Howard Lees' ultimate Yamaha RD350

By guest writer Tom Stewart. Hard core café racers are generally built for show and go—there aren’t many built for daily commuting and long-distance touring. But this air-cooled Yamaha RD350 B, purchased new in 1975 by the late British racer Howard Lees, didn’t stay in standard trim for long. As an engineering under-graduate teenager, Lees quickly tore it apart in a quest for the perfect yet affordable road-going motorcycle. History doesn’t relate why this RD’s frame was replaced by an earlier, very similar item from a 250 DS7. (A major shunt could be one reason.) But the Koni rear suspension...