Got one as my first bike. A few years in I sometimes wish for a little more power on the highway, but I can hardly imagine a better first bike. Enough engine to get you where you want to go, VERY forgiving of stupid rookie mistakes, 40-something years of proven reliability (made even more so with FI), pretty simple maintenance for learning to do some simple jobs, and classic good looks. Tons of fun, never a regret.
Hello from New Zealand. Thanks for the fantastic proper review from an actual owner rather than a sponsored bike magazine, I like it! I've got an SRX600, I guess you could call it an oddball 1980's variant cousin of your SR400 but very similar sort of bike. Its been haunting the back of the garage for years, I really need to get it back on the road. Videos like yours remind me of how much fun my old SRX is, great motivation!
@@poormansmotorcycleclub7581 They certainly are a lot of fun! Problem was they were simply too expensive compared to the more popular multi cylinder bikes at the time, and singles were also pretty old fashioned to the public. I did read somewhere that Yamaha ended up doing somewhat of a fire-sale on them so some people in the states got some great bargains!
Thank you for such a great explanation of your bike. I remember my friends with them when I was a young man. You have kept your bike in beautiful condition. Now I'm 57. I love old motorcycles. I have a 2005 Yamaha V-Max now.
One of the best real world reviews on any bike that I’ve seen in a long time. The only thing I wish was he could’ve given a small riding review And commented on the ride itself. Well done, Steve in Pensacola
Just bought a 2016 Yamaha SR400 a couple weeks ago and absolutely love it. It's my first bike and I'm just getting into riding, so was a little concerned pre-purchase about the kickstart. The sight glass makes it so easy and as you say in the video, I haven't had to kick it more than twice yet to get it turned over. I stalled out a red light and got the bike on the center stand and kick started before the light turned green. Handling is great and I love the classic thumper sound of the single cylinder. Think I'll keep this bike forever, even as I graduate to bigger, more powerful bikes. Great review, same page with everything you said.
I know im randomly asking but does any of you know of a way to log back into an Instagram account..? I stupidly forgot my login password. I appreciate any assistance you can offer me
@Cairo Terrence thanks so much for your reply. I found the site thru google and Im in the hacking process atm. Takes quite some time so I will get back to you later when my account password hopefully is recovered.
While not bad music, background noise makes it hard to hear for people who e broken the bones in the inner ear or who have tinnitus (or both).... all background music during talking should be outlawed, or at least punishable by removing access to tacos for one year!
"Poor man's Motorcycle Club" -- I Love the name. I like finding ways to do things I like without needing to throw money away - and this bike seems to work in a variety of ways - it's not overbuilt with a 1000cc engine and it's not a high-performance bike (which I don't want).. it's light... seems easy to work on... gets decent fuel mileage.. will be cheap to insure... and it even looks pretty darn good!
Indeed sir. Such bikes were used in world wars example Royal Enfield. Cheap and no-nonsense bikes, could take tremendous amount of abuse and punishment but still ready to go another round.
Gorgeous bike. They have stopped making them, unfortunately. I live in Thailand, and they are still in some shops but are pricey. I'd kind of like one as my second bike to keep for eternity. In the '80s I rode from England to Portugal return three times and Greece once on an XT500. That was a great bike.
The sr400 is beautiful! I love the seat.. was looking for an sr but bought a good used 2016 TU250x instead (also very retro).. it's a bullet proof urban runner and a blast to ride. My bratified tu looks a lot like your fenderless thumbnail. 👍👍
Thanks for checking in. I’m a big big fan of the Yamaha company, their products have never let me down and I just bought my wife a fantastic little dirtbike, the XT 250. I can’t hang with the styling of the XSR, just not my thing
When you get used to it you wont need that sight window for starting. Just find top dead centre,pull in the decomp lever and just push it past TDC, then a good kick and it will start.
I bought one of these and have clocked up 800 miles so far, it is a very well made bike and ideal as a retirement bike for long tern bikers! Great review!
It's my 4 bike. Previous ones are Steed 400 that is unbreakable as Nokia 3110, yamaha xvs950, a good tourer and honda 1300 sabre, somewhat a muscle bike. And this one is low powered, but a hell of fun to ride, a nice one, old school, almost fully metal but pretty lightweight. Ideal city bike that looks cool. I ride for 4 years, long trips, everyday to work, but this one I would never sell, and it's a good first-time bike too, although it's not a cheapest if you find an injected version. 2 grains for carburated and 3 for newer model.
there is some kind of magic behind that oldschool technology ;) someone can efford a new Tesla etc. but it won't have a soul this bike has. It is not only motorbikes but old radios etc. This is why people renovate them very often. The built quality also. I think we got lost a little bit with the technology (which I use all the time at work for example) but this bike is a symbol of what's really important in life :)
You could be proud of that review. It was excellent and you were the perfect host. Hi from Brisbane Australia. I ride a 2021ktm Duke 390 but boy i love that Yamaha. Perfect new old school.😊😊
Great video! I'm actually looking to purchase a Yamaha SR400 very soon! Looking forward to joining the Poor Man's Motorcycle Club and seeing more videos!
