Yamaha Dirt Bikes

[dirtydan]

I would like to know if anybody out there knows the history of when yamaha first produced dirt bikes. The model names, the cc class, and or what they came with.

[a-camp]

They have somthing they can call a dirt bike now????? lol.

[rustbucket]

most jap bikes were started being imported around 63-64, two strokes didn't really get a big break untill suzukis infamous tm400. as far as yami bikes I know that as late as 73 were still useing a magneto ignition and their junk oil injector. yamis answer to the tm 400 was the rt1 360, a total turd suzukis bikes were ahead of their time. Who else had pressurized main bearings on a two stroke or cdi.

[TrikeKid]

i think the MX360 is the answer to the TM400. the RT1 is an almost pure street bike

[KASEY]

lol!!! the TM400 was the most ill handeling worst tempered moto-x bike in the world when it came out,,,, they were pure junk,,,, the only reason they sold any was because Roger Decoster was winning on one,, it was a pure factory bike too nothing even close to what you could buy,,,,, trust me ,, i had a brand new one in 1974 ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

[MTS]

This is the page you want http://www.yamaha-motor.com/products/mcy/epic/epic_home.html

[PLJ.]

Wasnt that old TM400 called the "Cyclone" or something like that. Didnt it also have a weird ignition system that would advance to full curve when not expected to?? Kasey, you owned one new and are hear to tell about it!! Any broken bones from it??

[rustbucket]

I had a ts 400 acouple years ago the only real diffrences between the two were they added a lighting coil and a slight smaller carb, the only year for that cdi box was 71 and no the rt1 was actually a dirtbike with lights not a streetbike with nobbies, in 72 they corrected the timing problem but they were still uncontrollable,but man were they fast,when people saw that they started liking two strokes. i wiped out alot on the 400 but never broke anything except the bike I finnaly killed it after i broke all the motor mounts off the frame(tons of torque) by the way suzukis slogan for the ts 400 was its the fastest dirtbike you can ride on the street. and it still is.

[KASEY]

i was so excited to get my first open class racer, when i got that tm400,,, at the time i had a tm 125 and a mx250 yammy ,, i was racin 2 classes and was ready for the open class,,,, that bike was the BIGGEST disapointment i ever rode,,,, i raced it about 5 races ,,, it had to go ,,, nobody could ride them!!! i traded off the 250 and the 400 ,,, i ended up with a 75 250 and 400 CZ man i wished i had them back now!!!! friggen awesome mx bikes ,, i am thinking about vintage moto-x racing again,,,, so i am looking for a 76 400 CZ :D :D :D

[86waterpumper]

The first yamaha yz came out in 73 or 74 or so, around the same time as the honda elsinore. I have a old 1973 dirtbike magazine, and they test it in there and such, but I'm not sure it was available to be purchased at the time of the test.

[rustbucket]

What alot of people did to make a decent bike out of the tm was to put the ts ingnition on it it used a different cdi box but of course they didn't figure that out till later, not the bikes are worthless that is the tm 400 ts 400 and rm 400 youcan't get pistons for them un less you find one laying around, thats the reason i quit mine