@@CrustyCycle9317 no doubt! I know it too! Drop word my way if you will kindly, as I've an idea and am in need of an RZ or RD. Running, straight frame n forks. Cheers! Rubber side Down!
Had a 77 RD 400 in immaculate shape like those. Had it tuned by a well renowned Yamaha RD tuner. Tuned it for the stock chrome pipes with baffles cut. Total Sleeper. But sounded so amazing. They have several pulls in the powerband. But the one that hits at about 8000 rpm is the eye opener ! 😮😅
I was kind of in shock when I saw you were riding in my neck of the woods, less than a mile from my home. I had a 77, 78 and kept the 79 Daytona. Unfortunately I left it in Canada when I came to Seattle in 1998 but it's still there in storage with about 7000 kilometers on it. Finally nice to see guys that know how to ride these. If the front wheel isn't in the air, you aren't trying. You brought tears to my eyes. I am a subscriber for life. Now if you see a Old black Honda Pilot trying to pull you over, don't worry it's me wanting to have a look.
We'll keep an eye out for that Pilot! Wish you had your Daytona, we're in the Vintage Motorcycle Enthusiasts group locally and hold an all 2-Stroke ride in August (in your area). If you're interested, check us out. Thanks for commenting and subscribing!
I had a '77 in '82 quarter fairing drop bars 😂😂 I loved that bike..I think I paid $600 for it. I abandoned it for an '80 cb 750 Wish I had kept the rd400 I sold it to a guy him and his dad were doing a tear down resto.. cause they later went to the rd 350 style 🍻
Back in 82 when I was 18 I had a 79 Daytona Special, it was a beautiful bike. My buddy and ( he had an LC 350 ) I used the country roads where I lived like it was our personal racetrack. When I hear the bike fire it's an immediate flashback. I literally still dream about that bike. I was real joy to see all these 2 strokes, thanks for making me smile :)
I had a number of Yamaha's, my favourite was a standard yds7 when I was 17, it had a massive power band, and did 110mph on the speedometer, which I tested not believing it was true at first, much better than two 250RD's I had later, had a couple of 400RD's as well, lovely bikes.
I’m a old Yamaha 2stroke fan from back in the mid 60s having purchased a modified a YDS1 as my first 2 stroke. It was used as a drag bike and had TD1 chambers and ign. system. I’ve raced RD350s, RD400s, RD350lc and RD500 all with WERA back in the late 70s-80s. I spent a lot of time making my 76 RD400 competitive and still have it. I bought it used with some very mild porting and initially pretty much left it stock. The best setup was a carefully built crank- I never had any problems with them as long as you didn’t try to pull much over 9,000 rpms, stock Yamaha cast pistons, and Erv Kanemoto’s beautifully built pipes. Because I was racing it in WERA’s super bike classes, nothing was outside of the rules. I changed the brakes to Brembo calipers, wheels to Campagnolo Electron mags, ign to Femsa, front forks to TZ350 36mm units, 34mm mikunis, cut every unnecessary bracket off, braced the frame, DG aluminum swing arm. There’s probably more but can’t remember anymore. The final modification was a Fahron watercooled top end and a complete TZ350 dry clutch and cr trans. By then the new RZ350 were coming out and I decided to concentrate on a real job. Anyone interested in the bike can contact me @ abarth1202@icloud.com.
Wow, that is an extremely modified RD 400. I'll put the feelers out in the local community here in the northwest You may also want to throw that out there on some of the social media groups on Facebook, for instance, they have a lot of air, cool Yamaha groups. What are you looking to get for that machine?
I remember riding a modded Daytona back in the day. A wonderful wheelie beast. I had the 250 variant in the same colours. I certainly taught some bigger bikes some lessons
Man AWESOME video !! That takes me back I got a 79 Daytona and a 77 RD400 there not as near as nice as those and there not running right now but I hope to one day get them back on the road .
I'm really glad you liked our video. I'm gonna have to make some more cause, It was a blast riding those bikes. Thanks for commenting from across the pond.
Yes, the Daytona Special just keeps pulling while the orange bike signs off abruptly at like 8500 rpm. Overall, the orange bike was a wee bit quicker, though. Thanks for commenting!
Brings back a lot of memories, thanks. I had a '75 RD 250, bought new when I was 16 cause of Kenny Roberts and a Cycle World article. Great bike, white w/ orange stripes, Chrome fenders, w/ disk brakes.
@@CrustyCycle9317 your welcome m8 i also had a rd250e and rd400e the 400 was a production racer a very quick .theres a few rd400s and a couple of daytonas on the isle of man where i live 😁
@wescooley34 Very cool. Interesting, you're in the UK now. You probably don't recall, but we partied with a few friends in Tacoma, one evening after some type of motorcycle event. You lived in Bend at the time. Anyway, love those RD400's!
I had a '77 rd 400 in '82 loved that bike As an 18 yr old my heart skipped a beat lookn at it 😂😂 Someone stole my battery cover i paid $50 for a new one btw i made $3.75/hr
I loved my RD 400 until i test rode a new RZ350.I quickly sold the RD and bought the RZ.So much more bike but the RD350 and 400 still have their charms.
I featured these machines, but I'm more of an RZ guy also, I have two. However, after riding these bikes for a day and seeing the comments from people from around the world, I have a new appreciation of how good the air-cooled Yamahas really are.
What a great collection of RDs and they all run! Wow! I have four that don't run or in parts. Must get off my ass before I die. They are too much fun to let them sit.
Hoo-wee!!! I never get tired of hearing the growl and howl of tuned two stroke Yamaha twins.😅 Trying to pick a favorite from this group, but I can't. I like all of them. It is quite a collection. The hybrid RD250 and the custom painted, red/white RD400 are the top 2 for me. Great restorations! I had a '74 RD350 from '78-83. Later, I bought a new RZ350. Still have it today. Mostly stock, with chambers, carbs modded, and mild porting. Just getting her going for Spring this week. Thanks for sharing. Ride safe.
Thanks for commenting 👍 Yeah, those are all magnificent magnificent machines. Charlie's got another one over there that I need to look at, a green one. Hopefully, I can feature it also. Happy motoring on your RZ.
