I eventually tracked one down at a dealers, immaculate, £2100, RD350 F2, D reg, 1500 miles. After a sob story he agreed on two grand. With the engine burbling and crackling, I pulled cautiously away following a mate up the road.
The first thing I noticed was the riding position, absolutely perfect for my 6’ 4" frame, what a relief after the constriction of a CB100. After about 3 miles a straight appeared... when the revs hit 6000rpm it was amazing. I shot up to 90mph, flying past a line of cars. A grin appeared on my face and stayed there for five miles until the engine coughed, spluttered, farted and died.
Just as I was about to throw a massive wobbler, my mate interjected, "it could just have run out of petrol, you know." Sure enough, turning the tap to reserve had us on our way. On arriving home I just stared at it for about 15 minutes. It really was a beautiful machine (I say was as since then I’ve modified it a little) and wouldn’t my parents be surprised when they found out, as they were away on holiday.
First long trip was down to Devon to stay with the holidaying parents, I was pulled just outside Exeter and told that I had been travelling at 90mph (he’d gunned me from a bridge). I pleaded that I couldn't see the speedo as the tank bag was in the way. This didn’t wash, and neither did saying I'd only had the bike three days and wasn’t used to the power, but the bloke was very friendly and just as I thought I’d got away with it he started to write me out a ticket. I’d already picked up two points whilst riding the Honda (no L plates). It taught me a lesson and I’m much more vigilant these days.
My parents were impressed with the bike but hot so impressed when I’d told them I had been nicked. The journey had revealed a few things about the bike as well. Cruising at 80mph equals 7000rpm (red line at ten grand, usable power to 9500rpm) which is very handy for overtaking, as all you need to do is whack open the throttle, the bike takes off like a plane.
There is a fair amount of buffeting around the head and chest area at high speeds and the low mass means the bike is badly affected by strong side winds - trying to avoid using all three lanes and the hard shoulder of the motorway can be very difficult at times. As far as seat comfort is concerned, I can only describe it as ace, helped by an excellent relationship between bars and pegs. The only pain I’ve suffered is from my nuts (and I’m not boasting here) which get squashed against the tank.
Of course, the perfect condition of the bike didn’t last long. About a month later I had just left the bike on the side stand to open the door when the bike slipped forward and fell into the wall, cracking the top piece of the fairing. I thought it could have been worse until I went to buy some new GRP £60; I patched it up.
That summer was great fun, tearing about, posing and generally having a good laugh. It was towards the end of the summer that things began to wear out. It had its 3000 mile service (£25), no problem there, but the tyres, especially the rear, were looking suspect.
I can’t stress enough that the stock Jap tyres are crap. In the dry they were OK, but in the wet they were plain unsafe. A friend stuffed his F2 into the front of an Astra (he was OK, shame about the bike). I also came off in the wet, damaging exhaust, top fairing, belly pan, a clip-on and foot peg. We both went the same way, by losing the front tyre - the compound’s far too hard. The tyres need to be ditched before they ditch the rider.
Slightly wider Metzelers were bunged on as soon as funds allowed. They really do inspire confidence and maintain excellent stability. That said, the rear has only managed 3000 miles and the front has another 1000 miles left - the tyres only come with 5 and 3mm tread back and front when new! The forks are still too soft, even after four years development. Upping the fork pressure to 14psi improved things and stopped me head-butting the clocks every time I hit the brakes.
Those brakes aren’t as hot as they should be. The front has plenty of feel but needs a huge amount of force to work, especially from high speeds. The rear is exactly the opposite, plenty of power but no feel; you only realise it’s locked up when the back wheel’s sliding sideways.
The chain and sprockets look in excellent condition and only needed three adjustments in 7000 miles. The engine drinks one litre of oil every 300 miles. I changed from Silkolene Comp 2 oil to more expensive Motul 300, because the latter makes the engine rev more freely and helps clean running in town. It averages about 37mpg usually going onto reserve after about 95 miles. The best I’ve had, after almost superhuman restraint, is 45mpg, the worst 30mpg.
Two up riding knocks out a lot of the go and the passenger isn’t very happy about the way the bike goes in and out of the power band. The gearbox is quite clunky, especially first to second. But I don’t really give a shit about such minor niggles or the fact that it eats tyres there’s absolutely nothing like the feeling you get when it enters its power band, the front wheel starts to claw the air as you screw it up through the gears before diving on the brakes, hanging off and squirting around a corner, hitting the next straight with the urge to go even faster.
The ride of my life was when I was out with my mate who owns a similar bike. It was nip and tuck all the way, the bikes were dead level on acceleration and top speed. On one particular stretch of road he was out in front and I was right up his exhaust, flat out at 120mph. I’ve mellowed a bit since then (not much), but on days like that the RD can seem like the best bike in the world. Mine takes up a lot of my money but I wouldn’t get rid of it for absolutely anything.
J. Browne