Author Topic: "The Giant Killer..."  (Read 1391 times)

Offline JJ

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"The Giant Killer..."
« on: January 01, 2022, 09:31:21 AM »
My buddy and I had a matching blue pair of these back in 1977.   I think the MSRP was about $1100 at the time.

Two-stroke, 6-speed, quick and nimble, they were dubbed "The Giant Killer" because they could out run much larger bikes at the time....It was a good bike!

$6,200 now...and still 6 days to go.  Someone wants this one badly! Low mileage original... :thumb: :wink: :cool:

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1976-yamaha-rd400c-3/
Life Member: MGNOC L-772, AMA, HOG,
Village of Oak Creek, Arizona
Current bike: 2025 Moto Morini Calibro 700
Previous Guzzi's owned:
* '78 850 Le Mans
* '02 V11 Le Mans
* '93 SP1000-III
* '83 850 Le Mans III
* '98 V10 Centauro GT

Offline yogidozer

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Re: "The Giant Killer..."
« Reply #1 on: January 01, 2022, 09:44:39 AM »
unless the giant was an H1.....
Dust in the wind  :wink:

Offline jcctx

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Re: "The Giant Killer..."
« Reply #2 on: January 01, 2022, 09:57:25 AM »
Had an RD 350 and it was FAST, but after an hour or some of my body parts would start to go numb!!

Offline JJ

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Re: "The Giant Killer..."
« Reply #3 on: January 01, 2022, 10:03:23 AM »
unless the giant was an H1.....
Dust in the wind  :wink:

Correct...and before the RD400, I had one of those 1975 Kawasaki 500cc triples also - aka, "The Widow-Maker" - It almost killed me in an 80+ mph "tank slapper!!"....and the only motorcycle of the 34+ I owned that scared me so badly, I quickly sold it....but in a straight line, it was virtually unbeatable! :rolleyes: :shocked: :huh:
Life Member: MGNOC L-772, AMA, HOG,
Village of Oak Creek, Arizona
Current bike: 2025 Moto Morini Calibro 700
Previous Guzzi's owned:
* '78 850 Le Mans
* '02 V11 Le Mans
* '93 SP1000-III
* '83 850 Le Mans III
* '98 V10 Centauro GT

Offline yogidozer

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Re: "The Giant Killer..."
« Reply #4 on: January 01, 2022, 10:13:50 AM »
Correct...and before the RD400, I had one of those 1975 Kawasaki 500cc triples also - aka, "The Widow-Maker" - It almost killed me in an 80+ mph "tank slapper!!"....and the only motorcycle of the 34+ I owned that scared me so badly, I quickly sold it....but in a straight line, it was virtually unbeatable! :rolleyes: :shocked: :huh:
I had one too, weren't as bad handling as people said.
Power hit like a nuclear bomb, so front tire didn't get much traction....2 feet in the air :laugh:
Chuck Peterson had/has a RD 400 I believe.

Offline Roebling3

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Re: "The Giant Killer..."
« Reply #5 on: January 01, 2022, 11:55:04 AM »
Hmmm. I've got an RD 400. 10,252 mi. from new. Blue plus orange tins, DCT expansion chambers sold separately. New tires. Dyno tuned with stock exhaust. Great shape.  Mass, in a warm dry basement.  R3~

Offline normzone

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Re: "The Giant Killer..."
« Reply #6 on: January 01, 2022, 11:59:48 AM »
I owned a '72 H2 750 - when I had it up for sale I let somebody test ride it, he came back and said "that bike is dangerous, don't let anybody else ride it".
That's the combustion chamber of the turbo shaft. It is supposed to be on fire. You just don't usually see it but the case and fairing fell off.

Offline s1120

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Re: "The Giant Killer..."
« Reply #7 on: January 01, 2022, 12:12:38 PM »
I should not have sold mine....  Sold it for WAYYY to cheap about 10 years ago.

Paul B

Offline JJ

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Re: "The Giant Killer..."
« Reply #8 on: January 01, 2022, 01:23:37 PM »
I should not have sold mine....  Sold it for WAYYY to cheap about 10 years ago.



Yes, that was the color blue of mine!  Again, good little capable bike.  My very first overnight weekend motorcycle adventure, duffel bag strapped on the back, was on that bike - up in Lake George, NY in the summer. :thumb: :cool:
Life Member: MGNOC L-772, AMA, HOG,
Village of Oak Creek, Arizona
Current bike: 2025 Moto Morini Calibro 700
Previous Guzzi's owned:
* '78 850 Le Mans
* '02 V11 Le Mans
* '93 SP1000-III
* '83 850 Le Mans III
* '98 V10 Centauro GT

Offline JJ

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Re: "The Giant Killer..."
« Reply #9 on: January 01, 2022, 04:28:43 PM »
Now at $7,200...NO RESERVE...and six (6) days still to go. :huh: :rolleyes: :huh: :shocked:

If you look on upcoming MECUM action site, there are more than a few of these coming up to the block!!

Life Member: MGNOC L-772, AMA, HOG,
Village of Oak Creek, Arizona
Current bike: 2025 Moto Morini Calibro 700
Previous Guzzi's owned:
* '78 850 Le Mans
* '02 V11 Le Mans
* '93 SP1000-III
* '83 850 Le Mans III
* '98 V10 Centauro GT

Offline GearheadGrrrl

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Re: "The Giant Killer..."
« Reply #10 on: January 01, 2022, 08:35:15 PM »
Rode an RD400 from '78 to '84, no faster than an RD350 but a lot more comfy and torquey. Rode it to California in three in a row 600+ mile days, was pretty comfortable at 59 MPH cruise, which was as fast as we could get away with at the time.
Guzzi: Quota with Motorvation 'hack
BMWs: F800S, R100GS, R80ST with Motorvation Spyder 'hack, R65LS
Hacks: Motovation Spyder and Formula II
Buell: M2L, RIP Buell Motors Corporation
Yamaha: MX250 $25 auction find, "static display" for now, XS650 "on loan" from my brother, 'nother "static displa

Offline JJ

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Re: "The Giant Killer..."
« Reply #11 on: January 07, 2022, 04:15:17 PM »
I am FLABBERGASTED!!  $12,250 _ $612.50 Buyers Premium!!

:shocked: :rolleyes: :huh: :rolleyes: :shocked:
« Last Edit: January 07, 2022, 04:16:19 PM by JJ »
Life Member: MGNOC L-772, AMA, HOG,
Village of Oak Creek, Arizona
Current bike: 2025 Moto Morini Calibro 700
Previous Guzzi's owned:
* '78 850 Le Mans
* '02 V11 Le Mans
* '93 SP1000-III
* '83 850 Le Mans III
* '98 V10 Centauro GT


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