Armen Manougian, a seasoned racing enthusiast and motoring aficionado, has successfully brought an iconic motorcycle into the 21st century. Armen’s passion for cycling dates back to his high school days, where he first rode a YSR50 bike in the 10th grade. With a passion for automobiles that had been building over time, Armen finally turned his dream into reality by establishing his own workshop, aptly named Allstar Auto Middle. While the store primarily focuses on servicing vehicles, a dedicated space within it is reserved for high-performance highway racing bikes, a testament to the owner’s passion and dedication to the world of motorcycle racing.
Armen notes that the bicycle’s original owner, John Lau, is a veteran of over four decades at Yoshimura, where he serves as distribution supervisor. John had built a high-performance bike for a highway racing competition and partnered with a younger rider, Windell Phillips, who later founded Lockhart Phillips in the United States. The sleek bike was put to the test at Willow Springs Worldwide Speedway, its true potential unlocked as it transformed into a canyon-carving machine. On weekends, the thrill-seeker would often take it up the renowned Mulholland Canyon in the Los Angeles hills, where the bike’s agility and power could be fully unleashed. ”
By 2016, John’s RD400 had languished in storage for an extended period. When faced with downsizing to a more modest abode, John turned to his trusted confidant Russ Norman for guidance on what to do with his beloved bicycle. Russ, entrenched in his personalized projects, suddenly realized that Armen would take the initiative and turn it into something unprecedented. Armen had long harboured a desire to build a traditional cafe racer, but never found the perfect project – until this opportunity dropped into his lap.
As Armen’s new bike gathered dust, priorities shifted and other aspects of his life took center stage. Despite initial hesitation, 5 years on, Russ’s persistent prodding finally goaded him into hauling the bike out of storage, giving it a good cleaning, and embarking on the long-overdue project.
The bike’s storied history was a remarkable tale, driven by its illustrious racing heritage? With little to no actual racing history, the term “cafe racers” piqued my interest, especially given my own experience on the track,” Armen notes. “My vision for the bike combined modern technology, racing heritage, and classic design elements to create a unique machine that honors the spirit of the iconic RD400 while incorporating cutting-edge innovations from contemporary racing.”
Upon examining the bike closely, Armen notes that the headstamps were significantly altered. Rus had cautioned me that John had splurged an enormous sum of money just hours prior on peculiarly rare, water-cooled cylinder heads crafted by Revco. A group of these heads simply swapped out their old inventory radiators for new, smaller ones, arriving at the destination with ease. The coolant flows through a course known as thermosiphoning, thereby eliminating the need for a pump. Notably, the motorcycle’s rear wheel boasted an unusual 18-inch Morris Magazine design, while the front featured a standard-issue alloy Yamaha wheel. ”
As the premium features were already showcased, Armen seamlessly extended the luxurious atmosphere through a masterful design of the vehicle’s suspension. Rather than creating a modern late-model appearance that might compromise proportions, he chose to preserve the distinctive RD400 forks. Despite this, internal procedures ensure that resolved issues are promptly eliminated from our inventory system. Armored with meticulous precision, Armen engineered custom dampening rods to seamlessly integrate with gold-valve emulators from Racetech, while crafting a bespoke adjustable shim stack for precise preload control. Mark Atkinson, a renowned expert at Velocity of Cheese Racing in Utah, designed and created innovative air-charged fork caps that have revolutionized the racing industry. The customised triple clamps from Cognito Moto have a revised setting of 10mm, effectively reducing the fork-to-stem offset to 35mm, a departure from the standard 45mm found in inventory models; meanwhile, an Ohlins dampener is strategically positioned beneath the headlight. Armen reached out to Mike Wheeler at Kyle Racing USA to commission a bespoke set of Ohlins rear shocks for the vehicle’s customised rear suspension setup.
Mark Atkinson, a key contributor to Velocity of Cheese Racing, played a pivotal role in designing the revised swingarm for the RD model, which boasts a significantly expanded footprint, increased by two inches. The bespoke nature of this build is exemplified through the incorporation of titanium axles, uniquely crafted brake brackets, and a distinctive paint scheme created by Matt Polosky, which respectfully references each Yamaha’s motorsport legacy while incorporating Armen’s individual racing color palette.
The bike’s engine gained significant attention. “During the entire process of disassembling and preparing the vehicle, I removed the engine entirely, allowing for a comprehensive inspection.” The very first step was to completely disassemble the engine and send its internal components to Scott Clough of Scott Clough Racing, recalls Armen. Scott is a legend from Southern California’s storied surfing history. High-performance highway enthusiast with expertise in high-revving RD engines. He modified the cylinders and reed cage to accommodate V-pressure 4-carbon reeds. He meticulously honed the cylinders, upgrading with a fresh set of precision-crafted pistons and engineered the crankshaft around high-performance ceramic bearings.
To amplify the effectiveness of Scott’s project, each internal module was meticulously refined and cryogenically treated to guarantee exceptional durability and performance, with the complete engine overhaul entrusted to Gus Christensen, a seasoned expert in his field. Armen successfully completed the engine build, complementing it with precision-crafted intake manifolds sourced from Chariot, paired with a dual 32mm Mikuni flat-slide carburation system. The exhaust system was custom-fabricated by JL Exhausts and precision-mounted using advanced spigot-and-flange technology from Mark CNC, ensuring a seamless integration with the enlarged exhaust porting.
The motorcycle’s electronic systems have been upgraded with the integration of a Motogadget M-Unit Blue, enabling keyless ignition, smartphone connectivity, and a streamlined wiring setup.
The motorcycle featured a customised sprint housing integrated with a Cognito Moto GPS-driven tachometer and speedometer setup, while the lights had been upgraded to accommodate Motodemic’s cutting-edge adaptive headlight system.
Armén’s deliberation on the brake system has led him to opt for a pair of high-performance twin Brembo calipers, significantly enhancing the overall braking capabilities. The custom-machined fork extensions ensured a precise fit, maintaining a clean and symmetrical appearance throughout the setup. The wheels, now transformed into Morris Mags courtesy of a generous contribution from Russ’ acquaintance Howard Monise, boast a luxurious coating of Spanish Gold and are equipped with high-performance ceramic bearings. In fact, the sheer volume of bespoke features on this bike renders an exhaustive analysis almost impossible; nonetheless, rest assured that every modification was deliberately implemented with a distinct and purposeful intention.
This endeavor was more than just about the bicycle – it was a heartfelt homage. Throughout nearly three decades, Russ, Armen’s trusted friend and mentor, remained a constant presence, goading him forward, exchanging ideas, and fondly recalling their shared experiences on the track. Unfortunately, Russ was quietly waging a courageous battle against bone cancer, a secret he kept from all but his closest confidants.
At the 2 Stroke Extravaganza in Southern California, the bike that had once been ridden by Russ suffered a turn for the worse, then surprisingly went on to win Best of Show. After a period of 80 days, Russ passed on; nonetheless, this did not occur before he had witnessed the RD400’s successful launch, which he had played a pivotal role in promoting. After hearing the engine rev up, Russ told Armen that his RD400 was one of the finest he’d ever laid eyes on. A lasting testament to the enduring legacy of Armen’s dear friend is eternally preserved through the extraordinary motorcycle.
