I Bought a new 40 year old Yamaha, Will it make it home?

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[@BikesandBeards]

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[@bfbism]

This is nonsense, fun but nothing more …elderly scotsman

[@hodaka1000]

My mother in-law thought she was Scotch She'd wear kilts and talked like a Scottish person and eat Scottish food, but it turned out she wasn't Scotch was pickled with it she had an organic mental disorders brought on from alcohol abuse, she was a Pommy Anyway I have a 1978 SR500 done 80,000 kilometres on it in since I got it seven years ago, it's now showing more than 142,000 kilometres on the clock, best I've done on it in a 24 hour day was 937 kilometres If you get time could you do a short video of this SR for prosperity showing things like the original cable layout and maybe a close up of the wiring in the headlight and other details like that ?

[@damon2772nomad]

Yo...I don't know what happened but for some reason I wasn't subscribed to you. I'm wondering if this has happened to anyone else or if you had a sudden subscriber loss? I know for a fact I was a subscriber for over a year I think 🤔

[@pjbklk]

I'm honestly seriously disappointed in these guys they act like people don't know how much money they're pulling in off of these videos and you know what watching this channel grow and how greedy they have become really makes me lose my faith in people and their beliefs especially when they quit saying the Bible verse in every video. All I ever hear about now is buy my spray and we need more money. Dude needs a reality check you're already getting money from our views when is it ever going to be enough

[@markguthrie6333]

Go away scammer, leave me be lest I call the Scottish swordsmen to away with your scallywagging self!

[@Chief_Eagle_Dropping]

Its a Yamaha....it could be 410 years old and make it home

[@moto_kid]

Nah

[@dustbargames6371]

@@EstebanDVO i mean if you could get fuel for it in 410 years time, mechanically it could but will we be around in 410 years? will fuel be around in 410 years? Huh he deleted the comment, how weird.

[@larryhullinger4141]

The tires and vacume hoses wouldn't be any good so what then?

[@Roma_da_]

With a Ducati even 410 seconds are too much to run without a problem

[@hodaka1000]

@@moto_kid Yeah nah.. seven years ago I bought a 1978 SR500 with 62,000 kilometres on it and while giving it it's first oil change, at a tourist park on the New South Wales South Coast 900 kilometres south from my home on the north coast, a "dog" off the side of one of the gears came out of the mesh screen in the sump plate under the motor, the Harley mates I was traveling with suggested I should try to carefully ride it the three or four hundred kilometres back to Sydney but I figured I'd gotten that far and couldn't say how long this piece would've been floating around in the sump for so carried on to the bike show we were headed for near the Victorian border, got to the show took out Top Japanese and since then have done another 80,000 hard kilometres and still haven't opened the motor I should look at it one day hey

[@mmuller199]

This video was absolutely hysterical, the love-hate relationship with your woodworker friend is pure gold

[@joshuabennett723]

The best kind of friendship

[@TheStuartstardust]

16:15 "make something cool with it - I'll send you the bill later" hahaha - the delivery is just great 😁🤣

[@pfistor]

"heard your wife is pregnant... did you figure out who the father is yet?" Classic.

[@wreckless105]

I hate to say it, but that was the best part of the video. I almost spit out my coffee!

[@elis7175]

@@wreckless105 Did u really almost spit out your coffee? Really???

[@willjohnson5861]

The reason old brake fluid does that is because DOT 3 and DOT 4 is hydroscopic. This means it absorbs water, so as the brake fluid sat over the past 40 years it continued to absorb moisture. That moisture then caused rust and corrosion inside of your entire brake system, causing seals to fail and not allowing the brake fluid to flow through the passages inside the master brake cylinder like it should. There is a brake fluid called DOT 5 that is silicone based and actually repels water, but that was only used in some older Harleys. Its main use is in military vehicles that will be sitting for long periods of time, so the brake fluid was designed to last longer inside of those systems. DOT 5 has boiling issues that DOT 4 does not have, so this is why we continue to use DOT 4. Also there is a brake fluid called DOT 5.1, and annoyingly it is hydroscopic like DOT 3 and DOT 4, so it should really be called something like DOT 4.1 to set it apart from the silicone based DOT 5. They will most likely need to replace the seals in the brake caliper and possibly the piston depending on the corrosion in the piston. They will also need to replace all the seals inside the master brake cylinder and flush the entire system. You can prevent all these issues by getting your hydraulic brake system regularly flushed, and it is a good thing to look for when you go to buy older motorcycles. This is also the common cause of why brake systems will stick, and not relieve pressure. My apologies for the paragraph.

