I can remember riding these monsters in the seventies. Front wheel in the air through 4th gear and going like hell. These things are rockets. When you get one of these up on the pipe you better be ready for it. I want it.
I had a 78 RD400, had every mod you could possibly do to a two stroke done on it. Even with a full cafe setup it would wheelie in the first three gears, had a top speed of 120 mph.
The past has the honesty and innocence connected to it. Great memories , its a great feeling to see All 2 stroke bikes, the yesteryear 4 stroke bikes. In the late 70s early 80s everyone around us had the bikes you show from road to dirt.Thank you for the remembered memories Love and care to Your whole world around you God Bless
I had a '78 and a '79 RD400. That is a truly top class build. The only chop is I never liked the giant "bread loaf" seats on the '76-77 models. Put a 78 seat on it or better yet a quality cafe seat with a fiberglass period rear ducktail and NOW we're talking.
Always loved the RD 350+400.In my opinion 1 of the best overall bikes ever.This thing takes it to another level.Two stroke Nirvana right there!That thing must b a wheelie king!
Yamaha never had a better graphic scheme then the black n yellow w/bars scheme. It's truly sad that the realm of road going two strokes was so short and not fully explored. Not for everyone but certainly they were for SOME! Amazing pipes, shocks everything.
Beautiful 400, Love your channel @ Kaplan 🇺🇸, big fan from 🇨🇦 y first bike was an 82 RD 350 LC IN 86, I was 20 and crashed it and got rid of it for parts. Fast forward 35 years (55 now) and finally got back on the saddle and now ride a 98 Aprilia RS 250 for the country roads. 300 lb. @ 70 hp is sweet. Nothing beats the feeling of 7,000 to 12,000 rpm . Thanks for sharing.
I had an RD200 for a very short time in the late 70's. I had traded my Honda TL125 for it. I then traded the RD200 in on a brand new YZ125E! I remember hauling the mail up & down the street on that 200. I believe it would top out pretty close to 90MPH stock. *Edit* Are those "DG" heads on that 400?
My dream bike, some day I will have one. 1976-77 me and my dad went to the Yamaha shop, he bought me a YZ 80, himself a 175 2-stroke enduro, my mom a 100 2-stroke enduro, and an RD 400 Orange with mags….. wow what a good time we had .
Nice! Sounds mean. In 1980, I bought slightly used 1979 RD400F... do you know what that is? It was almost brand new. Super clean. I sold it a few years later. The only bike I wish I had kept. Timeless design.
I run my left over premix of VP and Bean Oil in the lawn mower just to enjoy the Aroma. Just rolled a 78 RD400 onto the lift. Vermont (lean against the) barn find, a little rough but all there. I'll be coming in to look that jewel over for ideas.
I could have bought a pristine used orange one From Yamaha in 1987 for $700 bucks. Kicked myself a dozen times. I’m betting 53 -63 Hp with porting. I have a RZ 350 currently but would like this one 😊
You must KEEP that surely?- My ride to work bike at 19- in '84, this traffic light screamer could leave bigger bikes in a trail of blue smoke, it was rude not too!👍👍👍👍
In the 70s and 80s we would porte and scim the RD engines, there were some fast ones on English roads. So many people where killed on them, that the government changed the law and sed you can only have a 125 cc till you have a full driving license.
I owned one of these and it would literally climb a frig'n wall. Once, after hours of hardcore and determined partying I somehow found myself riding this nasty monster. The Policeman rolled down his window and calmly asked, "Mister, what are you doing sitting on a motorcycle on top of that man's shrubbery"? We fell off rather than answer and were rewarded with free accommodations for the night. Be on top of your game when you ride one of these!
Loved my GT 250, in late 70s. Used to ride it locally, when I got confident took it on motorway and opened it up to 90 mph, my head was going backwards I checked mirror , couldn't see anything but blue smoke, how it needed opening up, never forgot that experience.
I had the rd200 electric, tricked it out, pipes , jetted k&n's then got the Rd 250 1975 DG pipes jetted out k&n's then threw a 400 engine on the 250 with the 400 swingarm and front end was very. Fast.
Wow that is beautiful for sure! Love the Trac swingarm especially don't think Ive ever seen one. Its a shame the kickstand is as ugly as the one on my homely rusty stock 400C with chambers & Wiseco's :-)
I just put my Rd way for the winter today. Kinda wanna take it back out now ahahaha. Still not on the road yet but I got it running and test drove it this late summer I can't wait to enjoy it as a daily
Best thing I ever did was find a stock airbox and stock exhaust for my RD400. Im actually able to drive it around town now without having to rev the snot out of it. The low/mid torque they make is amazing and chambers and those 2into1 k&N things destroy it, not to mention the intake drone :( I DO NOT miss the intake drone. Obviously it makes a load more power but its all up top and that aint not fun for fartin around town. However! Those jolly motos are gorgeous and sound amazing.
