RD400E buying advice, anyone - Lozzo?

Yes, it'll go bang at some point but that can be said of just about
any vehicle^W^Wanything I own. Anyway, I've stumbled over an ad for a
400E for very reasonable money so I might well have a look at it
later.

Anything that's 400 specific? I was under the impression that they're
the most robust of the aircooled RDs...

 

Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, "Timo @ work"

My first suggestion is: have a whip-round.

There's people who'll pay good money to see you own an RD400...

 

I imagine the betting will be a bit one-sided though...

 

In

weeks ... days .... hours ... minutes ... .even seconds of use?

--
Steve Parry

http://www.gwynfryn.co.uk

K100RS SE
F650
(not forgetting the SK90PY)

 

<fx: holds head in hands>

Timo! NOOOOOOOOOOO!

 

The real question is of course - will it survive the test ride? Or
will it break down within minutes of me phoning the current owner?

 

I think the breakdown people might not be on that list...

<thinks>

Hmm. Monthly short column in Classic & Motorcycle Mechanics detailing
the previous month's breakdowns with special attention to "funny, I've
never seen any of these go wrong"-type failures?

 

Timo @ work says...

Timo......DON'T, just DON'T!

 

Lozzo was seen penning the following ode to ... whatever:

Right, that's two 'nays' from sensible people and one 'yay' for the
sheer amusement value.

<goes off looking for a C90>

 

(MCN 21 April 2004)

"Honda's longest-running and top-selling bike, the immortal C90
stepthru, is subject to a worldwide recall.

Honda UK say they are not entirely sure of what is causing the problem,
which so far has seen thousands of C90s, of all ages and models, explode
into thousands of tiny pieces.

"It were terrible," said plumber Ernie Grunge, aged 176. "One moment I
were riding along, like, on me way to the Flangefeelers Social Club, and
the next, I were sitting on me arse in middle of t'road while bits of
bloody 'Onda fell about me ears.

"Funny thing were, they landed in t'road, and clearly spelled out
letters. but Ah've nay blinking idea what a bloody Timo is."

In Asia, it has been reported that C90s have been refusing to start for
absolutely no apparent reason. In Germany, Europe's biggest motorcycle
market, there have been accounts of commuters refusing to ride their
C90s after Adolf Titzhandler, a retired lederhosen maker, watched as his
C90 took off by itself and, accoprding to onlookers, committed
mechanical suicide by burying itself in the side of an old Alfa Romeo
75.

Honda technical staff say they are baffled, but they have plotted all
cases of exploding C90s on a giant map, and say that they form a perfect
circle whose centre appears to be a street in North London...."

 

The Older Gentleman was seen penning the following ode to ... whatever:

ROFL

<wipes tears from eyes>

This is so beautiful I had to print it out. Thanks mate, I really
needed this kind of distraction from my current attempts as screwing
up my life completely.

 

IME:

Ensure engine, exhausts, air filters are either standard or proper
replacements/modifications properly fitted. Improper carburation makes
them explode.

Ensure the crank doesn't wobble up and down where the points are fitted.
This throws the timing off and makes them explode.

There are probably other things which make them explode but those are the
ones I have found. Oh hang on, yes, trying to ride it slowly. It only
works between 6-8000 rpm. Too much use out of that range turns the petrol
into heat instead of power and makes it explode.

I had one with K&N filters, bodged exhausts and shagged mains and it was
constantly exploding. My friend had one which was completely standard with
good main bearings and it never did. It wasn't any slower either and
was much nicer than mine. She doesn't have it any more but she knows the
person who does and I believe it is still running. And it does get used

They are, however, great fun when they're not exploding. Better than
the 350LC IMO. The same friend used to have a YPVS LC too, and I found
that rather bland and uninspiring although obviously it was faster and
better suspended. The power band makes them feel faster than they really
are and they're so light that the crap chassis doesn't matter over much.
Mine used to handle fine with 1/4" sideways movement at the back wheel and
some shocks off an R80 fitted (with a hammer. After they wouldn't hold the
R80 up adequately any more).

But all in all the advice to run away sounds the most sound to me, given
the reputation you appear to have. These are not reliable machines. They
are easy to work on though. Very simple. When they explode, you can get
them running again fairly quickly in most cases. In mine, the first three
times IIRC. The fourth time the explosion took a bit of crankcase and
barrel with it and was a bit fatal; the piston didn't co-operate, instead
of melting it disintegrated and sprayed bits of itself liberally
throughout the engine.

Electrics aren't over hot either. The only peice of RD400 I still possess
is the doorstop in this room, which started life as an RD400 alternator.
It is an excellent doorstop I must say.

At one time I was using the RD to get to work, but I had to give this up
as it was threatening my job security. Managers don't wear "it's not my
fault I'm late, the bike did xyz" more than once a week. I bought a
CB250N. I kept the RD for weekends of course.

Regards, Ian

 

The varlet known as The Older Gentleman did proclaim to all assembled:

ROFLMAO&PMP!!!!

You owe me a new keyboard, monitor and bottle of Hobgoblin, you bugger!
;-)