Yamaha Sr400

[mezcal]

http://www.mocyc.com/store/detail.php?id=269018

Hi

I absolutely love this bike!

Does anyone have one, or tried one in the past?

I found there are a lot of them for sale on mocyc.com but most without green book. Does that present a problem?

Any inputs welcome!

thanks

[H2oDunc]

Nice lookig thumper. 1 bit of advice I would give is buy a bike with a book. Yes you can get a book for it, that is if it doest turn out to be stolen, but its a hassle and can be expensive. Lots of people will tell you they have ridden forever without a book. They are the lucky ones. Ive talked to the guys who have lost their ride to the BIB simply becuse plod wanted it. Find outthe local bike group and call in for a beer and a chat. Its te best place to find out just what bikes are around for sale. They will also put you in touch with a good repair shop and most have networks going for spares etc. Plus having a few beers with a few like minded guys makes for a good night out.Good luck and happy riding

[LivinLOS]

The last one with the oddball tyres looks kinda funky.. Not seen one on the road that I remember.

Personally I would go the extra baht and get a bandit 400, or CB400.. Both going to be a better ride IMO.

[Dave the Dude]

Hi mezcal

Yes, I too love the Sr 400 or 500. When I had some spare cash (now gone BTW) I did some investigations about getting a good one. Here in Surin there is a local bikeshop & group that has many of them, but as mentioned by Duncan, 99% are unregistered. Although at the time that was the 'stumbling block' for me, I am of the opinion that since 80% of ALL the bikes here in this part of Issan are unregistered, I would now risk it, green book or not. I do appreciate that this situation is regionalised.

The guys here get photos of bikes available (shipped into BKK??) and with ALL parts still readily available, you just pick what goodies you want installed (Dif colour tanks,chrome bits/brake cylinders ect) and after placing a deposit your bike arrives 10 days later. Prices were bl**dy reasonable TOO.

Keep us posted, mate.

Dave

[Macx]

I like those thumpers too.

Try to get a green book if at all possible.

But, here's a thought if you're really bent on having one:

Do you ever notice how the BIB only glance at the registration sticker to see if it's the right color/year?

Now, I suppose you could borrow a valid sticker from your Honda Wave, but if they ever catch you, be ready with extra dosh

[HDRIDER]

HI

Here in Phuket it’s not a good idea to drive without a book, and there is so many doggie books around, i found a nice bike the other day, but a doggie book, been in contact with people on TV, and when i ask about green book, well no more mails.

You can check the frame number, take the number and look it up on the net, that way you can see if it belong to a Honda 400 or Kawa 400 or or, it will not tell you if it’s the same bike you have on hand, but it’s a step in the right direction.

Have also heard that police in Phuket have confiscated 3 bikes with false or bad green book, and that’s within a few months.

[tahaan]

I like those thumpers too.

Try to get a green book if at all possible.

But, here's a thought if you're really bent on having one:

Do you ever notice how the BIB only glance at the registration sticker to see if it's the right color/year?

Now, I suppose you could borrow a valid sticker from your Honda Wave, but if they ever catch you, be ready with extra dosh

As I understand it, having a false plate and or sticker is a greater offence than openly riding an unregistered bike.

[bobbin]

HI

Here in Phuket it's not a good idea to drive without a book, and there is so many doggie books around, i found a nice bike the other day, but a doggie book, been in contact with people on TV, and when i ask about green book, well no more mails.

You can check the frame number, take the number and look it up on the net, that way you can see if it belong to a Honda 400 or Kawa 400 or or, it will not tell you if it's the same bike you have on hand, but it's a step in the right direction.

Have also heard that police in Phuket have confiscated 3 bikes with false or bad green book, and that's within a few months.

doggie book?

Btw HDRider

Did you see the story about a chopper rider getting shot off his bike by an annoyed "citizen" in Pattaya? Seems his pipes were too loud,

Time to get some steel wool to stuff up those pipes.

[goldfish]

Good bikes. They suffer from lack of top end lubrication so any noise and expect to pay for new cam etc. Apart from that pretty good, hassle free bikes. may be an idea to change from 6volt to 12 volt electrics as the standard 6 volt bulbs are as impressive as a candle from 50 yards. Take the same breaker points as a C90, worth knowing as Yamaha want around 50 pounds for an original set

[Richard-BKK]

Riding a bike without the right papers will only get more difficult. I belief that pretty soon the police will active going to look for non-registered vehicles.

[HDRIDER]

HI

Here in Phuket it's not a good idea to drive without a book, and there is so many doggie books around, i found a nice bike the other day, but a doggie book, been in contact with people on TV, and when i ask about green book, well no more mails.

