I am moped guy ...not a motorcycle guy but I like two strokes. I have a chance to pick up a 76 rd400 for cheap. I know they are largest rd yamaha made and they are fast but is it crazy fast...as in dangerous amount of power?. I dont want to kill myself. Fires up but not running so I cant test ride. I wont know what I have gotten myself into until I finish and its too late. Anyone w experience w rd400 or rd350s ? opinions ?
(edited)
Light and way fast. If you want a "first" bike, this really is not ideal, more of an intermediate level.
Good first bike is maybe a 250-400cc in 4 stroke. More predictable power, higher torque off the line (in general). My first was a 250 Nighthawk and going to that from mopeds it felt HUGE. Now those size feel really light compared to my current Kaw 1000 touring. Yammy XS series are good, Honda Nighthawks, CM's and CB's, Kaw KZ's. The good news is that you have a hell of a pretty RD there. I would get it running correctly then flip it, use the profit to get a decent 4 stroker in the same weight (300-500 lbs). Good luck!
Supposedly the 400's aren't as good as the 350's. But i dont know what that means. But shit, that's a dream bike if you're into 2 strokes. That thing looks clean to me. And it'll only go as fast as you want it to go ;). If you have the funds, I say go for it. You could trade it for like 10 mopeds in the future.
I'll take your RD60 off your hands if you're trading up...
Damn. Of course this is back east...
In cali that bike would probably go for $3k non running.
Simon Nyi Wrote:
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> I'll take your RD60 off your hands if you're
> trading up...
Indeed.
The RD350 is the better one to get and the Daytona 400 is the sought after one. Either way those are always going up in value and plenty of people want them just like the Kawi Triples. You can't really go wrong with an RD of any size.
How is the 350 better?!
I had a '77 400 and it was scary fast if you layed into the throttle. There is no problem pulling the front wheel off the ground. It will definitely get your heart beating. That one looks pretty nice in the pic and the green ones seem a lot more rare at least in my area. If you like it go for it. Later if you don't want it I don't see any reason why you couldn't get your money back out of it.
Jake P Wrote:
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> How is the 350 better?!
Something to do with the internal gearing. The old racers would swap the 250 bottom end to the 350 top end on a 350 bike and get even more crazy power. I think the 400 is a completely different monster.
totally a rad first bike. why not? just don't be a dumbass. it's rad as fuck
people get 180hp superbikes as their first bike and they manage.
altho my first was a 100, and i've never ridden anything over a 750 or owned anything over a 250... I can't imagine it'd be unrideable. you learn faster starting on a black diamond than you do on a bunny slope, and this is far from a black diamond of motorcycles...
personally though, i can't do motorcycles. it's just way more money and way less fun, and require way more legislation, titles and registrations and parking and a billion other things, around town i never go over 40-50 anyway and have little interest in highway riding
plus theyre way heavy, even little light ones lack that throw-it-around ease of a moped. if it breaks parts are expensive and everything takes vastly more time, and theyre so much easier to damage if you drop it or whatever, value drops so fast
it's just way less carefree and easy. but that's me, alotta people'll get motorcycles and go nuts with it and really have a hard time going back.
it's faster and more reliable etc and more respectable by the general society too. but i just want stupid simple mindless fun of building and throwing around piece of shit mopeds...
Still, I would absolutely get that bike, even though i would probably wind up riding it once a month at best.
The RD is probably one of the only non suzuki motorcycle i would own. Dream bike for sure.
I had a red 1976 RD400 about 25 years ago .
Very nice little bike , fast but not scary at all .
They are light and nimble , making for a great first bike .
The Suzuki RG500 I had before the Yamy was a scary bike . (edited)
My mom used to right an RD350 ;)
The previous owner bough it in the 70s, rode it once, and put it up for sale - too much power scared him.
Conversely, my mother learned to ride on it. She could whip through the countryside so quick my father (on a Triumph 500 or 650, can't remember) would have to ask her to take it easier.
If you have the chance to get it cheap, go for it. Take it easy when you get started, just like anything else.
like keil said, take it easy at first. Ideal starter bike? no. but fuck those rebel 250s everyone thinks they need to start and gets bored with after a week. Dont slap the throttle wide open like a fool until you can deal with the consequences and there's no problem, they dont have a stupidly awesome powerband like a 2 stroke MX bike or anything like that, although they do "get in the power" obviously and they do haul some relatively serious ass.
yes there fast, by no means "crazy fast"
this is based on the 350 i have ridden here and there, havent ridden the 400 but i imagine its extremely similar.
get it. it will be fun.
when it comes to motorcycles, i like Harley, my ultimate advise would be get a used 883, there very cheap used, the EVO motor is amazing, and it can be upgraded to a 1200 VERY easily when your ready (although its really not needed) of course thats dependent on how set on a two stroke you are. (edited)
^ LOLOL at "get a harley"
My first road bike was a R5-350 Yamaha, predates the RD. A guy I worked with bought a RD400 and smoked my ass. Both are good first bikes, neither is good for longer rides or highway use (imo) but both could kill you if you don't give them due respect. Turning and braking are poor on both compared to todays bikes, they are heavy for their small size. Both seem to hold their value, like money in the bank (also my opinion).
