Yamaha SR 400 60eme anniversaire 2016

You have to have a certain faith and a lot of nostalgia, or a real crush to appropriate the SR 400. However, the approach is nice from Yamaha: to offer a truly vintage machine with all the simplicity of a old machine.

Because it is not a reinterpretation of an old model or an exercise in style. It’s the same as when it started, just adjusted over time to meet homologation constraints. But the machine does not have great enthusiasm, limited use, and above all is very expensive in view of its performance. More expensive than a CB 500 and barely less than an MT-07, that weighs in the balance. Hard, the law of the market.

In 2016, some will take another look at the SR 400. It joins the 60th anniversary clan: the Yamaha sporting the colorway "Speedblock" black and yellow checkered. Immediately, the bike gives off much more charm. He no longer has a sleeping motorcycle face in a forgotten farm garage but would see himself as a paddock mate. Almost hip, the SR 400 60th. Suddenly, we want to approach and rediscover its metallic and / or chrome parts so scarce on modern roadsters. The details call again: the kick, the spoked rims, the cooling fins of the mono, the protective bellows on the fork. Everything breathes the years when the most modern technology consisted of black and white TV, the trip to the moon and the record player. But this living past is always negotiated at a perennial price.

Let’s not forget a little technique, so that young people infused with Superbike engines and hyper-developed chassis discover the charms of their parents’ parents. The mono derivative of the 500 XT engine is therefore almost the same as at its beginnings. With dimensions of 87 x 67.2 mm, it favors torque and responsiveness at low speeds. The technical sheet seems to come from a yellowed catalog that one would have found in the treasure chest of a great uncle. 2 valves, 1 ACT, 8.5: 1 compression ratio; technology with Giscard d’Estaing sauce. An effort was still made to improve its torque with a larger airbox and a larger 47mm intake valve. The end of the day is the start that takes place as before: with the kick. Nostalgic people will love it. The young people will have to learn to give hocks, find the compression point (there is a witness on the breech to facilitate the job), use the decompressor or taste the happiness of taking a kick kick in the calf.

Yes, yes, it is a completely original chassis (not to be confused with original) that holds the SR 400 to you. A semi-split steel cradle frame, with the engine oil as a special feature. passes through the main vertical tube. The suspension elements consist of a classic fork and 2 side shock absorbers. The SR 400 also retained its 18-inch spoked rims, a front brake disc and a rear drum..

Recall campaign:

At the end of October 2018, Yamaha initiated a recall campaign for its SR 400s for a problem with the oil return hose. Due to insufficient tightening torque of the fixing nut of this hose, there was a possibility of engine oil leaking from the clamping nut..

Machines concerned:

• SR400 models 2014 – 2016 (2RD1 / 2RDB) with serial numbers between RH051 0000301 and RH051 0002787.

That is to say, a total of 464 machines concerned for the French market.

Customers who own these machines have been notified by registered mail in order to have this intervention carried out free of charge..