[headers]

I've had the pleasure of riding / testing all the yezdi range of bikes starting from the colt [60cc] to the Yezdi 350cc twin.

The Y350 twin was a serious contender with the RD350.

sad to see that company no more

[kuttapan]

Originally Posted by esteem_lover

Like headers has put it, Yezdi was a little ahead of its time in very subtle ways. A big fan of the bike, but i still did not know about this oilking.

I don't know where people get the idea that Yezdi was ahead of it's days. Well, this may have had some truth in the 60's, but certainly not in the 70's and by the 80's Yezdi was so far behind in technology, which is why it had to shut shop.

Oilking first came in '79, maybe it was a novel thing in India at the time, but the jap 2 strokes were much ahead in technology. Yamaha RD 350 released in India in 1983 had reed valve induction(torque induction, in Yamaha terminology), while the Yezdi 350 twin released later still ran on 1950's tech(I think India got the very old 634 version, rather than one of the newer iterations of the same bike) - single Jikov monoblock carb, no reed valves and failed due to it's electrical and other gremlins.

When India was being stormed by the Jap 100cc onslaught, Yezdi's reply was the 175, which neither had the pep of the RX100, not the mileage of the Ind-Suzuki. CDI made it's introduction only in 1994 or so, after the factory reopened(It had a lockout for a couple of years). Roadking was the flagship model, and I still lust after that bike, but by then the world had moved on. There was no four stroke bike in Yezdi's radar and the 250 liquid cooled bike they intended to build never saw the light of the day.

CZ had the technology, it just did not get transferred to Yezdi, for whatever reasons. Whatever was passed on, was already antiquated and didn't pass muster in the ever competitive Indian market, once the Japs had found their way in.

However, what beats me is that Yezdi imported couple of modern(at that time) bikes(MZ ETZ250 comes to mind), probably to study and develop the technology in-house, but seeing their road going bikes, probably none(or very little) of it was applied.

All said and done, I love the Yezdi's for what they are, Roadkings still turn my head and I have a 350 to keep my love alive for this brand.

[Steeroid]

Originally Posted by headers

The Y350 twin was a serious contender with the RD350.

Headers

I'm a Yezdi fan and I own an RD, but that statement of yours is not one that will hold water. The Yezdi 350 had a decent and smooth engine, but it was never a competitor for the RD. Not by a looong shot.

And yes, Yezdi bikes could never have been called 'ahead of their time'. At any time.

[kuttapan]

Originally Posted by Steeroid

Headers

I'm a Yezdi fan and I own an RD, but that statement of yours is not one that will hold water. The Yezdi 350 had a decent and smooth engine, but it was never a competitor for the RD. Not by a looong shot.

And yes, Yezdi bikes could never have been called 'ahead of their time'. At any time.

I own both. And I can corroborate that fact. the RD350 was like 20 years ahead in technology and Yezdi 350 was no competition. If you wanted seat-of-the-pants action, RD was it. If you wanted a slightly faster commuter, you got a Yezdi 350 and inherited a whole load of gremlins that came with it.

[headers]

Originally Posted by Steeroid

Headers

I'm a Yezdi fan and I own an RD, but that statement of yours is not one that will hold water. The Yezdi 350 had a decent and smooth engine, but it was never a competitor for the RD. Not by a looong shot.

And yes, Yezdi bikes could never have been called 'ahead of their time'. At any time.

Steeriod, it nice to know that you are a yezdi fan and own a RD. A well ridden yezdi 350 twin can hold its head with the RD350. The RD has a better top speed, but they are both similar in accelaration in stock form. As i have ridden both around 15 years ago, i thought i'll share that experience.

I called Yezdis ahead of their time because:

1. It was one of the few bikes that had a cam clutch as standard - this would help ride the bike even if your clutch wire breaks. Theres no bashing of gears. One will appreciate this if one has to drive a bike with clutch wire broken and one is in a start stop situation crawling at 10kmph.

2. The steering was "not full steering". This made the bike controlable in the event of a skid. I have personally had nasty accidents in my RX100 as well as near nasty ones in the Yezdi Roadking.

3. The oil king was a failure as it was way ahead of its time. People were used to adding 2T with petrol and the concept of a separate oil tank didnt gel with them.

And finally, iff, i manage to lay my lands on a 350 twin, am also ready to prove my point w.r.t the RD350.