This RD engine idles so very low, and that makes the sound that comes out the chambers, out of this world. Sad that you hardly hear the sound of the two strokes anymore. I started with a suzuki GT 50 when I was 15 yrs old. After that a kawasaki KH 250 triple. Then the H1 500 triple. I was a wild wheelie guy, but thank god I was not stupid, and never touched the widowmaker. Hell NO.!!! A friend of mine had a 400 daytona special, and a suzuki 200 x7. We often switched bikes with eachother just for fun. The 70s were the best years of my teen life.!!! I’m still in one piece.!!!! LOL.
K>K> Thank you so Much again..I'm in the Rd 400 Doldrums ( should not have sold it 2012). Oh well. Have 350A Ruby red. My old bike in " High" School..the power of Dreams! Dave S. Longmont Co
What is the matter with the oil lamp? If it is in neutral, the oil lamp should be lit up. On an RD400, in neutral, the oil lamp should light up. that lets you know it isn't burnt out. In ANY gear, it shouldn't be lit, unless you are low on oil. (No way I'd run without the oil injector system running.) The one I just got, a previous owner deleted that pump, but he sent it in a BIG basket of more parts to install.. steve
Old school stuff looks so much better than anything new!!!!
I was trying to figure out why but yeh you are 100% correct But I think for me it was from 2010 onwards bikes went down hill stylistically
And sound much much better!
The new stuff looks lighter and easier to ride! This Yamaha is freekin sweet though.
I can remember riding these monsters in the seventies. Front wheel in the air through 4th gear and going like hell. These things are rockets. When you get one of these up on the pipe you better be ready for it. I want it.
"on the pipe" a term that one has to experience to comprehend...
I had a 78 RD400, had every mod you could possibly do to a two stroke done on it. Even with a full cafe setup it would wheelie in the first three gears, had a top speed of 120 mph.
The past has the honesty and innocence connected to it. Great memories , its a great feeling to see All 2 stroke bikes, the yesteryear 4 stroke bikes. In the late 70s early 80s everyone around us had the bikes you show from road to dirt.Thank you for the remembered memories Love and care to Your whole world around you God Bless
I had a '78 and a '79 RD400. That is a truly top class build. The only chop is I never liked the giant "bread loaf" seats on the '76-77 models. Put a 78 seat on it or better yet a quality cafe seat with a fiberglass period rear ducktail and NOW we're talking.
I absolutely love what you guys do
Absolutely the nicest RD I've ever seen in my life, if I lived in the States I'd have a deposit on it right now
41 miles. Probably all in Jetting tests and Plug chops. Jeeeeez.
@@davestrain9529 hopefully it will go to someone who will ride it and not just look at it in their lounge room
@@jethrox827 yAAAAsss!
im sure they would ship it.
Brings back to many memories of the eighties. Hwy 9 to Santa Cruz!
Alices?
Always loved the RD 350+400.In my opinion 1 of the best overall bikes ever.This thing takes it to another level.Two stroke Nirvana right there!That thing must b a wheelie king!
Beautiful bike absolutely stunning sounds fantastic takes me right back to 1975 🇺🇸🇬🇧
What a beautiful bike! Some of the older models are way nicer that anything today
I remember the RD 350cc. It was an insanely fast bike, as I remember. They were popular with the young rockers/bikers in our town during the 80s
The good ole times hell yeah ... the days they made real bikes bringing back good memories 😎🇺🇸✌🏽
Yamaha never had a better graphic scheme then the black n yellow w/bars scheme. It's truly sad that the realm of road going two strokes was so short and not fully explored. Not for everyone but certainly they were for SOME! Amazing pipes, shocks everything.
Chuckie "SuperTune" has one of this quality. If you know he is a two-stroke God.
Beautiful 400, Love your channel @ Kaplan 🇺🇸, big fan from 🇨🇦 y first bike was an 82 RD 350 LC IN 86, I was 20 and crashed it and got rid of it for parts. Fast forward 35 years (55 now) and finally got back on the saddle and now ride a 98 Aprilia RS 250 for the country roads.
300 lb. @ 70 hp is sweet.
Nothing beats the feeling of 7,000 to 12,000 rpm .
Thanks for sharing.
WOW! There's a lot of love in that bike from whomever built it! I don't know how you keep finding them like this but keep it up!!
Beautiful RD400 best I've seen in an age 🙌
UNBELIEVABLY STUNNING!!!
That is an exceptionally sweet street machine!! I can just smell the VP from here!
