1978 Yamaha YZ400 - Bob Hannah Era

[@mikepate9371]

When yz looked really good

[@SamuelBarrPhotography]

Yes, those were some sharp looking bikes. And none of the issues or complexity of today's bikes. 2 down, 3 up and a kick starter. Easy Peezy. Just had to mix the gas with oil.

[@Nudnik1]

Nice ..those years looked better than new power ranger bikes

[@PongbyAtari]

In 1978 I was a junior in High School and got to see Bob Hannah race at the Supercross at the Pontiac Silverdome in Michigan fun times.

[@BigEightiesNewWave]

I had this bike new, 1st proper monoshock, ever. Rode great. I was 20-21 years.

[@thejunkpunks]

Bob Hanna was my sports hero too.

[@shanerick9298]

Awesome yz sounds crisp as

[@harleydavidson6851]

Ahhhhh! That Sound! That Smell! INTOXICATING ! Makes me Think 40 Yrs YOUNGER! Now if ONLY the Rest of Me Could Follow! 😢

[@rmfun-qo3ge]

This bike is too badass to let go!! Sure hope you kept it Ken ..

[@joepaulsen6594]

I had the Bob Hannah Superman poster out of Motocross Action magazine in my locker in high school. The squids didn't know who he was. SQUIDS!!

[@deborahchesser7375]

That’s funny as F squids, the ones that said, oh, all ya have to do is sit there and steer ! I invited more than one idiot to go with us and show us how it’s done, no takers 😆

[@Icybones000]

Bob Hannah and Jonny O'Mara were two of my favorite riders in my youth.

[@fleep9008]

I had a 74 mx 500 death machine. Brother still has bought new 78 yz 250, still to this day the best handling bike.

[@droz7503]

Bad Ass Classic Beast. Beautiful!!!!

[@cowboydownyonder3860]

I restored one of these a few years ago when I was sixteen. All I can say is easy to work on but hell to ride

[@jacoblatour6192]

how clapped was it? im about to buy one that needs to be redone from the frame up. is it worth it? and how much do they go for?

[@cowboydownyonder3860]

@@jacoblatour6192 I got mine in a trade and sold it in a trade so I’m not sure what they’re worth. Not many around and the parts can be difficult to find. Mine had some water in the motor and the cylinder was scorched but it was a fun project and an absolute beast when it was running. Extremely easy to work on too. Could have the whole thing stripped in an afternoon

[@jacoblatour6192]

@@cowboydownyonder3860 i guess for 800 its worth the risk... i was under the impression that they are worth around 5k in show room condition?

[@cowboydownyonder3860]

@@jacoblatour6192 I saw one go for somewhere between 4,500-5,000 last year in excellent condition. May depend on the location

[@jacoblatour6192]

@@cowboydownyonder3860 FB Market place or a auction website?

[@kevinparker461]

Its bringing back memories, i think a lad i knew had the chance to buy one of these. or a Suzuki 400 if i remember right?. but i do remember he got the Suzuki & it got him to start a new hobby, collecting hedges & ditches!. Think it was what put him off dirt bikes because he never got another.

[@austinhufnagle2892]

I race one of these and it’s an absolute powerhouse. You get arm pump after the first lap from just trying to hold on to the thing lol. One helluva bike.

[@joeljohnson3157]

Those were great bikes I owned a 79 YZ400 when I was 16& 115lbs. It would rip past CR500's on top end!!! Happy Thanks giving

[@darrellsomers5427]

No not even close ,I had a 78 and a 79 the 78 would tear up a 79 and latter

[@darryl.c7972]

Like all the vintage jersey's and helmet's..

[@deborahchesser7375]

Darryl .C he’s got matching gear for every brand he rides, I wish I had life by the short hairs like he does, damn. 🙄

[@chareshorton2956]

I had one like it great bike . Mine had a Wiseco piston and a Barnett racing clutch still got the scars to prove it LOL

[@deborahchesser7375]

Chares Horton I heard that, I have a few IT scars LOL

[@Greg-rd8qr]

Love them old YZ's!!! Thanks guys!!

[@alternativeperception6949]

Even the fire hydrant is in vintage Yamaha colours 😂😂 . Beautiful bike 👍✌

[@johnnyem-grafix4024]

She’s sounds friggin awesome! You guys tweet the hell outta these bikes -

[@shanejohnson437]

You guys up North are true hustlers, none of these fools noticed the header pipe at start-up, is all I’m saying, thanks for the ride. Make it rain🤑, takes a genius to market these with the small profit margin and large overhead. Would love to know how many ya’ll push out the door, impressive, I am from a family of entrepreneurs and am a past 2 stroke enthusiast and deeply admire your business model and marketing techniques. Respect👊🏻

[@Stu650Zuk]

Great memories. I had the 77 model. I wished mine had that tensioner back then or they made case savers,,maybe they did? Once in awhile if you got on it hard in 1st gear it could throw the chain and wrap it around the front sprocket and possibly crack a case. I got lucky and never broke anything. It was strange as everything was perfectly aligned and adjusted properly with good condition chain and sprockets..Betting it was a common issue and they added that tensioner the following year...very possible guess..lol. Great open class bikes though with strong torque and pull. Suspension was a little soft from the factory and I was still learning about newer suspensions back in those days...I would love to have this one. Just happy I was born in the late 60's and grew up on a farm..Those were the days for sure.