@@CrustyCycle9317Rewatching this again. I can't get enough of it! I spot new details on the bikes. The sounds of well tuned smokers. What a great collection. Thanks for sharing. Hooligan Mode!😊
Fantastic video! Nice to have the details on the builds and certainly lots of talent there being able to get those bikes into that condition and of course, great riding skills by both Charlie & Ward!
Hey my friend,back in the early 80s, a good friend owned a 1980 Yamaha Daytona Special( last year in Canada) bored and re-sleeved to 0.60 overbore, wiseco pistons, port&polish,carbs jetted up 2 sizes, DG pipes, Bike would top-out at 100mph, but could pop wheelies in 5 gears! Dam quick bike!!!
Ah that sweet sweet 2 stroke sound. Oh man, the memories that brings back. I had a 400 that we used a custom head design that was made of a aluminum with larger surface area to disperse heat and it was ported and polished. I rode it and loved it. A friend talked me into selling it, which killed him 6 months later, I got it back wrecked. Rebuilt it, rode it again and another friend wanted it so bad he paid ridiculous money to buy it. He was killed on it 3 months later. I got it back again, rebuilt it and of course someone wanted to buy it. Sold it, mind you I made a mint off selling it 3 times. He wrecked it 8 months later and was badly injured but survived. I figured fukk it 3 strikes its out. I rebuilt it and never sold it for almost 10 years. When I did sell it I warned the new owner of its history and to not get complacent in thinking you are good with it cause its simply a beast unleashed. Last time I saw it cause I moved to Orlando from WPB. Totally love love love these bikes, 350 or 400 heck even the 250 can rip. Thanks for the mammaries............. 🤣😂🤣
Great story. Yeah, it sounds like a ghost bike. I've seen that before with a CBR600F2 production racer. A guy was killed on it, then it would spit off anyone who tried to race it. I crashed it twice in one day. Thanks for reaching out.
@@CrustyCycle9317 It simply illustrates that no matter how good you THINK you are, you lose focus for a mere moment and it'll throw you like a bucking bronco. I never let that happen and yea it would wheelie like a demon on fire and OMG the burnout holeshots ...... I sure did love that damn thing.
@@CrustyCycle9317 Love the idea but in my sixties the body takes far longer to heal that it used to. I have had many stitches, cast's and bumps and bruises in my youth but I simply fukkin LOVED IT. It's just that these bikes have gawdamnned ridiculous prices now and while I would relish the idea, I can buy a more modern better handling better accelerating bikes for what these folks want for 40 year old maintenance headaches. Trust me I never forgot that part of it either.
My '76 is pretty much brand new but, still having trouble getting it tuned. One regret I have is I put on 28 Tm flat slides and I feel like I should have gone with 32's. I'm up to 270 mains and still running lean so I think my left crank seal is worn. I have replaced right side seal and going to install a vape ignition so I'll do the left side then. In my H.S. days my friends and I sort of terrorized Mulholland Dr. in the Hollywood hills riding in a pack of RD's all night long. We liked riding at night because of less traffic as well as being able to tell when cars coming around blind corners by seeing their headlight beams.
Mulholland Drive back in the good old days. That sure sounds like a blast. I'm still trying to figure out how to network through RUclips so that we can offer tuning suggestions. I'm still kind of new to this, but stay tuned for future air-cooled Yamaha videos. I will try to figure out how to put up a link to contact directly.
I owned two 77s both were built wheelies were expected at 8ki many happy miles, then came the h2750 kawi... The bikes i wished i never sold... Thanks for sharing ! Wing ding ding.
The early aircooled RD'S were the best bikes ever made.Had a 1976 250 and a 350.Both had up swept j&r expansions.The 350 was tune by a old boy who raced ariel two strokes.
yeah the good old day's RD 400's and 350 's 380 Suzuki kaw 350.s and 500 's 750 's suzuk 250's 500's 750 water buffalo but that was the seventies great time to live in and growing up with these bike's , and ride them .
Yes, all those bikes were super fun to own and ride. I didn't realize how many other people enjoyed them in their youth as well until I started posting this type of content. I'll be sure to feature more machines like these in the future.
@@CrustyCycle9317 please do maybe it will give some insight to the younger generations of what a wild ride we had in those day's , ps i still have my 73 z1 900
Spent the morning de-mothballing the only bike I haven't ridden this winter (currently 25 degrees real feel). I bought this '79 Daytona back in '03 and as a stocker - it ain't the hooligan yours is...anyhow, I took the boot off the caliper piston, cleaned it up and now my brakes don't drag. Spit and shine and pumped up the Bridgestones. My bought new RZ350 can hang with you guys though....With just the DGs and battery box/dynojet kit the only mods.
Very cool that you de-mothballed. If you have a lot of bikes, sometimes, for me anyway, I have to force myself to drag them out to ride them. Days are about to get warmer, though, and they just need ridden. Happy motoring...
The original speedometer has finally self-destructed. I spent the morning swapping out a parts bike 76 RD's set. Goofy with the green background but I can send the original speedo out now without doing even more damage to it. Needle broke off, screws almost backed out completely backing plate wobbling.@@CrustyCycle9317
Excellent assortment of RDs. I had an orange 75 RD 350 that was light and liked to stand up on its rear wheel. Then an early 79 went down to Long Beach Yamaha and bought a Daytona. Uni-pods, Spec ll pipes and a Dynastar electronic ignition. It could “pop” and run backwards when I lowered the rpm’s and wanted to win a bet that it had “reverse”. Loved that bike.
@@CrustyCycle9317 I found it out by accident one day. I had started it up in the morning and it was cold and RPMs were low. Went to leave, put it in gear and it went backward. Scared the tar out of me. I later figured out how to do it when I wanted to bet on beer money.
Nice. I had the 75 RD250. Also had red RD400 stock put the front end, engine, swing arm, mags everything on the 250 so it looked like a 250 but just tricked out with mags and swing arm. Had the DG pipes that were originally on the 250, jetted out with k&n air filters and that thing was super fast. Used to go on the Saturday night ride in Miami and race 750 Hondas and beat them all the way to the end of the quarter mile and they would come back and say there's no way that's a 250 but it was in the night so they couldn't really see up close everything but the engines almost look identical and I had the greatest time on that bike
Very nice restorations I came across a 75 RD 350 that i restored modestely might consider resto like you have done but for now just riding and enjoying
Love this bike and your passion for detail. Had a bike racing frenzied who put a TZ350 engine into and RD400;back in the early 80s. The bike was gutless at low revs and difficult to pull away on the road…but it went crazy when it hit the power band …not really suitable for the road …. Your bike looks beautiful and very useable.
