Alright, let’s talk about this 1976 Yamaha RD400C I got my hands on. This thing is a classic, a real beauty from back in the day. Two-stroke, air-cooled, and just screams vintage cool. I found it sitting in a friend’s shed. He was doing me a favor to let me have it. I spent a full month in my garage to restore it.

Got It Running
First things first, I needed to see if this old beast would even start. The engine was seized up, it looked bad. I pulled the cylinder head off and carefully removed the cylinder and pistons. Checked the crankshaft and the seals, and it was a mess. I replaced the whole crankshaft and seals with a new set. Put it back together with new pistons and gaskets, then I went to the carburetors. Took those carbs off, cleaned them out – they were full of gunk, which was a total pain, but I got them good. After that, I checked the oil injection system. Got a new oil pump, installed it, and filled it up with fresh oil. I put everything back together. Crossed my fingers and kicked it over. Took a few tries, but she finally fired up! Man, that two-stroke sound is music to my ears.
Fixed the Brakes and Suspension
Next up, the brakes. They were shot, totally unsafe. The brake pads were gone. The rotors were all nasty. I found a set of compatible calipers and rotors online, ordered them, and swapped them out. Bled the brake lines, got all the air bubbles out, and now she stops on a dime. The suspension was also pretty bouncy. The old fork seals were leaking oil like crazy, and the rear shocks were just toast. I replaced the fork seals and oil and found some decent aftermarket rear shocks that fit. It’s still a bit stiff, but way better than before.
Cleaned Up the Looks
With the engine and mechanics sorted, I moved on to the looks. The paint was faded and chipped, and there was some rust on the frame. I started by stripping all the old paint off the tank, fenders, and side covers. Then I prepped the metal and gave everything a fresh coat of paint. I went with the original color scheme – it just looked too good to change. For the frame, I did the best to wire brush off the rust, then hit it with some rust converter, and then a few coats of tough black paint. Looks pretty sharp now.
Final Touches
Last but not least, the little things. I replaced the old, cracked tires with some new ones that match the vintage style. Put on a new chain and sprockets – the old ones were worn out and stretched. Got a new battery, replaced all the bulbs, and cleaned up the wiring. And of course, I gave it a good polish. It was not easy to make it shine!
Now, this 1976 Yamaha RD400C is back on the road, and it’s a blast to ride. It’s not perfect, but it’s got character. Every time I take it out, it turns heads. It’s been a lot of work, but totally worth it to bring this old classic back to life. Feels good to save a piece of motorcycle history, you know?

- Pulled the cylinder head.
- Removed the cylinder and pistons.
- Checked the crankshaft and the seals.
- Replaced the crankshaft and seals.
- Put it back together with new pistons and gaskets.
- Cleaned the carburetors.
- Got a new oil pump.
- Installed it and filled it up with fresh oil.
- Replaced brake pads and rotors.
- Bled the brake lines.
- Replaced the fork seals and oil.
- Found some decent aftermarket rear shocks.
- Stripped all the old paint.
- Gave a fresh coat of paint.
- Wire brushed off the rust.
- Hit it with rust converter.
- Coats of tough black paint.
- Replaced the old tires.
- Put on a new chain and sprockets.
- Got a new battery.
- Replaced all the bulbs.
- Cleaned up the wiring.