RD400 project in Xenia OH

[Simoniz]

https://hibid.com/lot/245906767/1976-yamaha-400-motorcycle-w-15-566-miles--engine?ref=lot-list

[grcamna3]

Good to have a title in OH.(they're very difficult to get one in OH. if lost)so it makes this RD400 very worthy of restoration.
Possibly someone not far(OH resident, & they can flip it..)from there who will buy it ?

[Simoniz]

Yes, too far away from me in TN to make it worthwhile but hopefully somebody who lives closer will snap it up.

In my experience, Auctioneers usually give a BoS so that gives you some paperwork to start with, and they have to do due diligence that it is not stolen before listing it.

I hope someone here gets it.

[SoCal250]

Pretty rusty and covered in chicken shit. It would have to be awfully cheap to make it worthwhile.
The listing incorrectly states it's a 1976. The title, VIN, and paint scheme all say it's really a '77.

And don't forget to include:
Buyer Premium = 18%
And if you pay with credit card: MC/VISA - additional 4% convenience fee charged

[Simoniz]

Well, someone paid $1,400 for it regardless. That should keep them busy for a while.

[RDryan]

Those DG heads are hard to find, they gotta be worth at least a quarter maybe a third of that selling  price.

[RDnuTZ]

yep, the repro heads are what ~$700.00 now? It also has period pipes, gas shocks, drilled discs, etc. Overall looks like it needs a good cleaning and might be a real gem there. Tank & seat look really good. If motor not stuck and wiring not hacked up.

[grcamna3]

These professional vehicle sellers/auction houses are all cold-hearted business;best to liberate the vehicle/bike from them,just to find-out what you got.
I certainly like private sellers 100% better;at least with them you get a little bit of history,possibly.

[SoCal250]

yep, the repro heads are what ~$700.00 now? It also has period pipes, gas shocks, drilled discs, etc. Overall looks like it needs a good cleaning and might be a real gem there. Tank & seat look really good. If motor not stuck and wiring not hacked up.

listing description says "(ENGINE LOCKED UP), DOES NOT RUN"

[RDnuTZ]

as you pointed out earlier, they didn't even identify the year correctly so what else could they get wrong or have no clue on? Engine locked up could be a lot of things, not necessarily a catastrophic failure like rod through bottom of case. Could just be from sitting a long time and some moisture/oxidation inside cylinders. I recently freed my RDs from 20 years of storage and wheel on a 74 350 has been skidding for a long time. Turns out it was the front caliper and it could not be freed without removing caliper and fr wheel. A novice might assume "motor" was locked if it simply wouldn't roll easily?

Doesn't run could be as simple as bad old plugs from when it WAS ridable decades ago.

[RDryan]

Is this the same bike? Looks like it resurfaced in a Ebay auction. https://www.ebay.com/itm/335978087120?itmmeta=01JW4SCC627MDVBWWH71WR6S9S&hash=item4e39dac2d0:g:lyMAAOSwQploMnIL&itmprp=enc%3AAQAKAAAA4MHg7L1Zz0LA5DYYmRTS30nDYg%2Fc%2BZywx6Mqof434pycruSEWL%2FbW6Or01FG5Tiv5wG%2BO7cp3%2Fmyhw5KamVafV61BDYi%2BKfV9oQ2AQu32VP%2FQP%2FI1GLY7%2F%2BkAMNzNyc0ww6jED7PsBiQ%2BUStDxwBcUv6psVGQ9bX1%2Bhm2yiaX67VTyTTBxOhrn9FdlFxAMz64JTf3Mfs2bxrpN6WQIKm7dTqn5UOklEY80EFc%2BTtvt6%2Bc8ItS7tTr4t5hknKqrq9l2C7aOLomyMWYgj9EQcEYMVFFTOT1Qsq8JXrkRkXFLLj%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR67DsZnhZQ

[RDnuTZ]

that looks 1/2 way respectable without all the birdshit and barn dust. Tank has a couple dings and R side cover busted but the paint finish is still shiny and the seat cover not all tore up. Funny they dented the L pipe for the shifter to clear Title and key always a big plus.

[Simoniz]

Is this the same bike? Looks like it resurfaced in a Ebay auction. https://www.ebay.com/itm/335978087120?itmmeta=01JW4SCC627MDVBWWH71WR6S9S&hash=item4e39dac2d0:g:lyMAAOSwQploMnIL&itmprp=enc%3AAQAKAAAA4MHg7L1Zz0LA5DYYmRTS30nDYg%2Fc%2BZywx6Mqof434pycruSEWL%2FbW6Or01FG5Tiv5wG%2BO7cp3%2Fmyhw5KamVafV61BDYi%2BKfV9oQ2AQu32VP%2FQP%2FI1GLY7%2F%2BkAMNzNyc0ww6jED7PsBiQ%2BUStDxwBcUv6psVGQ9bX1%2Bhm2yiaX67VTyTTBxOhrn9FdlFxAMz64JTf3Mfs2bxrpN6WQIKm7dTqn5UOklEY80EFc%2BTtvt6%2Bc8ItS7tTr4t5hknKqrq9l2C7aOLomyMWYgj9EQcEYMVFFTOT1Qsq8JXrkRkXFLLj%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR67DsZnhZQ

Yes, that's it. Amazing what a good wash can do ! Let's see if he flips it and gets his money back......

[SoCal250]

Is this the same bike? Looks like it resurfaced in a Ebay auction.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/335978087120

It only moved a couple hours drive from the auction site, odometer rolled about 1/2 a tenth, got cleaned up a little, and the missing right cover was installed. Still has the rusty chrome upside down clubmans installed and the knobs on the bars.
Those drilled/slotted rotors are a little different than the usual vintage drill pattern.

[SoCal250]

The flipper nearly doubled his money. Sold on Ebay for $3050