RZ350 Lab Rat Article

[Organicjedi]

Great parts, good effort, but not my bag.

I'm sure it'll stay an outrageous glossy show bike until someone tears it apart redoes it years from now.

It could be a nice rider with a less loud color scheme and some tweaks.

[oxford]

I'm sure it'll stay an outrageous glossy show bike until someone tears it apart redoes it years from now.

It may never get re-done.  This one is equally outrageous from a different era and has stood the test of time.  There were a few others from this collection that also did.

[RDFL]

The guy that had the whole collection broke down quite a few. I tried to buy the engines complete but he sold them in pieces too.

[pdxjim]

Former forum guy Ben Schmitt had many of them outside Kansas City.

Not sure how many he kept or sold.

[RDFL]

Former forum guy Ben Schmitt had many of them outside Kansas City.

Not sure how many he kept or sold.

The guy that had them all was in FL, as far as I know the builder was in FL too. I remember someone here bought 3 or 4 complete bikes that might be him.

[pdxjim]

Yup.

Ben bought them out of Florida.

[pdxjim]

[IR8D8R]

"There is not much left from the original RZ aside from the engine and core section of the frame".

I once heard a restorer saying that you could build an original Bugatti 37 from a rusty spring hanger because there were really no limits on how many parts could be reproductions. As long as there was some original part that was originally a whole car. That means you can just transplant the VIN plate onto another vehicle as long as the paperwork gets fixed. I guess you could title as an R6 too.

I don't hate the bike. if it is made to ride then ride it. Trouble is that it is a object d' art. Art tastes change and the value follows. Unless a collector has a spot for it it's just parts like Mark said.

[Organicjedi]

I'm sure it'll stay an outrageous glossy show bike until someone tears it apart redoes it years from now.

It may never get re-done.  This one is equally outrageous from a different era and has stood the test of time.  There were a few others from this collection that also did.

I was actually thinking of these when I wrote my original reply.  (70s fro to pay homage to those stuck in the 70s RDs)

[Djg8493]

aand we have yet another pretty cool build with an interesting perspective on color choices..

http://www.bikebound.com/2021/03/18/yamaha-rz429/

[RDFL]

Not as bad as some paint scheme wise, fairing looks good except for that hideous headlight setup.

[m in sc]

super narrow powerband = no thank you.

[RDFL]

super narrow powerband = no thank you.

Especially with that wide rear tire might end up pile driving yourself.

[RDFL]

https://www.rideapart.com/news/445952/yamaha-rd350-cafe-racer-blechmann/

[m in sc]

I liek a lot of that build. few details not so much but def really good.