I had an RD200 for a very short time in the late 70's. I had traded my Honda TL125 for it. I then traded the RD200 in on a brand new YZ125E! I remember hauling the mail up & down the street on that 200. I believe it would top out pretty close to 90MPH stock. *Edit* Are those "DG" heads on that 400?
That exhaust is next level!! 💪🔥
My dream bike, some day I will have one.
1976-77 me and my dad went to the Yamaha shop, he bought me a YZ 80, himself a 175 2-stroke enduro, my mom a 100 2-stroke enduro, and an RD 400 Orange with mags….. wow what a good time we had .
Had one back in the 80's power wheelies in 3rd gear! LEGEND!
Fantastic bike !! and cool to see you still get stoked on these motorcycles after all these years.
Finest two stroke 50 h.p. I have ever seen. Only at Ken's joint.👏🏆
Love the vintage stuff that’s all we had as kids always got the hand downs but we didn’t complain! 😂
Nice! Sounds mean. In 1980, I bought slightly used 1979 RD400F... do you know what that is? It was almost brand new. Super clean. I sold it a few years later. The only bike I wish I had kept. Timeless design.
Billy must be having flashbacks sweet! I got it VP fuel scented candles for the Holidays.👍
This Yamaha RD400 is absolutely beautiful it’s brand new unbelievable stunning in yellow as well gorgeous pipes JollyMoto.👍🏻❤️💥💥💨💥💨💨💥💥
Man, that bike sounds so freaking cool!
These videos are always Badass!!!!
This is the most I have ever lusted after a motorcycle on your channel.
That kick stand is put of shape.
I guess I am too late for this one. I have had many 350's an one 400. This one has the paint and the parts exactly how I'd do it. Beautiful bike! 😍
Love these videos you guys do on the old school rd 400s and 350 too 🎉 boy I can smell that two stroke oil from my youth great videos guys ❤
Where else can you see this stuff?. Nowhere except on this show, awesome possum!
Nice RD. ...I've had 28 all in total ..This is Very Nice..I still get a thrill Everytime I hear 1 or ride 1..TY for the Video..
I run my left over premix of VP and Bean Oil in the lawn mower just to enjoy the Aroma. Just rolled a 78 RD400 onto the lift. Vermont (lean against the) barn find, a little rough but all there. I'll be coming in to look that jewel over for ideas.
Absolutely beautiful
I could have bought a pristine used orange one From Yamaha in 1987 for $700 bucks. Kicked myself a dozen times. I’m betting 53 -63 Hp with porting.
I have a RZ 350 currently but would like this one 😊
Man what a beautiful machine
I have no idea how you find these. You have the best inventory.
You guys have been putting some cracking videos out lately, what a mint find.... your next mission a brand new xr600r or 650r please🤞
My first street bike when I was 16 was a 78 RD 400. Silver with blue and white stripes on the tank.
You okay Kap ? You haven’t uploaded in awhile and you’ve never missed 6 days with no badass bikes, everything good ?🧐😎
Thanks brother we got some great things cooking behind the scenes stay tuned brother next week will be off the hook!
Running a little rich,love it.
You must KEEP that surely?- My ride to work bike at 19- in '84, this traffic light screamer could leave bigger bikes in a trail of blue smoke, it was rude not too!👍👍👍👍
Great wheelie machines..I rode my friends way back in the early 80's and it was awesome ! This one here is truly impressive..I want it !
My first and only bike was an RD400 I sure do miss it...
Beautiful bike, wheelie monster
In the 70s and 80s we would porte and scim the RD engines, there were some fast ones on English roads. So many people where killed on them, that the government changed the law and sed you can only have a 125 cc till you have a full driving license.
I owned one of these and it would literally climb a frig'n wall. Once, after hours of hardcore and determined partying I somehow found myself riding this nasty monster. The Policeman rolled down his window and calmly asked, "Mister, what are you doing sitting on a motorcycle on top of that man's shrubbery"? We fell off rather than answer and were rewarded with free accommodations for the night. Be on top of your game when you ride one of these!
That is my Dream Bike. Stunning.
Holy hang on to your license Batman!
Beautiful RD400! Best color scheme for this bike too
I used to own one high school 1979. I miss it
Loved my GT 250, in late 70s.
Used to ride it locally, when I got confident took it on motorway and opened it up to 90 mph, my head was going backwards I checked mirror , couldn't see anything but blue smoke, how it needed opening up, never forgot that experience.
Stunning!!!
