Rd400 Hybrid

[dusty350]

Thought I would post this in here as the bike is basically finished now.
The build started around February 2020, but the seeds were sown a little earlier when Alex gave me a lovely 250d German frame. Went through the usual hoops to get a Uk reg, but once that was achieved I started collecting parts to build a hybrid 400. The resto section has the build thread, plus the engine build thread, and the crank rebuild thread;

rdlccrazy.proboards.com/thread/50009/next-line

rdlccrazy.proboards.com/thread/49716/rd400e-engine-rebuild

rdlccrazy.proboards.com/thread/50276/crank-rebuild

So, it started with this;

20191213_121009 by dusty miller, on Flickr

And ended with this;

20210725_091233 by dusty miller, on Flickr

I basically had to get everything to build a bike, and there is a very long list of parts that I had to source to get it built. I kept a tally of all the parts, so thought I would list them here to put you off ever building a bike from just a frame !!

Brand new parts

Allspeed exhausts - Gibsons
Ramair foam pod filters - Ramair Uk
Keihin Pwk28 carbs - Muttsnuts
N68a needles and assorted Keihin jets - Allens Performance
Billet inlets - Muttsnuts
Yamaha throttle cable - Fowlers
Throttle tube - Yambits
Throttle tube shim - Dennis Trollope Racing
Yss Shock absorbers - Brookes Suspension
Metmachex hybrid 400/Rgv swingarm - the first they've ever built - Metmachex Swingarms Ltd
NOS Rgv Vj22 rear wheel - Ebay
Suzuki cush drive rubbers - Robinsons Foundry
Rear disc - ebay
Tyga rear caliper carrier - Jap4 Performance
Brembo rear caliper - Biketorque Racing
3 x Aeroquip stainless braided brake lines + stainless Banjo's - Think Automotive
2 x Bridgestone tyres - Guildford Tyres
All wheel bearings and hub bearing - ebay
Bespoke ali undertray - BWB Engineering
Kickstart - ebay
Banshee coils - Norbo
Ngk plug caps - Norbo
Rex Speedshop Cdi - Rex Speedshop
Complete loom - ebay
Rearset foot controls - ebay
Side panel, tank, battery box and clock damper rubbers -Yambits
Billet yokes - Spondon440
Taper head race bearings - ebay
Handlebar clamp to take Koso temp gauge with dual pick up -Spondon440
Koso temp gauge - Digital Speedos
Renthal bars - Renthal
2 x switchgear - ebay
Titax levers - Titax
Yamaha clutch cable - Fowlers
Nos clock bracket - ebay
Top yoke nut - ebay
Stainless headrace cover - Norbo
Trip meter knob - Norbo
Headlight - Norbo
Headlight brackets - ebay
Horn - Yambits
Ignition switch - Yambits
Rear light - Yambits
Number plate - ebay
2 x Hi flow petrol taps - Norbo
All fuel and oil lines - Fowlers & Norbo
Speedo cable - ebay
Nos Suzuki speedo drive - ebay
Renthal grips - ebay
All engine mount plates - ebay
Chain and sprockets - Talon and ebay
Bespoke front sprocket spacer in stainless - W Taylor Engineering
Bespoke gearshaft sleeve - W Taylor Engineering
Billet front brake reservoir - Seller in Australia
Bespoke shock absorber extensions - W Taylor Engineering
2x Siberedyne clear engine covers - Simon at Siberdyne
Suzuki Rgv fork seals - Robinsons Foundry
New fork, gearbox and 2 stroke oil - ebay
Disc bolts - ebay
All bolts nuts and washers in stainless - Kempton and local fasteners supplier
New Mark Cordwell paint scheme - Mark Cordwell
Bespoke Seat cover - Frank
Stainless seat side strips - ebay
Rear brake pressure switch -ebay
2 x Long, front engine bolts - ebay
Engine mount dampers x 8 - Norbo
4 X Barrel damping rubbers - Norbo
16x Head damping rubbers - Norbo
Yamaha tacho cable - Fowlers
Clutch perch - unknown
Fork preload adjusters -ebay
Yamaha Gearbox bearings x 5 - Fondseca
Pistons, rings, little ends, circlips and gudgeon pins - PJME
Exhaust gaskets - Fowlers
Yamaha Head and base gaskets - Fowlers and ebay Germany
Yamaha inlet gaskets - Fowlers
Mitaka billet clutch basket - Muttsnuts
Clutch damper "pucks" x 8 - Muttsnuts
Ebc clutch pack complete - Muttsnuts
Gold anodised Titanium clutch pressure plate bolts - Martin at MadBiker Designs
All Yamaha seals, circlips, e clips etc - Fowlers
Neutral switch + O ring - Fowlers
Stainless head bolts x 8
Ngk plugs - Norbo
Speedo cable guide - Ebay
Side stand spring - Fowlers
Bespoke tail light bracket - Bwb
Clutch push rod - Fowlers
All Yamaha engine seals - Fowlers

