Appearing to have been modified, with different exhaust pipes, lower handlebars, and finned heads in an unusual gold color, this 1977 Yamaha RD400D is reported to have been sitting for years and isn’t currently in running condition. It turns over, so that’s good, and the seller has it listed here on eBay in Wadsworth, Ohio, where the current bid price is $640 and there is no reserve.
Original is king for me, but I understand the desire to want to modify vehicles. I’m guessing this one happened slowly, piece by piece, until it reached this point. eBay may be your best source for OEM exhaust parts and the other bits. Or just leave it as it looks now. Yamaha made the RD400 from 1976 through 1979, and it was an update of the RD350. The “D” part relates to model year 1977, so it follows that C = 1976, E = 1978, and F = 1979. I have a 1978 Yamaha XS750E, so they used the same formula. Single disc brakes front and rear provide the stopping power.
We don’t know how long this RD400 has been sitting, but it appears to have picked up quite a bit of surface rust on parts of it. I’ve picked up quite a bit myself; it happens with time. The seat was a bit lower for a comfortable position while riding, and it has a 4.4-gallon gas tank for a somewhat long cruising range. Hagerty is at $4,000 for a #4 fair-condition example, which this one isn’t, with the modifications and not in running condition. There appears to be a hole in the right side cover, so you’ll need one of those, too.
Some corrosion rears its head here, too, along with just general roughness overall. I’m guessing that this bike has been stored inside at the very least, I’m sure that in Ohio, it would be much worse if it had been outside for years. I’m assuming this bike was somewhat of a conversion to a cafe-style or race bike tribute with the low handlebars, pipes, cylinder heads. 15,566 miles isn’t a lot of miles, I’m sure it would run again with the usual tinkering: clean the points, clean the carbs, new gas, new plugs, etc. Interesting self-cancelling turn signals take into account speed and time to turn off the signals.
I’d source a factory-style top end for this bike asap, but that’s just me. The engine is Yamaha’s 398-cc two-stroke parallel-twin with around 40 horsepower and 28.2 lb-ft of torque when new. Yamaha’s legendary Autolube oil-injection system takes care of lubrication, so just check your two-stroke oil tank and you’re good. Power is sent through a six-speed transmission and the seller provides a video of it kicking over, so that’s great. Are any of you into two-stroke street bikes?
In SoCal, in period, there were more than a few RD400’s running around looking exactly like this with the big radial gold head and, of course, expansion chambers. If I were to buy this bike (which I would never do at my age), I wouldn’t change a thing. Just do a nice sympathetic restoration.
The chambers will be as annoying to the neighbors, like a weed wacker on Sunday morn’, but I read this motor stock put out 44 HP. at 7,000. The way this bike is, I’d say over 50hp easy. That’s a lot of power for a bike weighing 364 pounds. It did, stock mind you, 106mph top speed and 14.1@90mph in the 1/4. That, my friends, is a lot to hang on to. This bike here, I bet could do 13s easy, if you have the grapes. While the term “crotch rocket” brings up many claiming to be the 1st, this bike could almost dust them all.
I still stand by my reasoning, no less than 750, and cruise at a reasonable rpms. These are pretty dead below 4,000, and with an explosive power band, coupled to a racket that would certainly get old, think 2 cycle Detroit, smoke screen included, I don’t know, I have different visions of motorcycling, like that BMW RT1100, or my tried and true Harley, but this I’d have no use for. .
The 1st “crotch rocket” was the Kawasaki 500 around 1969 i think. I got the 1975 model more civilized but also very powerful. Beyond the Kawa 500, guys loving superfast bikes of the time had a respect for the Yamaha 250, 350 and 400. These bikes with very few modifications could participate in speed races and win.
This engine has a DG radial-finned head and DG chambers. I had a ’73 modified the same way. What made these bikes fast was, after mods they made over 50 hp, and delivered that power almost all at once! When it “hit”, hold on to the handlebars and hope the front doesn’t come up! Loads of fun! So far, the price on this bike is low. If the engine turns and has compression, it should be easy to wake it up again.
Had a 74 RD350, aftermarket air filters and re-jetted carbs, what a rocket, a joy to ride !!
I also had a ‘74 RD350 as a teenager and loved every minute and lived through it. Does it get any better than that?
Had an RD250. Great way to get in trouble.