[@levangkimthuocle6952]

Does brake cleaner degrade brake pad ?

[@willjohnson5861]

@@heywhatsthatsmell You are right, my bad. Pretty common mistake people make with those terms.

[@YooTooobJeff]

No need to replace any seals, the piston is stuck, free it up and flush it… My 1983 has no issues with seals even now

[@Perry_dAccard]

​@@YooTooobJeff I bought an SR500 that was stored for 12 years. The master cylinder was a mess made of rust. A friend of it bored it out, put in a new sleeve and a piston from a XS650 master cylinder. Works fine.

[@jtee9548]

Don't worry about the brakes, this yahoo started the bike with 40+ year old engine oil in it.

[@jameswinterer5334]

Thoroughly enjoyed both segments. I bought my 1981 SR in 1981 and have 140,000 miles on it, including a couple of trips to Inuvik (above the Arctic Circle) shortly after the dirt Dempster Highway opened. I rode it to a silver medal finish in the 11-day, 2001 Iron Butt Rally. On a border-to-border group ride in 2004, I rode it 1,610 miles in 24 hours. Can't begin to tell you all the adventures I had on this bike. Wish I could have offered a couple of suggestions before you left on your trip. Oh, I still have the bike. It runs well but I have retired it from long-distance adventure duties. Jim Winterer, St. Paul, Minnesota.

[@BikesandBeards]

Wow that’s amazing

[@charlesnash2748]

Wish I still had mine. Great bike.

[@bmwpete65s55]

It would be awesome to take your bike and meet up with Shaun, the lowest and highest mileage SR500's together!

[@jimmuck]

I bought my 1979 SR500 in 1987 and still run it, nowhere near as many miles as you though

[@nanasguy]

The reason for continuing of the 400cc probably has to do with Japanese motorcycle license categories. there are 3 categories of motorcycle licenses (4 if you include little 50cc scooters), which is "small bikes" that allows up to 125cc, "medium" thats up to 400cc, and "large" for anything above. and the "medium" license is the most popular/common one that people get (this also has to do with what age you can get the license...) thus Japanese market has lots of bikes that are 400cc to cater to that market.

[@shaunandrew1937]

Here in New Zealand we had a mind boggling amount of 2nd hand Japanese 250-400cc bikes imported in the 80' & 90's. Suzuki GS 400 Katana, GXZR 400, RG 400 Gamma - Honda VFR400, FT400 (Ascott), TT/GB400 - Kawasaki ZXR 400, GPX 400R just to name a few I can remeber. They were cheap pocket rockets and filled dealer floor and race tracks across the nation.

[@modderfreak]

This not being mentioned in the video and going on about how dumb it was of Yamaha that they "remade the 400 instead of the 500" made me mad. They should've researched for 5 seconds before blabbering such nonsense over and over.

[@pickoftheglitter]

yep, in the '80s/'90s in Japan Honda sold the Transalp 400 cc; it was for the domestic market only, while it was 600 cc for the foreign countries, like Europe.

[@SavaVeo]

@Mr. K [MuiMui] Interesting. Here in Quebec Canada we have the same system (called classes: 6A 6B 6C).

[@oneofmany1087]

I always thought it was because the cops couldn't catch the 500's

[@colerippeon3903]

For everyone wondering. At 20:02 that is the alleghany moutain tunnel. Its amazing to drive through. The workers who made it drilled and blasted over more than one mile of granite through a mountain to make it.

[@Shazam081]

i love those twin tunnels.. much better than the ones we got here in pgh.. or is that tunnel the other one? when i go that way on the turnpike i get on in breezewood i drive from where i am to breezewood on rte 30

[@Wuzzup129]

John Malecki must be a very good friend putting up with your shenanigans. Then again, shenanigans are what friends do.

[@mindspinn311]

The SR500 was discontinued in the 80’s but the SR400 continued to be produced in Japan under their 400cc tax rules. That’s why the 400 came back to the US and not the 500.

[@radekschreiber3950]

sr500 was made until 1999

[@mindspinn311]

@@radekschreiber3950 In the US? Cool

[@radekschreiber3950]

@@mindspinn311 everywhere except the US, I read that people in the US were complaining that it was too hard to kickstart

[@northeastohioed7239]

@@radekschreiber3950 Once you got the hang of it, it's no big deal...plus it serves as an anti theft device. I miss the kick starts.

