Yamaha SR400 2016 Review

Name: Yamaha SR400 2016 Review
Brand: Yamaha

70s looks and character come to life in Yamaha's retro-flavoured SR400

The Ishiyama-styled Yamaha SR of late 1970s was typical of Japanese bikes of its era: Good looking, fun to ride and, most of all, reliable. They were also relatively affordable and cheap to run.

Excusing the affordable part of that summation – the SR400 now priced from $8099 (plus ORCs) – not a lot has changed. The recreation of the SR400, re-launched locally in 2014, does well to encapsulate all the looks and good-time feels of its 70s namesake, but oddly with fewer 'modern touches'.

And, no, I'm not talking about the kick starter. This is one throwback I actually get a kick out of each time I start the bike (yeah, yeah, bad pun). I'm actually referring to the rear drum brake (in some markets the original had discs at both ends), monotone, matte grey colour palette (that shit would never fly in the psychedelic 70s) and inner-tube tyres (the original run tubeless). We note that a yellow and black paint job is available on the 60th Anniversary Edition, though with a limit of just 10 available in Australia you'd want to be quick.

The SR400's air-cooled 399cc single fires to life and idles easily, owing in part to electronic fuel injection, with a happy single-cylinder pulse from the polished chrome pipe. It fuels happily at low revs, even when the engine's cold; and builds quickly through five forward ratios towards its 7000rpm cut-off. We did, however, have a little difficulty restarting the engine hot after refuelling, the bike taking several attempts to restart.

Yamaha says the twin-valve SOHC engine is good for 17kW at 6500rpm and 27Nm at 3000rpm. Big numbers they're not, but a decent ratio spread and a dry weight of 131kg means the SR400 is both spritely and rather flexible at urban speeds.

On the highway it's a different story. While we wouldn't say the SR400 struggles to keep pace, it is nudging its limits uphill on a 110km/h freeway. Light vibrations begin to make themselves known through the long flat seat and broad chrome bars if you attempt to wring its neck – the SR400's obvious commuter focus ill at ease in the freeway fast-lane.

The gearbox is direct and it's pretty easy to locate neutral. Couple this to a light, progressive clutch and it's easy to see why the SR400 is a bike favoured by hipster-styled learners. It's an easy machine to learn, and a hard bike to stall – the perfect companion in cut-and-thrust city traffic. The ratio spread of the gearbox also allows decent fuel economy. On test we managed 300km from the 12-litre 'teardrop-styled' tank without a drama.

The front-end is stopped by a (hydraulic) 298mm disc grabbed by a twin-piston calliper, while the rear utilises a (mechanical) sealed drum. We found the braking performance adequate for the task at hand, the controls easy and with decent modulation. However, I'd have liked an adjustable lever. The SR400 is not offered with anti-lock brakes.

Sitting 785mm from the ground, the SR400's low seat makes flat-footing it at the lights a simple task. The pegs are well placed and the slim tank easy to grip between your knees. The bars relate nicely to that upright pose familiar of 70s' bikes and with neat-looking twin-dial analogue gauges (and their handful of 'oh shit' lights) and wide, high-set mirrors, offers a confidence-inspiring riding position.

Steering is light, but not detached, and ride comfort a clear focus over knee-down handling. Sure, the SR400 handles well for what it is – especially with the help of Metzeler Perfect ME77 tyres and a low centre of gravity – but it's not a hard-charging sportsbike, and will soon let you know that it's not to be ridden like one.

The SR400's tubular steel frame (which incidentally serves as the oil reservoir for the engine's dry sump) and spoked 18-inch wheels are suspended in typical fashion by 35mm forks fore and twin shocks aft. There's a fair amount of travel at each end (150mm and 100mm respectively) which, along with the deeply cushioned seat, keeps the bumps at bay. Ground clearance is generous enough, adequate for moving slowly from the footpath to the road, but not chasing chooks or tackling lumpy back-roads two up.

Beyond the 'hard and fasts' of the SR400, I reckon it's the fact the bike so readily lends itself to customisation that's its biggest drawcard. It's what prompted me to take a test ride and, again excusing the price, proves the fundamentals of the SR400 consent to straightforward personalisation for anyone interested in the cafe bike scene. There's a packet of aftermarket parts available on-line and a simplicity of design that permits pretty radical alteration without destroying the bike's well-engineered framework.

Were it up to me I'd ditch the cheap-looking hand grips and switchgear in favour of something a little classier, and delete the large, candescent indicators in favour of some compact LED jobbies. A nice, diamond-stitched seat is also a must-have, and while I like the colour of the standard bike, I reckon a respray in one of the bold, two-tone hues of the original is well in order. Oh, and we'd also install a louder exhaust.

As a retro throw-back that's easy to handle in city traffic, the SR400 is a good companion. It brings a bit of style to the LAMS bike scene, and allows far more personalisation that just about any other bike we can think of in this category.

You could look at the Ducati Scrambler (from $11,990 plus ORCs) or the Triumph Street Twin (from $13,500 plus ORCs), or even the Suzuki TU250X (from $5990 plus ORCs). But the range of personlisable parts available for this model really does help it to stand out from the crowd.

Sure, there'll be some who'll be dissuaded by the lack of electric start and ABS, and maybe the price. But if you're wanting an ideal place to build a bike that's all your own – or just love the retro look and feel of the stock item – then the Yamaha SR400 is pretty hard to look past.

2016 Yamaha SR400 pricing and specifications:

Price: $8099 (plus on-road costs)

Engine: 399cc single-cylinder four-stroke air-cooled

Output: 17kW/27Nm

Transmission: Five-speed manual

Final Drive: O ring chain

Suspension: Twin fork (front) / Twin shock (rear)

Brakes: Disc (front) / Drum (rear)

Wheels: 18-inch spoked alloy (front) / 18-inch spoked alloy (rear)

Tyres: 90/100-18 (front) / 110/90-18 (rear)

Weight: 131kg (dry, claimed)

Warranty: Two-year / Unlimited-kilometre (whichever comes first)

Bike supplied by: City Yamaha, Melbourne

What we liked:

>> Good-time 70s feels

>> Ease of use and ergonomics

>> Fuss-free, customisable design

Not so much:

>> Cheeky asking price

>> Boring, monotone colour palette

>> Lack of electric start and ABS may discourage

Also consider:

>> Ducati Scrambler (from $11,990 plus ORCs)

>> Suzuki TU 250 X (from $5990 plus ORCs)

>> Triumph Street Twin (from $13,500 plus ORCs)

Yamaha SR400 2016 Review

Tags