1975 Yamaha MX400B

[@L2fish]

You have a wonderful life getting to ride all these old steeds. Thanks for the memories

[@oblivianation9759]

I agree 💯

[@herculesecasanova3957]

I owned a lot of dirt bikes back in the day and certainly had much more advanced than this but the MX400 was my hands down favorite. I could literally climb up cliffs with it. At speed though the infamous Yamahop from that primitive monoshock was very unforgiving. I still have a memory from it in a big knot on my collar bone that did not heal straight after mistiming a set of whoops.When I die and go to heaven I would love to have an MX400B waiting there for me, to blast across the desert in the sky WHOO HAH!

[@enwri]

No gas in your shockie either eh?. My 250B shock was a one cylinder one stroke vacuum assisted rebound adder until I regassed it. I ran over myself as well. Over the bars in mid air. As long as there's no rocks in that desert up there, I'll be chasing you up.

[@dirtjunkieone2928]

For those questioning the year of this bike, It is a 1975 MX400B. My older brother and his best friend both bought the first ones to hit our local Yamaha dealer in 1975. I later purchased it from him. It’s a badass bike and all what he said is true of it’s power. We could wheelie that bike at speed for a 200’ or more with ease. The low first gear made for easy slow motion trials like wheelie as well. The one in the video is as original as it gets although the head is different from my brothers and his buddies bike. Maybe a mid year change or maybe just a replacement. It looks like a 1974 MX360 head to me. This was the first production monoshock, the YZ360 in 1974 had a monoshock but was only for the factory race team. This white MX400B came out as the first mono shock for production. If i I knew how to post a photo on here I could post my brothers [later mine] in stock trim and you’d see the difference in the head. Otherwise the one in the video is original except the added on fork brace.

[@yz4me60]

my heart melts to the sound of that thing...what a unique exhaust note..it screams cool..deffinately a special bike

[@timhays4290]

Last time I was on an MX track was summer of 74, I rode CZ. The 1975 Yamaha is an iconic bike. It was the game changer in MX. Yamaha shut down production of the 1974 360MX earlier in the year than normal, and introduced the new 75 model with rear long travel mono shock. 1974 industry wide, top suspension was 7" front travel and 4" rear. Every other manufacture had to play catch up. CZ was owned by a communist government and had zero R&D money, and went away. The other Europeans like Maico and Husky went with lay down twin rear shocks until they could re-tool. Other European makes went under like: Bultaco, Ossa, AJS, and DKW. From this point on the Big Four Japanese makers dominated MX. Somehow John Penton stayed in business until 1978 when KTM's name went on the tank.

[@Bigdog302V8]

looks like it has a Webco head on it. the stock head have radial fins and they are very sparse and it did not take long to overheat it after hard riding on a hot day. these are very strong running bikes, I hopped up a 1975 DT400B with the MX400B top end, MX400B piston and a 38 mm carb from a 1976 IT 400C, this thing now rips and feels like I added more than 15 HP to it and no real loss in torque.

[@loganvannostran5365]

I have a 1973 SC500 with a 74’ DT400 lighting kit. Street legal 😂

[@jaydenbrockington4525]

Right when I first started getting into dirt bikes about 3 years ago, there were so many classic 70s bikes for sale for super cheap. Now ppl realized the beauty of them and they’re rare. I’m 16 and can barely afford to keep my 97 Cr on the road but if I had the money.. dream bike

[@andyshelly3473]

love those old 400,s had 2 of them back in the day nothing better .

[@tomnekuda3818]

This was the bike I learned on......yup....steep learning curve. I ended up going thru two of them before I jumped to later bikes. Put on Maico 440 forks and had White Bros. set up the shock. This bike sounds rich as hell. Note the fork brace on this one....bent my forks because they were piss-ant tubes for a bike this strong; thus the Maico's. Really helped take the "Yama-Hop" side-step out of it. Bike only really hurt me once.....and it was my fault.....easy bike to ride. Great to see this video. As I understand it, the early MXB engine was later tamed a bit to make the first YZ400. If you didn't set 'em up right you could snab a ring in the port. The early MXB(mine) did not have a split intake port, soooo...... The 2-piece pipe was unique and made the thing easy to dismantle but could sometimes be a pain in the ass in terms of leaks. That's a pretty mint bike you have there, Ken. Would like to throw my 72 yr-old arthritic butt on the thing. Keep them videos coming......my everything hurts today. Hope I don't reach the end of the trail.......Tom

