Nothing screams “it’s the weekend” fairly like a two-stroke road tracker. All the extra if it’s a Yamaha RD400, and it’s wearing a standard black and yellow uniform—with pace blocks, in fact.
This svelte little quantity, dubbed ‘427 Tracker,’ is the work of Smyth Innovations. Based in Ontario, Canada, the workshop is run by Cam Smyth—an industrial designer-turned-custom bike builder. He’s been at it full time for a decade already, and works with a community of buddies and native companies to get issues achieved.
The 1976-model Yamaha RD400 made its method onto Cam’s bench together with three different RD400s of the identical classic. One consumer had purchased all 4 donors, with a view to mixing and matching the most effective bits to construct two full bikes. One bike was to be a restoration job, whereas the opposite was to be a road tracker.
While figuring out the main points of every, Cam caught wind of the Dream Build Off—a web based {custom} contest organized by Roland Sands Design and Geico Motorcycle. He figured the road tracker RD can be the right candidate.
Cam and his crew had their work minimize out for them although. The donor they picked as a place to begin was very removed from being roadworthy.
“It had a 1979 Daytona tank and a few other mismatched bits and backyard modifications done to it,” says Cam. “Everything needed to be replaced or rebuilt, right down to the engine. The pistons and cylinders were scored, the engine covers had kissed the asphalt once or twice, and the left engine case had lost a fight with a chain.”
Once Cam had found out a design path, work may start in earnest. The engine was stripped all the way down to its naked circumstances, which had been blasted, powder coated and reassembled with new seals and gaskets. Lurking inside are a brand new crank and pistons, bored-out cylinders and some different go-fast mods.
On the surface you’ll discover a set of radial fin efficiency heads from HVC Cycle, a hydraulic clutch and a modified entrance sprocket cowl. The group even cleaned up a number of the manufacturing facility trimmings, and shaved off the forged writing on the circumstances.
The listing goes on; outsized Banshee intakes, V-Force 3 reed valves, Mikuni TM32 carbs and a {custom} exhaust system constructed from two units of classic DG enlargement chambers. The unique wiring was tossed too, and redone with a brand new VAPE CDI ignition equipment and a Lithium-ion battery.
The body wasn’t spared both. Smyth Innovations de-tabbed it, then minimize off the rear part and constructed a brand new subframe, with helps that mimic the strains of the inventory RD400 aspect covers. An assortment of gussets and brackets had been fabricated to go well with.
Then got here a smorgasbord of suspension mods. A set of 2006 Suzuki GSX-R600 forks had been mounted up entrance, and tweaked to just accept a pair of KTM fork guards.
The decrease yoke is from the Suzuki too, however the prime yoke is a closely modified LSL half. The group trimmed it to create space for the RD400 tank, shaved off its ignition bracket and added a mount to carry a Koso gauge cluster. Just behind it are new handlebars, fitted with Renthal grips, modified Brembo levers and welded-on micro switches with LED backlights.
There was extra work to be achieved out again, the place Cam had a really particular thought in thoughts. “We knew we wanted an aluminum swingarm, to help give the bike that vintage trick look,” he says. “And to make the bike look right on 19″ wheels, we needed to add a couple inches to the length.”
The guys began with the swingarm from a 1981 Yamaha IT250, then eliminated the unique shock mount, trimmed the fats, fabricated a brand new mount and braced every thing. The setup additionally contains new finish blocks, and a few deft machine work to make your complete axle system extra user-friendly.
The wheels are 19” Sun Rims, laced to 2 totally different mannequin Yamaha YZ hubs, with stainless-steel spokes equipped by Buchanan’s. They’re wrapped in Dunlop K180 tires; a prize sponsored by Dunlop throughout the early rounds of the competitors.
Since this flat tracker is destined for road use, it has brakes at each ends. The setup contains Kawasaki Ninja 300R calipers, with Galfer rotors, pads and contours. All the little bits just like the axles, swingarm pivot and steering stem nut, had been machined from scratch.
For the bodywork, Cam swapped out the Daytona tank for the standard RD400 unit, which was subjected to an entire host of mods. Most notably, a Kawasaki Ninja 650 filler neck was welded in to accommodate a flush-mount fuel cap from Vortex. The tank’s mounting angle was tweaked too, and the gas faucet hidden away behind the carbs the place it’s nonetheless accessible, however not fairly as seen.
“The gas tank is painted in 2006 Yamaha 50th Anniversary Yellow Pearl” Cam explains. “It’s a modern take on the traditional Yamaha 0026 Competition Yellow.”
Sitting aft of the tank is a custom-made seat and tail unit, designed to hold the tank’s silhouette via to the rear. The design was first mocked up with cardboard cut-outs and items of string, to verify every thing flowed completely. Successful of Alcantara on the seat pad provides a cultured contact.
It’s laborious to identify the taillight at first, however that’s by design. Cam used a Koso Hawkeye LED, then mounted it underneath the tail hump behind a smoked acrylic pane.
“From the beginning, if we were going to build a street tracker it had to look more like a flat track racer than a street bike,” he explains. “And for us that meant completely hiding the lights.”
To obtain this up entrance, they mounted two 6” LED bars behind a hand-formed acrylic quantity board. The lights are set at totally different angles, to function as excessive and low beam headlights. Everything sits on {custom} mounting {hardware}.
Smyth’s 427 Tracker nails the trifecta of two-strokes, flat trackers and Yamaha iconography. Sadly, it didn’t take dwelling first prize within the build-off—however it’s a winner in our e-book.
Smyth Innovations Instagram | Images by Pawel Wnek
Cam wish to lengthen particular due to his household, buddies, and sponsors that made this undertaking occur!
Source: www.bikeexif.com