Originally Posted by kuttapan

I own both. And I can corroborate that fact. the RD350 was like 20 years ahead in technology and Yezdi 350 was no competition. If you wanted seat-of-the-pants action, RD was it. If you wanted a slightly faster commuter, you got a Yezdi 350 and inherited a whole load of gremlins that came with it.

Sir, i beg to disagree. And its surprising that it comes from you as you claim to own both the bikes.

[Sankar]

Yezdi 350:
Engine Tech --> Single carb, Piston Port induction, very basic transfer ports layout.

RD350:
Engine Tech --> Dual carbs, reed valve induction, four transfers in each cylinder with an additional boost port.

I agree with Kuttapayi and Steer's comments. A Jawa 350 was never a competition to the RD350.. not even to a RD350LT. But i like the Jaw350 for it's exclusivity and novelty.

[kuttapan]

Originally Posted by headers

Sir, i beg to disagree. And its surprising that it comes from you as you claim to own both the bikes.

For each to his own. My Yezdi 350 was in brand new condition when I got hold of it(read 0kms on odo) and still, the performance was not a patch on the 20 year old RD350. I think you are a staunch Yezdi fan(so am I), sometimes, you need to open your eyes and look around. And I have driven more than one example of a Y350, and other RD350's as well, I still stick by what I said. Please, let us not turn this into a Y350 vs RD350 fight, both are relics of a bygone era and I love them both for what they are.

Y350 was rated for a maximum of 21bhp, RD350 HT was 30.5 bhp. Even the LT had more power than the Y350. Now do the math.

[Steeroid]

Originally Posted by kuttapan

Y350 was rated for a maximum of 21bhp, RD350 HT was 30.5 bhp. Even the LT had more power than the Y350. Now do the math.

In addition, the Y350 was also 157 kg Dry and the RD was 136 kg Dry.

Not to mention the fact that the RD came with twin carbs while the Y350 made do with one Jikov.

Plus a lot of other stuff. 4 gears on the Y350 versus 6 on the RD, for example.

All these are on paper. Ride the two and you will know the difference more than any number of words here.

But like Kuttapayi says we love both bikes therefore please dont turn this into a pointless Yezdi 350 versus RD 350 debate. There really is no scope for a debate with respect to performance - I really dont know what makes you think the two are comparable in acceleration.

[headers]

Originally Posted by Steeroid

I really dont know what makes you think the two are comparable in acceleration.

Sir, have been there done that, thats why i said comparable - not superior.

[kuttapan]

Originally Posted by headers

Steeriod, it nice to know that you are a yezdi fan and own a RD. A well ridden yezdi 350 twin can hold its head with the RD350. The RD has a better top speed, but they are both similar in accelaration in stock form. As i have ridden both around 15 years ago, i thought i'll share that experience.

I called Yezdis ahead of their time because:

You said 'Similar'. That is not the same as comparable. the 0-60 times would be comparable, but not the 0-100 times. RD 350 maybe able to do it in under 10 seconds. Y350 cannot. Can we agree to disagree?

[headers]

Originally Posted by kuttapan

sometimes, you need to open your eyes and look around. And I have driven more than one example of a Y350, and other RD350's as well, I still stick by what I said. Please, let us not turn this into a Y350 vs RD350 fight,

Sir, I am not interested in turning this into a Y350 vs. RD350 fight either.

And it would be a shame if I beat you riding a Y350 twin while you are happily experimenting with your RD350 twin.

[Technocrat]

I have created this separate thread on Yezdi 350 from the Yezdi Oil King thread

[mail4ajo]

I have never come across a Yezdi 350. Any information on its year of production and specs in India?

I still like the Roadking, my relative has, which I make a point to ride whenever I visit him. Its literally a king on the road due the amazing road grip, possibly due to the smaller and wider tyres. What gives the Yezdi so good road grip? Difficult at times to handle due to bad brakes. I cant imagine how the 350 will be.

[Gregory]

Originally Posted by mail4ajo

I have never come across a Yezdi 350. Any information on its year of production and specs in India?

I still like the Roadking, my relative has, which I make a point to ride whenever I visit him. Its literally a king on the road due the amazing road grip, possibly due to the smaller and wider tyres. What gives the Yezdi so good road grip? Difficult at times to handle due to bad brakes. I cant imagine how the 350 will be.

Same here, never seen or heard of a Yezdi 350. Can anyone post a picture of the same ?

The RD 350 can even outperform most 250CC bikes easily!

[esteem_lover]

Here's a pic from this thread here

Pic courtesy : the trooper