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Message started by MMRanch on 03/23/14 at 22:01:43

Title: yamaha SR400-2015
Post by MMRanch on 03/23/14 at 22:01:43

At Daytona at the yamaha "set-up" I saw a SR400 modle 2015. I kinda got execited to see a single cylinder street bike , and have thought for some time that the 650 is allmost to big to be a one banger.
So
I checked it out when I got home

This bike is doing it's 35 year anaverserty in 2015 so they are bring it back to us . Come to find out its been available in Japan for all this time.

http://www.totalmotorcycle.com/motorcycles/2015/2015-Yamaha-SR400.htm

The dealer said it has "Brush" type alt. which is a big turn-off in my book ((have had three brushtype w/burned out rotors) all yamaha's)

but still interesting. Anybody have one of these SR400's or the SR500''s back in the 80's ?

Check-out the kick-starter ! :-?

Title: Re: yamaha SR400-2015
Post by pgambr on 03/24/14 at 02:26:32

You can check out the full specs on yamy's website. I'd like to look at on in person, pretty cool. 8-)

http://www.yamahamotorsports.com/sport/products/modelhome/691/home.aspx

Title: Re: yamaha SR400-2015
Post by ToesNose on 03/24/14 at 04:16:56

I absolutely love the classic UJM styling and design, but at $5,990 MSRP I don't think these will fly out of the showrooms, if it were priced in the $4,500/$4,900 range I think they would sell quite well. For $5,990 I'd just find myself a Kawasaki W650 ;)

Title: Re: yamaha SR400-2015
Post by Dane Allen on 03/24/14 at 12:12:23

6B505A4C71504C5A3F0 wrote:

Definitely not a $6,000 bike, or even a $5,000 bike iin my opinion, but I got my 2012 new in March of 2013 for $3,988 on sale so maybe that is skewing my thinking. I could see paying $4,000 for the Kawa 400, though, unless there was a bigger bike for the same price...

Title: Re: yamaha SR400-2015
Post by shorty on 03/24/14 at 14:12:13

nice to see a 400-500cc bike but the price is too high.. 2010 I got my showroom new s40 for $4k

Title: Re: yamaha SR400-2015
Post by Dave on 03/25/14 at 06:26:20

This may well be the type of bike that you get as a low mileage used bike at a reasonable price a couple of years from now. Something the new rider uses for a bit, then moves on to something bigger and badder.

Title: Re: yamaha SR400-2015
Post by jcstokes on 03/27/14 at 15:37:34

Staggered into a local Yamaha dealership the other day to enquire whether the bike will be released in NZ, two or three sales people were standing around. I was the only prospective bill payer in the place, no one paid me any attention. After five minutes I left, another good reason to stick with my S40.

Title: Re: yamaha SR400-2015
Post by MMRanch on 03/29/14 at 14:37:04

Putting a brush type rotor in a high vibration enviroment just doesn't show good judgement.
That Alt. being subject to burnning out and costing half the value of the bike to replace is enough to make me think Yamaha has no sense at all.

The though of a 400cc shorter stroke single had me going at first sight
:)

Title: Re: yamaha SR400-2015
Post by RidgeRunner13 on 03/30/14 at 04:43:40

Article in Cycle World says KICKSTART only. Not sure I can do that with my recently healed broken leg.. 8-)

Title: Re: yamaha SR400-2015
Post by pgambr on 03/30/14 at 13:36:56

Quote:

That Alt. being subject to burnning out and costing half the value of the bike to replace is enough to make me think Yamaha has no sense at all.

MM, could you elaborate? Is it that bad and expensive? Just curious, thanks.

Title: Re: yamaha SR400-2015
Post by MMRanch on 04/01/14 at 00:19:26

Well Pgambr

The first one was a yamaha TwinJet 100 with a "Generator" with a wound rotor and the little brass bars that DC generators have. When the rotor burned out I straped a car battery to it and would charge it once a week.

The second one was an AC. Alt. on a RD250 twin. It had the flat surface with two solid conecters for the brushes to ride on. (small circle and a larger one -- brushes ridding 90 deg. to the crankshaft.). All it took was one time of demanding too much juice from it to burn it out ... So ... I replaced it with a permant magnet from a honda. Well the Honda magnet wasn't as strong as the electro-magnet so it wouldn't put out as much wattage. Ridding without the headlight on worked great it was putting out about 50 watts with the permant magnet.

The third one was a SX650. It had the same set-up as the RD250 and when it burned I said some ugly stuff , sold it (as-is), and said that's it no more brush type alt.

I've had permant magnet alt. ever sense with-out any more problems.
And with most bikes being "Electric Start Only" you have to replace the battery when it starts getting weak --- so you can't run on a bad battery anymore , that might help them last longer. But still "With the permant magnet system --- there's nothing to burn or replace (EVER). The stator is bulit to take more than the permant magnet can put out --where the electro-magent can get stronger when the "Demand" is on , even to the point of frying itself.

Bike Bandit list the rotor for the SX650 at $380.00 (but not available)

Hope I didn't ramble on too much ??? :)

Title: Re: yamaha SR400-2015
Post by pgambr on 04/01/14 at 02:19:54

Thanks MM, just a little curious. It is still hard for me to believe it someone will have to kick start that guy every time. If they continue to sell it for more than a year or two I bet they change it.

Incidentally, I hope you have a good DR. Post a couple pics!