[@flyinbrianvids]

My very first bike. Learned the right way.

[@scotthayes5710]

I owned a yz 465 rm465, kx420 fin rattler cr500 i loved the light switch on off all or nothing deal it truly was an era of wow iv had late model big bore 4 strokes but that time of riding those monsters was absolutly the duks guts 🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺

[@doeraeme1]

Had one of these put the fox shock on 13.5 "of travel . Lived in western Washington it was a hill climbing beast ,up on the tank.

[@harrytinker2328]

Best gift to buy for Jr.; a mirror on a stick so that he can film frame rails without getting on the floor.😉

[@deborahchesser7375]

Harry Tinker like a DOT guy

[@TheErik249]

In the 1980's, I owned a 78 YZ400. Rode beast HARD... Put it away wet. Great bike. Started on the first kick every single time. Never any engine issues, or spark plug issues. Never had to be rebuilt. Then I got a 88 YZ490. Yikes. Plug issues... Never started on the first kick... Horrible power band... Completely unreliable. Rebuilt it, eliminating the notorious squish band in the head. Got even worse. Sold it to a guy from Australia for $1000 cash. Bought a 1999 KX500. Great engine... surrounded by metal that I think was actually tin cans for vegetables. Traded it in for... A 2001 Honda CR500. AWESOME BIKE. Probably the best big bore two-stroke EVER MADE. STILL... I am a fan of Yamaha's made in 78-82. Bob Hannah is my ALL-TIME GREATEST hero of motocross. THE HURRICANE #1

[@KillrMillr7]

Reminds me of the YZ465 my Marine Corps buddy had for me to ride when I'd come home with him on leave. That thing was insane fast, you couldn't take it out of 3rd gear on the mountain track he had.

[@einstein7526]

My uncle gave me his 79 esislno 250 when I was in junior high and this brings back all memories... and still riding today..... lol....

[@teevee2145]

I had that Bob Hannah gear in th 70s..i have 79 yz400 now..need a bell moto 3 and my Scott boots back

[@terragrappler1]

Love this bike!looks and sounds awesome!

[@TomSmith-io9uk]

Love the Bell Moto 3 and the Hurricane Jersey as well as the yz400.

[@Zhukov-3]

I had one of these bad boys back in the day! The original 1978 400 E had yellow fork boots and black muffer but this bike looks great!

[@terrybaird3122]

1978 = 400E. Probably only a few of us dinosaurs left that know this. I had the 400E as well. I remember at the time saying that I will remember these rides for the rest of my life. Seeing this video brings it all back. The sound, the vibration, the smell of Bel-Ray, the adrenaline. Good times.

[@mikestowe6136]

i feel old i had this bike n a 84 yz 490 love these old 2 strokes

[@mikestowe6136]

had one of these to hell i had the 400,465,490 n a i.t. 425

[@joesmuckatelly8282]

My childhood hero right on

[@sonnyseabury4051]

Badass bike! Gotta love the old school Yamaha logo on the tank!

[@davidgauthier2661]

He was my hero in high school....

[@2-strokeracer531]

Haha.. Quick reflexes on the launch to lay off that throttle..(twice) These monsters seemed to me to have more low end than the CR's.. You almost pulled a Larry... 👍

[@2-strokeracer531]

@Tim Allen I was referring to the whole era.. The fin-cooled, big bore, drum brake, hold on for your fucking-life, 2 - stroke era.. Roughly 1978 - 1983..

[@KillrMillr7]

@@2-strokeracer531 Lol.. yup

[@deborahchesser7375]

2 - Stroke Racer it’s not that the older bikes were definitely strong, it’s the power delivery that’s gotten better, I had a 400 Can Am that was terrifying

[@2-strokeracer531]

@@deborahchesser7375 Yup.., I've heard about that Can-Am.. Would love to ride one some day..