I commented when the Rd350 was on here, and how it almost killed me.went down at 70 on a back country road, to miss a cow and calf that were in the road. I purposely laid it down,
thankfully had on jeans and jacket, but no helmet! Got caught up on peg so couldn’t get down leg out from under bike, it shoved me hard into large rock at side of road, out cold for I don’t know.Got lucky, farmer came looking for cow and calf, he got me awake enough to get in truck and took me to hospital, concussion and road rash.My brother and I retrieved bike and I never rode it again, sold it next week, and bought B.S.A. 441 Shooting Star, from a guy so I could go desert riding, great fun on weekends, even got to race with Steve McQueen a couple of times. Old man reminiscing about some great times growing up in SoCal in 60’s and70’s.Oh yeah my street bike at the time was a 47 Knuckle Head Harley I found in junk yard looking for transmission for buddies 47 Ford sedan, bike was in shed and still had leather bags and streamers on handlebars, straight out the late 40’s early 50″s, loved to ride that bike.Sold it dirt cheap to guy, when I signed up with the Government in 66, but that’s a story for another time.
Even though it’s been almost fifty (50) years since I first read it, a line from Cycle World’s review of this bike still sticks in my head to this day! They liked everything about this bike except the horn! “The horn wouldn’t make a hungover wino flinch, let alone inform some quadraphonically-deafened, cigar-puffing lardo that he is stuffing his smog mobile into the lane you are occupying!” LOL! The truth hurts, deal with it!
I wonder if there’s a belt drive kit for one of these? Other wise, just tune it up, rebuild the carbs, flush the fuel lines, fill it up with fresh gas and ride it! GLWTS.
BTW, the bidding now stands at $2150, with less than one (1) day left in the sale.
I remember that road test, the only complaint was the horn … How I miss those days.
The front tire lasts a long time because when riding, it seldom touches the ground. It’s a mistake to compare it to a “normal” bike, because it is just for the RUSH!
The side cover might be repairable, with a little fiberglass cloth and epoxy, combined with matching paint, but finding a new decal for it might be tricky. Don’t forget to replace the tires and rebuild the brakes, as the brake fluid has likely crystallized and the calipers are frozen in their bores, along with the master cylinder. Parts might be available from used motorcycle parts dealers, such as Eastern Cycle Salvage (see link below):
http://www.easterncycle.net/
I had a brand new 1976 Yamaha 250 ENDURO and stopped by the small dealer I had bought it from and test drove the new 1977 400 RD like this one. Owner told me if I flipped it I bought it! I couldn’t bring myself to trade on AND off roading for a strictly street bike, I was having too much fun hill climbing and exploring mountains etc. But it was one awsome bike!
It would probably cost about $500 to get this puppy running, with a battery, new tires, calipers, brake hoses, master cylinder, a carb rebuild kit for both carbs, extra if you source a replacement side cover or repair the existing cover. If you fix the side cover with some fiberglass cloth, some resin and Bondo, then repaint it the correct shade of red, finding a decal set or having some decals printed would be the hardest part of the restoration.
Like ’70 muscle cars, the visceral sensation from this bike will send a shot of adrenaline right from your toes to your prefrontal cortex. The sensation of wind, speed, noise and fear when the pipe hits all mix to make an exhilarating ride.
This is a really inexpensive way to get that fix and they are very easy to work on.
Have enough toys and not enough time. Too bad.
Wife and I did a local cruise yesterday in the 340 Duster. Hard to believe how much fun a bit of juvenile burnout and engine revving behavior is, even at our age.
Wow! I just clicked on the eBay link, and it’s up to $2,150!
Scotty already knows that I have owned a ’74 DT400 and a ’79 XS750F, so I always enjoy when he grabs one of these and writes about them.
Auction is just about to end…
SOLD for $2,150.
Thanks, PRA4SNW! Given Hagerty’s valuation, this could have been a good buy.
1974 RD350, first MC I ever rode. Had to ride 25 miles in a serious crosswind to test for my license, where I walked it through a series of traffic cones at about 5 mph. Should have given it to me just for getting there on that little monster. The106 mph top speed previously mentioned is about right. I had the needle flicking at the 110 mark.
I bought a1975 RD350 with 800 miles on it for $850 because a guy bought it then they released the RD400 so he traded the 350 back in. I read people complained about the 350 wheely-ing to easy so Yamaha lengthened the stroke thus making a 400, for a more controlled power band and moved the engine forward in the cradle to help with wheely problems. A friend had the the 400 and I rode it. Both were quick and fun.
The 400 also has a slightly longer swingarm than the 350 – maybe for the same reason?
bt
HV Cycle is your friend if you own one of these variants. Great, knowledgeable guys.
bt