[@radekschreiber3950]

@@northeastohioed7239 I know, i have one :)

[@andrewonyamaha3512]

I love when you buy these brand new decade old motorcycles, Keep it up!👊

[@M.TTT.]

it seems watching people buy old stuff and drive it an absurd amount of miles home is very entertaining. Sort of in a "schadenfreude" way lol

[@TheConstitutionState]

Thats almost half a century, way more then a decade🤣

[@treeguyable]

@@TheConstitutionState That's what I was thinking.

[@andrewonyamaha3512]

@@TheConstitutionState ok and deacdes is what i meant to say dont get so mad

[@Bill_Hartnett]

If he ever finds an SRX600 I'm going to claim it as my own! lol I first started riding in the '80s and love this older stuff.

[@michaelcallisto]

5:55 I live in Japan. I see SR400's everywhere. 400cc is the cutoff point before you need a special "big bike" license, so that's the size that's most popular.

[@BikesandBeards]

thats what people were saying, very interesting

[@samlovatt8669]

A tip for kickstarting these big single 500's ~ 1.Turn the engine over using the kick-start until you hit compression 2. Pull in the decompression lever and push the kick-start down half of it's travel 3. Bring the lever back to the top and give it one big smooth kick all the way down until it hits the foot peg. 4. Thank me later😂 (Alternatively you can just cycle the kick-start with the decompression lever pulled in until a silver tab appears in the sight glass on the cylinder head and then give it a full kick from the top of the kick-start lever travel until it hits the footpeg)

[@jameshammond5096]

I had a 1978 single, loved loved loved it, started first kick every time, on the starboard side of the head was a cam window and a decompression lever on the handle bar, pull the lever, roll her over till the dot showed in the window and kick rewarded every time.

[@jascost]

@paleolithictech All points are spot on. My dad had one of these when I was a kid. I rode about a zillion miles on the back- Through the woods, down twisty roads.. Everywhere. Later on I would sneak it out when my parents weren't around. Kick it through with the decompression lever in, check the sight window for top dead center then kick it all the way through with every once of aggression you have!

[@northeastohioed7239]

@paleolithictech Yep. The left turn stall at the light. Definitely been there. Good times...or is that PTSD?

[@fredsmith4106]

The first SR500 yams had the mark that lined up for TDC placed wrong. It meant that people were attempting to kick the bike over starting at the wrong place, which resulted in the NHS seeing something called ‘aviators fractures’, which hadn’t been seen in over 50 years! Yamaha rectified that problem and put the marks in the right place. The other problem with the early models was eating cams. This turned out to be caused by a 5 cent o-ring......also sorted later leading to really good reliability.

[@longknvesdrawn]

I currently have a '78 SR500. All of these comments are on point. I actually have to kick start it from the right hand side because I don't have the leg length and as @paleolithictech mentioned, it re-engages and won't turn over if I have a leg over trying to start it. Other fun things- they put the straw in the petcock in the wrong place so I have to have it on reserves the whole time (longer straw is on the reserves side, shorter on the fuel side.) I have to turn the choke on to start it even if it's warmed up. Sometimes it dies at intersections because it feels like it. I can't take it anywhere and turn it off because sometimes it won't start again. It also had a wet sumping issue which is known with these Yamaha's that have the oil moving through the frame. And no, I won't sell my bike :)

[@markmath2883]

Rode my first bike, a 1971 Honda CL450 Scrambler with a 2.4 gallon tank from Sioux Falls, SD to CA to Texas to SD shortly after riding the bike from SC to SD all in 1975. No windshield, $6.00 rain suit, $150 in my pocket and camping all the way. I changed sprockets so vibration was minimized-cruised at 70mph.

[@CalmApron-nl7lw]

My 71 cruise 75/80 top speed 110 windshield what that

[@markmath2883]

@@CalmApron-nl7lw Top speed on my 1971 was 105. The CL had 43 hp vs. 45 on the CB. Don’t know if that would make a difference.

[@abczyx2102]

Okay... 1. The only thing listened to on a bike in the 80's earth WIND & fire 2. I believe the vibration was a built in safety factor to prevent fatigue 3. What rider doesn't love a tunnel! 3.5 Bikes and Beards is awesome sauce!

[@billstrube3425]

My XS850 is 42 years old and still runs great. 46 thousand miles and still going.

