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1985–1987 Yamaha RD350 YPVS (F1 / F2 / N2) Valuation Report

Date: November 2025

Historical Overview

The 1985–1987 Yamaha RD350 YPVS series (F1, F2 and N2) represents the mature stage of Yamaha’s liquid-cooled two-stroke road bikes. Building on the earlier RD350LC and LC2, these models combined the 347cc parallel-twin engine with Yamaha’s Power Valve System (YPVS), full-fairing (F1/F2) or unfaired “naked” (N2) styling, and sharp chassis geometry. They became icons of 1980s performance motorcycling and are now highly sought after in the UK two-stroke collector market.

Model Notes

RD350 YPVS F1 (c.1985) – early full-fairing bike with sports ergonomics and alloy wheels.
RD350 YPVS F2 (c.1986–1987) – revised fairing and bodywork, small chassis updates and detail improvements.
RD350 YPVS N2 – unfaired version with a more “naked” stance, often lighter and popular with riders who prefer less plastic.

Many UK bikes were used hard, modified, raced or exported, so there is a wide spread of condition. Original-spec, matching-numbers machines with good history are now firmly in collector territory.

UK Valuation Summary (1985–1987 Yamaha RD350 YPVS F1/F2/N2)

Condition	Estimated Value (GBP)	Data Source / Notes
Project / Non-Running Typically an import or long-stored bike; may be incomplete, not running, and needing full mechanical and cosmetic work.	£1,200 – £2,500	Based on current UK adverts for YPVS-based 350 projects (e.g. RZ350 YPVS winter restoration projects around £1,250) and allowing a margin for 31K/F1/F2/N2-coded bikes in similar “needs everything” condition. Unregistered imports tend to sit at the lower end, UK-registered but very tired examples towards the upper end.
Roadworthy / Presentable Rider Running, usable, MOT’d or clearly road legal; honest paint with age-related marks but generally straight and complete.	£3,500 – £6,000	Anchored by a June 2024 UK auction sale of a 1986 RD350 F2 YPVS at around the mid-£3k mark and supported by past sales of restored but rider-focused bikes in the £5k–£5.5k region, plus current N1/N2-style classifieds around £5,000–£5,500. This band reflects the typical market for decent, usable F1/F2/N2 machines that are not show bikes.
Very Tidy / Restored High-quality cosmetic restoration or very clean original; good paint and plastics, sorted mechanically, largely correct parts.	£6,500 – £9,500	Recent UK dealer adverts for cleanly restored RD350LC/YPVS-family bikes are clustered around £6,500–£7,000, with some particularly nice examples just under £7,000. Asking prices near £9,000 for low-mile N1/YPVS models set a realistic upper end for very tidy, largely original full-power bikes in the current market.
Collector-Grade / Exceptional Either highly original, very low-mileage bikes with full history, or top-level professional restorations with correct details.	£9,500 – £12,500+	The top band reflects five-figure asking prices now seen for the best RD350LC and YPVS-series bikes in the UK, including ultra-low-mile, unmolested examples and high-end restorations. For F1/F2/N2 machines, achieving mid-to-high £10k figures in 2024–2025 typically requires outstanding originality or show-quality restoration, matching numbers and strong documentation.

Value Influencing Factors

Originality: Factory bodywork, correct paint schemes, original clocks and standard exhausts all push a bike into the higher bands. Highly modified or “streetfightered” bikes usually sit lower.
Engine and YPVS condition: Evidence of recent rebuilds, good compression, clean carburation and correctly functioning power valves adds value and confidence for buyers.
Chassis and cosmetics: Straight frames, good fork legs, original wheels, undamaged fairings and quality paintwork are all important. Poor-quality resprays drag values down.
Mileage and history: Genuine low-mile bikes with service records, old MOTs and ownership history sit firmly at the top of their bands.
UK vs import: UK-supplied, matching-numbers bikes with long-term UK history are generally preferred to recent imports, although very tidy continental bikes can still command strong money.

Conclusion

As of November 2025, the 1985–1987 Yamaha RD350 YPVS F1/F2/N2 sits firmly in the “blue-chip two-stroke” category. Rough projects typically advertise between £1,200 and £2,500, while most honest, roadworthy riders change hands in the £3,500–£6,000 range. Very tidy, well restored or clean original examples sit comfortably between £6,500 and £9,500, with the best collector-grade machines realistically commanding £9,500–£12,500 or more in the current UK market, especially where originality, low mileage and documentation align.

Sources & Methodology:
This valuation is based on recent UK dealer adverts, private and trade classifieds, completed auction results and known historic sales for RD350 YPVS and closely related LC/LC2 models. Value bands are evidence-based estimates as of November 2025; upper figures in the “collector-grade” band reflect ambitious but achievable prices for exceptional bikes rather than everyday transactions.

All Valuations

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