Used parts

Rd250D frame 1977 - Alex
Battery box - ebay
Electrics plate - ebay
Swingarm spindle - ebay
Rgv Vj22 forks - Forum
Rgv front wheel - Forum
Rgv front wheel spindle and spacer - ebay
Rgv front mudguard - ebay
Rgv front discs - Forum
Nissin front calipers x 2 - Mouse
Rgv front wheel spindle - Forum
Petrol tank - Ebay
Oil tank - ebay
Side panel - Aircooled forum
Tail cowl - Aircooled forum
Rd400e seat complete - Aircooled forum
Speedo - Alex
Tacho - Alex
Centre binnacle - ebay
Engine ! - ebay
Gear box - ebay
Sprocket hub - Mouse
Side stand - ebay
Regulator/Rectifier - ebay
Frame cross brace - ebay
Rear brake master cylinder - Forum

Services

Powdercoated frame, wheels, battery box, electrics plate, side stand, clock bracket, clock cups - Microblast in Windsor, and Jamie McClean in Thorpe
Cerakoted Barrels and heads - Jamie McClean
Crank rebuild and rebore - Paul at PJME in Wednesfield
Crank cases vapour blasted - Jamie McClean
Side cases powdercoated - Jamie
Forks vapour blasted before polishing - Jamie
Total paintjob of all bodywork - Mark Cordwell in Derby
Oil pump total rebuild - Gary, aka Arrow, in Ellesmere Port
Frame mods including chain clearance mod, undertray, bracing and brackets - Clive at BWB engineering in Ashford
Welding - Glen Cammack
Extended Frame mounts for shock absorbers - Garry Gratton at Metmachex Swingarms Ltd
Clear clutch and generator covers - Simon at Siberdyne
Twin tap conversion on petrol tank - Clive and Glen at BWB
Rearset back plates cut on a Plasma cutter - BWB
Andy aka Spondon440 - Billet yokes and the temp gauge holder bracket are just perfect
A day on Muttsnuts dyno, getting the jetting correct and set up properly. 46.6bhp @ 7750rpm

And without whom...

Norbo - numerous parts, both trick and standard
Alex, aka Donkeychomp - for the frame, and speedo and tacho
Mouse - rear hub and Nissin calipers
Mutts - supplying the carbs and inlets, and fitting oil spigots to the inlets for me And also the dyno set up - worth his weight in Gold
Paul Vetere - awesome rebuild of the crank, and kind enough to document it so we could all learn what's involved
Arrow for finding some hard to source parts to produce a better than new oil pump
Mark Cordwell - paint that is flawless
Jamie McClean - didn't think I would find anyone fussier than me regards finish, but Jamie is !
Garry and Tamsyn at Metmachex - A great firm and a great product, and Garry is a brilliant engineer
Steve at W Taylor Engineers - knocked up the gearchange shaft support and shock extensions with perfect precision - another old school engineer worth his weight..
Frank - a golfing buddy of Yamark's, who skillfully resculptured the seat foam and made a new, bespoke cover
ReedPete - a very generous donation of a hard to find seat lock, and the last part of the jigsaw - top man
Paul Dawkins for the dating certificate, and Midlife Steve for the knowledge on how to get a registration
Fowlers of Bristol - Most Yamaha parts from stock, with next day delivery
And you lot, for continued support, interest, and continually setting the bar ever higher with your builds

Dusty

[mouse]

That is easily the nicest air cooled i have ever seen, lovely!