You can check the frame number, take the number and look it up on the net, that way you can see if it belong to a Honda 400 or Kawa 400 or or, it will not tell you if it's the same bike you have on hand, but it's a step in the right direction.

Have also heard that police in Phuket have confiscated 3 bikes with false or bad green book, and that's within a few months.

doggie book?

Btw HDRider

Did you see the story about a chopper rider getting shot off his bike by an annoyed "citizen" in Pattaya? Seems his pipes were too loud,

Time to get some steel wool to stuff up those pipes.

HI

Did not see that story, where was it??

Bad book= no matching numbers, book older than bike, recycled book, fake book, can be bought here for around 5000B, you name it, a bike shop wanted to sell me a bike, when i looked at the frame number i could see it was not original number (new numbers on top of old ones) i pointed it out to the owner, no problem he said, many do like that. Well maybe they do but it’s not the bike you bought, and the BIB might take it.

[LivinLOS]

HI

Here in Phuket it’s not a good idea to drive without a book, and there is so many doggie books around, i found a nice bike the other day, but a doggie book, been in contact with people on TV, and when i ask about green book, well no more mails.

You can check the frame number, take the number and look it up on the net, that way you can see if it belong to a Honda 400 or Kawa 400 or or, it will not tell you if it’s the same bike you have on hand, but it’s a step in the right direction.

Have also heard that police in Phuket have confiscated 3 bikes with false or bad green book, and that’s within a few months.

Phuket is one of the hardest provinces over bent books.. And bent books come in many flavors.. Some pass even a computer check (and roadside doesnt do that) but some dont even match the plates.

You mention a online checking service.. This is new to me.. Care to share ??

[LivinLOS]

Bad book= no matching numbers, book older than bike, recycled book, fake book, can be bought here for around 5000B

I (will soon) have an unregged toy that I will happily pay 5k for a bent book..

hel_l you can have some beer tokens and 5k.. Other offers have all been a few multiples of that.

Phuket is crazy !! Where in BKK I can legalize a 400 for 55... here its 80.. I am told because the customs guys sign off on import invoice costs the extra 20 - 25 !! Yet I can go to bkk, do the same legiti process then move the plate here.. Usual extra phuket costs !!

Pattaya / Chon buri seems the go for bent but in the system prices..

[HDRIDER]

Hi

Livinlos

You mention a online checking service.. This is new to me.. Care to share ??

its not a checking service, just put the frame number in, and google it, then one of the pages will tell what kind of bike it is

5k, that book is so fake you can see it without open it, dont even think about it.

you should still be able to get a new book for 50.000 here on Phuket, i could tell you a few shops NOT to buy a bike from

[HDRIDER]

Here is another example of how to check, i guess every country has its own.

http://www.suzukicycles.org/_misc/identification.shtml

[Richard-BKK]

Getting stopped with fake motorcycle register and license papers and/or plates can get you into serious problems.

Faking government identification papers (to Thai law this is not limited to personal ID papers) in Thailand can get you so serious into problems that you not see the outside of 4 walls for long long time.

It will not be the first time that a buyer of a bike accuses the shop owner of faking papers, but it will also not be the first that the shop owner has 20 or more people to testify that he was at that moment not at his shop....

When you associate with criminals be ready to play the game, and not look ever to the law to rescue you...... Buy a bike without bull shit and forget any fake or illegal papers....

[Richard-BKK]

@LivinLOS

It is funny that you thing that Phuket is crazy, personally we belief that it is a bit opposite. At Phuket office talking about some missing or less correct papers is possible. At the Bangkok office it is simple, come back when you have it right.

Chonburi (Pattaya not has a office) are the worst to ever try to register a imported unregistered vehicle.

[LivinLOS]

To legalize a bike in BKK.. 55k.. same task on phuket 80.. ..

And if a bike is without papers.. In many places its either ignored or a minor fine.. here it seems 10k up to whatever they think they can get.

It was phukets police that did a nasty on the 3 country charity ride.. nabbed loads of harleys and ended up (so I am told) almost a million baht in tea money better off..

[MaiChai]

My neighbour has one (SR400). Sounds a classic bike. Has a great sound, and I am sure you would fall in love with it if you had one! There is a wikipedia page on them http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yamaha_XT500. Personally I think they are a big too old tech for my liking (eg I prefer disk brakes, etc). Look very simple to maintain and I hear they are dead reliable. My experience of 2nd hand bikes here is that you will need to spend some money on an old bike; so add 5-10K to the price for the improvements you will need to make.