Love these bikes and yours is a beautiful example. I’ve been looking for one to buy for some time but not very common where I live. Search continues. Thanks for the video. Cheers .Dan 🏍✌️🇨🇦
Awesome video! I've got a '14 SR400 just a year ago and I love her to bits. The thumping of the single cylinder and the bass exhaust note (I swapped out the stock one). It does backfires quite a bit due the the AIS with the aftermarket exhaust. The only complaint I have about her is the vibration during city riding. But she's a hell of a looker so I'll forgive her for that
Aren’t they great bikes? Thanks for watching and for checking in. When I bought mine it had a straight pipe it was pretty damn loud. It literally fell off somewhere on the road, and a friend donated the one that’s on there now. It backfires less, but I kind of miss the old sound : )
'15 sr400 owner here, may I suggest you unplug your oxygen sensor (wrap the end with electric tape) you will have a richer mixture and immediately notice a crisper response, nevermind mind the check engine light ( code 24) and a K&N air filter is a must.
My 1st "poor man's" bike was a 1976 Honda CJ360T. Kick start only, 2 into 1 exhaust . No frills, just thrills. Sold it w/ 40,000 miles, still in perfect stock condition. Just oil changes and tires..... Rode it all over the Western U.S.., trouble free. Dang, I miss that bike!
THAT’s what I’m talking about! They used to say that Honda is an engine company that just found ways to put them to work. Lawnmowers to cars and everything in between.
@@poormansmotorcycleclub7581 I was always under the impression Honda was a compnay of motorhead's vs. say, Toyota, that is a "car" company.. And then there is Kawasaki, once the worlds largest producer of airplane engines...!
I have a 2016 in piano black that's been neglected since the beginning of the pandemic. Just started dusting it off and changing the fluids. Should be back on the road this week! Even with year old gas it starts with one or two kicks.
That’s the 2015 anniversary edition. With that aftermarket exhaust, you’ll get less decel popping if you remove the air injection system (and block off the resulting exhaust port hole). I speak from sea-level experience, so your altitude might have an effect on that.
I love this bike!! It's the the ultimate cool simple bike. Change the seat that's it. Awesome...started the cafe boom. Only criticism is having no balancer it does vibrate a bit for long highway
Mine’s on a shelf in the garage; never had a chance to try it. Since the video was filmed, I put on a groovy Ellaspede. Riding it to work later this morning Thanks for watching
Nice review man, thanks. Just had a question if you don't mind, would you recommend buying one of these beautiful motorcycles from 1998 with 25thousandish kms? Would love some advice on it, thanks
I don’t see why not, unless it's rusty. Have a look at the rubber stuff (replace 10 year old tires, regardless of tread) and make sure the brakes and cables are okay. Maybe $2k usd is about right. Good luck, and thanks for watching.
Very nice video. I have taken a 3 hour riding lesson already (on a Rebel, which sat too low to be comfortable), and taking MSF this week at a HD dealership, and thinking about a bike like this for just riding around my small town on weekends. Sounds like a good beginner bike for someone like me (6'0, 180)?
Love to see others loving their SR400 just as much I do mine. Got an old one from '82. Best bike I've ever owned. I've had faster, bigger, nimbler, newer and all around "better" bikes before but nothing comes close to the sheer ejoyment I get from riding my slow, old, carbureted, kickstart only SR400. It will be with me until the end!
Best poormans bike i ever owned was a suzuki gs 500. Parallel twin that was as sweetly balanced as you could hope to find, cornered better than just about anything ive owned. Bought it orginally as a commuter but ended up spending every weekend riding it through every twist within 300ks of home.
Thanks for watching! This was a few years ago and I have since replaced that whole deal with a wonderful Ellaspeed tail tidy. If I recall correctly, that’s The fender that was on it, but maybe not. Sorry.
What tires and size are they? I'm looking for replacement but no one seems to carry the OEM sizes. I might be stuck getting 3.5 inch fronts and 4 inch rear.
