YZ400 for the street?

[stnkbg1]

I've been lookin at supermotos for a while now and have come across a bike that's really tempting. It's a 99 YZ400 with dual sport kit that's been tagged and registered in CA. It'll come with both the stock wheels and knobbies and a set of SM wheels with street tires. It's a killer bike, but I'm wondering if it's gonna be good for my uses. I'd mainly be using it for running around town, and tearin up local mountain roads. I'm also hoping to squeeze it into our race trailer (off-road race team) to use for running into town from camp, or having fun in the dirt with.

The obvious things that are makin me question this are:

1. no key, just the switch, would make me nervous leavin it around town to run errands.

2. kick start. I'm sure I'll get used to it, but still a PITA.

3. No kick stand. Is there an easy way to add one?

4. Reliability. I really dont know anything about these bikes, but I wonder how well they will tolerate 100 or so miles of fast riding on the street.

I currently ride a sport bike and the obvious up sides are that it's light and nimble and can go off road. Plus since it's already got some scratches I wont have to worry about loading it into the trailer with all the other junk. Problem is these things are all true of any supermoto. Do you guys think the YZ would work well, or should I look for something that's a little more street oriented like a DRZ?

Thanks

Dallas

[grayracer513]

You can, if you want, do a number of things to address the security thing. You can interrupt the power feed to the CDI with a lock switch of your own, or another little trick: run the harness into the A side of a latching Weather Pack connector with twice as many pins as you have wires. On the B side, loop wires from one pin to another, and then run the harness back out of the A side. Ordinarily, you do nothing with this, but when you want to "lock" it, you simply unplug the B side and take it with you.

Pro Billet makes the best bolt-on side stand, based on feedback posted here, and I know this is the 21st Century, but I remember clearly when "real" motorcycles had to be kick started (so get over it ).

Anything with the kind of gearing YZ's have is going to wear a bit faster than a sport bike with extended high speed use, but the 400 is a very tough bird.

[stnkbg1]

I like the weatherpack idea, that's perfect. Also couldn't I just change the rear sprocket on the street wheels to get the gearing more street friendly. I'd still have the stock wheels and sprocket so the off-road gearing wouldn't change.

Thanks

Dallas

[grayracer513]

Yes, but even if you go to a 15 front, and then use an appropriate two rears, I think you'll find it somewhat "buzzy" at 70+. Usable, though.

[jayh300]

i have a 99 yz400f with 14/51 gears and a trail-tech computer on it.

it will hit in the55- 60mph range pretty easy, but like gray said anything over 70

mph range, to borrow his term, would be "buzzy"

I think i read somewhere yamaha posted top speed, stock geared was in the 80's

and on the kickstand thing.... i have a moose on mine and it is a little upright, as in too long.

it looks like on pavement the bike could fall over pretty easy, on dirt, you can always find a low spot.

pmb sounds like the way to go to me.