TM 400

[Doc]

oh stop exagerating, they do not oldfart!! you were caught unawares  mind you, first time I took it up to Nudgee it tried to kill me too  first and last time I ever rode it..hmmm, on second thought, yes that's good advice!! Be frightened!

[VMX247]

cheers, pure classic TM250 it is then. 

Being born and bred pre 75, I'm still learning this what happened after 1975 bit. 

modified

[brent j]

I read somewhere the reason the TM's were so far removed from the RH/RN's was that the racing dept never passed on info to the production dept for fear of the competition finding out what they were doing.
The production guys were left to turn modified trail bikes into factory look-a-likes.

With the RM's the info was passed on hence the massive difference between TM's and RM's.

[VMX247]

You have probably seen this before,but for those that haven't and are newbies,its pretty good.

http://azmikesvmxbikes.com/id72.html

[VMX247]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Suzuki-TM-400-1974-Suzuki-TM-400-restored-racer-vintage-motocross_W0QQitemZ110327099234QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUS_motorcycles?hash=item110327099234&_trksid=p4506.c0.m245&_trkparms=72%3A727|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318

TOTALLY SEXY,well it will be, when it gets dirty 

[TM BILL]

what happened after[/i] bit. 

Is it me or does this post not make sense

[Doc]

nice TM400 alrighty but it doesn't look as thugh it'll reach reserve

Brent, I'd reckon you are spot on with your Suzuki proddy verses works bike explaination. That is most certainly exactly how it appears to me. The TM's are basically nothing more than a hotted up TS which begs the question I've always asked 'which came first' the chicken or the egg? for mine it was undoubtebly the kitted TS's and the TM's were derived from these models as the RN's and RH's were so very far removed from both the TM and the TS except for the colour. With the inception of the RM's things changed dramatically as seen by the results from the mid '70's on.

[211kawasaki]

Nice TM but what with the white guards, whats the story?

As for the 400 DeCoster tested one in 74 I think for Cycle world (I think again) and I dont think he was that impressed, I know having owned one and riding it and an RN 400 is like as different as black is to white.

I would love a TM400 in the collection but I wouldnt ride it, too many bad memories!!!!

211

[mainline]

There's a picture I remembered seeing and am chasing, of me aged about 4 sitting on my uncle's old suzuki dirt bike back when it was pretty much brand spankers.

When I asked him to dig me up a copy of the photo and asked him what the bike was, he told me that it was his then new TM400 with a nickle plated Eric Cheney frame. He also said it was "lethally quick and with all the stability of a rabid dog on a greasy lino floor"

I'll post a copy of the pic when it turns up.

[VMX247]

Would be great to see that picture mainline of the lethally quick rabid dog on a greasy lino floor.

Don't get to see old photos of new/old bikes much,only the old adverts.

[Tim754]

VMX247 if someone offers you ride on a restored to original specs TM400 , DONT!!!!!! I owned and rode one way back when and have to agree that it was the most stupidly dangerous unpredictable loose cannon  MXer sold to the public. Strong tractable 400 grunt with especially evil handling one moment then f**k me dead it has brain explosion and tries to hit 18000 rpm even though you have not twisted the throttle at all !!!! and that's how they came to you from the showroom...! Ever ridden a modified Kawasaki H2 750 triple in a stock frame basically the same sort of undie shitting deal ...... Did love the TM125 we had though. Cheers for the festive season Tim

[frostype400]

Tim what your saying isnt detering me i spose it will take a big crash on one to but probably not even then im after something like that to race pre 75 on i like my suzuki's and one of them would sit nicely next to the pe400 dad had a tm125 if anyone knows of a pre 75 tm400 or 250 preferably very cheap i might be interested thanks Michael.

[Tim754]

Deterring??? Hell no! Find one buy one!  ;)Just maybe warning you of possible inconsistencies in the forward motions of the mechanical device. I would have another if I could too. Oh comparing the PE400 with the TM 400 Cyclone is like a sweet juicy orange to slimy yellow avocado guts. 

[frostype400]

thats what im after to race pre75 sooner or later im going to be doing some vic vinduros on the Pe next year but hopefully i can find something like that cheap and be able to race pre75 thanks Michael

[firko]

Michael....you're a nice young bloke and it's refreshing to see a sixteen year old so keen on old bikes. I'd love to see you stay in the vintage movement for the long haul rather than on the way through, enroute to other activities.
BUT if you really want to race pre '75 and remain keen on old bikes, the TM 400 Suzuki is NOT the bike for you, no matter whether Dad rode a TM 125 and you're the biggest Suzuki fan on Earth. They are evil, ill concieved paralysers. As cool as they look and bearing in mind youthful thrill seeking, the TM400 will very quickly turn you off old bikes forever. If your mind is set on pre '75 and it has to  be a Suzuki, be kind to your body and get a nice TM250. That way you'll at least be able to enjoy your 21st birthday without the need for a walking frame. Merry Christmas mate.