The replica arms race of the 1980s was fiercely competitive, with manufacturers jostling for supremacy in the market. These full-faired machines started by aesthetically mimicking the factory racers, but over time companies added an increasing amount of race-bred hardware. Eventually some marques were developing their competition mounts alongside the road-going replicas. One segment manufacturers focused heavily on was the 400 class, which at the time in Japan ran in the Formula 3 class (TT-F3).
Yamaha would enter the market and come out swinging in 1986 with the FZR400 — an aluminum Deltabox-framed race-replica. The little FZR featured Yamaha’s “Genesis” concept, liquid-cooled, 16-valve, DOHC, traverse four-stroke, 399cc, inline four — the same engine Bimota used to power its YB7. The FZR spun up to 14,000rpm and reportedly boasted a top-speed of around 130mph. Though the tire technology would eventually become commonplace, the FZR was an early pioneer in using low-profile radials.
At 64hp (and 31ft-lbs of torque), it wasn’t quite as powerful as the competition, but it handled wonderfully and conformed to Yamaha’s philosophy that by offering greater stability and feel, riders would be more confident and therefore be able to ride faster. The 400 was updated for every model year — including the introduction of limited-edition R/RR/SP-specs — before Yamaha pulled the plug in 1994.
This particular example came into the current owner’s possession in 2007 with around 28,000 miles on it. The 400 was then restored using dozens of new OEM parts. In addition to replacing all the bodywork and plastics, the seller has also added a new seat, grips, levers, and foot controls. The engine, exhaust, and parts of the frame were all painted black, while all the bike’s cosmetic aluminum surfaces were refinished and clear coated, and the wheels were sanded down before being powder-coated in gloss black. There’s a lot of other work that I’ve left out so I recommend checking out the ad for an exhaustive parts/work list.
This example now has 34,000 miles on it, but is said to be in stellar mechanical shape. The asking price for this example is a bit steeper than previous FZ400 specimens we’ve featured, but this is undeniably a beautiful bike (though I don’t love the black rims).
You can find this restored 1989 Yamaha FZR 400 (VIN: JYA3BFE00KA009213) for sale here on Craigslist in Long Beach, California with a price of $6,500.