Thanks for commenting 👍 That TZ powered machine sounds crazy. And yes, the RDs have plenty of snap on top, but a very friendly power delivery. The front end gets light, even banging into 4th gear.
had a 77 RD400 in blue. Loved that bike. I then bought a similar RD400 in about 1982 which I modified, extensively, and raced quite succesfully in local series. ported and fitted with hand rolled expansion pipes.
This is one of my favorite bikes of all time. Where can I buy one like this so sick? Those wheelies while you’re still going fast very impressive. Really nice skills. Hope to have one bike like this one day.
Thank you for watching and liking the video. We had a lot of fun riding the bikes like that. To buy one, ask around in RD400 groups on social media. In the States, check "Bring a Trailer", Auto Trader etc. Good luck
They're amazing bikes I love them. But I'm afraid to say you'll never get your money out of them since you spent that much on them. It would be very hard to find a collector that would be willing to pay what you would need to get your return on it. Fantastic machines though love them.
My -1976-RD-400 Is Bone Stock, I struggle if I should do engine and exhaust mods, suspension mods? I feel it de values the bike. . I enjoy mine for what it is, if I want to go fast, I ride the 2023-ZX-10-RR😂 But I can appreciate your efforts to go faster!! I had mine to 95- mph the other day, that’s plenty fast for a 1976 motorcycle. The 1969-H1-500 Mach-3 is arriving next month, can’t wait to see how it runs!!!
Congratulations on the H1. Regarding the RD400, I agree they're worth less modded. However, just a set of pipes and jetting makes them so much more fun to ride. Put the stock pipes back on if you sell?
Great video Crusty. Thanks for sharing. Very interesting how you had him list parts, labor and prices. It's a telling way to more accurately describe what actually goes into machines like these. Fantastic examples in each bike, factory and aftermarket. If you read this, get ahold of me. I have a few questions.
Thank you, I'll reach out to Charlie regarding more information. On Facebook, maybe join the Vintage Motorcycle Enthusiasts group. Charlie posts to that group often. That might be a better platform to reach out.
7:23 I had to rewind when you said 77. I was like no that's a 75 350, on second thought though the graphic is wrong. The red just looks orange on my phone. It looks much reder in my shed. Never had an orange 75 but I've known a few... Still got a 73 really miss my 74 350. Still got a 76 greeny and an 81 lc in white. Love them Yamaha rd's!!!
I'm not sure the colors are correct on the 350, I'll ask Charlie. That's his collection of RD's. I sold him the Daytona as a barn find along with the other barn find that was featured. He's got a greeny now , and I need to get back over and feature. We love the Yamahas too, glad you still have yours. I'll try to make more content like that. Thanks for commenting!
I'll have to get back to you on that, as I featured the bike but don't actually own it. However, I did sell the bike to the current owner. There was a pair of bikes, one of which is in the video, and both bikes were mostly complete. I know that he had the source one instrument.
@@CrustyCycle9317 cheers for that, I'm not having a dig - the bike looks great, they just look like it (not owned RD 400) and I've not seen one mixed like this one
How do I recognize an amateur motorcyclist, because the blinker is always on. In the courthouse: "I had no idea that the car would suddenly turn right in front of me at the intersection of four roads"
Beautiful bikes, I see you use the same YSS shocks on all of them. Can you give me the reference number, as the one I have seen from them for the 400 are not so adjustable and cheaper.
YSS does not specifically make a shock for a RD 400. What was used is a shock for a 1977-78 xs 360 chosen as the closest shock on design, dimension, and in wheight. (200.1.08) RE302-320T-30-88 - standard YSS application
@@CrustyCycle9317at the time in england you couldnt ride a 250 till 17 then when you passed the test you could then they changed the law to make it more difficult cause alot of kids were winding up dead on rd's and gt250 kh250. anyway there you go im still here itching to get on an rd400 or a 350ypvs
@@yogiguitar1 That's very interesting about the size restrictions. I think it used to be that way here.But now you can be eighteen and just go right out and buy a hyabusa. Bucket. List item, someday I'm gonna get over there and hang out on the Isle of Man and watch the TT. In the meantime I'll keep trying to make cool two stroke content.
@@CrustyCycle9317i live in france now and you can have a 50 pass a test after 2 yrs get a 125 or pass a test and get a 500 with a 47 horse limit and after another 2yrs and then after 2yrs more go get a big bike with a big motor. its crap ! its not freedom but i suppose it keeps kids from turning into minced meat. my youngest son passed his full big bike license but then went out and got an old porsche 944(like i had when he was a kid) which im alot happier about! ill have to hide my 2 stroke hooligan side from my boys couse i cant have them doing the crap i do ! ha ha!
Remember at a field party my friend took me out on the back without a helmet to let er rip. Can laugh about it now but not smart. Later that night a small riot broke out after the cops showed up. Cops roughed some kids up but we didn’t complain that what you get when the shit goes down.
Os ingleses teem fama de ser almofadinhas. Só que não. Os ingleses são muito loucos e sabem se divertir,principalmente os mais velhos. Mudei a opinião sobre eles . Brasil MS . Parabéns pelas motos. Tive 2 RD350 AQUI NO BRASIL.
@@CrustyCycle9317 nope.constantly need retuning.solution was in 1980s,a martek breakerless.by 1990 all rds were traded off for 4stk.superbikes by my dumb ass.have no idea on that aftermarket ign.hop up now.probably pricey
That was RD heaven, keep up the good work in resurrecting these iconic machines.
Yep, we'll keep resurrecting them and riding them. Hope to have more content regarding air-cooled Yamaha's coming soon. Thanks for commenting.
So nice to see them Ridden properly!
Gotta ring em out!
So good to see mad-men on 2 stroke's! 👌 Love from Great Britain.👍🇬🇧
We've got more machines we're gonna take out and beat on, as soon as time and weather conditions permit. Thanks for reaching out
from across the pond.