[@BikesandBeards]

wow

[@jasonjulian1]

I also have an 80 XS850…. 36k on mine. Love an old Yamaha!

[@hodaka1000]

My SR500 is 44 years old and still runs great, 142,000 + kilometres and counting

[@samuelarmendariz7914]

My first and current motorcycle is a 2018 Yamaha SR400. I love it. Perfect for throwing around traffic. Gets over 60 mpg and will do highway speeds.

[@gruffrossi5420]

the xt500 waz far better the sr waz a horrid bike had one for a week and sold it it waz one the electronic ignition bikes the box goes it cost a bomb 💣 💣 it waz usa spec never took of in uk

[@Grimwriggler]

i have a 79 RS 200 twin 2 stroke.. don't use it much but is fun

[@MotoMengy]

That was a great road trip. I once had a 1981 Kawasaki 440LTD which was also buzzy at highway speeds. Must be small Japanese bike thing!

[@rodneybjornstad9016]

Had one Was amazed I got it home 450 miles …. 55 miles per hour roads

[@patricklagerberg4387]

Loved how Yamaha made the sr400, nice to see them embracing the beauty of their old bikes

[@BikesandBeards]

Couldn't agree more!

[@hodaka1000]

They have always made the 400 from 1978 until today and have just announced the 2023 SR400 for release next year in Thailand They made the 500 from 1978 until 2000

[@jeffblack7711]

I ride an 81 kz440... nice to see how someone alot younger than me riding something very similar.. fun times

[@mrbigw100]

Worried about the brakes not working because there 40 years old but riding couple thousand miles home on 40 year old tyres nah all good there😂😂

[@robertblair8395]

I had an SR500 that I rode from Port Hedland, Western Australia, to Hobart, Tasmania in 1978 - 3,100 miles. When it was new I had a lot of trouble starting it, but then it got real easy. I thought that things had "loosened up" and made it easier to start. But every single other person who rode it couldn't start it. I gave up letting people borrow it because they would ring me up to go start it for them.

[@MericaBack2backWWChampions]

Man, I want that bike! Love that it has a kick start!!!! Ill take either and be the happiest dude In Arizona lol. I ran into hard times had had to sell my V Star custom. The wind therapy really helped with my PTSD. Feel lost without a bike now. One day I get another hopefully sooner than later

[@chuckfacemire1821]

Me to

[@maddesi2709]

I had a V Star 650 Classic. Great bike!

[@jerrymclean8075]

I've owned that '81 Yamaha SR 500! it's ok for local riding and not great for long hauls!! I rode it for a long time but lost it in a crash!!

[@cliffordwcritesii1753]

I put those together in the 80s we always lube the speedo cable, Drain oil and replace new, adjust chains.

[@AbiShafi]

There is a knack to starting an SR 500 if you flood the motor or it just won’t play ball, 1st depress the compression lever, 2nd kick the motor over around five time with the ignition off, 3rd find TDC then start (don’t forget to switch the ignition on 😱). Always worked for me! 😎😎😎

[@keithhampton9700]

My favorite way to deal with that issue is to get full coverage insurance then vigorously dowse with gasoline, then ad flame.Ask anybody who has or had one. Great Bike! Hell to start!!

[@frlfda]

Sean, this is easily one of my favorites. I love the erly 80's Yamahas. My dad had an 81 Virago. I remember being at the dealership with him, looking at all the cool bikes of the era. I loved the twin specials and these SR's. I remember the simplicity and style these things oozed. No, they weren't perfect, but they didn't pretend to be. That era was a tough time between me and my dad. We argued over lots of things, but the motorcycles were a common ground, a place where the differences melted away and the wind brought us together. Your verse of the day also could not have been more timely. As the Spirit does so often, the right words come at the proper time. Thanks, thank you for the smiles, the good memories and the uplifting video. Ride on

[@97markviii]

I still have a 42yr old motorcycle in my shed, I picked it up 10yrs ago and got it running and never got around to getting it registered. It still needs some work, the clutch plates are stuck and the brakes need a refreshing but for a motorcycle that's been parked for 40yrs it's really nice.