Look out for green book scams; don't buy a bike without one, check the engine and chassis numbers match the book. Engine and chassis generally have the same number (not sure abour SRs but other Yamahas do), so if they are not the same, engine is not original. Check the ID card of the owner, and that the name on his id is the same as in the green book. Make sure you know where the owner lives, or at least can get in contact post sale (eg he can't run away); don't buy the bike in Tesco Lotus car park!

A sad tale: A Thai friend bought a CB400 and all was ok for the first year. 2nd year he goes to renew his road tax and they tell him the bike is stolen, so he has to give it back to the original owner. By then the person he bought it off has well and truely disappeared. Sounds like a case of steal bike and sell it before plod gets round to keying it into the computers (or maybe Thai computers are slower than other countries?)...

[mezcal]

Thanks everybody!

It makes me very sad to hear that police is going to implement the law about unregistered bikes. I already have a strong dislike for that occupation, but seeing my beloved bike disappear in their hands would certainly kill me on the spot!

If I were living in Isaan I would probably not care too much about it, but I'm dangerously close to both Bangkok and Pattaya, where they seem to be on the hunt for us poor lonesome bikers...

I will look out for a registered SR, if such a thing really exists...a bit like trying to find Bigfoot, or the Lochness creature, or a honest politician...

thanks again

M

[HangDongRider]

http://www.mocyc.com/store/detail.php?id=269018

Hi

I absolutely love this bike!

Does anyone have one, or tried one in the past?

I found there are a lot of them for sale on mocyc.com but most without green book. Does that present a problem?

Any inputs welcome!

thanks

I had a SR 500 for 16 Years in Germany, 14 with 600cc big bore. And nothing were happend all the years. I was ridden it in Winter a few times over the alps and some really long tours throu europe, some with 2 people. The SR-engine is absolutly undestroyable, but a blind lady killed it on a intersection, damned! If you´re taff enough for kickstart in the Thailand heat, buy it, lucky man! Riding without number depense on the city, in CNX we´re still (hope also in future) in peace. But everything change.

My friend sells a SUZUKI-Volty 250 in SanPaThong, CNX. Looks similar to the SR. With number and e-start for 60000 TB. Tel: 053-311228. BUT!!! Pi Dohm speaks absolutly not even one word english!! Ask your girlfriend to call. Regards from Harry

[Dave the Dude]

I will look out for a registered SR, if such a thing really exists...a bit like trying to find Bigfoot, or the Lochness creature, or a honest politician...

M

Hi Mezcal

And good luck with your search for The Holy Grail . When I was on the market for one, I found only One registered, although I did not check to see if they were Moody papers/book. The guy wanted 100k for the tired example that needed quit a lot of cosmetic surgery to bring it up to my required high standard. A standard, incidently that could be achieved for 65/70k if Unregistered.

Good luck and let us know what you find!

Dave (SR400/500 enthusiast)

[HDRIDER]

HI

http://www.mocyc.com/store/detail.php?id=272705

[HDRIDER]

HI

http://bahtsold.com/detail.php?id=30538

[LivinLOS]

Seem to remember seeing a few here also

http://www.dbigbike.com/

[Dave the Dude]

Seem to remember seeing a few here also

http://www.dbigbike.com/

Good one L/LOS

There are some mighty fine examples on that website, but no sign of a single numberplate(unfortunetly)

CHEERS Dave

[LivinLOS]

Seem to remember seeing a few here also

http://www.dbigbike.com/

Good one L/LOS

There are some mighty fine examples on that website, but no sign of a single numberplate(unfortunetly)

CHEERS Dave

Email them.. I have been told they are pretty adept at recycled books..

Also I notice some of thier forum posts seemed to indicate price or price +25k for plates.. Which doesnt strike me as too technical a code

[t.s]

To legalize a bike in BKK.. 55k.. same task on phuket 80.. ..

And if a bike is without papers.. In many places its either ignored or a minor fine.. here it seems 10k up to whatever they think they can get.

It was phukets police that did a nasty on the 3 country charity ride.. nabbed loads of harleys and ended up (so I am told) almost a million baht in tea money better off..

55k?

[LivinLOS]

Price quoted for a 400 from a few different places.. Thats for a new legal book, bike must go for some checks.

[piposan]

hello posters ! I've just managed to finally import myself an sr400 into the UK from Thailand. It had originally been import from Japan and built in Thailand.

Thing is I'm trying to trace spares for the dam thing and seem to be struggling alot to find them. One issue is getting hold of a parts list. Could anyone point me in the right direction ?

Cheers ! !