This Indian Scooter With Yamaha RD350 Engine Is Called Yam-Bretta [Video]
The Yamaha RD 350 can be considered one of the most legendary bikes to ever be introduced in India. It was launched in the mid-1980s. Today, people are paying extraordinary amounts for well-kept examples of this bike. On the other hand, another one of the most iconic two-wheelers that was launched in the country was the Vijai Super scooter. Recently, a video showing a Vijai Super scooter fitted with a Yamaha RD 350 engine has been shared online. This video has become extremely viral.
Yamaha RD 350 Engine Inside Vijai Super Scooter
This video showing the Vijai Super scooter with a Yamaha RD 350 engine has been shared on Instagram. It comes courtesy of the popular motorcycle enthusiast Bike With Girl. In this short video, the presenter highlights that this is the only Vijai Super scooter of its kind in India.
She states that it is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. After saying this, the presenter removes the engine cover of this scooter, which has the initials “Yambretta” (for those who may not understand, it is the combination of Yamaha and Lambretta). Following this, she highlights this Super scooter has somehow been fitted with the RD 350 sports bike engine.
Next up, the video shows the presenter riding this scooter on the roads. She emphasizes that this is the craziest scooter that she has ever ridden. After this, she revs the scooter multiple times to highlight the sound of the legendary Yamaha RD 350’s engine. This particular scooter is finished in a shade of red with a ton of unique elements, including new front grilles, single-piece seating, and others.
Yamaha RD 350
The Yamaha RD 350 was known for its performance and iconic status. This motorcycle was launched back in 1983 and produced until 1990. It was often affectionately referred to as the “Rajdoot” RD 350. At the heart of the RD 350 was its air-cooled, twin-cylinder, two-stroke engine with a displacement of 347 cc.
This engine was offered in two variants. The first was the High Torque (HT) version, producing 30.5 bhp. The other was the Low Torque (LT) version, which delivered 27 bhp. Both variants came with a 6-speed constant mesh gearbox and a multi-plate clutch. Despite being launched so early, it could do well around the range of 140 kmph in the HT variant and 130 kmph in the LT variant.
The RD 350 featured a double cradle frame, telescopic front forks, and twin shock absorbers at the rear, providing a balanced and stable ride. Braking duties initially were handled by a 178 mm drum brake at the front. However, some later models saw an upgrade to a 200 mm disc brake. The rear brake was a 153 mm drum brake.
Vijai Super Scooter
On the other side of the spectrum of the Indian motorcycle market was the Vijai Super scooter. This Indian scooter was manufactured by Scooters India Limited (SIL) based in Lucknow. This scooter was introduced in the 1970s and was based on the Lambretta GP/DL series. SIL managed to acquire the manufacturing rights from the Italian company Innocenti.
The Vijai Super was powered by a humble 150 cc, single-cylinder, two-stroke engine. It was capable of producing around 7.5 bhp. This engine was paired with a 4-speed manual transmission, featuring a hand-operated gear shift and clutch, which was typical of scooters from that era.
The Combination of These Two Icons
The “Yambretta” scooter is the combination of two of the most iconic two-wheelers to be launched in India. Its creation was done by Senthil Arcot Govindraj. He is a tattoo artist and an automotive buff who dreamt and managed to produce this one-of-a-kind scooter.