[@deborahchesser7375]

2 - Stroke Racer it was an MX-6 400 1980, you could change the rotary intake valve and make it crazy or crazier LOL

[@pawee1]

Doesn’t it seem like 2 strokes are coming back? Hallelujah

[@mrshiney2]

My buddy had this bike and I had a RM 400. We tore the Mojave Desert to pieces on those two bikes...good times

[@Ford_Raptor_R_720hp_V8]

*That's the way a Motocross Bike should sound* *I own a 78 YZ250E, I'll eventually have it restored and put it in my house*

[@erikbreaman9124]

I actually found one of these in some woods once in the 90s and restored it the best I could, but never could find the tank and side panels. It's kind of weird how Yamaha went through colors. I had Yamaha duels from the same era that came stock metallic green and other colors..

[@ianmangham4570]

Stolen dumped in the woods, you lucky bar steward 😅

[@williamfabiano543]

Looks great sounds even better

[@danhenderson783]

When Yamaha and Suzuki were both yellow

[@stevencunningham4680]

Howdy Kapt. Ken , you mentioned that the bike came with a chain tensioner. I had a 78 YZ 250 and it didn't come with a tensioner. I also saw on the 400 that the counter shaft sprocket was maybe 3 inches in front of the swingarm pivot , hence the need for a chain tensioner. My 250's was closer to the swingarm pivot so a tensioner wasn't needed. It's kind of weird that there was a difference in the 250 & 400 in the same year. Puzzled 😵.

[@syndicatestunts]

Awesome video! miss my YZ400!

[@SixSpeedSS]

That thing looks snappy and quick off the bottom end. Killer mid range with some top end over run from the looks of it.

[@toddjacobs5660]

Good ol Bob Hannah days, & 400's

[@jaysongraft3627]

Awesome bike great riding and never seen a rm 400. Thanks

[@johnfields6603]

I had a “79 that was ported and polished and had a DG pipe,l ran the 5.35x18 Tereflex it was a real ditch digger .

[@markrenton86]

Old motocross bike i love it... Only two stroke bike

[@denaldomagataco8409]

Hannah said "a lot of people call me an out of control rider, but as far as I'm concerned you're not out of control until one of your hands come off of the handlebars "

[@jessebiggsjr5762]

Dennis Dangle---- Didnt ya know that if ya riding as fast as u possibly can, u are always jus one split second from crashing???????? If u aint that close to outta control, U AINT RIDING TO YER FULL POTENTIAL!!!!!!! Dis is why HURRICANE wus always ssssooooooooo FAST.!!!!!!! U DAMN SKIPPY. NAMES HIPPIE!!!!!

[@denaldomagataco8409]

@@jessebiggsjr5762 but how did it work for james bubba Stewart

[@davepalmatier5190]

That's the year I want 78 YZ OR CR OR Suzuki. CR , my favorite. But I had a 76 YZ 125 Got it in a Milk Crate!! That thing was a Rocket Ship!!!

[@calipatch1000]

The hurricane will always stike!

[@Logan-or5qw]

Tim Lester had one of these monsters! He had it for a couple of weeks & wrecked it! Scared him so bad he wanted to sell it. Luckily he didn't get hurt & the bike had minor scratches on it & tore a few holes around the back of the seat from it coming out from under him. He asked my cousin if he wanted to buy it. Said he really needed the money & was willing to give him a good deal on it. My cousin Danny told him; "I only have $300 I can give you for it". Tim said; "I can't take no less than $800". Then Tim said, "I'll take $600". Danny said no. Tim left & came back less than a week later and sold him that bike for $300! Had it on the back of the truck & unloaded it for him. I couldn't believe it! Tim paid around $2,600 for it brand new! I was so jealous! 😭

[@TopRevs]

that bike looks good! but it sounds just a tiny bit off. maybe the long dg exhaust is to strict.

[@baby-sharkgto4902]

Idles fine and sounds good wide open but a little raspy in between = needle position.

[@db3170]

Exhaust leak at start up at junction of head pipe and jug

[@ryanbruneau1197]

Einar Amundsen Yup. Knew I heard it stumble a bit at higher RPM.

[@ShaunSavage-kl9pd]

Kaplan reminds me of rick burget. 78 500 champion.

[@bbo40]

my buddy had this year/ size bike and I owned the IT 400 that Yamaha made that year. He was faster but a more 'temperamental' bike while mine could trail ride all day without loading up.

[@timyecker5986]

I had this same bike at 12 years old only board out and built and it scared me evertime I rode it!!! But there was no hill i couldn't climb

[@muzzmatrix]

Hannah says, "Make sure the throttle cable is in good shape".

[@shockedxtruth]

i think the old guy like that bike eh ahhah niceeee

[@buff10805]

Love that Bike!!

[@Maga4Lyfe]

Sounds killer!!!

[@DANILO22280]

¡ Hermosa !

[@SamuelBarrPhotography]

I like the RM, but having had a '78 YZ80 I want this one instead!