The moment you started the RD400,.. I could smell it ❤️
I love it! You can buy candles like that now.
@@CrustyCycle9317 I first have to finish my ‘Gwyneth Paltrow” candles….
@Jhoekstra That's hilarious 😂
@@Jhoekstra Yes, I have those. They smell like they've been dipped in something?
@waynesimpson2074 lol
One of my all time favorite bikes.
Gorgeousness
Agreed 100%, Thanks for commenting 👍
@@CrustyCycle9317 Totally. I'd love an RZ350 with 500 jugs thrown in it.
A hard find for sure. I had a line on one but the guy just vanished.
@@Cyborgmarsupial Dang it they're getting more elusive all the time.
@@CrustyCycle9317 no doubt! I know it too! Drop word my way if you will kindly,
as I've an idea and am in need of an
RZ or RD. Running, straight frame n forks.
Cheers! Rubber side Down!
@Cyborgmarsupial I'm not sure how to securely correspond from this platform.
Had a 77 RD 400 in immaculate shape like those. Had it tuned by a well renowned Yamaha RD tuner.
Tuned it for the stock chrome pipes with baffles cut. Total Sleeper. But sounded so amazing.
They have several pulls in the powerband. But the one that hits at about 8000 rpm is the eye opener ! 😮😅
I love the sleeper idea, excellent!
Had a red 77 and to this day. It was still the funnest bike I’ve ever had. I will always remember those times with my friends and the Yamaha.
Great bikes and great times, the memories are just the best.
That was my first. MANY since then.
Just got a "basket case" bike. Guy I got it
from, stripped it down to paint the frame,
and then, sold it. Blue 77.
@steveskouson9620 Nice, congratulations!
I was kind of in shock when I saw you were riding in my neck of the woods, less than a mile from my home. I had a 77, 78 and kept the 79 Daytona. Unfortunately I left it in Canada when I came to Seattle in 1998 but it's still there in storage with about 7000 kilometers on it. Finally nice to see guys that know how to ride these. If the front wheel isn't in the air, you aren't trying. You brought tears to my eyes. I am a subscriber for life. Now if you see a Old black Honda Pilot trying to pull you over, don't worry it's me wanting to have a look.
We'll keep an eye out for that Pilot! Wish you had your Daytona, we're in the Vintage Motorcycle Enthusiasts group locally and hold an all 2-Stroke ride in August (in your area). If you're interested, check us out. Thanks for commenting and subscribing!
I had a '77 in '82 quarter fairing drop bars 😂😂 I loved that bike..I think I paid $600 for it. I abandoned it for an '80 cb 750
Wish I had kept the rd400 I sold it to a guy him and his dad were doing a tear down resto.. cause they later went to the rd 350 style 🍻
amazing collection of RD's - thanks for sharing ...just love the sounds of 2 strokes !!
Thanks for watching our video and commenting. We sure enjoyed riding the bikes, too. Pure music to the ears.
This is absolutely the best bike i've ever ride. Thx for the great job ! ✌️
You're welcome. I'll try to upload similar content again.
i can remember these bikes i rode a rd350lc many moons ago .i will never forget that amazing motorcycles
These are the hot rod bikes we grew up on, so light and pipey. They bring back great memories for a lot of people. Thank you for your subscription . 🙂
Brings back memories. I owned the last RD400 model made. It was ported and very fast ... would wheelstand mid-corner.
Sounds like it was lightning quick!
Back in 82 when I was 18 I had a 79 Daytona Special, it was a beautiful bike. My buddy and ( he had an LC 350 ) I used the country roads where I lived like it was our personal racetrack. When I hear the bike fire it's an immediate flashback. I literally still dream about that bike. I was real joy to see all these 2 strokes, thanks for making me smile :)
Great memories, I'm glad you enjoyed the video 📹
@@CrustyCycle9317 ....and I'm still friends with and hang out with that same buddy.
@Johnnywhamo very nice to have old friends.
I had a number of Yamaha's, my favourite was a standard yds7 when I was 17, it had a massive power band, and did 110mph on the speedometer, which I tested not believing it was true at first, much better than two 250RD's I had later, had a couple of 400RD's as well, lovely bikes.
We're lucky to have enjoyed these bikes in our youth. I think all of them were very good.
I’m a old Yamaha 2stroke fan from back in the mid 60s having purchased a modified a YDS1 as my first 2 stroke. It was used as a drag bike and had TD1 chambers and ign. system. I’ve raced RD350s, RD400s, RD350lc and RD500 all with WERA back in the late 70s-80s. I spent a lot of time making my 76 RD400 competitive and still have it. I bought it used with some very mild porting and initially pretty much left it stock. The best setup was a carefully built crank- I never had any problems with them as long as you didn’t try to pull much over 9,000 rpms, stock Yamaha cast pistons, and Erv Kanemoto’s beautifully built pipes. Because I was racing it in WERA’s super bike classes, nothing was outside of the rules. I changed the brakes to Brembo calipers, wheels to Campagnolo Electron mags, ign to Femsa, front forks to TZ350 36mm units, 34mm mikunis, cut every unnecessary bracket off, braced the frame, DG aluminum swing arm. There’s probably more but can’t remember anymore.
The final modification was a Fahron watercooled top end and a complete TZ350 dry clutch and cr trans. By then the new RZ350 were coming out and I decided to concentrate on a real job.
Anyone interested in the bike can contact me @ abarth1202@icloud.com.
Wow, that is an extremely modified RD 400. I'll put the feelers out in the local community here in the northwest You may also want to throw that out there on some of the social media groups on Facebook, for instance, they have a lot of air, cool Yamaha groups. What are you looking to get for that machine?
I remember riding a modded Daytona back in the day. A wonderful wheelie beast. I had the 250 variant in the same colours. I certainly taught some bigger bikes some lessons
Very cool. Total sleeper bikes. Thanks for commenting 👍
Man AWESOME video !! That takes me back I got a 79 Daytona and a 77 RD400 there not as near as nice as those and there not running right now but I hope to one day get them back on the road .
Heck yes, hang on to those
Hi really enjoyed this content good stuff, loved all the RDs, but those one are super heroes. 👌 🇬🇧.
