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1/12 Tamiya Yamaha RZ/RD350 Valentino Rossi


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This is my next bike project, really looking forward to building this, I used to build them out of the crate when I worked in the local bike shop almost 30 years ago!

 

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Edited by Lee Chambers
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I had a Stan Stevens RD350 (375). I loved my Elsie.  I had lots of other bikes after including a brazillian RD350Z with the fairing and twin headlights. I loved the LC the most though. Looking forward to this build. Nim nim nim burble burble.........

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Lee, a brilliant choice if ever there was one! I have such good memories of the 350 LC, had one in the very same Blue and White scheme pictured on the box lid ... :D

 

I had faster and larger capacity 'bikes after the 350 LC, but never had as much pure enjoyment and fun on them as I did on the Yamaha. This brings back so many memories of skimmed cylinder heads, raised exhaust ports, extra base gaskets, knife edged transfer ports, Boyesen reeds, Allspeed 'pipes (or Microns for that razor thin powerband!) Mine had the bikini faring too, and the belly pan, fitted some multi adjustable bars too which were from a Laverda Jota.  Initially ran it on 'Castrol R' when I first bought it .... such an evocative smell!!  :yahoo:

 

Regarding the Tamiya kit, I think they also produced a kit of the RZ 250?? (in a Black scheme?) which may of used the same wheel sprues as the 350 kit. If they did, the cush-drive assembly for the sprocket on the rear wheel of the 350 kit may be wrong; the sprocket cush-drive on the 350 was an assembly of large rubber blocks fitted inside a large diameter alloy housing (more or less the same diameter as the drum brake on the opposite side of the rear wheel). The 250 cush-drive assembly were small individual rubber inserts which the sprocket bolted to, on the less substantial sprocket side of the rear wheel. Basically, the RZ/RD 350 kit 'may' have the wrong 250 style rear wheel.

 

Again, great choice of kit to build.

 

 

B)

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I built this kit a few years ago.  Lovely kit to build.  I did scratch build a better shock, but it's completely hidden on the finished kit.....

Unfortunately my photos were on Image Shack, and they've deleted all non-paying accounts so I can't upload any :(

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I had both an early RD350LC and a late RD305LC YPVS. Loved them. A bit small for me at 6'2" - my Hypermotard is a much better fit.

I have one of these kits that I built many years ago and painted like my bike. I should get it out and give it a clean up!

Good luck with the build, I'll keep an eye on this.

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Hi Lee looks like a nice bike, I cut my teeth on an rd100 and loved it (stuck to the road like s*** to a blanket with the Avon road runners on it ) bought an Rd 250 after that, put me off yamahas forever gutless and handled like the tyres were coated with grease hated it, that said this is a nice looking bike.

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Rd100! US import or RD80 with a big bore kit on it?  RD250LC was the docile little brother of the 350, but was so easy to tune into a proper head banger!  Add a set of Metzelers and it was a ludicrous fun. I then had the naked YPVS afterwards, hardly wore the front tyre out.  Looking forward to see how this ends up.

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Ah, some smoky nostalgia here! Always fancied one of these as a sort of weekend Delinquency Special (even had one of those funky Simpson bonce-boxes to try and look the part)...but 2-strokes and me just weren't meant to be.

 

I know the nekkid ones were the style of choice for the nuttah about town, but the sexy li'l bikini fairing really made it a cut above.

 

So I'll take a seat for this if I may! :popcorn:

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Hi all, been very busy all week, so had very little time to work on the LC. Got some parts primed and dull coated, I have the frame and swingarm gloss blacked and tackled the tricky job of painting the trademark Yamaha italic wheels, they were satin black with the rim and edges of the spokes highlighted in bare alloy. I masked the rims with Tamiya tape and sprayed them with Mr Surfacer 1500 Black Primer and then once dry I used a cocktail stick to gently rub off the black primer from the spokes. It worked very well, the primer stuck really well to the chrome finish, I then gave them a dull coat and I will add some buffable dark iron to finish them off. I hope to get the rolling chassis built this weekend.

 

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Edited by Lee Chambers
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Just a quick update on the Yamaha LC build. I got the motor in the frame and the rear suspension monoshock fitted and the back wheel. I hope to get the front end fitted later this week, then it's onto the paintwork.

 

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Edited by Lee Chambers
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I remember my YPVS F2 (full fairing). Sheer unadulterated madness, but what a grin factor. Watching your build is bringing back the same sort of smile.

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6 hours ago, Natter said:

I remember my YPVS F2 (full fairing). Sheer unadulterated madness, but what a grin factor. Watching your build is bringing back the same sort of smile.

 

That's what I had for my second LC.

I now have a Ducati 939 Hypermotard. Same kind of fun bike but much more power! I do miss the old 2-strokes, though!

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Another update on the Yamaha LC. I bought this kit off eBay and found the decals in very poor condition. I tested a few to see if they would release from the backing sheet, but no such luck. I decided to cut the speedo and tacho decals from the sheet and then fixed them to the clock binnacle with 2k clear lacquer. I have gone to Plan B on the paint scheme and purchased some Zero paints Kenny Roberts Racing Yellow. I hope to source some aftermarket Yamaha decals to add to the paint job.

 

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Edited by Lee Chambers
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9 hours ago, Drift said:

Memories, I had one of  these with a full Yoshi kit. Went like the clappers. Didnt know you could get a model of them. 

 

Did Yoshimura make stuff for the 350 LC?  

 

 

B)

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9 hours ago, Drift said:

Yep. was upgraded to 384cc, and full exhausts.Damn thing was loud.

 

Well well, learn something every day! Brilliant. Never realised they did that for the LC's.  Know what you mean about loud too, had Micron exhausts on mine for a while, bit awkward to live with after a while though.  :D

 

 

B)

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