That's always been my favorite Yamaha paint scheme. It's kind of weird but I only like the blue and white GSXR
just the sound sounds bad ass
Man that is gorgeous 😋 what a machine awesome 👍💯
I had the rd200 electric, tricked it out, pipes , jetted k&n's then got the Rd 250 1975 DG pipes jetted out k&n's then threw a 400 engine on the 250 with the 400 swingarm and front end was very. Fast.
Sounds great…made it a ring tone.
Wow that is beautiful for sure! Love the Trac swingarm especially don't think Ive ever seen one. Its a shame the kickstand is as ugly as the one on my homely rusty stock 400C with chambers & Wiseco's :-)
That's the best rd 400 IV seen
super cool had a lot of fun on mine back in the day
Hey Ken shes one of the nicest bikes I've seen you show for sure stay safe God bless you and yours
The original head bangers stroker ! She's one beautiful bike Ken !
Used to call the rd, coffin tank
They wld redline in every gear
Micron expansion chambers, kand n filter, boysen reed valves
I just put my Rd way for the winter today. Kinda wanna take it back out now ahahaha. Still not on the road yet but I got it running and test drove it this late summer I can't wait to enjoy it as a daily
Rd 400 2 stroke!❤
Best thing I ever did was find a stock airbox and stock exhaust for my RD400. Im actually able to drive it around town now without having to rev the snot out of it. The low/mid torque they make is amazing and chambers and those 2into1 k&N things destroy it, not to mention the intake drone :( I DO NOT miss the intake drone. Obviously it makes a load more power but its all up top and that aint not fun for fartin around town. However! Those jolly motos are gorgeous and sound amazing.
What a mind blower I could smell that all the way back in Liverpool uk 🇬🇧 👍👍
Beautiful had a 1977 RD 400 sure wish I wouldn't trade it for 1988 mustang gt 17years ago
I used to assemble these bikes when I was a teenager and my fathers Yamaha dealer, They were really fast going straight! But didnt turn or stop well
I had the 400dx in blue .Great powerband in 3rd was great man .What a laugh.
I have no words !!
This RD engine idles so very low, and that makes the sound that comes out the chambers, out of this world. Sad that you hardly hear the sound of the two strokes anymore.
I started with a suzuki GT 50 when I was 15 yrs old. After that a kawasaki KH 250 triple. Then the H1 500 triple. I was a wild wheelie guy, but thank god I was not stupid, and never touched the widowmaker. Hell NO.!!! A friend of mine had a 400 daytona special, and a suzuki 200 x7. We often switched bikes with eachother just for fun. The 70s were the best years of my teen life.!!!
I’m still in one piece.!!!! LOL.
If I were ever to look stunning on a motorcycle, I would simply spoil the machine
My fat 215 Lb. Carcass Makes My 350 A look TINY! BTW nice name and Avatar.. P R I E S T !
I can smell it all the way down here in 🇦🇺 👊🔥
You Mr. Ken Sr. look like Hugh Jackman whenever you have long hair and a beard. It’s almost uncanny! Maybe you should be in acting.
Damn that’s a beauty! Unicorn in the house. Those pipes 😎
K>K> Thank you so Much again..I'm in the Rd 400 Doldrums ( should not have sold it 2012). Oh well. Have 350A Ruby red. My old bike in " High" School..the power of Dreams!
Dave S. Longmont Co
Gotta be one of the coolest bikes I've ever seen
Yes, would love to see the 400 on the dyno.
Me too
I bet that vintage yamaha gets Billy's blood flowing!
Stunning!👏🇮🇪
What is the matter with the oil lamp? If it is in neutral,
the oil lamp should be lit up.
On an RD400, in neutral, the oil lamp should light up.
that lets you know it isn't burnt out. In ANY gear, it
shouldn't be lit, unless you are low on oil. (No way
I'd run without the oil injector system running.)
The one I just got, a previous owner deleted that
pump, but he sent it in a BIG basket of more parts
to install..
steve
I rode one back in high school everyone thought I was the coolest guy in school I worked for it doing lawn care all summer
Wide open with fingers on the clutch….you own one if you understand
God Bless America!
God bless America! Love to have that!
Good Lord that is beautiful
Very beatyfoul sound..
2 stroke is Life..
Beaty moto..
I'm from Brasil, very very 2 stroke hear
Very very RD 350, air cooler old and LC..
Hey beauitiful 2 stroke 2 cylinder sound i ever seen!
I wanna keep it! Dang man, that's beautiful
VERY KEEN to see the Dyno on that !. I've got a 350 in similar (arguably higher) tune. I think youre spot on. 60 HP.
I'm guessing 47rwhp this is sr.
More like 69 I would say
I had a '78 RD with some DG Pipes and upgraded carbs. It was a BLAST! I miss that bike!
that is very possibly the nicest example in the world. Where did it end up?