Sup? Numbsayn?

[swiftyhernandez]

Greetings all. I am new to the RDDreams forum and looking forward to making new friends.
I live in Southern California and currently own only one RD; the RD400F shown in the picture. It's basically stock with all the usual performance upgrades, i.e., steel-braided brake lines; tapered roller steering-head bearings; bronze swingarm bushings; Works Performance shocks; Progressive Suspension forksprings. Oh, and Motocarrera expansion chambers. I bought it "used" with 2,399.0 miles, it now has 26,570 - I have had it for just over 10 years.
I have had the botten-end rebuilt, once - the work was performed by mbsteve from the USA2Strokers forum. While he was rebuilding it, I had him port the cylinders and install big RZ350 reed blocks and 34mm Mikuni flatslide carbs. It RUNS real good now ;-)
Anyway, that's it for now. I'll be talking to you soon


May 2009 - Wueste Road near Otay Lake

[chinoy]

welcome.
Just a small tip.
Try the PWK28s or the 28 flats. Nice roads.

[reaper]

welkommen.

[aruncheloor]

Welcome to RDD. Nice bike..

[MaxPana]

Wellcome you and your beautiful Daytona !!

Very nice horse you have there.

[swiftyhernandez]

Gentleman, thank you. And thank you for the warm welcome.

I have a good time with the bike. I enjoy riding it on Wueste Road almost as much as I enjoy riding it on Otay Lakes Road. Otay Lakes road in Chula Vista, CA is the road I know best and is my favorite road. Right next to and running into Highway 94; testing ground for Sonny Angel and his Yamaha roadracers and his bid for a 1960 Isle of Man win. Or place.
But of course, the IOM circuit is my most favorite road in the world. I like going to Wueste Road and waiting for superbike riders to come along so I can "beat them up." I like letting them know that they didn't invent "hauling ass," that we've been doing it for years

[swiftyhernandez]

I had the 34 Mikunis installed because 1) they perform very well indeed, and 2) they were easier to obtain than various other carburators. Plus I trusted my friend that did the install.
I went on the premise that if a 34mm round-slide is good enough for my stock single-cylinder Honda MT125R, it's good enough for my 400 twin.

[chinoy]

I respect your choice.
Just thought you would enjoy something different.
You will have to excuse my mind set. As its not used to thinking open roads like that.
On a road like that I can see 34s giving you an edge. Plus the fact that your 400cc vs the 350 we are more used to working with.
Whats the power band like ? Are the rest of the barrels stock ?
Its been at the back of my head to try and fit a RD400 crank into 350 cases.
Wonder if its even possible.

[reaper]

Them's some beeg looking reed spacers I see.How'd you get the filter pods to clear the frame?Another question is,what size jets is it running?It's a very good looking bike,I'm almost jealous.

Could you hook us up with some pictures of your racing days from the 80's?I vaguely remember you riding a seca 550(i think).

[chinoy]

He is using what looks like the Trinity Intake manifolds. Designed to accept and run larger carbs.
Im not a big fan because they increase the distance from the reed to the fuel pickup point.
But they are very popular on Banshee's
They lift the carbs up and move them back.
They are not reed spacers.
The reeds are where they are supposed to be.

[swiftyhernandez]

Yes, it's quite easy to find an open road that allows you to open 'er up around here, so the big carbs do not create a problem. As for the jetting, I think the main is 270. The power band is what you would expect from a good running RD400, with ported cylinders, both the intake and exhaust. Power comes on somewhere in the middle and goes to probably 9-10 grand. I don't know what the revs are exactly because my tach is disconnected; I can't seem to get the tach drive located on top of the cases to stop leaking oil. Nevermind, I don't really need the tach; I go by "feel" anyway...

I don't know if the 400's crank will fit into the 350 cases. That's a very good question, I wish I had an answer...

[swiftyhernandez]

This is my Seca 550 that I had back in 1988. I ended up crashing it pretty heavily up on Palomar Mountain. I think it was totalled, I don't really know. I suffered a tramatic brain injury, that's what I do know...

[chinoy]

270s wow.
We run 300s+ on 350s with 28mm flat carbs. On the 34mms we start at 340 and go towards 400s.
(Larger carbs require larger jets there was an equation for figuring this out floating around).

Im not saying your jetting isnt spot on just seems a little low.
What timing do you run ? 20 or 24 deg ?
Are the heads stock or milled ?

[swiftyhernandez]

You know, I could easily be wrong on that main jet size (my memory has suffered greatly because of my head injury). And now that you mention it, 320 sounds right, too.
Timing set to 20. Stock Daytona Special head; not milled.

[prajeep]

Welcome thats truely one of the beast you have there

[reaper]

awesome pics swifty.sorry to hear about the brain injury.you used to race katanas back in the day as well,didn't you?lst i heard,old man ross was getting his bike prepped for a big race.are you going,or has it happened already?

[swiftyhernandez]

Hi reaper, thanks for your kind words of sympathy.

I never raced Katanas myself, but I do have pics of them racing!


Also, I'm not at all aware of Ross's racing program .... sorry mang, I don't know I rarely go to the USA2Strokers site anymore...

[vivekjayasheel]

Ah the joy of having a wicked motorcycle and easy access to great roads... welcome to RDD, Swifty.

[crazydiablo]

Welcome man, damn neat bike you got there. Oh i miss SoCal roads......

[chinoy]

Have you ever driven a 350. Ive never been on a good 400 and wonder what the difference in power delivery would feel like.
What rubbers do you run ?
We get the 2 strokes hauling butt trip.
We have had a 160cc two stroke single take on some SBK boys and beat them.
The look of bewilderment is priceless.