Your Collection: 1975 Yamaha MX400
Sunday, April 15, 2012 | 2:40 PM
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PrintThis weeks collection comes to us from Robert Fox.
Hi guys,
This is a 1975 Yamaha MX400 I restored for my Uncle Bobby. He used to race/ride a bike just like this one back in '75 and when I found one down in L.A. I was so excited to get started on it. It took six months to finish and I surprised him with it back in July 2010. It doesn't look this pretty anymore because he rides it almost everyday. But that's why I restored it - the man loves to ride!
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Nice job! Glad he's enjoying it.
Looks great! I remember riding a friends 400 and it was a totally different style to the 125 and 250's I use to race. Had to think a lot when riding the 400.
NIce Job Robert! 1975 Yamaha's first production mono-shocker. That was the 2nd dirt bike I ever threw my leg over. A friend of mine who I worked with me said, "Hey, you gotta come ride this brand new bike I just bought" Keeping in mind I had never been on anything but a 1960 Tote-Goat with a Briggs& Straton top speed of 5 miles and hour, I said sure.
Whoa Daddy! I remember that day very well. And I will never forget that summer of '75.
I immediately went down to the Yamaha dealer and bought it's little brother the 250MXB and I was hooked for life.
The End
Oh man. I bought that bike (another one like it, that is) brand-new at age 16. It was a great bike, had a lot of power, good suspension, etc. The only problem was, it had too much power for the transmission. I raced it quite a bit, but it (the trans) eventually screwed up, as did some others I heard about. Never even thought of trying to get any help from Yamaha, which I'd do now. But I knew someone with a spare 250 engine, which had the same size, bolt pattern, etc., so I raced it as a 250 for the rest of its 'career'!
I always figured you wanted the YZ over the MX (no doubt in the 125). But I rode the MX400 a couple years past it's prime and really liked the motor. Like a big grunty trailbike compared to the more pipey YZ(360, right?). Kind of like the later IT400. The MX motor in the YZ chassis would have been fun.
I wonder if anyone runs that combo in vintage...
Pretty bike. Congrats.
Nicely done! Sweet ride.