I'm really glad you liked our video. I'm gonna have to make some more cause, It was a blast riding those bikes. Thanks for commenting from across the pond.
Loving the snap out of the pipes. Pulls all the way through and keeps going. Thanks for posting these great machines.
Yes, the Daytona Special just keeps pulling while the orange bike signs off abruptly at like 8500 rpm. Overall, the orange bike was a wee bit quicker, though. Thanks for commenting!
Brings back a lot of memories, thanks. I had a '75 RD 250, bought new when I was 16 cause of Kenny Roberts and a Cycle World article. Great bike, white w/ orange stripes, Chrome fenders, w/ disk brakes.
Good times on excellent bikes.
That is a stunning collection ❤
Wes Cooley, AMA Nat'l #34, thanks, Champ!
@@CrustyCycle9317 your welcome m8 i also had a rd250e and rd400e the 400 was a production racer a very quick .theres a few rd400s and a couple of daytonas on the isle of man where i live 😁
@wescooley34 Very cool. Interesting, you're in the UK now. You probably don't recall, but we partied with a few friends in Tacoma, one evening after some type of motorcycle event. You lived in Bend at the time.
Anyway, love those RD400's!
I had a '77 rd 400 in '82 loved that bike
As an 18 yr old my heart skipped a beat lookn at it 😂😂
Someone stole my battery cover i paid $50 for a new one btw i made $3.75/hr
Lots of memories and different experiences with these machines.
Beautiful sounds, takes me back to the 80s absolutely stunning, keep up the good work, Chris UK..
Thanks for commenting from across the pond, I'll try to upload more content like this as much as possible.
RD400 my favorite air cooled stroker, lucky guy😊
Yeah, pretty much too stroke heaven I suppose.
I loved my RD 400 until i test rode a new RZ350.I quickly sold the RD and bought the RZ.So much more bike but the RD350 and 400 still have their charms.
I featured these machines, but I'm more of an RZ guy also, I have two. However, after riding these bikes for a day and seeing the comments from people from around the world, I have a new appreciation of how good the air-cooled Yamahas really are.
What a great collection of RDs and they all run! Wow! I have four that don't run or in parts. Must get off my ass before I die. They are too much fun to let them sit.
Thank you! And get going on those projects. They're not going to fix themselves! I had forgotten how fun they are to ride...
Hoo-wee!!! I never get tired of hearing the growl and howl of tuned two stroke Yamaha twins.😅
Trying to pick a favorite from this group, but I can't. I like all of them. It is quite a collection.
The hybrid RD250 and the custom painted, red/white RD400 are the top 2 for me.
Great restorations!
I had a '74 RD350 from '78-83. Later, I bought a new RZ350. Still have it today. Mostly stock, with chambers, carbs modded, and mild porting.
Just getting her going for Spring this week.
Thanks for sharing. Ride safe.
Thanks for commenting 👍
Yeah, those are all magnificent magnificent machines. Charlie's got another one over there that I need to look at, a green one. Hopefully, I can feature it also. Happy motoring on your RZ.
@@CrustyCycle9317 All the miles are farfegnugen!
😉
@Scott-ph2yk yeah they are 😃
@@CrustyCycle9317Rewatching this again. I can't get enough of it! I spot new details on the bikes. The sounds of well tuned smokers. What a great collection.
Thanks for sharing.
Hooligan Mode!😊
Fantastic video! Nice to have the details on the builds and certainly lots of talent there being able to get those bikes into that condition and of course, great riding skills by both Charlie & Ward!
Thanks Tim 😊
Great sounds, brings back some fantastic memories
I completely agree. The sound and the power curve are exhilarating!
You gotta love the old two smokes you get so many smiles per gallon
Yep, lots of smiles but not miles. A bargain at twice the price!
Hey my friend,back in the early 80s, a good friend owned a 1980 Yamaha Daytona Special( last year in Canada) bored and re-sleeved to 0.60 overbore, wiseco pistons, port&polish,carbs jetted up 2 sizes, DG pipes, Bike would top-out at 100mph, but could pop wheelies in 5 gears! Dam quick bike!!!
That one sounds like a snappy little devil. Hopefully that machine is still around somewhere.
Cool video- So glad people still luvin these bikes
Thanks, yeah we're luvin
Them, building them and riding them up here in the rainy Pacific Northwest.
Ah that sweet sweet 2 stroke sound. Oh man, the memories that brings back. I had a 400 that we used a custom head design that was made of a aluminum with larger surface area to disperse heat and it was ported and polished. I rode it and loved it. A friend talked me into selling it, which killed him 6 months later, I got it back wrecked. Rebuilt it, rode it again and another friend wanted it so bad he paid ridiculous money to buy it. He was killed on it 3 months later. I got it back again, rebuilt it and of course someone wanted to buy it. Sold it, mind you I made a mint off selling it 3 times. He wrecked it 8 months later and was badly injured but survived. I figured fukk it 3 strikes its out. I rebuilt it and never sold it for almost 10 years. When I did sell it I warned the new owner of its history and to not get complacent in thinking you are good with it cause its simply a beast unleashed. Last time I saw it cause I moved to Orlando from WPB. Totally love love love these bikes, 350 or 400 heck even the 250 can rip. Thanks for the mammaries............. 🤣😂🤣
Great story. Yeah, it sounds like a ghost bike. I've seen that before with a CBR600F2 production racer. A guy was killed on it, then it would spit off anyone who tried to race it. I crashed it twice in one day.
Thanks for reaching out.
@@CrustyCycle9317 It simply illustrates that no matter how good you THINK you are, you lose focus for a mere moment and it'll throw you like a bucking bronco. I never let that happen and yea it would wheelie like a demon on fire and OMG the burnout holeshots ...... I sure did love that damn thing.
@anonimous2451 Find another one and show it who's boss!
@@CrustyCycle9317 Love the idea but in my sixties the body takes far longer to heal that it used to. I have had many stitches, cast's and bumps and bruises in my youth but I simply fukkin LOVED IT. It's just that these bikes have gawdamnned ridiculous prices now and while I would relish the idea, I can buy a more modern better handling better accelerating bikes for what these folks want for 40 year old maintenance headaches. Trust me I never forgot that part of it either.
