Topic: '76 Yamaha IT400 ,first real ride!!

[singedebile]

Some of you may remember I was looking at getting an enduro. Well a few months ago I found a '76 Yamaha IT400 at mid-Ohio. After a couple months of checking and fixing various bits, then finely getting a plate for it! I took her out on a weekend of fun with friends, ...I know everyone talks about powerbands when it comes to two strokes but HOLY S***!!! maybe part of it is that this is essentially a high strung YZ motor AND its a 400cc thumper,  ...whatever the reason, what a stupid amount of terrifying fun it is to wrestle through the trails! ...even took her over my first jumps, maybe two feet in the air but wow!

Just sharing my first real two stroke/dirt biking experience, looking forward to more!

[LesterPiglet]

I'd love one. Enjoy.   

[dave500]

i had one years ago for a while,plenty of power but the handling is woefull,ive never crashed a dirt bike so much and ive had a few,i even had a dt400b,another over powered piece of #$%* in the handling dept.

[scrapvalue]

I have a KX500 and know exactly what you are talking about.     Just remember, speed is addicting and power corrupts!

[Hannibal Smith]

2 strokes are badass!

[dave500]

yeah i love two strokes,the Dt and It 400 shared the same engine less the auto lube found on the Dt,never had any trouble with the Dt but i bent the shift fork shaft on the It way out in the bush leaving me with neutral and third only,rode it back in,a few months later the It spewed its big end out requiring a complete rebuild,sold it after that and got an 83 It 250 as i had been riding my mates It200(was kitted to 250),both 250s just sailed over rough stuff youd really brace yourself for on the 400 with such forgiving handling aswell,heres a thread you might like?
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=111984.0

i have this magazine,they test the new monocross Yz400,they broke third gear!

[singedebile]

thanks for sharing! Honestly I was originally trying to get a 250 and after ridding this 400 it may very well be too much bike for me, didn't realize there was as much difference between the two.. though maybe some are because your 250 was a later bike. I'll be keeping a lookout for a 250, but these are rare bikes it seems.

[dave500]

yeah they got the suspension well sorted by the mid 80s models especially on the 250s which where really a slightly detuned road legal  yz,i had full road rego on the 400 and 250s,the 400 on the road would really out drag any car!if you could keep the front wheel down,a mate had an It 465!again just too much power really and your either just spinning the rear wheel wildly or fighting to keep the wheel down,more suited for desert racing i think than tighter trails use?he later had a TT600 which i liked a lot,like a big fat chuggy chuggy yz,it was a great bike i spent a few days on it,i wish we had these cheap action cameras back then!

[Retro Rocket]

I had an IT495 for a while in the 80's but i sold it because i didn't want to die on it...

[scrapvalue]

This picture was taken in October. First time back on an MX bike in 5 years.   I can't wait for next summer.

[dave500]

mate of mine had an early kdx 175,you cant beat the small bores in the tight hilly rough stuff?what years that kx?there were some truley serious enduro bikes straight from the factory in the 80s to early 90s,then all the two strokes got dropped,shame.

[scrapvalue]

That is a 1991 KX500, but I just bought a 2001 Honda CR250 for next years racing.
I do love the 500, but it can get you in a world of hurt in a hurry!  The 250 is totally capable of massive bodily injury also, but it just doesn't happen quite as fast!

[dave500]

they dont have to be big,a few years ago i rebuilt a mates sons little cr80,i nearly flipped it first test ride without even being silly!