[@midnightrunner684]

I rode a 1971 Honda Cb750 all over Tampa Bay Fl back in the 80's with only rear brakes ..Went to Tri City Honda back in 84 looking for front brake pads .they said That will be $110.00 for two Pads ..$110.00 was a lot of money in 1984 .I went back home and took my front caliber off and rode it with just back brakes

[@shaunandrew1937]

Here in New Zealand we had a mind boggling amount of 2nd hand Japanese 250-400cc bikes imported in the 80' & 90's. Suzuki GS 400 Katana, GXZR 400, RG 400 Gamma - Honda VFR400, FT400 (Ascott), TT/GB400 - Kawasaki ZXR 400, GPX 400R just to name a few I can remeber. They were cheap pocket rockets and filled dealer floor and race tracks across the nation.

[@uriahpolite1594]

We need more of these old bikes vs new series

[@racinzebra95]

As an owner of an nearly half a century old Yamaha it's nothing for these bikes

[@blackrx89]

the very reason why i'm hooked to this channel

[@nickrudd2568]

That would do for me, I never use rear brakes, Took my Gixer for a MOT, he tried the rear brake and it had actually seized !!! Same happened to my CBR rear but that just binded if you used it, needed a helping heal to free it off.

[@gs8259]

Was out at B&B Cycles on Saturday and had to stop out at the old showroom. In the market again.

[@ImminghamIronhead]

I had a 79 SR500 in the eighties. One into nothing slash-cut exhaust used to spit flames, had to ditch the front brake as the hose wasn't long enough for apehangers, iron cross tail light, struts instead of shocks. I was 17 and it was the best bike in the world :-)

[@fraserst1]

In Japan anything that exceeds 400cc requires a "big bike" license so that's probably why they knocked it down 100cc.

[@DougBurgum4VP]

And anything under 249cc can avoid yearly inspections.

[@dw0095]

Yamahoes got me 🤣 Also I would like to say I appreciate that you sport the everyday man type of gear. Sedici jacket and AGV basic helmet. Really helps the audience relate to you guys

[@rudetuque]

The 400 vs 500 is likely for insurance. In BC the 'starter' (least cost) category for insurance tops out at 399cc. And thinking of the UK's graduated licensing.

[@idahofur]

Motor cycle, motor cycle and well that went out when I got Lord Beard in my head was good enough.

[@tomboone201]

Big men on little bikes .. bet you guys where glad to get off our fine roads here in Detroit metro area .. I- 75 must've been just a joy

[@davidboston4136]

That 400 is okay (ish) but, the 500 is a beautiful motorcycle. The color and the way the seat is tapored w/ the "mag" wheels: hands down better than the "throwback" 400.

[@aidanacebo9529]

now do it on either a 74 superglide with a springer, or a 70 Honda Cb450 hard-tail chopper. I've gone coast to coast on both, and it was the best, most amazing WORST decision of my life. sold the superglide and bought an FLH.

[@biblequestionswithchristop8971]

Even with the buzziness, still looks fun.

[@TootsMacTait]

SR500 carburettor has a button for ‘hot start’. I think it’s on the right side from memory. Find the white plastic button, push it ⬆️ up. This gives the EXACT amount of throttle required for a ‘first kick’ start up. Once started, push throttle FORWARD, this will reset the button. All this info is in the user manual! 😁This bike has iconic status in the UK and I wish I’d never sold mine!

[@hodaka1000]

It's on the left under the linkage at the front of the carburettor

[@TootsMacTait]

@@hodaka1000 50% chance and I blew it. I shall have myself roundly whipped! (It’s been a while, I had mine in the late 80s and early 90s)

[@hodaka1000]

@@TootsMacTait I had a 1978 500 in the early to mid 80's Got one exactly the same seven years ago but have fitted a simpler VM 36 Mikuni to it, it generally starts first kick hot or cold

[@TootsMacTait]

@@hodaka1000 Sweet!

[@TheStuartstardust]

@@hodaka1000 that's cheating, but at least the mikuni is also Japanese 😁

[@earljohnson2676]

These guys are ten times funnier than any late night show and that’s the truth baby Ruth

[@BikesandBeards]

baby ruth

[@RossMalagarie]

@@BikesandBeards Sean it's been awhile but I am glad to see you and the fam are doing good. Keep up the faith and ride safe. I am currently riding my Raider around Bryson City, NC for 8 days and loving it. Later brother

[@privilegedwhitemale306]

Gutfield is pretty dang funny. These guys are up there though.

[@filtnitube]

The real Beevis and Butthead are way funnier😁

[@alanerese7799]

@ 0:39 Will the Robinsons ever make home. Got me dying.

