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Yamaha RD400 Restoration - Printable Version

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RE: Yamaha RD400 Restoration - Lunatic Fringe_imp - 03-31-2014

Good job keeping it stock and not chopping the thing up into yet another cafe racer. If you ever want to part with it you can get BIG money from a collector. Finding a complete clean RD that just needs some degreaser and some mechanical refreshing is a gift, enjoy it.

RE: Yamaha RD400 Restoration - Aussieflyer - 04-02-2014

Love your work Scoobynut. I know you said you'd rather buy a restored bike but I bet that by now you are feeling mighty proud of the result of you and your friend's efforts. The bike looks absolutely great.

Re: RE: Yamaha RD400 Restoration - davidsargee_imp - 04-02-2014

(03-19-2014, 12:10 PM)Scoobynut_imp Wrote:
(03-19-2014, 11:47 AM)redbirds_imp Wrote: What a great find. Those Yamaha RD's were awesome bikes. My brother had one and he rode it everywhere. Reliable too.

I'm hoping this one will be too. It'll only be a fair-weather rider really, I don't plan on piling too many miles on it.

I'm hoping this one will be too. It'll only be a fair-weather rider really, I don't plan on piling too many miles on it.
I have many pleasant "RD"memories myself. Maroon '73 model was dear to me. Just about all of my group had an RD350 and/or later had an RD400. Buddy of mine tricked out a 350 and ran mid 13 second E.T.'s in the quarter mile. That's as quick as a stock CB750-Four of that time. They were very quick bikes for their displacement.

As long as the rings didn't stick and the gaskets and seals are good, there isn't a lot of stuff in those old two stroke motors to break, no valves, cams, camchains, etc, one reason they were so reliable.

RE: Yamaha RD400 Restoration - Scoobynut_imp - 04-03-2014

Davidsargee, I don't have any RD memories so I guess I'll be making 'em from scratch. We've already started the bike and all seems to be well, my friend who's helping with the resto and has a lot of 2-stroke experience says it sounds very healthy.

We had a little bit of trouble with one of the gaskets in the oil pump after rebuilding it, but we think we've got that sorted and will start it again this weekend to check.

Anyways, the bike is pretty much all back together in this photo, except for the oil pump cover. Oh, and we haven't installed the NOS front fender yet. Now, if we can just get that damned snow to melt!

[url=http://s173.photobucket.com/user/cyrenus/media/photo14_zps23b45b20.jpg.html][Image: 9ec2a2e4de7eb87107c0fde0200ad5b9.jpg]

RE: Yamaha RD400 Restoration - davidsargee_imp - 04-03-2014

Great pair of RD's Scoobynut!, I have some pleasant memories of them as well. In my old neighborhood, at one point, there were a couple RD350s, as well as an RD400. Add to that my Kawi H-2, and another H-2, and you have some really noisy afternoons. Mosquitoes didn't stand a chance

Sent from my KFTT using Tapatalk

RE: Yamaha RD400 Restoration - RetroKitch_imp - 04-03-2014

(04-03-2014, 08:22 AM)Scoobynut_imp Wrote: Davidsargee, I don't have any RD memories so I guess I'll be making 'em from scratch. We've already started the bike and all seems to be well, my friend who's helping with the resto and has a lot of 2-stroke experience says it sounds very healthy.

We had a little bit of trouble with one of the gaskets in the oil pump after rebuilding it, but we think we've got that sorted and will start it again this weekend to check.

Anyways, the bike is pretty much all back together in this photo, except for the oil pump cover. Oh, and we haven't installed the NOS front fender yet. Now, if we can just get that damned snow to melt!

[url=http://s173.photobucket.com/user/cyrenus/media/photo14_zps23b45b20.jpg.html][Image: 9ec2a2e4de7eb87107c0fde0200ad5b9.jpg]

Nice work! I just love it when they are brought back to period correct Thumbs Up I was too young to remember the RD's in thier day but I was at a vintage mc show in Blue Bell, PA last summer where the focus was on 2 strokes. I was pleased to find numerous restored / rejuvenated RD400's like your example as well as many RD350's.

RE: Yamaha RD400 Restoration - Scoobynut_imp - 04-07-2014

Thanks for all the comments, everybody. We pulled the bike out of the shop yesterday and let it breathe some fresh air for the first time this year. Hope this video thingy works for you (click on picture to see video).

[url=http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w46/cyrenus/IMG_04181_zpsc7de1183.mp4][Image: ede10f6b418233ef80cfa5b598f9a07f.jpg]

[url=http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w46/cyrenus/IMG_0420_zps58728f6c.mp4][Image: 26c711c0f3af83e94a9dd09e757a0bfb.jpg]

RE: Yamaha RD400 Restoration - Cormanus - 04-08-2014

It's sad that Yamahas don't have the little black rubber lever end thingies. Big Grin

Seriously, lovely job.

RE: Yamaha RD400 Restoration - the Ferret - 04-08-2014

It sounds sweet Scooby!

RE: Yamaha RD400 Restoration - Scoobynut_imp - 04-09-2014

Thanks, Ferret.

Cormanus, I've read reports that 2 Strokes don't take kindly to the little rubber lever end thingies -- somewhat like putting 4 stroke oil in your injector tank. May be an urban legend though, I can't be sure.

In other news, the new license plate arrived yesterday. Kind of silly doing the personal plate thing, I know, but couldn't help myself. I figured the guys who know and remember these bikes will get the reference, and those who don't, won't, and might even think I'm promoting cigarette smoking or some such thing!

[url=http://s173.photobucket.com/user/cyrenus/media/photo79_zpsc7d30dc6.jpg.html][Image: aecf9df0d1bffa0780001152a03abaa2.jpg]