Post Sale Update: This Daytona Special sold for $15,000 including buyer’s fee on Iconic Motorbike Auctions in Santa Monica, California.
The last in the long line of Yamaha’s RD series, the RD400F (also known as the Daytona Special) is considered by many to be the best of the model line.
The press went nuts for it – Cycle magazine called it “Dennis the Menace on Yokohama tires, and is the most fun street motorcycle currently available for sale.” Compared to the RD350, the extra 50cc brought a lot more civility. The engine was more flexible, though you could still easily wheelie the bike in 2nd gear. It was the perfect example of how the RD series had evolved from a hooligan’s toy into a more refined, but still enjoyable, sport bike.
This example (VIN: 2V0-003948) has just 1 mile on the odometer. It spent some time on display in a shop for many years, and then spent 18 years in Monterey, California on display in a private party’s living room. The seller acquired it in 2016 on eBay from a private party in Upland, California. “I was getting outbid right away every time I bid. The listing had a local phone number to me and said to call if there were any questions. I called and asked if I could come see it, the seller said yes, and when I saw it I had to have it! It was a real, never-been ridden bike! I had never seen one before.” The seller states that it’s never been started, only pushed around. “I’ve kept it in my garage the whole time. I don’t want anyone messing with it. The battery has never had acid in it, and the tank has never had gas in it!”
Find this Daytona Special for sale in Santa Monica, California with bidding up to $9,300 and the reserve not yet met here on Iconic Motorbike Auctions.