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You might easily mistake Yamaha’s RD200 for a beginner’s bike. It was anything but.
By Kent Taylor
Most 1970s kids who wanted to become the next Duane Allman, Chet Atkins or any one of the cool guitar legends of the era would begin their journey with a trip to Sears or JCPenney. Head toward kitchen appliances and sporting goods (but steer well clear of the Twilight Zone mannequins that came to life after hours), and the little plucker would eventually find the music section, where plywood six-stringers could be had for about 20 bucks. The action on these starter kit boxes was a mighty long throw, and that voluminous space between the thin string and the neck required a strong set of fingers, so most pre-teens struggled to muster anything more than a muddy thoof or a muted plink from the effort. Learning how to play the guitar was a painful experience.
That’s not how it should be, for either wannabe guitarists or new motorcyclists. In most cases, starter motorcycles were easier to ride than the advanced models, and in September of 1974, Cycle News road-tested what should’ve been a nifty bike for aspiring riders. It was the Yamaha RD200, a two-stroke twin, and while the numbers say “beginner bike,” the little Yamahammer would soon reveal a nasty side that shouted, “No newbies allowed.”
Right out of the chute, the RD200 was like a skittish stallion, with a finicky clutch that demanded a slow hand. “A beginner usually has problems with this simple-to-a-veteran operation,” wrote CN, “and can be expected to blow it. What’s the next step for our beginner? Grab a handful and dump the clutch. The bike immediately assumes a vertical posture, all set to come tumblin’ down.”
Even if the rider could navigate the RD into motion without a series of lurches and wheelies, this motorcycle was still itchin’ to play games. “Hitting a depression in the road surface under hard second-gear gassing-it-up would easily loft the front end six inches. A handful in first would do it every time around six grand.”
Like most two-stroke engines, the Yamaha slumbered and lumbered when the revs were low. Take it to 5550 rpm, however, and it would wake up like a flaming chihuahua with a Red Bull in its gullet. “Kept between six and a half [rpm], the 200 will leave most cars behind at an intersection, embarrassing all but the most determined Detroit barge pilots up to cruising speed. At 60 mph, the tach shows 6500 rpm, and it’s happy to stay there.”
The Yamaha handled well, thanks to its light weight of just 256 pounds. It sat low and earned the title of “swell traffic dicer,” thanks to its quick responsiveness to the pilot’s wishes. “The startling reaction of the bike to the slightest rider input takes getting used to after stepping off a larger machine,” wrote the CN staff.
Although it came with nothing more than just two rudimentary drum brakes, the RD200 had plenty of stopping power. If one were to read only selected bits of this road test, a possible summation would be that this is a spirited cycle, one that pays homage to Yamaha’s legacy of giant-slaying, two-stroke twins. Undersized, but scrappy, Cycle News pointed out that the Yamaha was neither “uncontrollable nor dangerous with an experienced rider at the bars.
“That’s with an experienced rider,” they cautioned. “Would we let a newly enthused friend loose on this machine? Nope. With a novice on the seat, starting to move, accelerating and stopping are all added to the list of reactions qualifying as “startling.”
“It’s not a beginner’s bike,” CN stated, adding that “it’s not really an economy bike…either.” All of which meant that the spiffy little Yamaha was something of an orphan. Too small to be a big bike, too aggressive for new riders, and apparently, too fast for its own good. CN
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