Title: Re: yamaha SR400-2015
Post by Doug B on 04/01/14 at 21:19:18

694C43486C414148432D0 wrote:

[quote author=6B505A4C71504C5A3F0 link=1395637304/0#2 date=1395659816]I absolutely love the classic UJM styling and design, but at $5,990 MSRP I don't think these will fly out of the showrooms, if it were priced in the $4,500/$4,900 range I think they would sell quite well. For $5,990 I'd just find myself a Kawasaki W650 ;)

Title: Re: yamaha SR400-2015
Post by MMRanch on 04/01/14 at 23:15:34

Doug wrote: the Kawa 400, though, unless there was a bigger bike for the same price...

I've found "Bigger in not allways better". one of my favorite bikes of all time was a Honda 350 twin. (it felt a lot like the S-40) but with mid pegs. :) powered about the same too !

I had a Kawasaki 440 for about 30,000 miles --- 6 bikes ago. Liked it a lot too, but it was under powered compaired to the S-40's tork. and the Honda 350 twin's power band.

Doug , What's your favorite so far ?

Title: Re: yamaha SR400-2015
Post by Doug B on 04/02/14 at 06:21:48

My favorite so far ? Present company(S40) excluded. I grew up on Yamahas(YZ,IT,XT - The 77 XT500 I had was modified(piston, cam, carb, exhaust). It also was a relative of the SR500(standard version) - XT500(endure version), both had the same mechanicals(basically).

The XT500 is still my favorite - unless you count my first bike : 74 Hodaka Super Combat 125

I tried to spell endure ending the word with an "o" / spellcheck wouldn't allow it.

Title: Re: yamaha SR400-2015
Post by Doug B on 04/02/14 at 06:31:41

Also - it was ToesNose who made the Kawa 400 bigger bike comment. I do like the smaller bikes. The Yamaha SR400 appeals to me. It has one feature that I really like : kickstarted - I tried ending kickstarted with an "r" - spellcheck again intervened.

Title: Re: yamaha SR400-2015
Post by ToesNose on 04/02/14 at 19:22:33

Oh don't misinterpret my comment, I'm all for smaller displacement bikes, they are a blast!! My mention of the W650 was just specifically directed to what I would do if I had $6k to blow on a modern reliable "English" style standard, and was looking to get the most bang for the buck. 8-)

Title: Re: yamaha SR400-2015
Post by MMRanch on 04/02/14 at 20:50:29

I'm still trying to figure out how the spell checker works ?

But I did look-up the alt. system on the the 500 yamaha (bikebandit). Best I can tell it was a brushless system.

:)

Title: Re: yamaha SR400-2015
Post by Doug B on 04/03/14 at 10:56:39

ToesNose - no misinterpretation intended I think we all like the lightweight bikes This new one/old one from Yamaha would really sell - if they got it under $5000

Title: Re: yamaha SR400-2015
Post by Art Webb on 04/07/14 at 00:12:42

I've wanted a W650 since they were introduced
didn't have the bux before now
and now thay're discontinued

Title: Re: yamaha SR400-2015
Post by WebsterMark on 06/27/14 at 13:43:20

Was buying oil at the Yamaha shop for my YZ and they had a new SR400 sitting there. Really sweet feel to it. Bars are in good position; overall bike has a narrow feel to it with a long skinny gas tank. I read somewhere a relatively strong man can start it with his hand, that's how easy the kick is with the compression release and TDC indicator. Not sure about that.

The downside: $5999. I'm guessing Yamaha is banking on middle age men who have some extra cash on hand will feel nostalgic and won't have a problem dropping that much on what amounts to a 'run around town' bike. Not sure about that. Yamaha must be making a ton on each one of these bikes they sell. A new Bolt is only $2000 more.

Title: Re: yamaha SR400-2015
Post by MnSpring on 06/27/14 at 14:30:20

Looking at used ones, (80's +/-) aground here, they run from 400.00 (Barn Queens), to 800.00 (Just needs a little work ;D).

So if one would buy one for as much as, 800.00 then add, (Even up to), 2,000.00 of parts/work/ect.

You would have a REAL, ORIGINAL One, at, Less Than, 1/2 the Price, they are asking!
AND it would also have elect start !

I am looking for a 400.00 one.
To tear down. and make perfect.
Will have a LOT less in it than a 'new' one.

Title: Re: yamaha SR400-2015
Post by oldNslow on 06/28/14 at 11:43:35

Quote:

The downside: $5999. I'm guessing Yamaha is banking on middle age men who have some extra cash on hand will feel nostalgic and won't have a problem dropping that much on what amounts to a 'run around town' bike.

I had an interesting conversation about this bike with the owner of our local HD/Triumph/KAW/Yamaha dealer.

He agrees that the bike might have nostalgic appeal to older guys but he doesn't think there are enough folks like that around to make this particular model a success. He thinks Yamaha is aiming it at the entry level crowd, and that with the, price and the lack of electric start that's not going to work out either. Bottom line for him; he didn't order a single one for his showroom. If someone comes in and wants one, he'll certainly order one, but he doesn't expect this model to sell very well.

He could be wrong I guess, but this store has been around for over 30 years and they sell a lot of bikes. He probably knows what he's talking about.

Title: Re: yamaha SR400-2015
Post by jcstokes on 06/28/14 at 13:18:42

oldNslow might have a valid point.

Title: Re: yamaha SR400-2015
Post by WebsterMark on 06/29/14 at 06:34:23

Maybe they are following a Hardee's business model. Hardee's makes 10 times the margin on each burger sold vs. McDonalds which is why Hardee's doesn't have to sell millions to make money. I've never been in a Hardee's that was as crowded as a McDonalds.

I'm sure there's no way to find out the real number, but I wonder what the profit margin is on the Bolt vs this SR400?

Regardless, I'm not buying one at $6000. Sort of like Honda's new CB1100, cool bike but way over priced....