2-strokes require more maintenance, I always had spare plugs with me.
If you put that 350 or 400 up against any modern bike it would be smoked, they were fast in their day but not so much today. My Goldwing would beat it.
Everything got better, brakes/suspension/geometry/tires/etc.
Old is still old.
Get it
suzuki tm400s were fucking wild man, people still talk about how scary those bikes were. I say get it.
I look at it like a car in some senses. EVERY car is "fast". You'll get a car up to at least 90, which is pretty fast if you press the pedal far enough. In the same way with a bike. You don't have to rip on it when you ride, go as fast and slow as you're comfortable with.
I have a 78 Suzuki GS550E, it's my starter bike. It feels pretty powerful to me, it gets up to 60 awfully damn quick. BUT, i don't drive it like an asshole and do stupid shit. The only time i've gotten "rowdy" on it is when i'm in the middle of nowhere, and the only person i'm going to hurt is me when something goes wrong.
As for my dad..he bought a bike shortly after i did. Which i'm stoked on, i've always wanted to ride with my dad. BUT his choice in first bike scares the shit out of me. He bought an 06 Harley Superglide..it's 1450 cc's. That scares me tremendously. It's got huge power, and a lot more weight than i think he should have. He wants to ride on the highway to and from work everyday, Dayton to Cinci. It's like a 50 minute drive all highway. It scares me. Plain and simple.
BUT as long as you get on a bike and don't drive like a dick and go wide open everywhere, and pay attention to where you're going and the cars around you, you may be alright. Sorry i wrote a book. Bye.
riding something that can scare the shit out of you is fun, going slow on mopeds is fun.
The RD 400 is pretty quick, and a well tuned one should pop a wheelie no problem. But if you have ridden a 600cc sportbike, it has like half the power. It is actually a fun bike and seems small after you are on one for a bit. Don't get all twichy with your throttle and you should be fine.
On the 350 vs the 400. The 350 is peakier and has a shorter transmission. That is about all. The 400 was an attempt to make the bike a little tamer for the street. They increased the stroke and toned down the ports for a more streetable ride. Many people really like the 400 gearbox better, but stock the 350 is more sporty. Honestly I don't really see why you couldn't just port it a bit and drop a sprocket size in the front and blast on 350's. Except the wheels are alot heavier. Also, the 400 has an extended swingarm and the motor is moved forward to lessen the chance of accedental wheelies. There are a lot of little differences, but that about sums it up.
Also RD400 is not the largest yamaha 2 stoke, they made an RD500 liquid cooled big brother to the LC/RZ 350. But yes largest of the aircooled twins.
Adam, if you don't want the RD pick it up for me.
Like everyone says, its not "the fastest". Its awesomeness is that it is about the size/weight of a cb350 but the power of the CB750. It's a tough bike to match for canyons and twisties, especially from bikes of the era with such little technology on it's side.
Also, I find the front back discs have plenty of stop.
I rode a RD350 and it was my first "real" bike. I loved it. Its like anything, once you ride it enough you get use to it. Just go easy at first then when you get the hang of it, crush everyone off the line
Aaron PUSHER Wrote:
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> ^ LOLOL at "get a harley"
LOLOL at the guy all butt hurt because i called him out of pestering people to keep pedals because its the "hip" thing at the moment. hipster.
I think what your doing is inaccurately paraphrasing, so the quotations make no sense. Quotations would imply that in my post it says "get a harley" but it does not.
in fact, i said "get it. it will be fun" (the RD) but offered a cheap, upgradable alternative anyway. hate if you gotta hate, you cracked me up.
I had one exactly like that one back in 83. great bike all around. Rode it back and forth to work about 70 miloes round trip. Also stuck the front wheel in a creek while taking a short cut, went head over heels, survived.
buy it.
The RD400 is rad because it has disk brakes.
I say get it. My first bike was a ninja 600, before I ever even saw a real moped. Don't be scurrd. Just don't ride stupid...or do, because th at can be fun also. But getting a 4 stroke 250 is pussy shit unless you live in a big crowded city. They're worthless on the freeway.
that was my rd400. it was fun and exciting when i wanted it to be, but i took it touring too. apparently that was the intent of the 400 over the 350. if i'm remembering right, the 400 is a stroked out 350. the only thing i didn't like was the typical 2 stroke problem - there's no way to ride it polite or quiet. so i was finding myself avoiding riding at night
mine had about everything you could do it done when i got it. pipes, banshee intake, bigger carbs, bashee reeds, 2-1 k&N, marsoochi shocks.
I regret selling it because it was cool, but it was a toy, not something i'd want to count on daily
i'd buy another one if the price was right
C'mon Brad this is a serious post? No such thing as too much power, just too little self control. Until you get to the 100+hp-ish area i suppose.
^Max has a point about the way you have to drive though.
thats photo above was stock google image. scored it really cheap and just got it home. after it was loaded....guy just through this old simpson helmet (he was a fueler for cart and nascar truck) In for good measure. today was a good day.
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