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Yamaha SR400 - Built To Customise

Blog Date - 18 July 2014

I can't actually recall ever seeing a motorcycle where the sales pitch is as follows, and I quote from Yamaha's own website - "Built to customize". 

I suppose I can forgive Yamaha's use of the letter "z" in customise. Imagine that though, a motorcycle where the manufacturer actually wants you to alter it, change it, make it special and make it unique. Most motorcycles are delivered on the premise that apart from approved aftermarket expensive add ons you really really really ought not to do anything other than clean it. And yet on the SR400's page there's a link about the "GibbonSlap" kit provided by a third party customiser. Yamaha want other companies to produce custom kits or you can use the machine to create your own design.

So, what do you start off with? The SR400's design is 35 years old! No fancy alloy sculptured wrap around frame here, just the good old steel double cradle. Single disc up front but - shock horror! - a drum brake at the back. No upside down forks if you don't mind. 2 valves is more than enough for the single piston thank you very much. And we'll have none of that modern monoshock nonsense here, twin shocks please. Oh yes, this is back to basics, right back.

And I mean RIGHT back, back as far as a kick starter. No, no you silly reader, the kick starter is not there in case the battery has gone a little flat, it is the ONLY way to start the engine. Yamaha have kindly fitted a decompresser lever (ask your grandad) and a sight window to find top dead centre before you take a deep breath and hoist your fat ass down hard onto the kicker. Imagine that eh, kickstarter, reminds me of my CB 250 T and the battery that never was. Kathunk.... kathunk.... kathunk.... kathunk.... kathunk.... kathunk.... kathunk.... kathunk.... kathunk.... kathunk.... kathunk.... kathunk.... kathunk.... kathunk.... kathunk.... kathunk.... kathunk.... kathunk... DAMN!

Regrettably there has to be one modern convenience. Due to those dastardly environmental types it seems carburettors are not accurate enough with their fuelling to produce super clean exhaust farts. So the SR400 has a modern fuel injection system. This ought to make starting the engine off the kicker a lot easier as Mr Microchip and all his sensors will know just how much fuel is required for the conditions. The down side for the DIY customiser is this will mean a whole heap of wires, sensors and complex stuff that can't be altered needs to be, well, not altered really. Not sure how well an injection system will cope with a bell mouth inlet and no air box. It won't be long before some Chinese company release an aftermarket carb.

I think, and hope, Yamaha might have struck a gold seem here. This diminutive and relatively low powered (23bhp) bike could become a cafe racer, a chopper, a bobber or a grass tracker. The featured GibbonSlap with chunky tyres and off road styling looks gorgeous and could provide and excellent start for a round-the-world hack. Why would this machine titillate myself though? 400cc 2 valve single with injection should be economical, that's why. I wanna go play on one.

I haven't got any picture of my own, here's some links though.

http://www.yamaha-motor.eu/uk/products/motorcycles/sport-heritage/sr400.aspx
http://www.yamaha-motor.eu/uk/products/motorcycles/sport-heritage/yard-built/sr400-wrenchmonkees-gibbonslap.aspx

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