Rajdoot 350 : Rajdoot 350 tore through Indian roads in the 1980s as a beastly two-stroke twin cloned from Yamaha’s cult RD350B, shocking commuters with its racket and rocket-like pulls that left Jawa and Yezdi riders eating dust.
Assembled by Escorts under license from Yamaha starting 1983, this 347cc screamer sold modestly before fading by 1990, yet commands cult status in 2026 with restored gems fetching up to ₹3 lakh on OLX—rivaling modded RX100s for garage queens in Sonipat workshops.
High-torque growl and 6-speed guts made it a highway hauler, though thirst and spares woes clipped its wings amid emission crackdowns.
Origins Tied to Yamaha Glory
Escorts grabbed Yamaha tech in the early 80s to badge-engineer the RD350B for India, dubbing it Rajdoot 350 to leverage their small-bike fame from 175cc models.
Launched amid a sleepy market of 100cc thumpers, it packed Japanese finesse: reed-valve torque induction for fat low-end, twin Mikuni carbs gulping premix fuel, and autolube killing hand-mixing hassles.
Production hummed till 1989, churning HT (High Torque) at 30.5hp for speed freaks and milder LT (Low Torque) at 26.5hp chasing better sips—both detuned from Japan’s 39hp to tame Indian fuels and heat.
Two-Stroke Twin Heart Pounding
Air-cooled parallel twin displaced 347cc across 7 ports, revving to 6750rpm for explosive midrange that hurled 155kg kerb weight to 60kmph in under 4 seconds—blistering for 80s highways from Delhi to Chandigarh.
6-speed gearbox shifted like cream, outpacing 4-speeds of rivals, while contact-breaker ignition from Kokusan fired reliably post-monkey tweaks.
Premix ratios around 20:1 fed 16L tank for 200km hops at 30-35kmpl real-world, though expansion chamber mods woke the “RD snarl” turning village heads during evening spins.
Roadster Stance Built Tough
2040mm long, 835mm wide, 1110mm tall with 1320mm wheelbase, it sat aggressive at 765mm saddle—telescopic forks munched potholes decently, twin shocks soaked pillion loads without squat.
18-inch alloys shod 3.25-18 fronts and 3.50-18 rears gripped tarmac up to 150kmph claims, 180mm drum brakes hauling hard though fading under duress demanded respect.
Upright bars and solo seat screamed cafe racer, chrome tanks in red-black gleaming under halogen lamps—paint chipped fast in salty coastal runs but polished to showroom shine by enthusiasts today.
Features Ahead of Indian Curve
Tachometer dazzled as India’s first production bike gimmick, analogue console tracking revs for redline dances; low-fuel lamp winked before stranding, 12V electrics lit brighter than 6V peers.
Bulb signals and taillight kept it analog pure, no fancy turn indicators—just raw thump over Rajdoot’s earlier 175cc clunkers.
Roadster body flowed air, though vibes buzzed mirrors past 90kmph, earning “seizure king” tags from leaky seals in neglected sheds.
Rise, Fall, and 2026 Revival Whispers
Initial hype faded fast—₹25,000 tag dwarfed Hero Honda CD100 at ₹10k, thirsty habits scared fleet buyers, spares trickled post-collaboration split. Escorts axed bikes by 1990 for cars, leaving orphans; cops seized smoky runners post-2000 bans.
Yet 2026 forums buzz electric Rajdoot reboots or 350cc retro nods from new owners, resto-shops in Faridabad boring cylinders to 400cc, slapping discs and digits for legal street fights. Collector rides fetch joy at vintage rallies, outgunning Bullets uphill with two-stroke snap.
Ownership Tales of Glory and Grief
Riders reminisce 100kmph solos sans sweat, torque for overtakes sans downshifts, monsoon-proof electrics unlike Jawa floods. Downsides bit hard: top-end rebuilds every 10k km, premix spills fouling carbs, drum brakes glazing in traffic.
Modders port heads, rejet for CNG hacks dodging fines, chain conversions from shaft drives boosting pep. Compared to Yamaha RX100’s featherweight, Rajdoot’s heft planted better loaded, though upkeep tripled Splendor tabs—pure man’s bike for grease monkeys.
Legacy Echoing Modern Mods Rajdoot 350
Jawed as “Killer Machine” for speed wrecks, it birthed India’s performance cult, paving Pulsar 220s and Karizmas. No 2026 revival confirmed, but Hero whispers nod its DNA in premium commuters.
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Forums swap HT pipes for LT bikes chasing growl, values climbing 15% yearly as boomers pass torches. For two-wheeler scribes, it’s spec-sheet gold: dyno runs, trail tales mirroring your RX100 pieces.