1979 RD400F Daytona Special

Brought back from the "shed".  Great bike.  Power kicks in about 500 rpm earlier than the 76-78 RD400 (just after 5.5k).  Period Factory Pipe Products pipes.  BTW: I believe these to be standard FPP pipes for the RD400CDE.  I had to have the mounts relocated.  I found some old DG rear mounts and had the welder get them high and tight.  I plan to put a full RZ front end to raise the front and eventually something like 13.5" shocks in the rear.  That with the addition of rearsets later (probably a universal set from Fast from the past) and it will hav ePLENTY ! of ground clearance.) No flat spot in the 5k range with these pipes.  I can run standard RD400 intake manifolds. Carbs are from a 1972 R5C.  Carb slides were cut to 2.5, 230 main jets, 169-P2 needle jets, 5DP7 needles~4th clip, #50 pilots (premix 32:1 w/ cheap pennzoil 2 stroke and a light dash of Redline oil for smell in each bottle, installed a 2.0 mm airjet (probably wouldhave been fine with the stock gaping hole and the stock uncut slides..oh well) and the  No need for UPP intakes and the crossover to smooth out the 5k flat spot, so that is cool.  If i had DG pipes, i would probably run UPP urethane intake manifolds (will probably buy those as a next set for durability/longevity) and an RZ350 crossover. I have put Barnett Cryodized aluminum clutch plates in place of the steels to cut spinning weight in the clutch basket (very light!), also a mix of EBC / Barnett springs.  Cool mod, but kinda expensive.  I didn't like the original cans, so i cut them off and put Toomey T-5 stingers on the back to improve the look.  Currently running stock points, Accel Coils with a 2 ohm ballast resistor.  Pistons are OEM (pricey) and 3rd overbore.  I remember reading an old "Cycle"? article on the difference in piston dome shape (between standard and RD400F models) and compression along with port height and rear piston windows, so i have been staying with that to avoid any complications (weird running).  Mileage is terrible, probably around 30-35 a gallon, but it's light, fun and loud.  I have had to fix a number of electrical problems that have popped up.  Bad ignition rotor, bad kill switch (fell apart), in the stator area,one of the points wires was sheared and fixed, regulator/rectifier (now have HVC / OMP R/R on there) and lately the ignition switch.  BTW: that OEM switch is 175.00 bucks!!!! I found a 40 dollar replacement from Old bike barn....plugged right in and bolted right up like it was made for it....cool deal.  I think a lot of my problems stemmed from not know the main ignition switch was toast (like the bike falling flat on the front straight of PIR...didn't feel like a seizure...note:  a racer  inknow with R5 carbs has good luck with 170 mains!  I had great acceleration with them, but only suggests that with the R5 carbs...standard RD would probably be 230 and up, so i run that for safety..not much for wheelies, but better for the long haul), so i may go back to my Cran Cams XR700 points to electronic (optical trigger) in the winter.  for now, the points are and have been for the most part reliable.  As long as you check it every 200-300 miles.  Tedius, but reliable.

Word of advice to anyone looking for an RD.  If you see one for sale, the owner is probably selling it just before it's about to blow.  Like a 500 GP bike on it's last lap.  Buyer beware, but they are easy to work on.  do it right and rebuild the Top AND bottom end.

Hope you enjoy the pics!





 
I think it needs a bigger pilot jet

One of my all time favorite motorcycles.

Thanks for posting it  
Steve

Ride for one - Ride for all

Nice 400.  I'm still looking for a '74 rd- the purple one.  

It's funny how two stroke riders speak in jet.  On the rt1b I'm running a 6cf/clip on top, with a po4 tube, #35paj, 240 main and a 1.5 slide. We can go on for hours about this stuff!

Joe  

Steve:  The 76-78 used to be my favorite, but the daytona has taken that spot.  Especiallly with no FLAT spot in the 5k range with FPP pipes.  Really nice there.  Plus i have a full standard 76-78 RD400 crank in the daytona (they were heat treated and stronger than the stock daytona crank for higher revs).  RB Designs (online) in Portland, OR did the bore and crank for me.  He is currently trying to make a Dyna S ignition a bolton for the RD350, but has been swamped with two stroke work (he's already machined a cam and some other parts).  I check in from time to time.  He's hand made some aluminum points plates, but is keen to have a waterjet friend of his possibly make a run.

Joe:  I remember seeing a purple and white R5 i beleive.  They feel incredibly light. My first bike bought with paper money was a 1972 R5C orange and black, pod filters and FPP pipes.  hated the front brakes!!

My GF Just bought two bikes:  1966 T-20 X-6 Hustler (have fun finding parts honey!, someone put a vacuum petcock on there wtf??) and a 1976 RD400C (looked good on the outside, but after cleaning the carbs w/ yamaha carb cleaner and timing it, i could hear crank knock..plus the left side plug was ghost white and felt weak past 4k)...par for the course.  Complete rebuild for sure, but it will be a ripper when done.

BTW: her other bikes include an RD60, RD125, Don Vesco faired '74 RD350 (RZ350 front and rear wheels w/ calfab swigarm, marzochii shocks, DG heads), 85 RZ350, 75 RD350 (fresh top and bottom rebuild) J&R expansion chambers, cool HVC sloped seat, Motocarrera Rearsets (Doug lives in WA now and she picked up a fresh set he had made locally!!).  

She also has  a kawasaki G5 with beautifully repainted body work...one error on one side of the decals...(both decals have the same "slant").  small , but it bugs here that she missed that.

I think that's all of them in the garage...fun trying to walk around.

Oh and one 2003 Kawasaki Z1000.  
I think it needs a bigger pilot jet

must be smoky around your house.

I like points ignition mainly because I can fix it with bailing wire and a broken beer bottle.  My bike won't rev much past 7 k and the gap stays good for 2-3 K miles.

That x6 is a cool 250, lots of gears.

Joe