[@mainelybackroads]

I am so glad that 2 and a half years ago I bought my mint 1980 SR500 with a White Brothers 540 kit, Mikuni carb and Supertrapp exhaust, with only 5500 miles on it. I live in Maine, 10 miles from the Interstate, and have put 10,000 miles on since buying the bike. Not 1 mile on the interstate, its not made for that. Bike absolutely rips around town and loves the backroads. When cold 3-5 kicks to start it. Once warm, 1 maybe 2 kicks. Slowly turning it into a really nice scrambler. Probably last ride of the year tomorrow.

[@hirschkuh4687]

When Sean turned his head towards the camera (in the Drive-Thru) and it was half blue, i almost died laughing :D hilarious

[@ZackofAllTrades87]

Yes!!

[@1989ogor]

I had 2J4 version. One of the best motorcycles I ever drove.

[@petkozhivkov4271]

This is an old production engine. At that time, the engines were not breaked in from the factory. The first few thousand miles should be driven at low revs and the first oil should be changed at 1000 miles.

[@Heroesworkshop]

That intro was worth a “like” on its own.

[@Hammerjockeyrepair]

that whole experience with john has to be the best thing ever!!!

[@tonypinneri2274]

use the compression release on the left handle bar and line up the white dot in the sight window on the right top side of the valve cover. can start it in flip flops!

[@TurtlesTwoWheelers]

1:06 Motorcycles & Mustaches 🤣👏

[@StuckinRiyadh]

FYI, In Japan, riders of bikes over 400cc have to pass a very difficult driving test (I failed it twice). There was therfore very little demand for the SR500. If you pass your test you get a seriously big bike - of course. The Sr 400 engines were easily as good as the SR500. Blessings PS Scottish Lords are "Lairds".

[@larrynorsworthy8582]

That's what I thought.

[@ericrolland9092]

Love your videos. Craig is hilarious with his antics, this is great family content. We need more channels like this one! May God continue to bless you🙏

[@Lucianrider]

I had back in 1981 a brand new Honda XL500R, loved that bike but I always lusted after the SR500!! Man that bike is sweet!

[@northeastohioed7239]

Wow! Awesome! I had one of those back in the 80s, and you pretty much had to have a personal relationship with that engine. But once you broke the code, it was less quirky than the Brit thumpers of the day. And, as you found out, with the engine braking of that engine, you found out that you really can get by without the front brake if you had to. The icing on the cake was the ride side-by-side with the SR400. I've been wondering lately just how it compares to the older SR500. Now I know. Thanks. Then the cool part of the video was that your route took you right through northern Ohio, my neighborhood. That was the cherry on top, for sure. And, BTW, stay off the interstate with that bike. Best on winding mountain roads, then it's a grin machine, for sure!

[@jamesgnarkill3112]

Nice to see Craig's tire job hold up for Sean's bike!!!! Thanks for sharing God bless!!

[@jjrider6758]

Great video as always and there's your next custom build challenge right there ! - Use parts from both bikes to create a one-off SR900 V-twin.. I know you guys can do it ! - For inspiration see UK builder/engineer Alan Millyard's channel for 6 cylinder Kawasaki Z1's, four and six cylinder Kawasaki KH 2-strokes, 5 litre v-twins etc...

[@thomasheer825]

If you guys stumble onto a old Yamaha XT-500 please don't trash it I have been looking for one that I can afford for the last 30+ years. Have found several but the owner thought he had a solid gold product, they were asking more than they sold for new.

[@nielsdebakker3283]

In japan you actually need a different driving license for bikes with 400+ cc's capacity. To be able to drive a bike with 400+ cc's you need a large bike license. (That sr400 will be 399cc maximum to enable it to be driven with the medium license.) That is why in japan you will see a lot of 400cc versions of bikes which are in the rest of the world 450-650cc's.

[@mj_aussie_coaster_travels8310]

Sean’s bike is 100cc bigger, and I’m picking Sean is a fair bit lighter than Craig too… not surprising the 400 is a bit slower.

[@kenwittlief255]

being lighter doesnt buy you a higher top speed on level ground, only going up hills.

[@hodaka1000]

I have a 500 and know a young fella with a 400 and I didn't notice a real lot of difference in them when we swapped them one day but the young fella reckon the 500 was faster

[@Don_ECHOguy]

Sean does a smoky burn out in the guys wood shop just before driving out and then a big grin on his face while leaving. LMAO Great episode!👍🤣

[@Stolas1777]

Gosh I love yahmaha sr500s they’re such an awesome bike

[@EveryAdventure]

Here is 10 Virtual points as they don't ship to South Africa. Love the SR500 and awesome to see it running as a new 41 year old bike should run.