Yo have to get it up on the centerstand to kickstart it? I would like to see the stock seat left on it, an aftermarket (barring a future factory option) higher scrambler type exhaust pipe, slightly more dual purpose tires and a little wider handlebars and skidplate-a scrambler type of bike like the old Triumph Trophy 250.
Use center stand for maintenance. I put larger all terrain tires on mine. Had to raise the front fender (or just leave it off) . Its a great scrambler.
Love it! How many inches/cm did you lose with that cafe racer seat compared to the stock? I want to get the Sr but seat height is an 1inch too tall for me.
Hi, thanks for checking in. Ive since swapped for the Ellaspede cafe. Both cafe aftermarket seats are really low. I’m 5’6” with a 28” inseam, and have zero issues throwing a leg over or flat footing at red lights. Guess? Probably a good 3” below that tall stock seat.
@@poormansmotorcycleclub7581 thank you for the reply. We're the same height so I'll definitely check those seat out in the future. Have you seen the ultra classic seat by Kedo? Looks great and Los gasilinos here on RU-vid says it's a great seat and lowers the seat height too.
I've just bought one in Thailand, after seeing them occasionally on the road. I had an XT 500 back in 1976 and it was one of a handful of bikes I wish I'd never sold! The SR is just perfect for the roads in N.Thailand and is as fast as I would ever like to travel here. Thanks for the review! By the way, did you remove the fuel tank breather/overflow cannister?
@@shermanallen I put a K&N only CRF 250L and it did make quite a difference. As I've only just bought the SR, I need to check what air filter the previous owner had fitted. Thanks for the reply!
I've recently brought an old 1980 SR500 back from the dead -Probably my favorite bike that I've owned. Trying to find a newer SR400 for my wife. Great to find a retrospective like this. I like your riding jacket. What brand is that?
Thanks for watching. When I bought it, it already had the club and bars installed, which puts you in a café position,bent forward doesn’t bother me, but I’m 5 foot six and I only ride it around town. I’m sure the factory bars have a more upright posture.
I sold my TU250x and I'm missing riding. I'm short and heard the SR400 is taller. With an aftermarket seat, will this be more comfortable for short people?
Cool. I’m curious about speed on highway. I have a Ninja 400 which easily rides at 75 or 80mph on highway without a problem. Will this 400 do the same? I’m looking to get away from the sport bike riding position and move to a standard riding position. Thanks.
@@poormansmotorcycleclub7581Thanks for the reply! I guess it’s safe to say not all 400cc’s are created equal. :) I looked up the specs. My Ninja 400 has about 45 horsepower and the SR400 has about 23.
Fantastic video! I’m looking at a 2016 sr400 for around $3400 with 3700 miles on it. Looks clean to me, is that a fair price? Also, any issues I should look for? I had a royal Enfield single and always had places with leaking oil from seals, etc.
Make sure it had the upper oil line connection checked. There was a recall from Yamaha for this production year. Had mine checked and it was ok. Price seems to be fair since it was 6000€ new in Europe, so in the US it could´ve been even more in dollars. There are no leaking issues with my SR 400 that I know about. Only issue I ´ve had in 5 years was a broken license plate. It´s vibrating a lot - just like it should be :) Cheers
Fminus104 I went to look at it and seemed like it was totally stock and relatively well taken care of. Are parts difficult to get for these sr400? I’m debating to purchase it or not. Also, at idle,is it normal for the front bars/forks to vibrate a bit with the engine pulses? I remember my Enfield was that way so I’m guessing it’s normal. By the way, the license plate on this bike was cracked too lol
@@Deetroiter Fork dancing at idle is part of the fun. Custom and original parts are no problem where I live (Germany). I use my 400 as reliable and fuel efficient daily commuter which suits her well. But if you want to go faster than 120km/h (75 mph) you have to look for an older unrestricted SR 500 ´cause 23hp is not much on longer tours.
@@Deetroiter I've had a few single cylinder bikes. They have the nickname "Thumper" for a reason! That is exactly the price and mileage I paid for mine. I'm always having to put money into repairs on my other bikes, but NEVER for my good old SR400. Good luck, and thanks for posting
Great question. Like an Acura Integra vs a 71 Mustang. The Yamaha is the one I’d choose for a long ride with distant gas stations and no support. The Zook is just dead sexy on the boulevard.
i would prefer honda to remake the cb400/4 rather than this. I had a suzuki gs550e that would bump start coming down off the centre stand, very impressive, i'll never forget that.
I've researched this so many times now. I want to do something similar with mine. What height is the seat with the cafe on there? Do you know the brand of the seat and club bar?
