HL500 vs YZ400D

[Tahitian_Red]

I have a YZ400D that I just love racing, but there are a few HL500's in my area (4 or 5).  How would these two machines square off in a VMX race?  I've always wanted an HL, but would it benefit me more on the track or just be a beautiful showpiece?

I also race a "modern" (2008) YZ450F and except for brakes and suspension would prefer my YZ400D. 

[TM BILL]

How tall are you red ? most of those HLs are overly tall things where as 400D is a nice height from the era when bikes had enough suspension but still cornered on rails .

As far as competitive hmmmmmmmm Mikkola won the world 500 titles on 400 Yamahas ( ok OW versions) while the HL did win a race at the Luxembourg GP i dont think there in the same leauge 

[big mac]

I have both I find the D has a defined power band where the hl is a tractor far less gear changes. D easier to start hot or cold but the hl is fun to ride & that sound gets me every time.

[maico police]

I think it comes down to can you really ride and want to win on something that is (relatively) light, powerful and handles, is easy to maintain and cheap or.......
Something that's gunna be a bit of an arm chair that will turn an avererage rider into a mid-pack contender but will still be dusted off by a half decent rider on the above machine.

I'll leave it up to you to work out which is which......

[Tahitian_Red]

Bill makes a great point about the YZ400D fitting well (175cm). 

By racing a YZ450F occasionally I know the advantages of leaving it in one gear around most of the track, but you don't exactly have to rake through the gears on the 400D either. I'm just an average rider at best, so neither one will make me a world beater.

[GMC]

Talk of HL’s always seems to bring out the 4 stoke haters and they always seem to be inventing things to hate them for.
“they didn’t win any championships in their day so they must be horrible to ride”
“ I saw a picture of one once that looked tall so they all must need a step ladder to get on them”
“they weren’t that popular in the day so why on earth would anyone want one now”

There wasn’t that many produced in the day and none were officially brought into Aust. by Yamaha.
The build run was something like 500 over a couple of years, NVT made 200 in 78 and another 200 in 79 and Profab I’m guessing made maybe 100 from 76 to early 80’s
By comparison I think the build runs for KX 250 A4’s and Montesa 77 360’s was something like 700. I think CZ twinport 360’s was something like 1500
Rarity can often account for desirability.


Thing is they are an acquired taste, the Yammie 500 motor has some nice attributes and in the right package they can be a fun thing to ride but it will come down to your riding style and the tracks you ride on.

I have briefly ridden a HL and a YZ400 D on my track and at the risk of sounding like a sales pitch I was a lot more comfortable on the HL. But that is me. I also have a liking for natural terrain tracks and a hatred of doubles and tabletops.

If your really that desperate to win then there is probably something better than a HL that you could win with. Same could probably be said about the YZD too though.
77 Maico owners will be happy to see you on either.

[Tahitian_Red]

77 Maico?  If you are going to use foul language I'll have to ask that the thread be deleted. 

[mick25]

When compareing The yz400 and HL500 on the track ,or any bikes I think it depends on the riders skill levels as well .
A few years back I watched a gun rider on a XL500 in standard form and win every race .
coming in second place was a husky 510 who was the number one plate holder in our club at the time.

[maico police]

Just saying that a big four stroke is probably easier to ride for the average Joe.
A big two stroke is probably faster and easier to live with for a person that can punt one around a track. Probably accounts for why the two strokes were popular in the day (and I don't sell big two-strokes).......

[firko]

77 Maico?  If you are going to use foul language I'll have to ask that the thread be deleted

Am I going to have to send you two to the naughty corner?
I get a little bit annoyed at the same old suspects always slamming HL's or any 4 stroke Evo... the ''farm bike" slag is getting really, really old. Who really cares if one bike is faster than another? If that shit worried me I'd have a shed full of open class Maicos* and a Honda CR500 or two. Imagine how boring our sport would be if everyone rode the fastest/best bike available? It'd be akin to that period in the mid seventies where every bike in the 125 class was painted silver. The Elsinores domination of the class sucked the soul out of the sport. Imagine how boring a race would be if all that was competing were white plastic Yamaha's?

I understand that even the most tolerant of us have our biases, for instance I'm not that fond of Suzukis but I've got two TM250's, three TS90's and the Boyd and Stellings TM400 because even though I'm no fan of the marque, I can see some good value in them. I've never had much of a need to own an HL Yamaha but a couple of friends have them and I admire their love of what they've got. One of my best mates is building one in circa 1977 Aberg era trim which I think is the natural place for them to be. Jay you seem to have an eclectic taste in bikes so go with your feelings my friend. If you're enjoying riding your 400D why change that chemistry? On the other hand if you need a break from the "normality" of the 400D maybe it's time for an HL.............OR a nice AW Maico 400.

*Oh Yeah, I did have a bunch of open class Maicos once didn't I? It didn't make me any faster than I am on a DT1 so that's when I figured that odball bikes were the key to my VMX fun.

[TM BILL]

I dont hate 4 strokes   nd i think the Yammy 500 single is a great motor   the original Aberg replica is a cool looking machine and replicas that are replicas are nice to regardless of who built the frame.

Those Yank things jacked up yellow ones i think look shit ( but thats only my personal opinion ) most of the home built ones we seem to see are a variation of those jacked up yank things (again only my personal taste)

As far as competitiveness of the 2 bikes mentioned goes ( this considering me personaly racing both ) on a natural sweeping track i could probably lap at the same pace on either as long as the HL was an Aberg copy with 77 suspension .

I do not have a problem with 4 strokes   but i dont like ugly bikes  

[odd1]

Bill calm down go and have a look for my muffler!
Steve

[HVA61]

We had a YZ 400 D when they were new, my brother used it for club MX and dirt track , i used for enduro , sure was a versitile bike with a very strong engine.

i still have a geniune HL 500 that has the normal height suspension. It is a very good bike to ride and is very competitive but requires alot of effort to punt it around quickly. Its starts real easy , hot or cold  thanks to a delorto carburettor . Having said that we were trail riding at Louee station on the moderns and Ribbos bike had a problem and rode my HL for the rest of the  day  and had no problems keeping up with the moderns. I think the HL's really come into there own on a good grass track.
With the right pipe they sound sensational when your ridng them.
It also think they are a great looking bike in the original / standard set-up.

Equal riders on Grass track , could go either way

Equal riders on a good MX track , YZ 400

Equal riders on dirt track , could go either way

[vmx42]

…and Ribbos bike had a problem…

Now there is a surprise... 

[HuskyPete]

 slide in the carby the wrong way round maybe