Forum Bike Of The Month: Dennis' Yamaha RD400

If the Yamaha SR400 is the easy-going, easily swayed favorite of café racer builders, the two-stroke Yamaha RD400 is its delinquent half-brother. It was launched in 1976 as a slightly more refined version of the RD350 firecracker, but was still a quick, nervous bike to ride. (As the Used Motorcycle Guide said, “If it doesn't wheelie in second then the engine is worn out!”) The RD400 was sold largely on price, being cheaper than contemporaries from Honda and Kawasaki, but this newly restored model looks like a million dollars. And it hasn’t just been lifted out of a crate, or...