Amazing Honda NS400R! When you skim through ebay as often as I do, you see lots of custom build bikes, many of them not going beyond simple mods and respray. The far end of the custom scene are specials like this Honda NS400R rebuilt to replicate Wayne Gardner’s Honda NSR500 grand prix bike, when two stroke 500cc bikes were seen a real monsters to ride.
During time of Michael Doohan the Honda HRC NSR500 dominated the 500cc class of grand prix racing, either using the ‘screamer’ or ‘big bang’ engine configurations. I remember seeing Mick’s team mate at the time Alex Criville trying to stay with Mick, usually trying a crazy last lap move to get past him.
Wayne Gardner was also name who cam slightly before Mick Doohan, with Mick joining the HRC team as a rooking whilst Wayne was already an establish top racer with a 500cc championship in 1987.
The Honda NS400R and other grand prix replicas
During the 500cc gran prix era the motorcycle manufacturers were all keen to provide road bikes which provided some of performance and excitement of the 500 grand prix racing. Many would agree the Suzuki RG500 was closest to the racebike, followed by the Yamaha RD500LC, and lastly the Honda NS400R.
Honda’s NS400R was a good compromise for the road, a sweet handling chassis which looked similar to the early generations of the NSR500. Honda’s choice for the engine still baffles people today, with a two stroke water cooled v-three configuration. Suzuki and Yamaha went full on with 500cc road bikes, whereas Honda took a strange decision with the three cylinder 400cc NS400R.
Many would also argue going with a smaller capacity engine hurt sales of the NS400R, with many gran prix fans wanting the full-on experience of the 500cc bike. I imagine that Honda’s rationale was partly driven by just creating one bike that would also fit inside Japan’s domestic market engine capacity tax bracket of 400cc or less. Suzuki just produced a sleeved down version of their RG500 for the Japanese market, a simple enough compromise most would argue.
Honda NS400R special for sale
Whilst this bike started life as a 1987 Honda NS400R, many would not recognise it alongside the standard bike. The current seller is asking a lot for this bike, however based on the list of modifications below the hours and money spent to build this bike the bills must have been significant.
THE FRAME IS A SEVERLY MODIFIED NS400R.
THE TOP SHOCK MOUNT IS WELDED BILLET.
THE REAR SUB FRAME IS BESPOKE MADE WITH EXTRA BRACES AND WELDING HAS BEEN CARRIED OUT TO
STRENGHEN THE FRAME.
THE REAR SWINGARM IS NSR250 MC21 AS IS THE REAR WHEEL.
THE REAR SHOCK IS A BESPOKE MADE WILBERS UNIT FITTED AND ADJUSTED BY MCT.
THE FRONT FORKS ARE SHOWA DUCATI 916 MODIFIED FOR SHORTED TRAVEL AND RESPRUNG FOR WEIGHT.
THE FRONT BRAKES ARE BREMBO AND FRONT WHEEL FROM APRILIA RSV MILLE.
THE BODY WORK CONSISTS OF 916 CARBON FRONT MUDGUARD, MODIFIED NSR250 MC21 FAIRINGS AND SEAT
UNIT, ABS PLASTIC NOT FIBREGLASS. ALL BODYWORK BOLTS TO MOUNTINGS, NO CABLE TIES!!
THE SEAT PAD IS MC21 AND LOCKS DOWN AND BOLTS.
THE FUEL TANK IS VFR400 NC30 WITH BASE REMOVED AND THE NS400 ONE WELDED IN TO GIVE FUEL CAPACITY
AND TO FIT AROUND THE AIR BOX ETC.
THE INSTRUMENTS ARE KOSO, THE SPEEDO PICKS UP OFF THE REAR WHEEL.
THE PAINTWORK WAS CARRIED OUT BY SPRAYPOINT DESIGNS.
THE HANDLEBARS ARE BILLET QUICK RELEASE.
THE REARSETS ARE GILLES GSXR WITH BILLET ADAPTORS.
THE ENGINE (CASES UPWARDS) WAS BUILT BY IAN WRIGHT WITH NEW BEARINGS, SEALS AND CRANK.
THE BARRELS ARE PORTED AND BORED TO 465CC.
THE HEADS HAVE BEEN MACHINED AND ARE NON O-RING.
THE CARBS HAVE BEEN BORED OUT AND DYNO JETTED.
THE ATTACK SYSTEM HAS BEEN REMOVED TO RUN TERRY SHEPHERD EXPANSION CHAMBERS WITH
TYGRA SILENCERS.
TOP PIPE HAS BEEN MODIFIED AFTER THE STINGER TO CREATE THE CORRECT EFFECT.
THE CLUTCH HAS BEEN UPRATED USING HEAVIER SPRINGS AND COMPETITION PLATES.
THE ENGINE STILL RUNS AUTOLUBE.
THE RADIATOR HAS BEEN RECORED.
THE ENGINE MAKES APPROXIMATELY 75 BHP WITH 43 POUNDS OF TORQUE. NO BOGGING DOWN AND
PULLS LIKE A TRAIN FROM STANDSTILL.
Happy bidding and two stroke fun
If you are bidding for this amazing bike we wish you the very best of luck, and hope you manage to take out for a ride and not hide away in a collection. Fortunately this bike was created by a reputable custom builder who specialises in race replicas, therefor you won’t see any bodges or horror stories lurking beneath the bodywork. If you are planning on tackling maintenance yourself, you may want to setup your workshop for such a task, and recently put together a workshop tools article which may provide some inspiration.
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Ride safe and happy bidding!
Al (barnfindmotorcycle.com)
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