i can also find an rd just about any day of the week for sale around portland or. but triples only are for sale a couple times a year & usually twice the price!
industry history- yamaha made guitars and pianos until after ww2. kawasaki was a heavy machine company hence the name kawasaki heavy industries printed on the labels. my friend has an rd and i have a 73 s2. both have expansion chambers. both are fast. but who really cares which is faster.. go buy a zx10 if you want to go fast. but for all you rd guys out there my s2 sounds a like a french horn and his rd sounds like a glorified moped.
In UK the RD 350 was much quicker - hell even my RD200 could keep up with a S2 or RD250 up to 75mph... The RD gets a poor start in this clip - is bogged right down...
looks like it came down to the launch,you two shoulda traded bikes and ran again.The RD rider shoulda been a tad more aggressive,and the kaw pilot alittle less.A long,low,straight wheelie while maintaining high R's is a good launch.... maybe the RD's clutch was slippin abit.Good run,i enjoy these old rides.
I owned a 1972 S3. My 2 friends owned yamaha RD's. It was never close in a drag race. The RD's were lighter and better handling. The RD's were raced against the 750 4 strokes and won at Daytona. The 2 stroke Yamaha had a Road racer out of the box that you could buy at a dealer. The Kawasaki Avenger came before the S2 It was a 2 stroke twin with rotary valves. This was the fastest 350 of the time. It was faster then the triple piston port S2.
@farmertull These two bikes were raced flat out, fair and square. You say "it was never close in a drag race" . The RD's or the S3 ???-- A good running S3 Should beat an RD every time.
After reading all the comments and watching the video I'm wondering why the RD was so much more popular in the states? I've read that the RD had some of the best brakes and handling of its era. Looking at the specs you would think the S2 would have similar braking & handling, they weight about the same there both disk up front drum rear, I know the RD was cheap under $1000 is that it? Or was it a better road racer? All I know is it is harder to find any triple than it is to find an RD.
@dinosoreis1 I find these all to be valid factors, I would also like to add that the triples really weren't for cornering they seem to be engine heavy. No pun intended. I found myself more versatile on the rd
he said the 73 kaw was built to compete with the rd 350. since the 1st year for the rd was 73. That could be the case. I can picture it now the wife of yamaha's pres. in bed with a kawasaki engineer
umm if you had problems with the rd shortly after this video the problems were probably already there hence why it lost to a slower bike and the reeds and pipes should make a big difference
@card4 Slower bike ? The S2's were rated @45hp, while the RD 350's were only 39hp. This race was fair and square. The "problems" were only an oil leak from the clutch cover.
Well...the Yammy is 2 years younger (and therefore better technology) and is modified with chambers etc, and the Kwaka is stock. Nice work guys...love them old Triples....
Well everything being equal, 3 going bang bang beats 2 going bang bang most every time. Put the two on a road race track and I believe the outcome would be different, those RD do handle nicely. A lot of fun to watch, makes me want to finish up my restoration on my RD350A
Both very cool bikes! I have a R5 and love riding it, but nothing will ever beat the wonderful sound of the Kaw triple at work! Nice job!!! Smokin Joe !!!
@rooskie: I was not short shifting the RD...as a matter of fact I ran that bike so hard that day it developed problems afterwards...and even its best race against the s2 it still lost. Your S2 must not be running properly. I like both bikes too!
um, no, it runs perfect actually. lets just agree to disagree. but if you were winding out your RD as far as it would go.. your rd isn't running right at all. should pull much farther than it is in that video.
