The 2014/2015 Yamaha SR 400
“The big single has always held a special place in the hearts of motorcyclists. And when we launched the original Yamaha SR400 over 30 years ago it became a favourite with riders who yearned for a simple, agile and engaging motorcycle.”
In June 2014, Yamaha reintroduced a classic motorcycle that captured the hearts of motorcyclists the world over. With a few minor modifications (to say ‘improvements’ might trouble the purists), the 2014 SR400 is once again a valid contender in the ‘new bike market’, competing against limited offerings of bikes with a similar design ethos of classic styling, modern engineering, reliability and performance efficiency.
The retro look has been brought back with a bang over the last few years, especially with the huge increase in popularity of café racer style bikes and modifications, and with this newly released incarnation of the single cylinder classic from Yamaha, things can only get better for the true motorcycle enthusiasts.
What Yamaha have done is to remain aware of their market; their customer base, and the desires that the majority of motorcycle enthusiasts yearn for in a new bike. Many riders consider that it is the pureity of the experience of riding that makes it so special, and that with more plastic, more electronics, more comlicated systems and designs, you get further and further away from what makes riding such an enjoyable experience.
With the 2014 SR, Yamaha have taken the original Single Roadster from the 70s, made some parts easier to use, and slightly improved safety and economy, but still retained everything at the core of the SR that made it such a popular adaptation of the XT/TT and, originally, the XS 650. By doing so, the SR400 remains not only a great all rounder, but as fun to ride for a beginner, as it is for an experienced rider.
SO WHAT HAS CHANGED OVER THE ORIGINAL?
Well, the SR500 that was initially introduced to the world in the mid-70s has beed updated in a few small ways since that time. While initially released with both front and rear disc brakes, the rear disc was soon changed to a drum set up for cost and practicality reasons in 1980.
After the discontinuation of the SR500 in US markets at the end of 1981, the SR continued to be sold in Europe, Asia and Oceana for years to come, though in slightly different guises.
In Japan, in order to meet tiered licensing regulations, the SR was released with a 400cc engine instead of the 500cc variant avalable in Europe and the US.
In 2010, Yamaha updated the SR to include fuel injection and a catalyst muffler to meet stricter fuel emmision regulations. Then, after a string of successful new models in 2013, Yamaha made the bold decision to rerelease the new 2014/2015 SR400 across the world, returning to North America after a short (well, over 30 years) hiatus.
Practically speaking, the new model is very much a classic bike, with no electronic start offered, and even a cutout window in the cam cover to aid in kickstarting. All this means that the SR is very much the bike that it always was, with a few convinient updates to make living with one a little more practical for modern day usage. 2014 Yamaha SR Cam Cover Hole
What has led the SR to garner such a cult following is its simplicity; the ease with which you can customise the bike to suit your own dreams. There are so many custom parts available for the SR that creating a bike to suit your own imagination is just a few hours of work away.
Swapping out your seat for a new custom seat by OmegaRacer, fitting a bespoke aluminium fairing kit complete with a café racer design fuel tank, changing over your standard SR side covers for some cool aluminium replacements; these are all very simple adaptations that anyone can make with the right tools and a positive mindset.
Technical Specifications
- 399cc, air-cooled, 4 stroke, single cyliner engine providing 17.1 kW (23.2PS) at 6,500 rpm
- Standard front forks with twin rear shocks
- 298mm front disc brake with rear drums
- 174Kg with fluids
- Kickstart
In Detail
ENGINE
Engine type | 4-stroke, air-cooled, SOHC, 2-valves per cylinder |
Displacement | 399cc |
Bore x stroke | 87.0 mm x 67.2 mm |
Compression ratio | 8.5 : 1 |
Maximum power | 17.1 kW (23.2PS) @ 6,500 rpm |
Maximum Torque | 27.4 Nm (2.8 kg-m) @ 3,000 rpm |
Lubrication system | Dry sump |
Clutch Type | Wet, Multiple Disc |
Carburettor | Fuel Injection |
Ignition system | TCI |
Starter system | Kick |
Transmission system | Constant Mesh, 5-speed |
Final transmission | Chain |
CHASSIS
Frame | Steel Double Cradle |
Front suspension system | Telescopic forks |
Front travel | 150 mm (5.90 inches) |
Caster Angle | 27º |
Trail | 111 mm (4.37 inches) |
Rear suspension system | Dual shock Swingarm |
Rear Travel | 125 mm (4.9 inches) |
Front brake | Single Hydraulic Disc, Ø 298 mm |
Rear brake | Drum 150mm |
Front tyre | 90/100-18M/C 54S （Tube type） |
Rear tyre | 110/90-18M/C 61S （Tube type） |
DIMENSIONS
Overall length | 2,085 mm (82.08 inches) |
Overall width | 750 mm (29.53 inches) |
Overall height | 1,095 mm (43.11 inches) |
Seat height | 785 mm (30.9 inches) |
Wheel base | 1,410 mm (55.51 inches) |
Minimum ground clearance | 130 mm (5.12 inches) |
Wet weight (including fluid) | 174 kg (383.6 pounds) |
Fuel tank capacity | 12 litres (3.17 US Gallons) |
Oil tank capacity | 2.4 litres (0.63 US Gallons) |