[@enwri]

I learned on the mx250 b at 13, bent my forks as well, just after I finally got the rear shock gassed at 15. Both ends worked properly at the same time for about a month. I didn't have money for that until then. Piston and ring set was about $13 dollars, alloy sprocket and chain was about $40, It ate pistons and the ring, (big piston cutout and big exhaust port) chains, and ripped all the knobs off the sides of the rear tyres regularly. Super Digger 540 sticks in my head. They were more important I thought. I just looked up Super Diggers, Shinko got the moulds, after 40 years I realised I should have been running 520's, 540' are the softest, no wonder I was destroying them. 520's have reinforced knobs to stop them ripping off. Damn. You can still get them.

[@Leatherbark]

I was an avid dirt bike motocrosser back when these came out. One thing we learned quick was to not follow too close. That monoshock made that bike so tractable that you would get hit with a fist size rock right in the face if you trailed a MX400's six.

[@ClintL63]

I bought one from a friend as a retired Ice Race Bike; I had a friend who could RIDE it and beat everything around, when he rode it; since then: i have never driven or operated such power on a pound to weight ratio as that bike

[@steveshortridge6255]

That growl the bike makes is awesome

[@PeterSmith-or3pq]

Minty!. So much for anything new now . I want those oldies.

[@rodan2852]

My first dirbike 15 years ago. Worked awseome for fogging mosquitoes in the yard 😊 👍

[@scottreynolds6516]

First New bike I bought great Enduro bike still have the owners manual for it love your channel

[@wisecampmotorcycles8258]

Sounds awesome dude, love all your vids, keeping the dream alive. If I could leave Australia, and go anywhere in the world, it would be your shop and museum.

[@jnljnl8485]

Ive still got mine. A cr450 stroked to 480cc and cammed is a good drag race in the dirt . kid don't come around me on that thumper until we crest 60mph.

[@eddiebenzz]

What NOSTALGIA 😁❤️ I had a 250 MX YAMAHA ... ‘75 ‘76 or ‘77 Don’t remember what year it was but just simply awesome ☝️

[@nancyblanchard9175]

That thing is purring so nicely

[@whowantstoknowido]

That fork brace could be a lifesaver. Used to have the 125 version (without the brace) super fun little bike but even with the 125 the forks were close to their limit. The idea of the same basic frame but with a 400?

[@jasons44]

Your crazy as hex. But that bike looks fun and reminds me when i was a kid! Sounds 👍 good job

[@NGC2392Eskimo]

Awesome! I had the 250 version back in the day.

[@randomprecisionmotors3130]

Friend of mine, now dearly departed had one of those...ideal woods bike...we called 'em 'stump-jumpers'. His had an issue that I was told was common with the MX bikes, he'd have it on a stand idling, and it would just randomly snick into gear, usually 2nd from neutral, no biggie if it was on a center stand, but if he had it leaning against a tree, it'd take off on it's own. He got out of the habit of using trees...

[@tomnekuda3818]

Easy starting due to the automatic compression release that Yamaha incorporated into the design. One good stroke usually did it....even in winter to ride in snow.

[@mikestowe6136]

man that bike is clean is it me or do the old 2 strokes sound much deeper sound then the newer 2 strokes

[@williamfabiano543]

Sounds sick! It Growls for sure.

[@joelabriola6289]

The rear tire looks totally bad ass on that bike!

[@danhenderson783]

Had one of those when I was 16, absolutely loved that bike. Much broader power band than a YZ 360 of the same year. Even though it was heavier than the YZ many racers preferred it.

[@fatrat137]

Sounds like that power band would be wild

[@paulpride8842]

The gas tank reminds me of an old xt. This bike sounds so unique

[@ericlakota6512]

I dont care what any one says i love 2stroke nothing like high rpms power in a bike

[@eddiewilson3419]

Just found a 78 gt80. It’s in great shape I got it running and cleaned up 35 yrs of dirt from it sitting in lady basement. What you think I should sell it for?

[@kevingallegus3632]

Thats a beautiful bike. My dad had one and i had a hodaka 125. Those were great days. I seen my dad climb hills on that bike i couldn't climb on my cr500 a few years later.

[@billwilliams4394]

Man I have to come see these bikes,love it

[@dannywilliams3928]

Another beautiful example of a Yamaha Enduro. Good luck selling it guys!