My '76 is pretty much brand new but, still having trouble getting it tuned. One regret I have is I put on 28 Tm flat slides and I feel like I should have gone with 32's. I'm up to 270 mains and still running lean so I think my left crank seal is worn. I have replaced right side seal and going to install a vape ignition so I'll do the left side then. In my H.S. days my friends and I sort of terrorized Mulholland Dr. in the Hollywood hills riding in a pack of RD's all night long. We liked riding at night because of less traffic as well as being able to tell when cars coming around blind corners by seeing their headlight beams.
Mulholland Drive back in the good old days. That sure sounds like a blast. I'm still trying to figure out how to network through RUclips so that we can offer tuning suggestions. I'm still kind of new to this, but stay tuned for future air-cooled Yamaha videos. I will try to figure out how to put up a link to contact directly.
Those bikes rip! Thanks for the specs too…
Thank you, Rebecca!
I owned two 77s both were built wheelies were expected at 8ki many happy miles, then came the h2750 kawi... The bikes i wished i never sold... Thanks for sharing ! Wing ding ding.
Yeah, why did we sell any of those, dang it!
Great to see owners that know how to tune and ride RDs!
Right on, thanks!
The early aircooled RD'S were the best bikes ever made.Had a 1976 250 and a 350.Both had up swept j&r expansions.The 350 was tune by a old boy who raced ariel two strokes.
Ariel Leader? You don't hear much about them.
yeah the good old day's RD 400's and 350 's 380 Suzuki kaw 350.s and 500 's 750 's suzuk 250's 500's 750 water buffalo but that was the seventies great time to live in and growing up with these bike's , and ride them .
Yes, all those bikes were super fun to own and ride. I didn't realize how many other people enjoyed them in their youth as well until I started posting this type of content. I'll be sure to feature more machines like these in the future.
@@CrustyCycle9317 please do maybe it will give some insight to the younger generations of what a wild ride we had in those day's , ps i still have my 73 z1 900
@Jake-ty4bs Agreed on that younger generation. I still got my 79 CBX.
@@CrustyCycle9317 keep it and some day maybe a grand child will love it too
@Jake-ty4bs Yup but first I need somebody to bring me some grand babies.
Spent the morning de-mothballing the only bike I haven't ridden this winter (currently 25 degrees real feel). I bought this '79 Daytona back in '03 and as a stocker - it ain't the hooligan yours is...anyhow, I took the boot off the caliper piston, cleaned it up and now my brakes don't drag. Spit and shine and pumped up the Bridgestones. My bought new RZ350 can hang with you guys though....With just the DGs and battery box/dynojet kit the only mods.
Very cool that you de-mothballed. If you have a lot of bikes, sometimes, for me anyway, I have to force myself to drag them out to ride them. Days are about to get warmer, though, and they just need ridden. Happy motoring...
The original speedometer has finally self-destructed. I spent the morning swapping out a parts bike 76 RD's set. Goofy with the green background but I can send the original speedo out now without doing even more damage to it. Needle broke off, screws almost backed out completely backing plate wobbling.@@CrustyCycle9317
Excellent assortment of RDs. I had an orange 75 RD 350 that was light and liked to stand up on its rear wheel. Then an early 79 went down to Long Beach Yamaha and bought a Daytona. Uni-pods, Spec ll pipes and a Dynastar electronic ignition. It could “pop” and run backwards when I lowered the rpm’s and wanted to win a bet that it had “reverse”. Loved that bike.
That's good stuff. I've never heard of one running backwards.
@@CrustyCycle9317 I found it out by accident one day. I had started it up in the morning and it was cold and RPMs were low. Went to leave, put it in gear and it went backward. Scared the tar out of me. I later figured out how to do it when I wanted to bet on beer money.
@LivinglovingGod1st That's wild. I probably would have had to buy you a beer too.
Great to see so many of these still around and running strong.
Yep, they're still around and ripping.
This is a wonderful video that shows all the RD400s from the past and present. The racing scenes are also exciting.
Thanks for commenting. We need to get back out there and ride those machines again...
Nice. I had the 75 RD250. Also had red RD400 stock put the front end, engine, swing arm, mags everything on the 250 so it looked like a 250 but just tricked out with mags and swing arm. Had the DG pipes that were originally on the 250, jetted out with k&n air filters and that thing was super fast. Used to go on the Saturday night ride in Miami and race 750 Hondas and beat them all the way to the end of the quarter mile and they would come back and say there's no way that's a 250 but it was in the night so they couldn't really see up close everything but the engines almost look identical and I had the greatest time on that bike
That sounds like epic times with a killer "cheetah" machine, I'm visualizing it. Warm summer nights, late 70s early 80s, downtown Miami, what a scene!
@@CrustyCycle9317 yeah man it was awesome I was only like 17 years old and that thing was a rocket ship
@@healthylivingforyou3104 Very cool, it was probably raining here.
Damn that makes me miss my high school days. I had a Daytona special and kick myself all the time for letting it go
Those were the good old days.
Very nice restorations I came across a 75 RD 350 that i restored modestely might consider resto like you have done but for now just riding and enjoying
Thanks for commenting. Keep enjoying your 350, and have fun if you decide to mod it a little 😀
Love this bike and your passion for detail. Had a bike racing frenzied who put a TZ350 engine into and RD400;back in the early 80s. The bike was gutless at low revs and difficult to pull away on the road…but it went crazy when it hit the power band …not really suitable for the road …. Your bike looks beautiful and very useable.
Thanks for commenting 👍
That TZ powered machine sounds crazy. And yes, the RDs have plenty of snap on top, but a very friendly power delivery. The front end gets light, even banging into 4th gear.
Love it, keep em coming.
Thank you, and I'm tryin!
I was fortunate enough to own 1 like the Red 1 behind you, very clever man to have those bikes . Well done
Yes, he is clever to own those. I kind of wish I hadn't sold him the ones I did.
@@CrustyCycle9317 I'm in Australia 🇦🇺
@CrustyCycle9317 also I had a very early R5 yammy as well but that's near on 50yrs
@wayno-ms1gm Thanks for commenting from halfway around the globe 🌎 I'd love to travel there someday.
had a 77 RD400 in blue. Loved that bike. I then bought a similar RD400 in about 1982 which I modified, extensively, and raced quite succesfully in local series. ported and fitted with hand rolled expansion pipes.