[@MarkoMygun]

I really liked the 650 specials

[@tonymbabuphotography3016]

I have tried my luck on the DV lottery this year (did it last Friday actually) and I'd love to say that Sean is one of the biggest reason I'd wanna be an American. It's my dream to meet him in person. Probably buy a bike from him or something or better yet be a part of his amazing team. Everything about him is just great. Honest, his love for the word of God.... He's just a great guy. Another reason for dreaming of being an American is, well, bikes. I'd just move in to Sean's shop for a week or 2 just to be around bikes we don't get in Kenya 😅😅😅😅😅. Keep it up guys.

[@tommynikon2283]

What a great episode!!!42 years ago I bought my first bike, a Honda CX-500. I had considered the Yamaha 400 also- but was concerned about the buzzing. For the past 4yr I’ve been riding my ‘87 BMW K75C- which is smooth running; great tourer.

[@randykmlwa]

I had a 1982 Yamaha 400 Special with dual exhaust and a 6 speed transmission. It was a great bike. I put tons of miles on it. I put a crash bar with highway pegs on it and a fairing and back rest. It sounded better than those 2 bikes you were riding.

[@walldoo99]

That sickening feeling you get when you reach down to switch to reserve, and you're already there.

[@DJ_KEV05]

Oms im soooo glad this video is out!!! I've waited an entire week for this video❤️❤️❤️

[@edwardblume1]

I owned that exact bike ‘81 SR500 same color. Bought it here in SLO CA in 1985. It was a bit shaken on highways but a kick around town. A great first bike! Great to see one again.

[@russellwilliams3209]

Putting your back to traffic when your on the side is bad luck bro... Hope you threw on a gremlin jingle!

[@13Maur]

Bikes and Beards have become something i really look forward to. Thanks for the great content guys :)

[@holzo4699]

Seeing you and John in one Video was the highlight of my week. You´re the only two american KZbin channels I´m following. I didn´t even know you knew each other. Greetings from Germany.

[@BikesandBeards]

Wow, thank you!

[@christianvelezdrones9092]

Awesome video guys. I love those Yamaha. I got a Yamaha vstar 650 custom. My first bike and love it. Blessings, keep with the good vids guys.

[@scottohara9707]

I had a '78 cafe'd. Perfect for mobbing around San Francisco. Long distance, not so much. I loved that bike.

[@peanutbutterisfu]

When I was like 15 back in 2000 I bought a 1974 Honda CB200 from the original owner. He bought brand new back in 74 he drove it a couple times the first summer then it never left the garage. Once a year he drained the gas tank, put fresh gas in, changed the oil then covered it up and every few months he would take the cover off start it up and clean it. It only had a few hundred miles on it, not a scratch or dent on it even the seat looked brand new still. My dad bought it for me and I drove it on the old railroad bed and in just a few weeks the mirrors, turn signals were ripped off, I rolled it down a hill smashed the gas tank and then burned the clutch up lol. My dad only paid 500 for it and we sold it for 500 all smashed up lol. It wasn’t a valuable bike or anything but I should have saved it to ride on the road I would love to have it now just to drive to work it was so good on gas.

[@morrisminor56]

Yep, good video. Going long distance on smaller bikes is more of an adventure. You need to find an XS650 new in box, might be one somewhere.

[@BikesandBeards]

Very true!

[@kenwittlief255]

Riding any motorcycle at 75mph without a full fairing for 300 miles is an ordeal, not a cruise.

[@hodaka1000]

@@kenwittlief255 Yeah nah

[@hodaka1000]

There's a fella who specialises in XS650's at Londonderry west of Sydney Australia "Geoff's XS" Geoff has an unused early 650 that was owned by a Yamaha dealer who had sold the odd part from it to customers and would then order new replacements for it so although it's not in a box it's basically a new unused 650

[@Ianzandvoort]

1662 Reactions wauw, my remark is probably there already, SR500 has a warm start button on the carburator (very basic, it opens the throttle a bit) then it will start easier. I have got an XT 500 for 25 years, is the same engine as the SR. Best bike ever (for me). You can ride it on the highway but with these bikes the fun starts on smaller roads...

