotor, look for a number under/behind the rotor. If it's 351, it's an original RD350.
RD motors are very easy to rebuild and to modify should you desire a little more get up and go. Good luck and welcome to DTT

Thanks for the info. The guy I got the bike from. Threw that front wheel on,just so it would roll. I got some spare parts and believe he said there is a new rotor in the bottom of the box. I started to disassemble the bike last night. Just to break the ice. I didn't put my prosthetic arm on. So it was a little awkward. Trying to take the seat and the taillight assembly off. I will get back at it tomorrow. Can't wait to get it down to the frame.

 

[Last Chance]

Ok fella's, would it be better to loosen up the swing arm bolt? Before taking the rear wheel off? My thinking is the bike would be stable. Then after wheel is off remove the bolt.

 

[Rider52]

Yes!

 

[Last Chance]

Yes!

Thanks, like I said it has been since my early twenties. Since I worked on dirt bikes. I can't remember if we ever removed a swing arm.

 

[Rider52]

I don't know your capabilities or limitations. I was in military medicine for 36 years so I knew you will have to work around the problem. Loosening the swingarm bolt now will make it a lot easier to remove the swingarm when you get to that point. It may be easy to loosen or extremely hard. I've had both and a whole lot in between.

 

[Last Chance]

I don't know your capabilities or limitations. I was in military medicine for 36 years so I knw you will have to work around the problem. Loosening the swingarm bolt now will make it a lot easier to remove the swingarm when you get to that point. It may be easy to loosen or extremely hard. I've had both and a whole lot in between.

Thanks, I think I will be alright. I will let you know how it goes. One thing I got going for me. Is I am stronger than the average bear. 6'2" and my fighting weight was 270lbs. Sorry to say I am getting closer to 400lbs.

 

[Last Chance]

Hey guys, back in the game after a little setback. One of the other injuries from the truck accident was. I lost the lower half of my right lung. Due to heavy scaring from my broken ribs tearing up the lung. So I was in the hospital with pneumonia and just dodged being put on the ventilator. Back home now and getting my strength back. Will get back to work on the RD this week. Quoting Capt. John Paul Jones " I have not yet begun to fight"

 

[Luugo86]

Glad to see you back and well. Looking forward to seeing what you do with this nice little scoot