Thanks for checking in! I’m sorry, I don’t know the brand. Since the video, I put a new cafe seat called Ellaspede from Australia, which incorporates a brake light, eliminating the clunky-looking (to me) factory brake light. Let me go check the height…call it 28”, and I think it’s beautiful; brown diamond tuck. Now you’ve made me want to post it on the site…
Hi, thanks for watching! Well, they do call one cylinders “thumpers”, It’s certainly never going to be as smooth as a big fat twin cruiser. I ride mine lots and I always find it very comfortable. I can’t remember ever climbing off feeling beaten up. Six hours is a lot for me, it’s not for some people. Just depends
I am retired and looking for a fun cheap bike? What models would you suggest now? What year is your SR400? I want to have fun for cheap also. Are the vibes bad on this bike? I’m in Houston btw.
I think my SR 400 is a 2015. As a single cylinder, it’s pretty vibration prone above about 50 miles an hour. I weigh 200 pounds, so I just don’t think of this as a highway or freeway bike. It’s an absolute blast for a commuter, and I kind of enjoy the kickstart. Not everyone does. I’ve had huge fun with small bikes like the VStar 250 and the S 40 Suzuki. For a midsize cruiser, I like the triumph America and speed master models. I also happen to like sportsters, but I’m 5 foot six with short legs. It’s like trying on boots you’re gonna have to do it yourself. You’re gonna have fun hunting!I like the new twin cylinder Royal Enfield ‘s. At about $6000, that’s a lot of bike if you want to go with something new
@@poormansmotorcycleclub7581 Cool thanks for the suggestions. I like all of them. I am 6 feet 215 with 30 inch inseam. Will see what I can find here in Houston. We drove through Santa Fe last year btw..seems like a cool town.
@@poormansmotorcycleclub7581 P.S. what do you think of little bikes like the Yamaha MT-03? As much fun as your suggestions? The Enfield twin looks good too...stretching it on the price a bit.
@@dry509 Never tried one. I’ve had, I think, four Yamahas, and they are reliable beyond belief. Here’s a good article on the threewww.yamaha-motor.ca/en/blog/experiences/five-reasons-the-yamaha-mt-03-is-the-perfect-beginner-bike/Article43
I’m thinking about buying a 2015 with about 3k miles for $4,750. Is that too expensive? It seems like way too much, but every bike is so expensive right now.
I don’t know; I paid $3,400 when mine was a few years old, And I’ve had about five years of pure fun with it, and I still ride it all the time. I guess I will say that’s not a bargain but I bet you’ll get your moneys worth
@@poormansmotorcycleclub7581yea i don't do dealers. I was dead set on getting a new MT07 but their bs fees reminded me why you should NEVER buy from the stealership.
Thanks for checking in. I’m 200 pounds and I live at 7200 feet elevation. It’s not much above 70 for me. The published top speed is 80;for skinny guy at sea level, maybe. Thanks for watching and commenting!
Hi, and thanks for the question. While this is the greatest commuter ever, and while I have found reviews by owners who ride long trips, I don’t enjoy it above about 60mph. It’s light one cylinder, plus I weigh 200 and live at 7,200’ altitude, so 70 seems to be all she’s got, and the high mountain winds here…not what she does best
I just now saw your question. Sorry for the slow response. There’s a graphic somewhere in the video that I think says 60 miles to the gallon, although I once rode the 80 miles from south of Albuquerque to Santa Fe on a single gallon. Total ideal conditions.
Hi can I ask you a question? How tall are you? I am working on my bike license and I hope to buy one of these sr400s but being 197cm (6' 6'') i have comfort issues with most bikes
5’ 6” here. The café seat on mine probably took 3 inches off the saddle height. Other reviews of noted that the long factory saddle allows riders to shift back-and-forth for comfort. But it’s a pretty small bike and you are really tall I don’t know what to tell you
@@poormansmotorcycleclub7581 Well dang. Guess I have to save up for a Royal Enfield Interceptor which is the only classic bike which I know that fits tall people. Thanks for the reply!
@@thepaintjobber Interesting. I was in Los Angeles for the debut of the new 650 twin line from Royal interceptor. Very fun bikes, I don’t remember them being well suited to tall guys but how would I know lol
@@poormansmotorcycleclub7581 A guy I follow who is big as me both of the 650s, he came to the conclusion that the Intereceptor version is fine even for big dudes but the Continental GT definitely ain't. Worse thing is, I didn't exactly want to drop the almost seven grand for a new one and used ones are nowhere to be found in my country's market despite being the number one selling bike here. Guess people don't want to part with them, eh