Mouse

[Yogi]

Beautiful bit of kit 👌 Top job Dusty 👍

[midlifecrisisrd]

I too don't normally drool over aircooled RD's and normally hybrids dont look right but this one is spectacular

Steve

[Robbieben]

A labour of love, not for the faint hearted and such a beautiful result. One of the nicest hybrid bikes I've seen built, hopefully my 31K Bitsa Hybrid will look equally as nice once it is finished in about 12 months time.

[geoffb]

Absolutely stunning, I love it 😍

[billbott]

Fantastic looking bike.
The stance and the angle of the exhausts is perfect.

[tlmark]

as usual with dusty's builds a gorgous looking bike.

[525bri]

Very, very, clean mate, well done!

[dusty350]

Thanks for the kind words
I totted up all the costs yesterday - new parts, used parts, services, paint, powdercoat, engineering etc. I've got a big pile of receipts, but where certain parts or jobs didn't generate a receipt, I kept a tally of those costs. I don't normally do a "total", but wanted an idea of what this build has cost as a parts collecting project, rather than a complete donor bike project.
If I had started with a complete donor bike, the initial outlay would have been significant (2-3k maybe ?). Even rough aircooled 250's are eye wateringly expensive now, but I wouldn't have had to source so many cycle parts. But everything would have been refurbed anyway, so the paint/powder/Cerakote/Engineering costs etc would still be the same. Swings and roundabouts ! In fact, contrary to what I initially thought, there is probably not a lot of difference between sourcing a rough but complete donor, or starting with just a frame. Difference is, some parts are now very hard to find, and then they need to be in good enough condition to restore. Lots of parts on the aircooleds are metal as opposed to plastic on Lc's and Pv's - seat base, oil tank, battery box etc, and at 44 years old, give or take a year or two, a lot of metal parts on ebay are beyond economical refurb. Tanks rot out just as easily as the Lc's and Pv tanks, except the Ac's have a head start over the Lc of at least a couple of years !! There is no guarantee of course that your rough donor bike will have a rot free tank or seat base, or panels that aren't split, engine that's not shat itself, parts missing etc etc and the better the donor bike, the higher the initial cost of course. So finding parts can be time consuming, and expensive considering the age and condition of used components. Frames are now very hard to find in decent condition, and that haven't been altered, crashed and bashed by 20+ previous owners. Anything with a Uk V5c commands hundreds of pounds, and as rare as anything it seems. Plenty of rough US model frames, with Nova's, and they still advertise at 3-400 quid in crappy condition - who knows if they sell for those prices ?? The last German frames I saw advertised on ebay were £150, but with no paperwork at all, so lots of hoops to jump and fibs to tell, plus any Brexit red tape make it a risky purchase, with no guarantee's of registration. I did mine before Brexit, so not sure if it would be so straightforward now ?
I haven't noticed the cost of services rise much though. Painting the 400 cost the same, like for like, as my Lc's, and BWB prices stayed more or less the same, although the undertray cost a lot more than I imagined - that was made during last years lockdown when things were very tough for those guys, and the Covid tax was applied in full ! Jamie's prices have stayed the same over the last few years, so vapour blasting, powdercoat/Cerakoting costs have remained predictable, and Microblast are the same. The biggest increases are complete bikes, regardless of condition, and parts, again, regardless of condition.
I know roughly, what my 2 Lc hybrids cost to build so have pitched the aircooled build against those for cost. The upshot is, this 400 hybrid is the most expensive bike I've built to date. £10,501, give or take a couple of quid. It would have been well into 11k if I hadn't been given the frame, clocks, calipers, rear hub and seat lock by good friends on here I got very lucky with some other parts too - a complete seat, side panel and tail cowl cost me £60 and mates rates have lessened the costs of other parts and services - those guys know who they are, and once again, thanks so much, coz without your generosity, it would easily top over 12k.
They don't have to cost this much of course. A rattle can get can great results, and would be a lot less costly than pro painting services. Likewise, certain engine parts could have been reused, but I seem to have an OCD problem when it comes to bike builds that doesn't manifest itself anywhere else in my life ! It all depends on what you want and how you want it, so it can be done cheaper of course.
Whatever you build, enjoy it - it's the greatest hobby I could wish for, and I've made some great friends doing it, and met some very talented people too. Not sure what happens next, but I hate not having a project in the garage so we will see

