Although appearing to look like the less expensive MX400 with a different paint job, many works items were incorporated in the YZ400 launched in 1976. Sadly though the chassis was not quite as good as may have been expected, given the high price and relative rarity.
In 1977 a new chassis improved matters, the following year, 1978 a box section alloy swing-arm allowed much more power to be applied early without as much flex as the old tubular swing arm. This was the best of the early type YZ400’s, as the 1979 model took what many believe to be a backward step, and was dropped at the end of that year.
The next YZ400 would not be until 1998 with the superb four-stroke engine that really changed the world of Moto-cross for good
