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isde97

RD400 restorod project

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Hopefully, this isn't the last post on this.

I bought this in 1983 just after I graduated High School, rode it through college and my first couple of years of Real Life.  It got set aside while I bought other bikes, went racing, got married, etc, always with the idea in the back of my mind of creating the RD400 that someone would build if they could.  I think the last time it ran was in 1996.  Fast forward to now, my son is coming around to a love of motorcycles and 2 strokes, and the fact that 2 stroke streetbikes ever existed and we have one is amazing.

First order of business is to get it to run.   We just popped the carbs off and that revealed that there is some cleaning to do, but I don't think running is too far off.  Fixing the siezed brake calipers should result in a rideable bike.  The ultimate goal is something along the lines of a SuperDuke/Speed Triple/Tuono.ie something that you just look at and want to go romp around on.

You can be a teenager forever.

IMG_2803.JPG

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I’ve had my eye out for an RD400 for awhile. I raced one back in the day in production road race.  The price of them has gone way up in the last few years. Can’t go wrong any way you restore it.

 

CiD

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That is an awesome project for you and your boy. Pretty cool that your son will get to ride the first bike you bought and have kept for all these years. Please keep us updated and pictures are always a good thing too.

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Awesome to work on it with family.  Looking forward to what it turns into .

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Buddy of mine had a Cafe Racer engine in a three wheeler in the 80's; thing ripped!

Always liked the looks of these bikes; good for you for hanging on to it!

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Is it going to be ready for Laguna Seca ? 

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5 hours ago, kkug said:

Is it going to be ready for Laguna Seca ? 

Ummmm........

The short term goal is to have it running for the two stroke extravaganza next month

https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Organization/2-Stroke-Extravaganza-338894736265870/

Rideable by WSB at LS is within the realm of possibility.  Duncan could, in theory, have his permit by then.  Will it be there?????  That could be fun.

We yanked the beyond dead battery and put in a EarthX battery we had designated for a TTR125, and the lights lit up.  That was encouraging.  Stock, the RD has a points ignition and a field controlled generator, so it needs a battery to start.  There is a permanent magnet/CDI ignition available for it that I haven't pulled the trigger on yet, but then it could run without a battery.

I found an aluminum swingarm on eBay, and have been picking up some other bits.  I think I am already in to this more that what I originally spent to buy it.

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noticeable that you had previously installed proper chambers. Curious what brand. Nice machine Matt they are super fun and quick as you know, train the lad /send him to rider school before cutting him loose on that thing.

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I wanted one of these in the 80's sooooooo bad. Still crosses my mind on occasion to look for one. This is going to be cool.

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BTW Matt  buy the latest electronic ignition package for the bike. I remember my KZ1000 came with points back in the day, as soon as Dyna created the system I installed it and never looked back....and that was early 80s tech.

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6 hours ago, robertaccio said:

noticeable that you had previously installed proper chambers. Curious what brand. 

Spec II chambers, although I don't know if I will be able to resist the allure of a set of Jim Lomas pipes.  It also has 30mm Mikuni VM carbs. Conceivably, those could be changed for flat slides.  You see where this is going.

Hopefully, part of the fun of this will be getting it running, and then make improvements that you can actually feel.  Modern streetbikes don't leave a lot of room for that.

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I remember those Toomey Racing mods during my tenure as a parts guy at a large LI NY Kaw/Yam dealer (early to mid eighties time frame)

 We had some crazy twin Yamahas coming out of that shop, both liquid and air cooled models, we always used Toomey products.

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Great project to share with your son. 

Currently Wondering, what is a current version of these bikes from the 60’s/70’s? What does your son lust for. I mean beside the obvious. Playing a mind game, trying to reimagine the choice I would make when budget was a big priority but still wanting to edge onto a real motorcycle. Yamaha and Honda are doing a great job with the MT500 and the CB650.

Hope this is not too much of a distraction from your great project. I look forward to following your progress.i-RDHj8cT-L.jpg

 

i-TWtbqsw-L.png

             👀

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Nice Build going on at ADVrider, if you want to enter the Danger Zone

 

i-Q9WFS3z-L.jpg

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45 minutes ago, Bagstr said:

Currently Wondering, what is a current version of these bikes from the 60’s/70’s? What does your son lust for. I mean beside the obvious. 

   👀

Yamaha SR400?  It’s not a performance machine but has similar styling cues.

 

9F7699EF-D51B-4526-AB1B-6770179978ED.jpeg

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5 hours ago, Bagstr said:

Currently Wondering, what is a current version of these bikes from the 60’s/70’s? What does your son lust for. I mean beside the obvious. 

   👀

Not quite sure what you are asking, I suggested a 390 Duke as a first streetbike, he has given it a test sit and likes it a lot.