The performance of these small two strokes will vary greatly with the state of tune. If there is a small problem like carb or timing issues it makes a big difference. The pipes, reeds & filter on the RD won't make much improvement if any. It might even hurt if not set up right. What makes these things go fast is porting, bigger carbs along with expansion chambers. I have had RD's and H1's S2, & S1's. I do agree that the stock kawi triple is a faster bike. That is until you come to a corner.
it's the type of two stroke oil we use, which is polaris ves II gold full synthetic, when I first start it up after a couple of days of sitting they smoke, but then it goes away after awhile, it smells great when it burns also
My S2A smokes like it is on fire, I may try that Polaris stuff and see if it smokes less on that. Anyway, I like smoke, 2 strokes are meant to smoke, at least it shows they are getting oil. I worry when they do not smoke.
Great to see the S2 smoke the RD, I own them both and have a ton of respect for the RD too, a real animal and maybe even more of a wheelie machine than the S2, but I believe the S2 is faster, at least mine seems to be.
both fantastic bikes! thanks for the video
toilit 1 month ago
i can also find an rd just about any day of the week for sale around portland or. but triples only are for sale a couple times a year & usually twice the price!
73kawasakis2 6 months ago
also the rd had 39 hp vs the 45 of the s2. extra piston= extra pop.
73kawasakis2 6 months ago
industry history- yamaha made guitars and pianos until after ww2. kawasaki was a heavy machine company hence the name kawasaki heavy industries printed on the labels. my friend has an rd and i have a 73 s2. both have expansion chambers. both are fast. but who really cares which is faster.. go buy a zx10 if you want to go fast. but for all you rd guys out there my s2 sounds a like a french horn and his rd sounds like a glorified moped.
73kawasakis2 6 months ago
I prefer Yamaha
VincentGreece 7 months ago
In UK the RD 350 was much quicker - hell even my RD200 could keep up with a S2 or RD250 up to 75mph... The RD gets a poor start in this clip - is bogged right down...
snotmale 8 months ago
My brother had an 71 A7 with super mods. Too fast if you ask me. Dyno tested at TSTC in Texas at 68 hp. Killed even the H1s . Low tens in the qrt.
999firemonkie 10 months ago
looks like it came down to the launch,you two shoulda traded bikes and ran again.The RD rider shoulda been a tad more aggressive,and the kaw pilot alittle less.A long,low,straight wheelie while maintaining high R's is a good launch.... maybe the RD's clutch was slippin abit.Good run,i enjoy these old rides.
noblepuker 1 year ago
Oh I meant the S2 always beat the RD's but the early road racer Don Vesco won with RD's against 750's. The older A7 Avenger was faster then the S2.
farmertull 1 year ago
I owned a 1972 S3. My 2 friends owned yamaha RD's. It was never close in a drag race. The RD's were lighter and better handling. The RD's were raced against the 750 4 strokes and won at Daytona. The 2 stroke Yamaha had a Road racer out of the box that you could buy at a dealer. The Kawasaki Avenger came before the S2 It was a 2 stroke twin with rotary valves. This was the fastest 350 of the time. It was faster then the triple piston port S2.
farmertull 1 year ago
@farmertull These two bikes were raced flat out, fair and square. You say "it was never close in a drag race" . The RD's or the S3 ???-- A good running S3 Should beat an RD every time.
twostrokeornill1 1 year ago
After reading all the comments and watching the video I'm wondering why the RD was so much more popular in the states? I've read that the RD had some of the best brakes and handling of its era. Looking at the specs you would think the S2 would have similar braking & handling, they weight about the same there both disk up front drum rear, I know the RD was cheap under $1000 is that it? Or was it a better road racer? All I know is it is harder to find any triple than it is to find an RD.
dinosoreis1 1 year ago
@dinosoreis1 I find these all to be valid factors, I would also like to add that the triples really weren't for cornering they seem to be engine heavy. No pun intended. I found myself more versatile on the rd
2wheelmonster 1 year ago
he said the 73 kaw was built to compete with the rd 350. since the 1st year for the rd was 73. That could be the case. I can picture it now the wife of yamaha's pres. in bed with a kawasaki engineer
MrMartinkimber 1 year ago
Entertaining, I would have found a straight road to race on. And a cameraman you didnt have to worry about hitting on takeoff...lol
Giminey 1 year ago
I had a 73 Kawasaki 350, folks didn't call it the "orange flash" for nothing. Old Kawi triples rule!!!
