Picked up 1976 Yamaha DT400 enduro

[IndianRider_imp]

Just picked up the 76 two stroker and smoker to remind me of the blast from the past from india .. California rusty but got her running well .. starts in 2-3 kicks cold and doesn't have the hit of the rd350 but all in all runs great .. plan to keep it in the office garage for lunch time putting around


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[the Ferret]

Those single cyl Yamaha Enduros were just the best. Been kinda looking for a 73-75 DT 250 myself (reed valve)

[IndianRider_imp]

Ferret, the 400 doesn't have much more power per say than the 250 but much more torque in low/mid so almost no need to downshift from 5th in city riding .. was disappointed on the power but happy with not having to shift a lot

Very impressed with the auto decompression option on this 400 .. relatively very easy to kick start

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[the Ferret]

Fouund a 360 not long ago, but the 360 (and 400?) take a lot more leg to start than the 250's lol. Don't have much in the way of kicking leg these days. May have to settle for a CT 175

[IndianRider_imp]

Looks like the later DT175 monoshock models actually have better bang for the size power and handling compared to the 250/360/400

About 60-80lbs lighter than the 250 I hear ..

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[the Ferret]

hmmmmm may have to think about that, but I really like the styling on the originals 73-74s

[LongRanger_imp]

I picked up one of these (1980 DT100) for about 500 bucks a few years ago, just to have something fun to ride around the neighborhood and explore some local fire roads. It had a very narrow and peaky powerband and needed to be shifted a lot, but you could start it with your hand. Top speed going downhill with a tailwind was maybe 60 mph. Maybe not. I concluded it was taking up space and sold it about a year later. I agree with Ferret -- I prefer the styling of the earlier models too.

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[PowerDubs_imp]

I can dig it, as I had several 70's dirtbikes and street bikes- but in both areas there really were significant improvements right around 1980 +/-. On street bikes engine/braking was important- on dirtbikes I think suspension changes made the biggest difference.

One of my favorite dirtbikes I owned was a 1983 Yamaha IT250

Here are 2 pictures- the top is earlier, the bottom is later.





Like everything I own, I heavily modified it. Suspension, clutch, gearing, ported, bored, pipe & silencer, carb was bored tall oval (more flow WOT but no loss of tq), crank had slots cut in it (back then they claimed this helped the gases in the crankcase..who knows if it was true)...etc etc.

It is one of the only things I kept when I went into the Army in the '90s but shortly after I returned home after my service someone stole it out of my apartment yard. Loved that bike.

[kballowe_imp]

I'd simply like to have a nice "trail" bike. One that doesn't shove the seat up me arse.

And one that a fella with a 30" inseam and weighs 200 pounds can actually ride.

At least a 250