Rz350 - Versions

Versions

This bike was only sold in the United States in 1984 and 1985. In the USA it came with catalytic converters for emissions requirements, and was the first motorcycle to do so. It was only sold in California in 1985, as the RZ350NC, and a second version was sold in late 1985 and 1986 as the RZ350NC2, both of which had an EVAP canister and an additional catalytic converter in the exhaust pipe header to meet California emission regulations. It was not sold to the public after because Yamaha decided it would cut too far into their emissions quota mandated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency and limit sales of other larger displacement bikes which were more popular sellers. The RZ350 was also the first Yamaha street bike sold in the USA that used a "perimeter" frame as opposed to the standard frames of the era which ran under the center of the tank.