Very cool. RD400'S are a blast to ride.
I just today, bought a 400D model. It is all there, but needs some serious work.
(Wish I had kept my 400F!)
steve
Congratulations on your purchase. I'm sure it will be worth the work. They are so much fun to ride!
Ward
I can smell the two stroke… subscribed from England. Beautiful Bikes.
Thank you, and thanks for commenting 👍
400cc's of friendly fire from across the pond.
Good seeing my hooligan buddies Ward and Charlie rippin it up on smokers!
We had a really good time. Those little buggers are a hoot!
This is one of my favorite bikes of all time. Where can I buy one like this so sick? Those wheelies while you’re still going fast very impressive. Really nice skills. Hope to have one bike like this one day.
Thank you for watching and liking the video. We had a lot of fun riding the bikes like that. To buy one, ask around in RD400 groups on social media. In the States, check "Bring a Trailer", Auto Trader etc.
Good luck
New sub...lol. I had a Daytona Special, the same color. Sold it in Fla. Smiled all the way through this video.😊
Thanks Kevin I'm glad you enjoyed it, and thanks for subscribing. Please bear with me on my mixed content, I do all kinds of motorcycle stuff.
They're amazing bikes I love them. But I'm afraid to say you'll never get your money out of them since you spent that much on them. It would be very hard to find a collector that would be willing to pay what you would need to get your return on it. Fantastic machines though love them.
You're right about the cost, and Charles knows that. He builds those bikes as a hobby, and for other people. That's why I run unrestored survivors.
I have a rx135 bought it in my teenage days now going for either a rd350 or 400 true classics❤
All great bikes. Get the 400 if you can?
My -1976-RD-400
Is Bone Stock, I struggle if I should do engine and exhaust mods, suspension mods? I feel it de values the bike. . I enjoy mine for what it is, if I want to go fast, I ride the 2023-ZX-10-RR😂 But I can appreciate your efforts to go faster!! I had mine to 95- mph the other day, that’s plenty fast for a 1976 motorcycle. The 1969-H1-500 Mach-3 is arriving next month, can’t wait to see how it runs!!!
Congratulations on the H1. Regarding the RD400, I agree they're worth less modded. However, just a set of pipes and jetting makes them so much more fun to ride. Put the stock pipes back on if you sell?
My mate had clip-on bars on his 400 it was great to ride fast.
Like me some clips ons too!
Good job bro on the 2stroke...I ever ride Yamaha Lc 350 and Rd 350 too..❤❤❤❤ your video...
Thank you!
Great video Crusty. Thanks for sharing. Very interesting how you had him list parts, labor and prices. It's a telling way to more accurately describe what actually goes into machines like these. Fantastic examples in each bike, factory and aftermarket.
If you read this, get ahold of me. I have a few questions.
Thank you, I'll reach out to Charlie regarding more information. On Facebook, maybe join the Vintage Motorcycle Enthusiasts group. Charlie posts to that group often. That might be a better platform to reach out.
7:23 I had to rewind when you said 77. I was like no that's a 75 350, on second thought though the graphic is wrong. The red just looks orange on my phone. It looks much reder in my shed. Never had an orange 75 but I've known a few... Still got a 73 really miss my 74 350. Still got a 76 greeny and an 81 lc in white. Love them Yamaha rd's!!!
I'm not sure the colors are correct on the 350, I'll ask Charlie. That's his collection of RD's. I sold him the Daytona as a barn find along with the other barn find that was featured. He's got a greeny now , and I need to get back over and feature. We love the Yamahas too, glad you still have yours. I'll try to make more content like that. Thanks for commenting!
Damn, I had to double check to see if today was Wednesday. Wheelie Wednesday, that is.
Lol, nice. We're riding those again on Saturday. An all 2 stroke street bike ride up here in Washington. Hopefully I can put out another decent video.
super cool bikes. check into dunlop k81 rear tires, they were designed especially for the rd!
Thanks for commenting. Those bikes really are a blast. I know the Dunlops are excellent, I have a set on an old Triumph.
What a collection! I’m looking for a set of dg heads for a Ds7 any ideas? Great video and content. I’m a big vintage 2t guy. Thanks, Mike
Thanks for commenting, Mike. We love our 2 strokes too! No luck on the DG heads though.
Fantastic video!
Thank you very much.I'll try to upload similar content when I can. We have all kinds of two stroke projects in the works. Thank you for commenting.
How much horsepower and torque...my friend?
We've never had them on a dyno. I'll guess 65-70 hp @ 9200 RPM and 45-50 lb/ft torque? Trying to keep it real...
how many parts are from the LC? (tank, front mudguard, clocks, seat?)
I'll have to get back to you on that, as I featured the bike but don't actually own it. However, I did sell the bike to the current owner. There was a pair of bikes, one of which is in the video, and both bikes were mostly complete. I know that he had the source one instrument.
@@CrustyCycle9317
cheers for that, I'm not having a dig - the bike looks great, they just look like it (not owned RD 400) and I've not seen one mixed like this one
@evanjohn503 I hadn't noticed the similarities until I Uploaded this content and it was brought to my attention.
Very similar to a 350 LC.
How do I recognize an amateur motorcyclist, because the blinker is always on. In the courthouse: "I had no idea that the car would suddenly turn right in front of me at the intersection of four roads"
Advice from a veteran: after crossing, always check the instrument panel + indicator lights.
Good stuff. Thanks for commenting 👍
17:17 to 17:27…as good as it gets-heaven!
Have sales brochures on all the Australian market 400 models.
One C model had J&R chambers fitted to it.
That must be very rare litature. It's cool that Yamaha offered performance suggestions in their brochure.
@@CrustyCycle9317 sorry, should have stated that the chambers were suggested as an after-market choice by a Yamaha Dealer.
@alanriley9754 That's a good choice 👌
@@CrustyCycle9317 Wheel stands no problem one chambers fitted and the carbies re-jetted ...
@alanriley9754 excellent
Where can one buy one of these?
Check face book air cooled RD group, maybe bring a trailer, Cycle Trader?
Awesome video thank you
Glad you enjoyed the video 📹 Thanks for commenting. I'll try to keep more cool 2-Stroke stuff coming.
