If the cylinder only reads '347cc' its HT. Dont go by whats written where. Even if the cover says India, it doesnt mean anything coz over the years lots of parts must have been exchanged by the mechanics. Many of them take out the ' Made in Japan' cover and replace it with the Indian one.

When i bought my bike in 1999 it came with one LT and one HT cylinder! Even the heads get exchanged.
Bend pipes are very hard to get and are expensive . Good luck on finding them.

3 RD's for restoration Please do put up the pics if possible. Will be a treat for all the 2 stroke lovers. All the very best for the rebuilds!

Cheers!!

Friends my RD story is very long. I became member of Xbhp in 2004 - 2005. I was reading one bike mag in which RD's photos were there with article. in September 2004 during my first job with Bajaj Allianz general Insurance I went to Surendranagar for my job purpose and went to make some sales calls to GIDC Area and went ahead to see what industries are there.

To my surprise I found one RD 350 HT(which i came to know later) black colored and mumbai passing but without papers. I drove the bike and I was speechless. Man o Man what the bike and what the level of pure power and character the bike was carrying. I was caught in LOVERIYA with RD 350. But the bike was without papers so I was turned down.

Then I bought my first RD 350 in 2006, RED HT and with papers. I with my mechanic started the bike and invested Rs. 1000/- for petrol and carrying the bike to the garage but to my surprise bike was not proper in strokes and even carbs were leaking. Then we opened both the head and the bike was sleeved . I was very sad to see the sleeve was torn and the bike's engine was a mess. I returned the bike to the owner after spending 1000 Rs.

Then on one fine day I bought my RD 350 HT with another bike without papers to be used as spares somewhere in 2008. But due to my job I was not able to restore the bike and ride the same. Before 7 months I sold both of them due to urgent need of cash (some personal problem) to a friend and by grace of god my problem was solved within 3 months in mean time the papers were not transferred on my friend's name so i gave him his cash and took both the bikes with me.

Recently I have found one HT and one LT both unrestored, and purchased both of them. So I am having 3 RDs all of them un sleeved, with std. size pistons. But I intend to sell one HT as I have found one Honda CB 350 and I need some cash too.


Will surely post the pics of the bikes as soon as I visit Rajkot.

what is the difference between HT and LT, i don't have much knowledge of RD's?

Early RD 350s were HT i.e. High Torque produced in India from 1983 to late 1984. later due to very high fuel consumption the model produced was LT i.e. Low Torque.

That is basic difference other differences are many and they are discussed many times in old posts brother.

Think of an LT as a choked HT exhaust port is lowered and timing is bit fiddled around with so that it makes less power and gives more mileage. Oh how I wish I could my hands on one at a good enough moolah because I don't see my money doing any good with the RX damn thing is a stupid little moped.

The LT has more low end torque and is better suited for city traffic riding. A well tuned LT in good condition still feels powerful .

ok, got it, so performance wise, one should always go for HT.

These days it does not matter if its an LT or an HT because clean RDs are hard to find and mostly are sleeved and in a shagged condition. A good unsleeved LT on performance goodies will smoke a HT anytime.

true that unsleeved LT barrels are frackin rare though and the RDD CDI is a boon for RDs and RXs where timing keeps jumping all over the place

[QUOTE=ravi_afriend;670212]
What if a cylinder is displaying 347 CC and the clutch side panel shows "made in India" tag on it. is it a LT or a HT I am seriously confused.

There are 2 ways in which to recognize an HT one is with the 347 and the second is with the Engine number.

As far as I have seen, Rds whose Engine number are of the pattern "1A1.51.XXXX" are HTs.

The Blocks are of 3 types.

1. Only 347 written - Almost certainly HT

2. 347 and RIVETTED plates on either side of 347 saying "escorts" & "rajdoot" are normally LT (ie HT with rivetted restrictor plates).
These have the "pipes" between the cooling fins.

3. 347 with "escorts" and "rajdoot" in the CASTING are LTs without the restrictor plates. These are Indian made blocks and are of inferior quality.


hope this helps

wow thanks for the insight!!!

[QUOTE=sixspeedtwin;672081]
One of the extra pairs of blocks i have has '347 Rajdoot' casted on the sides and even has the restrictor plate!

[QUOTE=yamdoot;672093]Quite possible....

There were many overlaps ... for eg, the first LTs in late '84 came with HT silencers....

The Boffins at Escorts were not too keen on protocol.

Hehe