Hello All, I'm on the road today for the first time in many years with my 76 RD400!
Yamastein has risen from the basement laboratory.
I bought the bike in 1982, raced it for one season & returned to my Suzuki 250 GT race bike. Two friends got interested in racing the RD, so I sold it to them. They raced it for 3 years and then let it set under a tree on their farm where it began to rot. I spotted it before it was too far gone & bought it back.
I rode the bike about a year before starting the restoration. My wife wanted to learn to ride and we figured it would be a nice starter bike for her. We fixed the bike up really NICE but I never got it running due to an assembly error. We covered the bike in the basement & let it sit because many other projects superseded quality time to resolve the bike. I always felt guilty for letting such a nice unit set under wraps for so long.
Two weeks ago, I dedicated 2 quality days to resolving the RD problems, while taking a solo vacation week. After so many years sitting I had to resolve some brake seal issues, plus a few others. Today (7-16-04) was it's maiden voyage! It feels GREAT! I have to admit, it took me 15 miles to get comfortable & back into the rhythm.
I've been riding a 2000 BMW R1100RT as daily transportation for 3 years so I'm sure you can appreciate my difficulties with the transition. I plan to let the RT rest a few weeks and ride the RD to get back in touch. I'll keep upgrading bits & pieces along the way. It's a keeper!
Just out of curiosity, I pulled up 'RD400 Clubs' & spotted your website...Very Cool!!! I love it!
Elmer Frederick, MD. {I might need to consult your group & join if I may.... I'm finding so many items are obsolete for the bike. I'm having to seek out others that have already walked the path that I'm starting with upgrade efforts}