Honda NS400R: A REAL GP Replica or Just a Pretender?

In the 1980s, Suzuki had the RG500, Yamaha had the RD500LC, and Honda went its own way with the NS400R. But was the Honda really a GP replica, or was it something rather different? Japan’s 400cc licensing laws had a big influence on the NS400R, and despite its obvious Grand Prix inspiration, the bike actually owed quite a bit to the earlier NS250R. So where did that leave Honda’s little three-cylinder two-stroke? In this review, I take the NS400R out on the road and look at what it’s actually like to ride. The engine, handling, suspension, brakes and the way the whole package comes together. The RG500 had the outright performance, and the RD500LC was an exotic bit of kit. But the more time I spend with the Honda, the more I wonder whether it was actually the cleverest bike of the three. I call it the Goldilocks bike. Not because it’s the biggest, fastest or most powerful, but because just about everything feels right. So did Honda get it right after all? And was the NS400R where the smart money should have gone? Let me know what you think in the comments, particularly if you’ve owned or ridden one. Support the channel here: https://ko-fi.com/thebluehaze Chapters 00:00 Honda NS400R – Introduction 00:39 NS400R Cinematic Montage 01:00 Welcome to The Blue Haze 01:14 Honda NS400R Specs & Walkaround 03:22 Road Test – Size, Weight & First Impressions 05:18 Acceleration & Overtaking Performance 06:16 Gearbox & Gear Ratios 07:49 Slow-Speed Riding & Traffic 08:10 Handling & Suspension 09:15 That Three-Cylinder Two-Stroke Sound! 10:25 Dual Carriageway Test & Wind Protection 11:15 Engine Tractability & Flexibility 12:37 Braking Performance – Front & Rear 14:32 Suspension on Rough Roads 14:52 Final Verdict – The Goldilocks GP Replica? Affiliate disclosure: I’ve tagged some of the products I use to make my videos. If you buy something through these product links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. It all helps support The Blue Haze and keep the videos coming. #HondaNS400R #NS400R #YamahaRD500LC #SuzukiRG500 #RD500LC #RG500 #TwoStroke #TwoStrokes #2Stroke #TwoStrokeMotorcycles #TwoStrokeLegends #GPReplica #ClassicMotorcycles #80sMotorcycles #ClassicBikes