Two-Stroke Smoker from Hawai’i’s Speedychoppy Builds…
In 1976, the Yamaha RD400 appeared because the successor to the RD350, which had develop into a legend in its personal time. As a substitute of merely overboring the 350, Yamaha created a wholly new machine. The RD400 had an extended stroke, new crankcases, a rubber-mounted engine, totally different wheels and brakes, and extra. Yamaha even moved the engine ahead within the body to curb the RD’s tendency to wheelie — fortuitously, they failed!
In inventory trim, the brand new RD boasted 40 bhp and a high pace of 106 mph — although these numbers have been simply the tip of the iceberg. Quickly the RD400 was smoking spherical streets and circuits right here and overseas, incomes its repute as a worthy successor to the RD legend:
“Weighing in at 160 kilos, the 398cc RD400 turned the last word racing-derived, two-stroke avenue racer. Whereas Yamaha’s contracted racers loved large success in GPs, the agency’s highway prospects have been having simply as a lot enjoyable haring around the streets…” –Visordown
Just lately, we acquired in contact with Tyrone Montayre of Hawai’i’s Speedchoppy Builds — an O’ahu native who grew up round motorsports, racing motocross, autocross, and import drags earlier than turning into a mechanic at an Audi, Harley, Kawasaki dealership on Maui. That’s when he acquired his first avenue bike, an ’03 R6:
“Picked it up fast and discovered find out how to drag a knee using up in Haleakala Volcano. Maui has very nice lengthy roads in comparison with O’ahu, however no highway course observe.”
As soon as he acquired bored racing up the volcano, he shipped the bike to O’ahu and started flying backwards and forwards to race on the native observe — alas, that observe is not any extra:
“Moved again to O’ahu in 2003 and raced until the observe closed in 2006.”
At the moment, Tyrone is the land steward for Shield & Protect Hawai’i, and nonetheless retains his hand in a pair days per week on the native Land Rover / Jaguar dealership.
The thought for this RD400 construct got here whereas he was engaged on Maui, when one of many dealership’s bike techs (Jason) saved speaking up two-strokes, telling him a correctly arrange RD may give his fashionable R6 a run for the cash.
“Sooner or later his pals rode in on two newly restored grime tracker model RD’s constructed by Moto Carrera. With that droning two-stroke twin cylinder sound and scent I used to be hooked. I obsessive about constructing one…”
Tyrone picked up a ’78 RD400 off eBay and started working in his 10’ x 18’ transformed storage room, trying to construct a period-correct avenue racer with fashionable touches. He provides us the complete specs beneath, however highlights embody Stage 2 porting courtesy of land pace file holder Ed Erlenbach, cast Wossner pistons, rebuilt crank, undercut transmission, YZ85 VForce reeds, Professional Design intakes, bigger Mikuni VM30 carbs, and Fukui Racing titanium chambers from Japan — are you able to say wheelie?
The bike is rolling on wider Daytona wheels with Brembo brakes, rear Öhlins piggyback shocks, and entrance forks rebuilt with Öhlins valving. Ian Halcott of seatandtank.com fabricated the seat and oil tank, whereas Hannibal A Williams Jr. of Cycledelic Customized Paint dealt with the paint and painted by hand graphics.
The bike appears a deal with, and goes even higher:
“Scary enjoyable when the powerband hits and lifts the entrance by means of third gear. Flicks into turns very simply making it a pleasure to trip. The vibrations, scent, and sounds of classic two-strokes are like no different, and simply brings a smile to my face.”
Beneath, we speak to Tyrone for the complete story on the construct, with pictures courtesy of Francis Pleasure (@zenjin808).
Yamaha RD400 Café Racer: Builder Interview
• Please inform us a bit about your self, your historical past with bikes, and your workshop.
Born and raised in Makakilo Metropolis on the island of O’ahu, Hawai’i, just a few miles from the place the race observe was till it closed in 2006. Presently no observe on O’ahu. Grew up round motorsports with household and pals racing automobiles and bikes. First bike was an ’82 RM80 after I was 12.
Ultimately began racing MX on the native membership racing observe on and off. Received into automobiles and import scene within the 90’s in highschool doing drags and autocross. Had a flair for mechanics and cherished aggressive motorsports racing. Turned an auto mechanic working at varied unbiased outlets until ending up working for a Land Rover, Porsche, Audi dealership.
