I had a 350LC (with 250 side panels on it ;-) when I was 17. It was fantastic back then, but I test rode a few five or so years ago and they rather disappoint these days. All the nostalgia and rose-tinted glasses in the world can't make up for less than 45-50hp and 143kg. In the end I decided against it and opted to get my lightweight 2-stroke kicks from the last and best of the breed ... with 10hp more and 10kg less my RGV250 VJ23 is in a different league. I'd like an LC in my garage if I had the space, but not for riding thrills.
Lovely RGV. Shame you didn't buy a few of those Elsies five years ago - nearly as good an investment as Bitcoins
Ron that picture was taken at Sarfend on sea, on the ACE cafe Southend shakedown run, if you notice its chained to a mates Buell and it wasn't to keep his bike safe
one just gone up on fleabay https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/yamaha-r...356842?hash=item41db22ac2a:g:jq4AAOSwrslahXDA
you seen this one? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Yamaha-R...781963?hash=item2f14a468cb:g:dl8AAOSw8RZacDkN
he does have a blue 350 that he says is a full restoration but the clock shows 0 for the same price https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Yamaha-R...323591?hash=item2f0de12c07:g:~GcAAOSwLApZvQxv
70’s and 80’s two strokes epitomise late teens working class bikers - real low budget do it all bikes. I ran a YR5 350, an S1C and an RD350b ( the best) - all air cooled. Put about 20k on each between the age of 17 and 20 (then moved to the dark side and bought a four stroke GS750). Never had as much fun on a bike since that RD350b.
I think the results of that poll are quite telling about the average age of an MCN reader. Probably the average age of most riders in general. I get the 2 stroke thing, I rode them as a kid but it's hard for me as a 28 year old to understand why all the older peeps start drooling when a tidy 350LC rolls into a bike night... My mountain bike looks like it has beefier suspension, wider tyres and better looking brakes! the LC isn't even pretty, just sort of small and dumpy. All this nostalgia helps though, seems like it was the older generation's Aprillia RS125? or something like that. Easy to get hold of for a teenager and much faster than it was supposed to be... The RS looks like a little racebike though, the LC not so much.
Ride out to Westgate road on your LC with your mates was the highlight of the week. Never let it out of your sight or it would be gone though. Must have been the most stolen bike in history.
Ah, whatever happened to Mr Rahman? Remember his radio advert....."We put zip in bikini" It looks like that building hasn't been occupied for years. Nowadays, I only ever go there when going to M&S over the road. It's definitely not what it was, to put it mildly.