[@robertfrance1160]

She's tight sounds brand new

[@markmoore1819]

Great bike i had one which i never sold it.

[@troycrowder9942]

hell yeah that is about as good as it gets for a 2 stroke sound you would have to ride your home stereo to work to beat that sound sweet music any day very nice above and beyond good showman peace

[@kk2into194]

The wife is watching this over my shoulder and was like ''OMG, he's riding it on those nice hard wood floors!'' LOL

[@scottreynolds6516]

Great off road Enduro bike first new bike I ever bought

[@gregperry230]

How do I find we that older bikes you have for sale

[@danielryan2317]

I've never seen this bracket, cool you had a few of them 🤔, she's a beut

[@wandaslocum8501]

i have one ,where do you get the plastic from?

[@evanwilliams2602]

This thing is a time capsule!

[@jonty4664]

Wish I looked that good 1977👊🏻

[@karl6823]

What a monster it sounds great!!!!!!!😃😃😃👍👍👍👍

[@waltwynn-sandiegonorthcoun8475]

It belongs in a museum on {ROUTE 66}...

[@johnmurner2418]

Ride it up that hill!! Braaaaaaaapppp!!

[@chadkimmel8957]

My uncle had one of these.

[@patrickpoupard1517]

Pourquoi vous traduisez pas en français ???? Merci

[@peacefulwarrior4078]

Geez Louise, is it always winter in all of your videos there ? Lol nice bike !

[@ronaldtartaglia4459]

It's winter 10 moths a year in New England

[@evanwilliams2602]

Another gem

[@neilbillybob3065]

Ken do you have a YAMAHA XT 500 ....you have a great collection I'd love to visit your museum . watching from in the uk... Trump is in town the uk today.we need him.

[@frankwilliams7398]

You finally put a real bike on there.

[@izom]

so cool love it....

[@verifiedclipx7180]

I have the exact bike i just rode it toda

[@nyttag7830]

Love it .

[@ericlakota6512]

That is a gorgious bigbore bike

[@767dag]

I tried to your web page to see what for sale and no luck

[@KaplanCycles]

It's on Ebay now

[@petedorta4449]

Question Why a dirt bike has idle Race dirt bike has no idea unless you want to you need max power

[@larrynorsworthy8582]

MXs must've been woods racers?

[@biswanathmohapatra1836]

I could never understand why a 2stroke brings out the devil side of any biker...😈...My side 2strk devil comes out just with the smell of 2t & the exhaust music..👹

[@williamsherman1089]

I rode a 1983 IT175 earlier this week and hadn't been on a two-stroke bike since about 1984. The first thing I wanted to do was go fast lol. I was gonna buy it but the guy backed out damn.

[@deweycheatemandhowe2446]

Cant beat reed valve induction!

[@jackmcandle6955]

I forgot the name but I put those Two stage fiberglass ones in my 75 dt 175

[@markmusto363]

My old bike .

[@RicardoValdes-r6w]

Sounds more mean than a Lion !!

[@muttskin1969]

No offense, but the seat rework is a little iffy. Get rid of the lumps bra!

[@SteveHacker]

😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍

[@ianmangham4570]

I'd give the little finger off my left hand for that baby 🖐️😊

[@tajrisokeng393]

Good2 ...

[@patrickkillilea5225]

Trick Fork Brace.

[@clarkpitts5393]

yammy beast..

[@ClintL63]

PFFFFT! you dont ride it like a Dirt Bike; crank shift crank shift fast as hell that front tire shouldnt even be on the pave! and you should be up over the handlebars: NOW! now you can experience what a Yamaha 400 MX is all about! I owned one

[@KaplanCycles]

Thanks professor!

[@jchavins]

huh ? faster than a 250 ? in a different class ? well yeah, ALL of the 360's and up were faster and in a different class !!

[@danlaatz7458]

Man You guys are ether millennials or easly influlenced itqs a nice bike , not great . I can't stand to look at any dramatically bike display with completely blown worn out rear suspension . Lets race I'm in Chicago Stock 76 DT400 against that (mint) haha Mx 400 lets go big time!!!!!

[@grahamchilds821]

Thanks for sharing uncle you are a interesting guy me and you have exactly the same interests in dirtbikes I love all japanese and European air cooled dirtbikes they were cool interesting fun times of lovely smelling two strokes that run on clean smelling oil like vegetable oil ,Castro oil ,belay oil it was all good but these days the competition smells bad

[@grahamchilds821]

Belray was another good oil