08/09/2026
Rajdoot RD 350, India 2 Stroke Power Engine.
In 1983, the Indian motorcycle landscape was dominated by slow, sensible machines built for utility.
Then came a lightning bolt that changed Asian two-wheeler culture forever: the Rajdoot 350.
Born from a bold collaboration between India’s Escorts Group and Japan’s Yamaha, the Rajdoot 350 was a licensed avatar of the legendary Yamaha RD350B.
Under its retro fuel tank sat a terrifyingly potent 347cc air-cooled, parallel-twin, two-stroke engine equipped with Yamaha's Torque Induction system and twin carburetors.
When riders opened the throttle, the front wheel lifted instantly, leaving behind a plume of blue two-stroke smoke and a sharp, metallic twin-cylinder scream.
The High Torque (HT) variant produced over 30 bhp, rocketing from 0 to 100 km/h in under 6 seconds—unthinkable speed for its era.
It quickly earned two distinct nicknames: "The Giant-Killer" for how effortlessly it embarrassed larger machines, and "Rapid Death" due to its wild acceleration paired with basic drum brakes.
Though high fuel consumption and maintenance costs ended its production run by 1990, the Rajdoot 350 evolved from a commercial underdog into an absolute immortal icon—the holy grail for two-stroke purists across the continent.