[@thepyrodude]

I have the 79 yz400F all the kids tell.me yamaha didn't make a 400 four stroke dirt bike in 79....lol kids

[@David-lh1vp]

Do you have any resources for rebuilding the transmission on one of these? I need to put my fathers bike back together.

[@markrobertson4781]

Bad ass bike

[@markrobertson4781]

Just bought a restoration of this bike

[@SixSpeedSS]

I'd have to find a round DG silencer for it. Even if I had to swap the pipe part over from this oval job. The oval silencers are a mid 1980' period part, from like '84 or '85 onward......She runs hard though.

[@rex.d4810]

Yz 400 leaf blower! 2 strokes rule

[@garageassembled4701]

Where do I buy the Bob Hannah and Ken Kaplan action figure?

[@virginiemartinez3054]

Bjr à tous 👍👍💪💪👏👏❤️bonjour de France ✌️

[@marktatum2592]

👋 Hello

[@enacku]

Ken keeps the detail team busy hah

[@robertmayer2071]

i had the same machine in 1980

[@robertmayer2071]

it didnt rev like a 250 but it had great low to mid tq

[@thebanditabromowicz]

That’s a fuckin bad ride!

[@austingilmore7997]

I love yz400's I got a 79 yz400 the motor is different I believe the top end is different and a different stroke on the crank I rebuild the motor and seen it looked like it had heavy mods done to it like transmission gears and porting and I just put new crank bearings in it because everything else looked great and it does a little over 100 with stock sprockets it looked like a mess when I got it and it gots a crazy oversized tank on it maybe it was a desert bike it's a crazy fast bike I be pulling on a 450 in 3rd great and the last 2 gears are crazy long and it will try to rippppp you off the bike lol it looked like it was raced in 79 and maybe the 80's it's a keeper

[@darrellsomers5427]

The 76-78 engine is completely different and made more horse power ,79 has a longer stroke and a smaller bore and vibrate real bad

[@austingilmore7997]

@@darrellsomers5427 mine is crazy smooth it's built for sure I ripped the hole motor apart to check it and it's not stock from the ports to the gearing and the cases was stamped by someone probably to make sure they kept from mixing parts all I'll say I rode a lot of big bikes and four wheelers and nothing comes close to it's it might have not been the fastest stock but it's killer after heavy mods my friend couldn't even ride it because he couldn't ride on the handlebars like I could so he was just on one wheel when he tried really riding it lol I think the motor was underrated because it was made to make more torque not hp but it will make those horses

[@venturaEIS]

Cezet 380/513 and IZH K-16 buy for the collection.

[@darrellsomers5427]

The 76-78 makes way more power then the 79 and doesn't vibrate like the 79 and latter bikes

[@thejunkpunks]

Aluminum swing arm in 1978? I don't remember for I as thinking steel.

[@thejunkpunks]

Yup aluminum. My bad.

[@EpicBike1]

Mid to late 78 I believe

[@Nudnik1]

77 steel

[@baby-sharkgto4902]

I had a 78 or 79, I remember the swingarm as it was the main focal point of the bike but I do not remember the chain tensioner? Was there a year break on that part?

[@michaelweiss9219]

You mentioned the 400YZ made 40 HP, As I recall mine was rated at 50 HP. Mine was just like yours but when I got it in 82 or so it was rung out. I replaced the piston for the next size bigger and she came alive! actually too much power for an amateur rider....

[@sendit1158]

HANNAH rode a 125

[@chopperenduro6590]

No clue this guy

[@numbaoneUFCfan]

Ken "hurricane" Kaplain

[@eijit7582]

Nice 👍 Yamaha 🏍

[@johnchopp3278]

Where do i sign up? Lol

[@TIAGOCRISOSTOMO87]

Bate saia pra caramba. Seloco

[@corey4c105]

Beast

[@mikeanthony8934]

Frame on 77 and 78 are the same. Only swingarm and forks are different

[@2strokesmoke857]

I rode one it was fast but need work but top speed was crazy and his would vibrate wen u get on it it was like be getting ur hands tased my dad think the crank of Balance

[@ianmangham4570]

😃

[@rt2255]

2 strokes when dirtbikes were bad and novice riders crapped their pants but still rode on lol

[@lucadonorio1815]

Looked like smoke was coming out from the head maybe I’m just crazy idk but why’d it happening if it did

[@chrisray13]

Who's property is that that you are destroying ?

[@darrellsomers5427]

78 had one just like it ,fast bike 79 and latter suck

[@jayo7799]

LOL LOL 2nd gear launch too low for grass glad ya didn't loop it.

[@kerrydunn7760]

I HERE THE WORKS BIKES WERE 420S

[@lesliehorwinkle]

So much better than an RM but lean that baby out a little bit.

[@stevewitmer961]

Seems to be running a bit rich..

[@danhenderson783]

Get off my lawn