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Gulf Racing’s Iconic Livery Looks at Home on This Modified Yamaha SR400

The 35th Anniversary Edition SR400 takes pride in its fresh attire!
Yamaha SR400 8 photos
Photo: Five Hundred King
Yamaha SR400Yamaha SR400Yamaha SR400Yamaha SR400Yamaha SR400Yamaha SR400Yamaha SR400
Yutaka Ohashi goes about his daily business in the Shiga Prefecture of Japan. In his spare time, meticulous bike customization seems to be this moto-loving petrolhead’s preferred activity. Ohashi’s passion would eventually lead to him establishing his very own motorcycle club and hosting countless gatherings that had modified Yamaha SR400’s as their theme. Each of these events would bring as many as 50 riders and their stunning two-wheelers under one roof.

As such, it goes without saying the mastermind needed one seriously rad piece of machinery to stand out among these fellow enthusiasts. For this ambitious undertaking, the Japanese moto wizard’s weapon of choice was a 35th Anniversary Edition SR400 from 2013. Look, Yamaha’s commuter-friendly baby isn’t exactly what you’d call a vicious beast, but it’ll certainly do the trick!

This bad boy is put in motion by a four-stroke SOHC single-cylinder powerplant, with two valves and a compression ratio of 8.5:1. SR400’s air-cooled mill has a generous displacement of 399cc. At around 7,000 rpm, the engine is capable of producing up to 27 hp, accompanied by a torque output of just over 21 pound-feet (29 Nm) at 6,500 revs. A five-speed transmission channels this force to the rear 18-inch wheel by means of a chain final drive.

Yamaha SR400
Photo: Five Hundred King
Ultimately, this little devil will accelerate 0-62 mph (0-100 kph) in approximately 11.2 seconds, while its top speed is rated at 81 mph (130 kph). On the other hand, stopping power is taken care of by a single 298 mm (11.73 inches) brake rotor and a two-piston caliper up front, along with a drum module at the rear.

SR400’ss powertrain components are nested inside a steel double cradle frame, which is supported by 35 mm (1.38 inches) telescopic forks at the front. Suspension duties are handled by a double-sided swingarm and dual shock absorbers on the opposite end. The whole structure has a wet weight of just 384 lbs (174 kg).

As to Yutaka Ohashi’s spectacular one-off exploit, things kicked off in the performance sector. The folks over at Green Tea Bike Studio were tasked with an extensive engine rebuild that'll have it perform like a marvel. Besides tweaking the mill’s crankshaft and increasing its displacement all the way up to 505cc, the powerplant gurus also installed an array of fresh units.

These include a high-performance piston, an aftermarket oil cooler and new filters, to name a few. Additionally, the single-cylinder machine breathes more freely, thanks to a unique exhaust system with a megaphone-style muffler.

Yamaha SR400
Photo: Five Hundred King
To match the powertrain upgrades, SR400’s chassis was treated to a complete overhaul. In the suspension department, you will find a set of Aragosta rear shocks and a cartridge fork package from NAG Racing’s inventory. Its wheels were treated to a pair of lightweight Excel Takasago wheels, while the brakes received ALTH discs and TAR OX calipers.

Additionally, the bike’s bodywork was also subjected to a series of surgical interventions. The standard items were removed to make room for an array of custom counterparts, such as a Unosport fuel tank, carbon fiber side panels and a Motodog tail section, as well as a vintage front fender and fairing from Chuck Box.

Lastly, the finishing touches consist of a Motogadget Motoscope Pro gauge, a full LED lighting kit and clip-on handlebars, besides Domino grips and rear-mounted foot pegs. To wrap it all up, Grant Paint Works applied Gulf Racing’s unmistakable livery, which does a sweet job at making this SR400 look the part.

All things considered, I absolutely dig Ohashi’s timeless display of top-grade craftmanship! The build was completed over the course of almost four years, and I’ll be it was totally worth the effort.
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About the author: Silvian Secara
Silvian Secara profile photo

A bit of an artist himself, Silvian sees two- and four-wheeled machines as a form of art, especially restomods and custom rides. Oh, and if you come across a cafe racer article on our website, it’s most likely his doing.
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