Drag king
By Abhay Verma
It’s nearing thirty years since the Yamaha RD350 came to India but even today whisper the name and a reverent hush descends. Faraway looks shine in all the gathered eyes and you can see the glowing memories of speed and performance roaring through the enthusiasts’ heads. Until the Kawasaki Ninja 250R and the Honda CBR250R came nothing has had the performance to challenge the venerated two-stroke demon.
But do these two really have the performance to beat the RD? Today is the day we find out. The odds for once are stacked against the Yamaha. It’s a thirty year old bike, parts are hard to come by, the best bikes are still a bit lashed together and ragged at the edges. And you can tune the engine all you want, but the frame and the overall capability of the motorcycle is likely to be held back by the unyielding rules of Father Time.
