Test drove an SR400 this evening.

Downeaster

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There's a guy in the neighborhood, late 50's, just started riding two years ago.
His first bike was (still is...) a Yamaha TW200. He spends a lot of time with a Delorme map of far Eastern Maine in the window of his tank bag just donking around on the back roads and blueberry paths.

First time I talked to him I was just curious about the TW200. We chatted quite a bit about bikes and riding and we see each other from time to time putting around.

He's decided he's ready to venture a little further afield and wanted a more street-friendly bike, wound up buying a used SR400. Today was his first distance ride on it and he stopped by to chat. Turns out he's suffering from serious buyer's remorse: The darn thing vibrates so hard at 55-60 it put his ass to sleep clear to his ears. He was hoping to be able to ride 50 or 60 miles on the highway to get to new territory to explore. After today, he's not at all sure that's gonna happen on the SR.

He wanted me to ride it and see if I thought the vibration was normal or there was something wrong with the bike.

Holy crapoly! That thing shakes like a dog crapping peach pits! The bars are isolated nicely but the vibrations through the seat are incredible. At 45 in 4th (which I guesstimated as being roughly equivalent to 55-60 in 5th), it's really noticeable. It's just the nature of the beast, being a large displacement single, but dang! I wouldn't be able to ride it 20 miles like that.

All I could tell him is maybe bump the front sprocket up a tooth to get the engine down out of the buzzy range, but I don't think he's going to be happy with the bike. I know I wouldn't be.

Shame too, cuz it's a gorgeous look!
 
That is a shame. Looking at the bike it is a good looking streeter and I thought it may be Yamaha's saving grace in the small displacement starter bikes There won't be many return buyers if that is their first time experience.
 
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looked at a 80 SR500 today, very nice but $3k ? what are these worth ?
 
There's a guy in the neighborhood, late 50's, just started riding two years ago.
His first bike was (still is...) a Yamaha TW200. He spends a lot of time with a Delorme map of far Eastern Maine in the window of his tank bag just donking around on the back roads and blueberry paths.

First time I talked to him I was just curious about the TW200. We chatted quite a bit about bikes and riding and we see each other from time to time putting around.
I LOVE my TW200, BUT if there is ONE flaw with it.. It's that it's only 200cc's. I have definitely thought from time to time about buying another Dual Sport with a little bit more umph, but never have followed through. I just love the light, nimble little thing. I have read of a rumored TW350 prototype that supposedly existed at one time, but I never have seen a picture of the thing. I have also contemplated trying to source a BW350 engine and attempt a swap.

Those large displacement singles are rough. Although, I did ride a Buell Blast once and it didn't shake bad. I also probably wouldn't be wild about it if it shook the tits off me either.
 
My SR500 doesn't shake too bad for a big single. I would think the 400 would shake even less due to the shorter stroke and longer rod. But these are uncounter balanced big singles.

There is a chance the crank is twisted. That would really make the bike shake.

Tom
 
I don't recall my SR 500 vibrating that much (could be roses tinted glasses though). I did love that bike though, many fond memories. Time Machine that SR looks pristine, although not relative to you here in NZ that machine would be considered a gift at $3000.
 
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I had an SR500 back in the day. Don't remember it shaking that bad either. Traded it on an XL500 Honda in a few months. Liked the torque, liked the low end grunt but just didn't love it as a street bike. The Honda was a blast!

XL500.jpg
 
Downeaster,

I've owned a couple SR500's over the years, great bikes! All big singles vibrate a bit but there is something seriously wrong with your neighbors SR400 if it's as bad as you describe. I would say that any 650 twin I've had vibrates much more that the SR's.
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roy
 
The SR400 is a nice looking little scoot, but performance is weak and the price is ridiculous. There's just not $6,000 of motorcycle there.
 
Yeah the more I think about it, the more I think something's not right. I'll see if I can catch him and speak to him about it.
I don't remember, does that engine have a counterbalance shaft?
 
Stolen from this review.
"There’s no counterbalancer, and the engine is mounted solidly within the double-cradle steel frame. Vibration through the grips and seat—the 3.7-gallon tank is too narrow to squeeze between my knees—rises to a furious peak at 60 mph, eases off for reasonably comfortable highway cruising at 70 mph, then ramps up again."
 
Stolen from this review.
"There’s no counterbalancer, and the engine is mounted solidly within the double-cradle steel frame. Vibration through the grips and seat—the 3.7-gallon tank is too narrow to squeeze between my knees—rises to a furious peak at 60 mph, eases off for reasonably comfortable highway cruising at 70 mph, then ramps up again."

Thanks for that. That's exactly the impression I got on a short ride. I'll pass that on to the owner when I see him.
 
I saw one of these in a showroom and started looking around for other old bikes, until a salesman told me it was reintroduced.
 
Wet weight 382 lbs. and the reviewer calls it light? That sucker is nearly as heavy as a late '60's Trunch Bonneville! Overpriced, overweight, obsolete--Aw hell, Yamaha must have raided Harley D's marketing department and hired away the worst they could find!
 
XS650 D. Yes it can be done I have seen a SR 500 framed XS 650 powered race bike. To me it seemed lot a lot of effort for little or no gain.
 
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