The SR400 #8's Front Brakes

First of all we need to get through a backlog of information on what we've been up to, before we can get around to telling you what we've been doing in the last few months. So we're going to rewind to the #8 SR400. There's a few cool things about this bike but here's a bit of information about the front brake.

The spoked-wheel SR400 had two versions of front brakes - the disc, which is most commonly seen, and the drum, which has a bit of a bad reputation which is undeserved in our opinion. When set up properly the drum can be just as good as the disc. But anyway, here's what it looks like standard.

They look like holes, but they're actually black plastic caps over alloy. Cheeky Yamaha. And the other side is the same...

On the left hand side of the front of the drum you can spot what looks to be an air intake. It actually isn't - there's no holes machined in there at all, just fins.

So with the #8 SR400 we took the right hand side of the drum brake cover and decided to open the holes up. They were bored through at an angle and then die-ground, dressed and finished. Eventually they looked like this.

Looks good when it's running as well. Gives the bike a little bit of colour.

And here's a brief video of it in action:

The other side was opened up and an intake fabricated.

All in all it looks a lot better than the original Yamaha SR400 front brakes - and it'll be more effective too.

Phew, it's been a long time between drinks on the blog here.

So here's an undertaking - we're going to be updating the blog a lot more frequently. We promise.

There's been so much happening over the past year or two it's hard to know where to begin. So we'll probably be working our way backwards a little. First up - here's a full fairing for an SR400/SR500.

Pretty neat huh? The fairing is of our own manufacture. The mold allows for longer panels at the bottom but this has been taken back a bit. 

We've got three similarly set up SR400 racers. This one will either be available for lease, for sale or we might just keep it around the shop and let a few select mates to take it out on the track and give those pesky two strokes something to worry about.

The aluminium tank is also something we import. It's made specifically to fit the SR frame and is based off the classic Norton slimline frames tanks of the 50's and 60's. Soon there'll be a few different variations of the shape. The tank will be around $900. Pricing on the fairing is TBA.

For those of you who are interested our SR400 the frame is the same and the suspension, while tweaked a little, runs the same geometry as stock. This bike has a reshaped head and a bigger carburetor. A bit of weight has been shaved here and there but nothing too dramatic.

Interested in the fairing, tank or want help in setting up a <500cc period 5 race bike? Contact us here.

The SR400 #8

Here's a sneak preview of an SR we've been working on for a while. It's at around 80% finished now - the front fender needs to be sorted and we're not going to keep the nitroheads seat on it. That ducktail design is universally beautiful, but a bit of an easy 'out'. So we're working mould that'll make the rear seat.

Besides the obvious, the fairings, etc there's a lot of little niggly things we've sorted - the horrible casting marks on the rear hub, for example. The front wheel actually does have a proper air scoop now (the originals are false) and a few other bits and peices.

More pics to come.

Tank Repairs

The Honda GB500 is a great little bike. While it never got anything like the following the SR did it was reliable, quick, easy to service and looked fantastic in stock trim. Here's Jens GB that we had in the shop a while ago, after it was dropped on its right hand side, leaving a decent-sized dent in the side of the tank.

Stripping the existing finish back...

Oops indeed.

And now the more interesting bit. Studs are welded around the dented area and, using a draw hammer, you essentially whack out against the studs, pulling the dent out and true.

And woolah! You have a un-schmunched motorcycle tank. And here it is all coming together, with some various polishing and tidying up. Good ol' gloss black to finish.

And outside. Can you see the dent?

Nope, neither can we. And paint schemes like this can be pretty unforgiving. We were looking at various tank badges and decals but this stock scheme looks quite good. Testimony to the clean lines of the bike and how well it works proportionately.

Polishing

Sorry about the lack of updates - we've been flat out lately with some new and very interesting projects. Between time spent at the Lincoln welder, polishing and painting and the Broadford Bike Bonanza over the Easter long weekend, we haven't had time to scratch ourselves.

We've done a fair bit of work to this 2005 Yamaha SR400 over the past few years. The latest thing we've done is some mechanical polishing on the sidecovers, top triple clamp, fork brace and so on to make it look a bit more presentable.

Not too much money makes it look a lot flasher...

With minimal care the finish should last a long, long time. As a sidenote, check out Purple Metal Polish by California Custom. It's a bloody good maintenance polish - not as harsh as Autosol for upkeep.