In the event you get slightly pang of unhappiness in your coronary heart everytime you see a motorcycle that’s clearly been uncared for, this XL-sized timelapse restoration video is for you. This Yamaha XJR400 was apparently sitting, alone and unloved, for at the very least 21 years earlier than a man who goes by the YouTube title Fumicho Driving received his arms on it.
Whereas the XJR400 has clearly seen higher days, it’s undoubtedly not in the worst situation we’ve ever seen. For one factor, any corroded bits of steel appear to only be on the floor, and there’s nowhere on this bike that’s extra rust than steel, which is a particular plus. For an additional, he can inform pretty shortly that it actually desires to run—and simply wants slightly detective work to determine what’s stopping it from firing up. You need optimistic indicators that you must proceed attempting to revive a motorcycle, you’ve received ‘em.
Sadly, this bike didn’t include a key, so the unique ignition barrel has to come back out, and a brand new one has to get wired into place. That’s pretty easy, and goes easily. Because it’s a carbureted inline four-cylinder engine, and it’s been sitting for at the very least 21 years, it additionally doesn’t take a mind genius to suspect that the carbs may be fairly gunked up. The following step is cleansing these out rather well—as a result of certain sufficient, there’s an honest quantity of varnish and gunk clogging up Fumicho’s hopes and goals.
A fast examination of the starter motor and slightly key wire brush motion are subsequent in line, to hopefully give this bike what it must run. After that time, in fact, there’s a ton extra work to do—however there’s a distinction between hoping it’ll all be value it, and understanding that in the long run, you’ll have a ridable machine that’s in good working order.
Does it work? Sadly, the reply is not any. We quickly discover out {that a} dangerous ignition coil is the perpetrator—and after that’s switched out for one, the XJR400 fires proper up. Hooking up the vacuum gauges and making changes quickly reveals that there’s compression loss on one cylinder, however three out of 4 in good nick definitely isn’t dangerous.
Subsequent, it’s time to take the bike aside, so the deep work can start in earnest. All of the elements come off, and the engine comes out of the body and will get parked somewhat neatly on/in an outdated automobile tire for each help and easy accessibility. Then, it’s time for every little thing to come back aside, get cleaned, and return along with new OEM gaskets and rubbers (you understand, identical to mama used to construct).
After the engine is taken care of, it’s beautification time. In the event you’ve spent any time watching restoration movies, all the weather you’d anticipate are right here. Numerous paint stripping, media blasting, wire wheels, hand sanding, priming, and airbrushing work galore, and it’s tremendous satisfying to observe come collectively.
Towards the very finish, Fumicho addresses the gauge cluster plastic, which is in fact a bit hazy as a result of it’s at the very least a few a long time outdated—and, I imply, Yamaha began making this mannequin in 1992. It’s nothing slightly plastic polish can’t repair, and the tip outcome (together with new chrome on the binnacles) comes up beautiful and clear.
When he will get to the tank and strips it again to reveal steel, as a result of I’m me, I in fact am eager for a second that he’ll simply clear-coat the polished steel and choose to not paint it. At first, it appears to be like just like the tank doesn’t have any dents in it, so it seems to be a superb candidate for such remedy—however no, there’s one little dent that he finally ends up utilizing slightly filler to repair. There are some minor imperfections within the facet covers, too, so these additionally get the filler and sanding remedy, previous to priming and portray.
The paint job that Fumicho goes for incorporates these beautiful Yamaha sixtieth anniversary GP colours—pink, black, and white. It’s not a reproduction, although—and the way in which he makes use of these colours leads to what’s only a chef’s kiss of a accomplished challenge on the finish. (The Racing Mission Murashima—or RPM, when you like—exhaust can be a pleasant contact.)
This can be a lengthy timelapse video, nevertheless it’s effectively value it. Take an hour and a half and provides it a watch. You deserve it, particularly while you see the completed challenge.
