Rolling Art: Yamaha RD400 Street Tracker

Gaston Motorcycle Werks builds a two-stroke street tracker… 

Introduced in 1976, the Yamaha RD400 was the last of Yamaha’s air-cooled two-stroke RD street bikes, a blue-smoking wheelie monster that undercut many of its rivals pricewise while outmatching them on the street and strip. For the rider, it was easy to imagine oneself as Kenny Roberts perched on the back of a TZ or YZR race bike:

“To ride this bike is an event with a race-tuned soundtrack.” –Classic Bike Hub

For 1979, Yamaha introduced the RD400F Daytona Special, which was significantly revised to pass EPA emissions standards while looking and performing even better than before. Though peak horsepower was the same, it was faster in the quarter-mile than previous RD400’s, offered better midrange, thicker fork tubes, larger brake discs, and redesigned footpegs that dramatically increased cornering clearance. 

“Innocent-looking, trim, petite, quiet—all of it’s a sham: the 400F encourages the unwary to go too fast, accelerate too briskly, stop too hard and wheelie too often…. It is Dennis the Menace on Yokohama tires, and is the most fun street motorcycle currently available for sale.” -Cycle, 1979

Enter Benjamin Segal of North Carolina’s Gaston Motorcycle Werks, who picked up this ’79 RD400 Daytona from an estate sale…in boxes and crates:

“The lady holding the sale had recently lost her husband, who had a penchant for taking bikes apart but struggled to put them back together, a familiar story.”

Benjamin and team intended to restore the 400, but it ended up languishing in a corner of the shop until they suggested it as a restomod candidate to one of their customers:

“Little did he know that what started as a simple build would turn into a passion project of epic proportions, with a singular goal in mind: to create a motorcycle that was completely original and one-of-a-kind.”

This RD400 is now sporting an RD250LC swingarm with monoshock setup, Ceriani GPS replica forks with billet triples and inlaid Motogadget Motoscope, Robinson 4LS (four leading-shoe) front drum, Boriani rims, Heidenau tires, and more.

HVC Cycles rebuilt the crank, and the engine is now sporting Wiseco pistons, Lectron carbs, V-Force reeds, stainless Jim Lomas pipes with carbon-fiber mufflers, discrete oil tank with external sight window, digital ignition, and more.

Nicknamed “BBRD” after the owner’s initials, this is one of the baddest two-stroke street trackers we’ve ever seen. However, the bike’s owner stresses that the process of working with Benjamin and the GMW crew was just as meaningful as the final destination:

“Their motto — “Making Rolling Art is What We Do” — has been brought to life in the most breathtaking way possible. And yet, it is not just the finished product that fills me with joy; it is the memories of the journey itself.”

Below, we talk to Benjamin Segal of GMW, as well as the bike’s owner, for the full story on this RD400 street tracker.

Builder Interview

What’s the make, model, and year of the bike?

Yamaha RD400 Daytona, 1979.

Why was this bike built?

It was built because it’s painful to see something with so much potential sitting in disrepair.

What was the design concept and what influenced the build?

It’s funny, we wanted to keep any mechanical upgrade to ones that would have been available when the bike was new.

What custom work was done to the bike?

Absolutely everything was custom; it actually became a running joke as the build progressed. [More details below.]

Does the bike have a nickname?

We call it the BBRD.

Can you tell us what it’s like to ride this bike?

As you can imagine, amazing! It’s not a top speed bike but it is super light and agile, making it a blast for around town.

Was there anything done during this build that you are particularly proud of?

There are so many things I am proud of; it’s impossible to name just one. I love walking around the bike and looking at it from different angles. Like looking at it from the rear, the tail section looks as if it’s floating. Or discovering the oil tank with its external sight window / tube as it sits nestled into the frame rails. It’s like a beautiful woman — the longer you look the more you see.

In the Owner’s Words…

As I reflect on the completion of this project, my thoughts turn to gratitude and admiration for the journey that has brought us here. What began as a simple inclination has blossomed into something beyond our wildest dreams.

Over the course of more than three years, we poured our efforts into this endeavor. Countless discussions, tweaks, and adjustments were made, and through it all, our enjoyment of the build grew stronger.

As I look upon the finished result, I am struck by its beauty. Truly, it is a work of art — a testament to the incredible talent and unwavering commitment of the team at GMW.

Their motto — “Making Rolling Art is What We Do” — has been brought to life in the most breathtaking way possible. And yet, it is not just the finished product that fills me with joy; it is the memories of the journey itself.

Through every obstacle and challenge, we remained steadfast in our commitment to the build. And now, as we bask in the glow of the finished project, I am reminded of the simple truth that to truly enjoy something, “you must also enjoy the process.” For this reason, I am grateful to Benjamin for his expertise, good humor, and unwavering vision. He has led us on a journey that is etched in our hearts and minds, and for that, we shall always be grateful.

So, let us raise a glass to this beauty, and to the love and passion for motorcycles that brought it to life. Cheers to all!

In the Builder’s Words…

As we sifted through the boxes and crates at the estate sale, we couldn’t believe our luck when we stumbled upon this gem. The lady holding the sale had recently lost her husband, who had a penchant for taking bikes apart but struggled to put them back together, a familiar story.

 

This one had clearly seen better days, but we knew we could restore it to its former glory. Amidst the boxes and crates was a 1979 RD400, the Daytona model highly coveted by collectors.

Our original plan was to bring it back to factory spec, but it just sat in the corner of our shop, waiting for the attention it deserved. One of our favorite supporters was in search of his next bike to build, and for giggles we suggested the RD as a resto-mod. Little did he know that what started as a simple build would turn into a passion project of epic proportions, with a singular goal in mind: to create a motorcycle that was completely original and one-of-a-kind.

We wanted to get away from the dual shocks suspension and looked at the idea of grafting a Yamaha LC250 swingarm to the pivot and adding a shock mount and seat pan support to the rear triangle of the frame.

We mounted a Ceriani GPS replica fork on the front, with a Robinson 230MM 4 LS front brake laced to a Boriani “H” rim and Heidenau rubber. The front hub is a dual drum, which was state of the art in 1979.

A billet triple clamp set and a Motogadget Motoscope Tiny Speedo completed the front end, along with a steering damper for stability.

For the engine, the crank was rebuilt by HVC Cycles and fitted Wiseco pistons. Fuel is fed through a pair of Lectron carburetors funneled through a set of V-Force reeds, while exhaust is scavenged through stainless steel JL pipes with carbon-fiber mufflers.

A small oil tank sits discretely between the frame rails behind the carbs, and ignition is handled by a Vape digital ignition with the switches and lights controlled by a motogadget M-unit.

 

 

After countless hours of work, we were left with a machine that defied all expectations. Though it took 289 hours to complete, the end result was worth every moment. As we stand back and admire this beauty as it stands before us, we can’t help but feel that fate led us to this forgotten gem and guided us through its transformation into a motorcycle unlike any other.

More Details

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