Is the MT-07 really like a modern day RD 400 (1976-1978) or RD 350 (1980-82)?

[lcman]

I would dearly love to have a Yamaha 350LC. Could you still use your 350LC as daily runners? I notice in England there's lots of mint RDs,
350LCs there. You never see them here where I live, just junkers really.

Unfortunately LC's are probably worth as much as an MT07, this wouldn't stop me using it as a daily runner BUT what would stop me is the difficulty in getting parts for the LC's. More and more parts are going NLA and those parts that are available cost £££ try buying a good LC tank when I say good I don't mean paint work I mean one that hasn't rusted out, I have seen NOS original pipes going for £1k

My 250 LC made the top ten in classic bike of the year in 2007, but that doesn't stop me ragging it, that's what they are made for.

 

[sdrio]

Been a long time since I had one, but Iseem to recall the LC was quite thirsty. I'm pretty sure you'd get nowhere near the 55-65 mpg an MT07 will give you.

 

[William]

Unfortunately LC's are probably worth as much as an MT07, this wouldn't stop me using it as a daily runner BUT what would stop me is the difficulty in getting parts for the LC's. More and more parts are going NLA and those parts that are available cost £££ try buying a good LC tank when I say good I don't mean paint work I mean one that hasn't rusted out, I have seen NOS original pipes going for £1k

My 250 LC made the top ten in classic bike of the year in 2007, but that doesn't stop me ragging it, that's what they are made for.

That's a gem, that's for sure. As I said, you would never find a mint one like yours here.

 

[lcman]

Been a long time since I had one, but Iseem to recall the LC was quite thirsty. I'm pretty sure you'd get nowhere near the 55-65 mpg an MT07 will give you.

Yes the LC does about 35mpg but I can get the same distance on a tankful about 115mls as I can with the MT. But that's not the point its the fun factor that's why we ride bikes

 

[sdrio]

Yes the LC does about 35mpg but I can get the same distance on a tankful about 115mls as I can with the MT. But that's not the point its the fun factor that's why we ride bikes

Dunno - I use mine as a commuter, I spend about £20/week on fuel, if that went to £30 or more, it would pass the point where the tube is cheaper. Then I'd have my Mrs to deal with, and, well . . . I need a beer.

 

[Ralph]

That looks better than new, a cracking bike.

 

[gregjet]

I think the reason the two bikes are so similar, is the riders, not the bikes ( necessarily) . Just look ate the number of MT/FZ riders that also had RD/RZ 250/350's . I am included in this. The bike for some reason appeals to the same sort of riders.
Personally in most ways I think the 2 stroke was a better bike. MUCH lighter. Fun power delivery. But as hard as this is to say the MT actually handles better and that is before the suspension is fixed properly. The stroker was flexy...VERY flexy. Especially the forks. The 250/350 had better brakes though, especially considering how their technology is.
One thing. The MT/FZ seems to be a bit of a giant killer in the right place like it's great great.....great grandad.

 

[Ralph]

I think the reason the two bikes are so similar, is the riders, not the bikes ( necessarily) . Just look ate the number of MT/FZ riders that also had RD/RZ 250/350's . I am included in this. The bike for some reason appeals to the same sort of riders.
Personally in most ways I think the 2 stroke was a better bike. MUCH lighter. Fun power delivery. But as hard as this is to say the MT actually handles better and that is before the suspension is fixed properly. The stroker was flexy...VERY flexy. Especially the forks. The 250/350 had better brakes though, especially considering how their technology is.
One thing. The MT/FZ seems to be a bit of a giant killer in the right place like it's great great.....great grandad.

Something in that, the suspension we complain about now we would have given anything for in the passed

 

[bobh]

I had a 1976 RD400 that I bought to commute from S.Yorks to Oxon every weekend when I changed jobs. Just doing what Maggie's rotweiler told us to do - get on yer bike, he said. Did about 17K miles in just over a year.

It was my first Jap bike and I thought the handling was awesome after Brit stuff. Guzzled petrol - I could just about make the 160-mile journey on a tankful if I avoided motorways (not too difficult - fewer of them then). Also needed two crank rebuilds in that time, though maybe I was being a bit over-cautious there. I was sorry to have to sell it once we'd finally got the house move sorted out - it's one of the bikes I wish I'd been able to keep (along with the Norton International, the Velo Venom Clubman and the Vincent Rapide). It was showing signs of age after a winter's riding, though.

I can see the similarity with the MT-07 in terms of the fun factor. But I think Mr Yamaha was, at the time, targeting it at a rather different market, probably nearer to the one the current MT-09 is aimed at. The RD250 was possibly closer to the MT-07. It's crazy, really, to think that now we think of a 700cc bike as a lightweight commuter, when back in the day it would have counted almost as a superbike.