The crackle and scent of a two-stroke engine—the smoke curling from the exhaust, the unmistakable melody of a bygone era—remains a cherished memory for many.
Outside the dirt bike world, those rings of smoke have largely drifted away, leaving only the truly devoted to keep the ring-a-ding chorus alive. For one Yamaha RD400 owner, the bond was more than just mechanical; it was familial.
This Custom Yamaha RD400 bu RSD Is Truly Something Special
Honoring a late brother who shared that love, this RD400 roared back to life in the hands of Roland Sands Design (RSD).
“We love two-strokes here,” Roland muses. “The simplicity, the sound, the weight—they’re pieces of a memory we can still hold onto. Smelling that premix at 32:1 takes you to a world before smartphones and complexity.”
The RD400 arrived at RSD worn and scattered, but the heart—the parallel-twin engine—received a rebirth by Ed Toomey, armed with fresh crank, porting, and carbs for spirited riding.
Performance upgrades turned nostalgia into precision: Dymag wheels, Trac Dynamics swingarm, and Yamaha R6 forks enhanced handling, while Brembo brakes kept things honest.
With a nod to its past, the builder retained much of its stock bodywork, blending modern tweaks with timeless style. The result? A smoky echo of history, roaring into the present. This custom Yamaha RD400 is a true beauty.
Read a full write-up at Pipeburn.