I'm not sure there is a good modern analogue for an RD.  In their day, they handled and stopped pretty good when most bikes did not.  They were inexpensive and made power in an 'interesting' and compelling way.  They were giant killers and the hooligan bikes of their time.  Now, pretty much all streetbikes are really good.

 

An idea of what I have in mind:

 

Ohlins RD400.jpg

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4 hours ago, Bagstr said:

Nice Build going on at ADVrider, if you want to enter the Danger Zone

dsc00074-jpg.1642151

Thanks, I missed that first time through.  Only 2 months old and already over 40 pages.  ADVRider is a place you go with a high risk of disappearing and not being heard from in months.

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8 hours ago, isde97 said:

Thanks, I missed that first time through.  Only 2 months old and already over 40 pages.  ADVRider is a place you go with a high risk of disappearing and not being heard from in months.

Its a lot like T Talk...……..always a deep dark cave entrance. It's amazing how many MXGP/MotoGP level back yard home garage mechanics and crew chiefs live on T Talk...…….

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13 hours ago, tntmo said:

Yamaha SR400?  It’s not a performance machine but has similar styling cues.

 

9F7699EF-D51B-4526-AB1B-6770179978ED.jpeg

The retro look is cool and all, but I am not sure how I feel about buying a 2019 model that looks like a 1970 model. To me, it would be acceptable to find a older model year I liked and do a resto-mod, were you put a modern motor with EFI and better brakes and suspension on it. Or just keep it all original.

8 hours ago, isde97 said:

Not quite sure what you are asking, I suggested a 390 Duke as a first streetbike, he has given it a test sit and likes it a lot.

I'm not sure there is a good modern analogue for an RD.  In their day, they handled and stopped pretty good when most bikes did not.  They were inexpensive and made power in an 'interesting' and compelling way.  They were giant killers and the hooligan bikes of their time.  Now, pretty much all streetbikes are really good.

 

An idea of what I have in mind:

 

Ohlins RD400.jpg

I really like the styling ques and paint scheme on this example. That has got some suspension on it. My only critiques would be the exhaust and wheels. The bottle neck down to a tiny little muffler looks out of place. I like the tires and the black out wheels, I just don't know if that wheel design fits the bike well.

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Used to ride with a guy who rode an SR500 stripped down café racer. among the BMW of SD riders who were no slouches led by the pres who was also a slick rider late 80s early -mid 90s.

The guy (who was a A level road racing guy) on the SR500 would smoke everyone in the twisties so if you want you could build a (Cheap) fun canyon carving beast out of one of those Yamaha 4T singles, my FZR1000 was a beast and like a full on SBK but that lightweight sticky tired 500 was a scalpel in the back roads. Back to the 2 stroke thread sorry for the diversion I was referring to the SR400 comment.

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On ‎4‎/‎22‎/‎2019 at 10:45 PM, isde97 said:

Not quite sure what you are asking, I suggested a 390 Duke as a first streetbike, he has given it a test sit and likes it a lot.

I'm not sure there is a good modern analogue for an RD.  In their day, they handled and stopped pretty good when most bikes did not.  They were inexpensive and made power in an 'interesting' and compelling way.  They were giant killers and the hooligan bikes of their time.  Now, pretty much all streetbikes are really good.

 

An idea of what I have in mind:

 

Ohlins RD400.jpg

The weakest link...the chassis. some engineering work on gussets for that thing (maybe its done) but with that suspension wheels, tires,swingarm that chassis will be react like a clock spring.

BTW the exhaust comment above is probably because the lack of 2 stroke road race and 2 stroke road going machines experience. That exhaust system is a state of the art expansion chamber system for a 2 stroke road race engine (less, no muffler outlet tube, Ti and CF that would be on the GP level machines). That's how they are built and designed.

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14 hours ago, robertaccio said:

The weakest link...the chassis. some engineering work on gussets for that thing (maybe its done) but with that suspension wheels, tires,swingarm that chassis will be react like a clock spring.

Well.... for that bike.  In their day, RDs had decent suspension.  By modern standards, it was horrible when new.  I suspect the fork oil has never been changed, or I may have done it, once, a long time ago.  It currently has some Fox emulsion shocks on it, that were better than stock but don't look awesome now.  Thinking back about it, I can see where the big issues were suspension related.  Fixing those will result in a much better bike.

Looking at the swingarm I got, there is a chance that 140 tire that is common on bikes in the current 300cc class will fit.  Yes, modern tires (and wheels) are in the vision.  Stock is tubed 18 inchers in 125cc dirtbike sizes, and I suspect the wheels are really heavy.   There is something to be gained here, I think.

There may be some chassis build up coming, but I am looking for a bike that does OK in the turns, and then you just roll into the throttle and enjoy.

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I think you are on the correct track the KISS method and keep her close to OEM with some mods and modern tech thrown in. Best Idea, value is even enhanced when she is more OEM than less. I just think its brilliant that you still have the RD from new. Also tell me why again you are not riding an off road 2T machine? Hahahaha

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