Dusty

[zig]

stunning build dusty....it might have consumed time and money but look what you have at the end of all that....well done


wish it was mine lol


ZiG

[tacky1]

Fantastic build Dusty, Its the perfect AC 400, nicest I have seen...

[oldbritguy]

Wow.
Just picked up on this Dusty and in true OCD style, a comprehensive list of everything you have done.
A stunning and unique bike at the end up but probably no more expensive than a modern comparable machine which will be worth a fraction of that in a couple of years.
I stopped keeping records of my builds years ago when I did a triumph resto and had to hide it from the boss. Never again.
I just get what is needed now and accept the cost as part of the journey.
Like yourself, I have benefitted and been humbled by the kindness and generosity of forum members on my last two projects without whom they would probably still be unfinished.
I am not alone in saying I thoroughly enjoyed all of your builds and this final summary of your 400 hybrid reminds us all of the passion and measures we will go to to get that “look” and put our own mark on the bikes we had and loved as kids.
There is no chance this will be your last. We know you too well. The next project just hasn’t introduced itself yet.
Top man and thanks for sharing.
John

[botty]

Absolutely stunning.

A real credit to you 👌👌👌

[dusty350]

Thanks for the kind words guys
There is one last job to do and that's to get it up to Mutts and onto the dyno for an accurate setting up. He is mega busy but hopefully we will find a suitable time this autumn.
It was interesting to see that a bike built from parts probably ends up around the same, cost wise, as a complete donor, built to the same standard. I always recommend people buy as a complete project as possible, and that would still be my advice, but based more on the availability of spares rather than the cost. Having said that, if individual parts prices continue to rise at their current rate, that may change the maths ! I also think that people are now holding onto certain spares far more than they did before - cant blame them when they see what it would cost if they had to buy them again.
I did watch a German 250 aircooled complete project on ebay a week ago, and it ended up at a knats under 2k. Total rebuild needed, stood since 95, but virtually complete, except a chain guard. A few years ago we would have laughed at that price - now it seems very reasonable !

Dusty

[midlifecrisisrd]

It does look stunning Dusty 😎

The starting from scratch increased cost stopped a couple of years ago when the bike prices jumped and dragged the price of the tatty ones up

As you say the shagged out incomplete ones are making big money now

The guy I use for a lot of my parts said back then that the money in buying and breaking an LC for profit was gone

Better to buy a tatty or incomplete one and finish it then punt

Yes a lot of the parts are very expensive but it takes a lot of bits off a bike to sell to make £8k

Steve

[fabiostar]

Now that is a special looking bit of kit..

[dusty350]

It's booked in with Mutts in a couple of weeks time for some Dyno time to get the carbs dialled in accurately. Then it will be good to go

Dusty

[sidney81]

To its new home ?😋😋

[dusty350]

Ha, who knows Chris, I may sell it. If there was a project out there that took my fancy and the sums added up, then quite possibly. Nothing lasts long in my garage !!

Dusty

[jue]

Thats a stunning build