Parabéns pelas máquinas lindíssimas.
Like👍e ganhou um inscrito 🏍
Two stroke forever 👏👏👏👏👏
Thank you. I will try to keep more content like this coming soon. But mixed in with any other motorcycle stuff that I enjoy or participate in.
The Rd 400 was so easy to bring up on the back wheel
It seemed like those bikes we rode that day were light in the front end, even in third and fourth gear.
There's an all too stroke ride this saturday, and a lot of those same bikes will be there. Plus RZs and H2s. I'll try to make another video.
@@CrustyCycle9317 have you road the 500 yam
@tonieveritt7045 No, never have.
Is this bike has one of those restriction/restrictors(i forgot how do you called it)
I'm not sure?
@@CrustyCycle9317 alright, thanks.
@srrrb5953 I've just never heard of any type of restrictors.
@@CrustyCycle9317 I see.
because I heard yamaha had to put restrictors bc they had to comply emmissions and stuff
@srrrb5953 The US model RZ350's had catalytic converters.
Side by side drag racing, wet pavement on two strokes. I’d probably hang out with these guys.
That's good stuff right there.
Beautiful bikes, I see you use the same YSS shocks on all of them. Can you give me the reference number, as the one I have seen from them for the 400 are not so adjustable and cheaper.
I'll get back with you on that soon, thanks for commenting.
YSS does not specifically make a shock for a RD 400. What was used is a shock for a 1977-78 xs 360 chosen as the closest shock on design, dimension, and in wheight.
(200.1.08) RE302-320T-30-88 - standard YSS application
wow thats sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeet! i was 16 in '79 and i wanted one/ never got round to it though but i tink im gonna get one at some ooint
Yeah, get yourself one. They're every bit as fun as they look.
@@CrustyCycle9317at the time in england you couldnt ride a 250 till 17 then when you passed the test you could then they changed the law to make it more difficult cause alot of kids were winding up dead on rd's and gt250 kh250. anyway there you go im still here itching to get on an rd400 or a 350ypvs
@@CrustyCycle9317i had a go on the 250 which was pretty cool . maybe bout 1980
@@yogiguitar1 That's very interesting about the size restrictions. I think it used to be that way here.But now you can be eighteen and just go right out and buy a hyabusa. Bucket.
List item, someday I'm gonna get over there and hang out on the Isle of Man and watch the TT. In the meantime I'll keep trying to make cool two stroke content.
@@CrustyCycle9317i live in france now and you can have a 50 pass a test after 2 yrs get a 125 or pass a test and get a 500 with a 47 horse limit and after another 2yrs and then after 2yrs more go get a big bike with a big motor. its crap ! its not freedom but i suppose it keeps kids from turning into minced meat. my youngest son passed his full big bike license but then went out and got an old porsche 944(like i had when he was a kid) which im alot happier about! ill have to hide my 2 stroke hooligan side from my boys couse i cant have them doing the crap i do ! ha ha!
Remember at a field party my friend took me out on the back without a helmet to let er rip. Can laugh about it now but not smart. Later that night a small riot broke out after the cops showed up. Cops roughed some kids up but we didn’t complain that what you get when the shit goes down.
Those were good times. We survived though, somehow...
Back in the 80s me and a friend did 110 Mi an hour on one of those
How did we even survive stunts like that?
Fire in the hole💥
Sweet
Redline at 7 thousand? My UK spec RD400 redlined at 8500.
We didn't have the correct tachometer. So for now, one was fitted from like an XS400 or similar. Good eye!
@@CrustyCycle9317 Cheers for the info.
@gunnyhartman2 Thanks for commenting 👍
Os ingleses teem fama de ser almofadinhas.
Só que não.
Os ingleses são muito loucos e sabem se divertir,principalmente os mais velhos.
Mudei a opinião sobre eles .
Brasil MS .
Parabéns pelas motos.
Tive 2 RD350 AQUI NO BRASIL.
I'm trying to figure out the translation, but thank you for reaching out from Brazil.
If you put Lectrons carbs on that it would FLY.
Lectrons are excellent 👍
@@CrustyCycle9317 we raced 750 triples those carbs were so easy to set up.
I miss my Suzuki X-6 Hustler…
The little Suzuki that could...
Now that’s how u restore a bike!
Charlie does really nice work. He's three more on the bench right now.
1979 wasnt the last year the aircooled rd was made 1980/1981
Noted, Thanks.
Your right but they were the last to be sold in the US.
in iran called "tiger yamah"
Nice, that's interesting. Thanks for your comment 👍
very very nice. but the 350LC was better on the road ............ two front discs !!
Admittedly, the fronts could be better on the Daytona Special. But I just want to go!
I survived my one.
You're lucky!
I liked mine until i bought my first NSR250 94 MC28 SP
Yes, the NSR is excellent!
You Don’t do wheelie on the road
Maybe you don't...
Cool old bikes were the best Rd250 350
Thanks, we appreciate that, RD's forever!
Those look like FPP pipe
They do look similar to Factory Pipe Products.
Not a fan of the LC shape, give me the old school RD any day.
I get it, they're not for everyone.
@@CrustyCycle9317 yep, each to their own, it is a very tidy bike though. Probably prefer the old RD’s because I had a 250 and a 400 back in the day.
@MayorofDipshittery-lq7if that makes sense, we tend to gravitate the things we enjoyed in our youth.
🇸🇪RD350LC-83🇸🇪 👋👋❤️
That sound brings back memories
A symphony for the senses
Weakest part of his build is o.e.m ignition points.
I never thought of that 🤔 figured they were electronic ignition.
@@CrustyCycle9317 nope.constantly need retuning.solution was in 1980s,a martek breakerless.by 1990 all rds were traded off for 4stk.superbikes by my dumb ass.have no idea on that aftermarket ign.hop up now.probably pricey
@@CrustyCycle9317 to eradicate point float at high rpm,to redline.good combination to not eat pistons
I appreciate the info. I'll pass it on to the owner of those machines.
BEST DAM DECADE OF MY LIFE! GREAT MUSIC! FOOD! SEXIEST BABES! & THEEEE MOST AWSOME BIKES EVER! LIKE A SWARM OF ANGRY MECHANICAL BEES😊😊
Definitely good times.