Classics

I recently purchased a 1976 XS 500 with only 6,700 miles on it off Craigslist for just $700 (the same model bike I rode 25 years in college). The bike did not have a battery in it. I did a bit of research & decided to by a 14-A2 battery. The battery I bought has the positive terminal on the left side when it sits in the battery box. See photo below. When I hooked up the wires though nothing came on and I think it blew the 20amp fuse. When I trace the battery wires I draw the conclusion that the left wire is the negative lead as it appears to be connected to the frame. For anyone with a working XS 500, can you please look at your battery and tell me if …

I just finished, for the most part, at getting my first bike. I had a friend who gave me 78 DT175 for free after it had sat under a lean-to for the better part of this decade. He parked it when it lost compression on it one day and he's not much of a mechanic. Turns out he blew a hole in the piston, but the most costly problem was letting the case fill up with water from sitting so long. Well, after a brief binge on ebay, the bike runs again to the surprise of everyone. She cleaned up decent. Had to replace the original rear fender with one off a 81' Honda 500. I'll try to get the pictures of the before from my phone. It runs, but it refuses to idle…

I just got myself a little RS100B and I know there are a few problems with the wiring. I have not gotten a chance to pull the headlight out yet cause the last owner stripped out both bolts in front (adjustment and open), but I'm presuming I'm having magneto problems because my brake light bulb works fine but I only get brake light and not tail light when I turn the key to accessories(headlight/tail light). Where should I start to check on the tail light problem? Thanks in advance. Matt

I'm trying to replace one of my ignition coils on my 1977 XS360. Anyone have a good one they wanna sell? I tried the stealership, but they want $150usd for the damn thing!!! Thanks in advance...

Right, so I rebuilt the petcock and have just installed it back in the tank. However, before putting it back on the bike I wanted to make sure that there were not leaks. Well, after putting gas in the tank fuel will leak out of the petcock no matter the position of the lever, i.e. Res, ON, Prime. Seems to leak more on Prime though. I guess I need to know if there is anything wrong, or whether it will do this until I hook up the vacuum bit for the first time? Thanks.

I installed some Dynatech DC3-2 mini-coils on my 78 XS400E (US). Had to fabricate a couple of brackets to hold them but they do fit under the gas tank nicely. The spark energy was noticably better than my 30 year old coils. They are being driven from the 1980 CDI ignitor box that I installed awhile back. The coils are 3 ohm primary like the old ones and have not killed the CDI after a couple hundred miles. If you want to use new coils on your bike, this could be an option. I'm using the same resistor cap plug wires that came standard on the 78 US model. And platinum tip plugs. http://hollymchone.com/tmppx/index.html

i have a 1976 xs500 with 2 leaky petcocks. i just completely rebuilt both petcocks with new parts and they both still leak. they leak from the main body gasket, drain screw and from the front of the on/off/res valve body. any suggestions? can i use a gasket sealer?

http://www.altelco.net/~jacil/clay/motorcycle/KElecSetup.html That's a pretty good how-to, please be careful!

Hi. We've just bought a 1974 dt125 enduro which has been very neglected!! We are looking for a place that will recondition the engine. Does anyone know of anywhere that could help us? Thanks

I just purchased a Yamaha 175 Enduro from an auction this weekend however, the data plate is unreadable and we dont know the exact year of manufacture. The VIN number stamped on the frame is 443-014469. Can anyone help please? Thanks,

So, I'm finally to the stage where I put the carbs back on the bike, and since the tank is done I can fill it with gas and try to get the bike running properly. Is there anything I need to do besides filling the carbs with gas before I start her up?

Where would one go to get a decent but inexpensive paint job. Only things to be painted are the side covers and the tank. Places that specialize in motorcycle painting, seem to be overpriced and uninterested in basic paint jobs. All she wants is a solid sparkly silver. Not necessarily looking for a specific place, just a type of place.

always the last bits of doing a bike up that cause the most grief! so close yet so far..... in getting that elusive MOT everything else seems to be in working order on this XS400 (fingers crossed) but the indicators have now decided to only work when the revs are over 2500rpm? and i am having a similar problem with my little Honda CG125 (6V model) do you guys have any tips please! do the relays deteriate with age? are the new transistorised/digital ones any better/more reliable? can any of you make any recomendations about makes/brands of new relays? i`m not going to buy Honda/Yamaha originals, as they will cost 5-6 times the price of a patte…

it`s always the last things that you do to fix a bike that take the longest! i`ve been having trouble getting my XS400 to run right? then it dawned on me! if i have the bike on the sidestand it is much harder to start and takes longer if at all to tick-over. i noticed that if the bike is upright (on the center-stand), it behaves itself a LOT better . so if you are fiddling about with the carbs, you might want to bear that in mind.....or is it that, it`s only my bike that behaves this way? i`m not saying that this is right, just it`s how my bike is and yours may be doing the same!

Question about setting the timing on a 1974 TX500. The book (factory service manual on CD) says set static timing first, then set timing dynamically using a timing light. Timming is suppose to be 40 degrees advanced at 2000 rpm. The point cam plate has marks that supposedly corespond to the 40 deg. advance. But the 2000 rpm figure...is that cam rpm, not crank rpm??? The manual doesn't say. Mine needs to be rev'd to about 4000 engine rpm for the timing to hit the marks on the point cam plate. And the marks on the point cam plate (TDC & 40 deg advance) don't appear to be 40 degrees apart. ???? Thanks

just bought a bike for 500 bucks.. an 1980 XS400 Special II. Drove it home 10 miles even on freeway etc and it runs real good.. goes thru the gears no problem.. the only thing is that the clutch doesn't engage till the lever is 99% out.. is this normal or do I need new parts for the clutch.. I tried messing with the cable via the handlebars but it didn't help. I haven't tried messing with the clutch main adjustment nut thing yet. thanks

yep, you read it an XS400 on ebay for £3300 check it out

Looking to get a solo seat, however everywhere i look (ebay, n 650 central) have solo seats, brackets, n springs, but no real instructions on how it would be installed. Not even the manager at the store there knew how people were installing the solo seats. Anyone with a solo seat and or instructions on installation pleaaase help me out. Here is the seat and parts they offer. click the seat section, its on the bottom

The current tires are Front: Nankang 3.00-18 Rear Cheng Shin MS90-16 (4.60-16) From what I can find online Front 3.00-18 is closest to a 90/90. Is this correct? I haven't found an MS90 on any of the conversion charts. But going by the 4.60 size I'm thinking 120/90. Is this correct? What are the actual rim sizes for an 82 XS400SJ? With this I can probably figure out what tires are safe for the rim size, and go from there. Thanks In Advance!

I'm wrestling with an '81 XS400H that won't stop leaking fuel. Turns out it's winning! I have taken the carbs off the bike 3 times to adjust the floats. When I took them off the first time the floats were adjusted to just over one inch (about 27 mm) That seems to be what they are supposed to be set to, but it was leaking fuel like crazy from the left carb (as you're sitting on the bike). The fuel is overflowing from the bowl and dripping out the bottom of the air box. I adjusted the floats up a little and it seemed to help but not fix the problem. They are currently set to just shy of 1.25 inches and are still leaking! It leaks much less when on the center stand, …