Rajdoot 350cc: In the motorcycling history of Indian machines seldom apon will stand beside the Rajdoot 350. Certainly the “RD”, as enthusiasts lovingly call it—the nation’s brief but impactful two-stroke wonder during its production run of just over five years 1983-1989.
More than a motorcycle, it was the Rajdoot 350 that saw India to her first ever performance bike—the machine that first half-filled the gas tank of thousands of riders before they could vie for speed in an age where utility surpassed enjoyment whenever possible.
Origins of the Rajdoot 350cc: A Japanese Legend in Native Land
The tale of the Rajdoot 350 does not start in India; but with Yamaha RD350 motorcycle which already became an international performance icon long before they drifted down out of Japan.
In the late 1980s, when the Indian motorcycle market is ruled by utilitarian Jawa/Yezdi 250’s, Royal Enfield Bullet 350, and Bajaj scooters and other everyday passenger modes opts for crucus statement.
The discontinued Yamaha RD350B was going to be reintroduced in India and they were going to manufacture the bike under licence as a Rajdoot.
Partly due to government laws against branding foreign products at this time. The bike was technically a Yamaha, but called the Rajdoot 350 in marketing speak, friends called it “RD,” some hardcore enthusiasts just said “the RD.
Initials RD did mean “Race Derived” — as in many a machine from world circuits that will do you no favors navigating the wet back roads of most Eastern Europe.
Escorts produced their first Rajdoot 350s in Faridabad plant in 1983, the motorcycle that is billed as years ahead of its time for Indian market.
Billed as a high class offering at around ₹18,000 (an arm and a leg in early 80s Indian Rupees), Rajdoot 350 catered to the enthusiast who looked beyond trumped-up units ruling the Indian roads.
The Blood of a Legend — Engineering Perfection
The thing that made the 350 so different was its engine: a 347cc air-cooled, two stroke Parallel Twin engine that opened up Indian roads to enthusiasts at levels never before seen by them in their own country with power they could get behind.
In terms of engineering development it was quite linear (for 1980): seven-port two-stroke engine layout, Yamaha’s Torque Induction system made from reed valves (piston controlled intake port) in a 6-speed transmission with autolube system (one got two treat the mixture).
(Interesting Features of the Speed Ace: Seven port 2 stroke engine design, Reedy Valve Torque induction system developed by Yamaha, 6-speed gearbox & Auto lube which did away with needing post mix oil and fuel.
Driving: Breakneck speed on Indian roads
For comparison to what the performance figures of Rajdoot 350 should have, by current standards. Yet in mid 80s India, they were nothing short of a revolution.
It was nothing short of a motorcycle, 0-60 in less than four seconds and 100 km/h in about 7 seconds (it wasn’t even part of the Indian market when those numbers were common.)
However give it a try and top speed of Rajdoot 350 can go beyond 150 km/h, a speed that most Indian roads never saw being built with and the traffic conditions simply could not handle.
The motorcycle, for its prodigious performance did acquire a memorable but rather incredulous and grossly-appropriate name of “Rapid Death”/ RD: it was simply one more moto-irony that printed on the machine’s initials, without respect to them unknowledgeable roadauthority did not fail to give respect what hyper-killing potential lay under those letters.
The Ride: Untamed and Unbridled
To know what made the Rajdoot 350 still so attractive, a deep drinking understanding of the truly immersive riding that it afforded its apostles. In contrast to the far more electronic many modern motorcycles, RD had a brutal, unamened association between the rider and machine.
The engine turning over introduced a tactile feedback almost immediately. You shuddered through the handlebars and footpegs as the analogic behaviour of that two stroke twin roamed through you, ensuring an unlive reminder that a mechanical symphony was going on.
The exhaust note: (softer/snarky/ “non-ear-shattering,” ) and then it got “quieter,” building a throaty rumble as revs increased to (much more) maniacal levels is the sonic part that audiophiles still describe with reverence.
Power delivery on the other was as astounding. At very low revs, 300 cc of that Rajdoot 350 was at least yoked and fairly tame. As the tach started needle crossing the halfway-line, the nature of engine changed.
Cultural impact- Had an epichistory
Rajdoot 350 was unspectacular as a commercial motorcycle but the impact it created in popular culture far surpassed its sales numbers. It came at a time of import into Indian motoring culture, promulgating performance motorcycling for the first time and defining a paradigm by which enthusiasts would measure their aspirations for many generations.
The motorcycle drew particular attention at the time it was featured in 1983 Bollywood film Hero directed by Subhash Ghai, The movie saw Jackie Shroff on a new looking Rajdoot 350 and that bike quickly became symbolic of rebellious masculinity at large. Bollywood exposure at this level trumped it to become more than just a means of transportation and launched the RD into pop culture.
The Rajdoot 350 also left its mark on the industry as well beyond perception. The HONDA registration number was imported to Indian market making performance motivated motorcycles reliable enough for a larger number of Indians and also paved the way for marques like Yamaha RX100 (which would sell in far greater quantity) eventually making way to a rich presence of modern performance motorcycles both domestically from India.
The Challenges: When a Legend was Challenged
While the Rajdoot 350 was a technologically advanced motorcycle and had built up an army of true believers, a large number of challenges in Indian market stopped it from succeeding commercially. Total output during its six year run was effectively a fraction of what ” more conventional ” motorcycles had achieved.
Most of all, maybe fuel economy was what kept fuel-economy at the top barrier to widespread adoption. Fuel efficiency has been a primary determinant of most buyers avail option, especially in the range where Rajdoot 350 is from.
Most of the HT variant would manage only around 20–25 kilometers per liter, in mixed riding conditions albeit more economical LT variant could not go beyond an even more laughable figure. 35km per liter and all the more laughable competitors that have more than double that.
Price was another hurdle for the new purchase. Rajdoot 350 (~₹18,000 which is a lot more if compared with to any alternative) was priced premium enough in a market which is extremely price sensitive and knocking at the doors of people with little or no disposable income.
Its high barrier to entry robbed it of the ability to sate its target audience (affluent enthusiasts rather than the broader motorcycling public).
Maintenance requirements and costs added to ownership as well. A tigress was harder to maintain than the former market dominant of simple single-cylinder.