[@LtJackboot]

Those were always great bikes by Yamaha. My son is riding one that was abandoned in a garage for yrs and it starts every time. Not as clean as yours but just as durable.

[@mikeymike3240]

That must have been karma for Craig, so he just couldn’t resist it and if I was in Craig’s shoes neither could I, lol 😝. Another awesome video guys. Ps……the 400cc is made for the Japanese domestic market.

[@larspederson1451]

always will have a soft spot in my heart for a yamaha. was my 1st bike. that led to a rd 350-400 phase and I've never gotten over it... Great video, big smile 😀

[@BikesandBeards]

Well said!

[@kenwittlief255]

the first bike I bought new was a 1978 IT175 (the bike wonder woman rides in the old TV series) when I decided to get my license a HD dealer would not let me take a sportster for a test ride, even though I took the MSF course and had cash in my pocket to buy a new bike. I was pissed at first, then I went to a Yamaha dealer, saw the Vstar cruiser bikes, and I was SO GLAD I did not buy a harley.

[@Nx553]

You rolled right through my back yard in this video. Butler is about 20 minutes from me, I enjoyed this one because these bikes remind me of my uncle's Yamaha RD350 he bought when he was 20 and kept for over 30 years, sadly he sold it a few years ago but I've always liked this style of bike, that 350 was the first street bike I ever rode on (as a passenger when I was a kid) you never forget an experience like that.

[@gnomegnation5823]

8:45 Sean: What'd you do that I didn't do? HE STARTED THE BIKE!

[@gayle4804]

Awesome video you guys had a good trip thank goodness nothing bad went on

[@michaelconner9796]

Appreciate the wholesome content. Please don't ever stop!

[@lboy1653]

I’m such a huge fan and it feels so cool you guys drove past my home town monroeville

[@matthewjohnson9432]

When are we getting another video about the 220 hp harley davidson

[@charlesmosby2508]

You guys make me miss riding soooo much, at least I can live vicariously through you guys. Keep the awesome videos coming. God Bless 🙏

[@BikesandBeards]

We will!

[@combatdeffective2121]

I'm all in on Motorcycles and Mustaches. Who's joing me?

[@roberthatfull3816]

Kool road trip fellas and 80s montage 👌 . It looked like fun .

[@karlj1717]

I remember my first bike and it breaking down luckily a fellow friendly biker pulled over to help turns out I’d ran out of fuel and after the friendly chap said have you got a reserve? I immediately felt very stupid turned the fuel tap to reserve and all was fine 😂. I thanked the kind biker and was on my way to the petrol station.

[@user-sw2lv3zp6o]

The 400cc engine was for the Japanese market. You get a driving licence for up to 400cc or, after a more difficult test, for any size of bike. I like the Sedici jacket, Sean. Good channel. A bit different from the rest.

[@kenwittlief255]

that applies in other countries as well - 400cc is a threshold for license class, insurance rates....min age....

[@user-sw2lv3zp6o]

@@kenwittlief255 I wasn't aware of that, but it makes sense. Thanks for telling me. I used to live in Japan when I was young, so that's why I knew about the situation there. I used to bomb around Tokyo on a Suzuki DR250SH. Cracking little trailie.

[@chrishart8548]

400cc is a good band for road tax in the UK. 250cc and 400cc pay the same. anything above 600cc is a total rip off its over £100 now. £47 for a a 400cc £101 for a 650cc it's worth thinking about.

[@BamKnight88]

Love this comparison, you guys make great vids👍

[@shupshekitty]

Hell. I'd love to have either one. I had a 500 back in the 70's and it would walk up a wall. Great for around town and out in the desert.

[@bananafoneable]

It's amazing because I recently purchased a used SR400 2015, a few months ago and I absolutely love it!

[@topturretgunner]

You should find a 650 Yamaha. It looks quite similar to the British bikes and had a strong torquey motor. They handle beautifully.

[@Frz45]

The blue truck and silver trailer is owned by Motors and Moustaches.

[@BikesandBeards]

haha

[@shermantincher3417]

Was looking forward to see the bike Craig bought. Mind blowing that it was the 2015 version of the same bike. Would love to be riding one of those on some twisty turns road out in the country. Probably not so much fun on the interstate.👍

[@volvo09]

Yeah I hate riding small bikes on the interstate. So buzzy and vibratey.

[@normanwilson4877]

I bought an SR500 in '79. I loved that bike. Wonderful on twisty country roads.