charger19691 1 year ago
umm if you had problems with the rd shortly after this video the problems were probably already there hence why it lost to a slower bike and the reeds and pipes should make a big difference
card4 1 year ago
@card4 Slower bike ? The S2's were rated @45hp, while the RD 350's were only 39hp. This race was fair and square. The "problems" were only an oil leak from the clutch cover.
twostrokeornill1 1 year ago
Great video! I'm a proud ouner of a 75 rd 350 so I didn't like the out come so much LOL but great video anyhow.
dinosoreis1 1 year ago
Pure awesomeness
suzukiholdenman 1 year ago
Well thank you very much
2wheelmonster 1 year ago
Well...the Yammy is 2 years younger (and therefore better technology) and is modified with chambers etc, and the Kwaka is stock. Nice work guys...love them old Triples....
redfxr 1 year ago
@redfxr: thanks! rider of the RD.
itsWOAR 1 year ago
Well everything being equal, 3 going bang bang beats 2 going bang bang most every time. Put the two on a road race track and I believe the outcome would be different, those RD do handle nicely. A lot of fun to watch, makes me want to finish up my restoration on my RD350A
gregnsan 1 year ago
wicked video
Brushwacker1 1 year ago
Both very cool bikes! I have a R5 and love riding it, but nothing will ever beat the wonderful sound of the Kaw triple at work! Nice job!!! Smokin Joe !!!
smokinjoeh2750 2 years ago
We all know it's also down to the rider and the day.I call for a rematch.HA.
BTW was that a friend on a triple riding past at 1.03
triplato 2 years ago
WHY WAS THE RD BEING SHORTSHIFTED? ODD.
and yes, i own one of each myself... love both the bikes.
rooskie 2 years ago
@rooskie: I was not short shifting the RD...as a matter of fact I ran that bike so hard that day it developed problems afterwards...and even its best race against the s2 it still lost. Your S2 must not be running properly. I like both bikes too!
itsWOAR 1 year ago
@itsWOAR
um, no, it runs perfect actually. lets just agree to disagree. but if you were winding out your RD as far as it would go.. your rd isn't running right at all. should pull much farther than it is in that video.
rooskie 1 year ago
The performance of these small two strokes will vary greatly with the state of tune. If there is a small problem like carb or timing issues it makes a big difference. The pipes, reeds & filter on the RD won't make much improvement if any. It might even hurt if not set up right. What makes these things go fast is porting, bigger carbs along with expansion chambers. I have had RD's and H1's S2, & S1's. I do agree that the stock kawi triple is a faster bike. That is until you come to a corner.
BruckerMotors 1 year ago
coooool !!!
MrDevo5 2 years ago
s2 is one bad bike. all of kawasaki 3 cylinder two strokes are animals and non have read valves.
LordSamuelJ 2 years ago
kawi cheated ;)
rjteeter 2 years ago
how did it cheat?
2wheelmonster 2 years ago
it's the type of two stroke oil we use, which is polaris ves II gold full synthetic, when I first start it up after a couple of days of sitting they smoke, but then it goes away after awhile, it smells great when it burns also
2wheelmonster 2 years ago
Awesome!
Would have liked more smoke.
Can you do it again?
SB :)
stratobiker 2 years ago
My S2A smokes like it is on fire, I may try that Polaris stuff and see if it smokes less on that. Anyway, I like smoke, 2 strokes are meant to smoke, at least it shows they are getting oil. I worry when they do not smoke.
Great to see the S2 smoke the RD, I own them both and have a ton of respect for the RD too, a real animal and maybe even more of a wheelie machine than the S2, but I believe the S2 is faster, at least mine seems to be.
I want to see a race between an S2 and an A7.
canvyt36 2 years ago