In 2002 I took a suggestion to maneuver and work on the island of Maui at a brand new Audi, Harley, Kawasaki dealership. Dad and mom at all times informed me due to their worries that I may by no means have a avenue bike so long as I lived in the home. Now being out of the home, I purchased my first avenue bike (2003 Yamaha R6). Picked it up fast and discovered find out how to drag a knee using up in Haleakala Volcano. Maui has very nice lengthy roads in comparison with O’ahu, however no highway course observe.
I acquired bored racing up the volcano. I admitted proudly owning the bike to my dad and mom — they accepted me having a avenue bike and agreed to let me retailer the bike at their place, so I shipped it again to O’ahu and began flying backwards and forwards to race the native membership racing highway course. Moved again to O’ahu in 2003 and raced until the observe closed in 2006.
I’ve at all times had some type of mission, often constructing automobiles and bikes. In 2018 stumbled throughout some preservation land at a tax public sale and determined to be its land steward in 2019 — began a nonprofit, Shield & Protect Hawai’i.
We provide schooling alternatives, entry for the neighborhood, and forest watershed restoration.
I spotted the earth wanted fixing extra that prospects’ automobiles, so in October 2022 I shifted full time to the nonprofit and work simply two days on the Land Rover and Jag dealership as a diagnostic tech until I can safe sustainable funding.
My workshop is an outdated 10’ x 18’ transformed storage room.
• What’s the make, mannequin, and 12 months of the bike?
1978 Yamaha RD400, eBay shipped from Arizona.
• Why was this bike constructed?
Private.
• What was the design idea and what influenced the construct?
Minimalistic, period-correct retro w/ fashionable affect. TZ250, Yamaha R6 shark nostril lights. For the 12 months that I labored in Maui on the Audi/Harley/Kawi dealership there was a bike tech (Jason) who couldn’t cease speaking up about how superior RD’s have been. He would say {that a} correctly arrange RD would be capable of compete with my fashionable R6. Sooner or later his pals rode in on two newly restored grime tracker model RD’s constructed by Moto Carrera. With that droning two-stroke twin cylinder sound and scent I used to be hooked. I obsessive about constructing one on and off ever since until I discovered one on eBay in 2013.
• What customized work was achieved to the bike?
Seat and customized oil tank by Ian Halcott beforehand of Twinline moto and seatandtank.com. Engine has a Stage 2 Porting by land pace file holder Ed Erlenbach, in addition to machining cylinders to suit YZ85 VForce reeds mating to Professional Design intakes to bigger Mikuni VM30 carbs. He additionally rebuilt the crank and transmission, which was despatched out to be undercut at R&D Motorsports. I assembled the engine with new cast Wossner pistons.
Mike Kamemoto of Infinite Machine Works was accountable for machining billet caliper brackets to suit bigger discs and Brembo calipers, axle adapters and different varied machining wants. Yamaha R6 triple clamps and entrance forks rebuilt with Öhlins valving to enhance the rear Öhlins piggyback shocks.
Hannibal A Williams Jr. of Cycledelic Customized Paint hand painted the graphics and paint.
Detabbed, powdercoated, transferring elements Cerakoted, Classic Smoke rear units, Fukui Racing Ti chambers from Japan imported by Samu Rider Japan. Wider and lighter Yamaha Daytona wheels. RD350 engine covers modded to suit. (Simply As a result of RD400’s are plain to me.)
• Any thought of horsepower / weight numbers?
332 lbs, no thought on energy.
• Are you able to inform us what it’s wish to trip?
Scary enjoyable when the powerband hits and lifts the entrance by means of third gear. Flicks into turns very simply making it a pleasure to trip. The vibrations, scent, and sounds of classic two-strokes are like no different, and simply brings a smile to my face.
• Was there something achieved throughout this construct that you’re notably pleased with?
All of my builds, I at all times benefit from the journey over the vacation spot. Dreaming it, manifesting, then materializing it. One factor that I had enjoyable with was researching brake rotors with the identical bolt sample and proper offset by means of a number of databases to provide you with what I did. The opposite would assembling the engine and transmission. It was a primary for me. It was like an automotive normal transmission and engine mixed!
• Is there anybody you’d wish to thank?
My good good friend Elmer Rivera who did all of the tank welding and physique prep work, Layden Paulino for serving to me supply out elements, Ian Halcott, Ed Erlenbach, Hannibal A Williams Jr. (@808painter1) of Cycledelic Customized Paint, Mike Kamemoto of Infinite Machine Works, the crew at Montgomery Powersports, Ted’s Automotive Machine Store, and John Rodenhiser of economycycle.com. Photograph credit score: Francis Pleasure (@zenjin808).
Comply with the Builder
Net: protectpreservehi.org
Instagram: @speedchoppy_builds | @protectandpreservehawaii
