plain old dave

Day 15. Back in the US of A again, and went for a short ride this evening. My mech did the carbs RIGHT; after 5 1/2 days sitting she fired up after just a couple kicks. Out-freakin'-standing! The tach drive had worked its way loose from the tach but a sec with the ol' index finger and thumb got that right as rain. Went to a vintage bike night at Fly's Tie Irish Pub here in Jacksonville and run into a couple people that had been to the Dragon (US 129, Deals Gap between NC and TN), one just because and another for a national 2-stroke rally they had over there about a month ago. As they say on the streets, I was doin' some representin': both for the Time Warp Vintage M/C and for vintage Yamahas. Only other old iron was a '78 Bonnie 750 that was beautiful, and a '69 Moto Guzzi Eldorado ratbike that WASN'T. Observations follow: -Horn is workin' when it feels like it, I think I am going to get a new horn at a local auto parts supplier when I get home. -Getting 60mpg now; 1.51 gallons out of 90 miles' riding. -I think the points are finally settling in, the bike's STRONG off the line now

Z (number one, keyboard's jacked up) One Enterprises has a STAGGERING assortment of carb boots for old Jap iron.... They're on the web. http://www.z1enterprises.com/detail.aspx?ID=2635 There ya go. Same EXACT part on my bike and mine were from this outfit, too. Good stuff.

Days Eight-Eleven. As I am out of the US right now, there won't bee too much to report for a few days. Through the aid of a fellow vintage enthausiast at my squadron, I was able to get the few gripes that resulted from the foul weather fixed before I left the States. Bike is still running great, and the oil leak still seems to have quit. Observations: -I really need a cable luber; the clutch cable was dry as a cob -Throttle cable might stand replacement; seems to get stiff a lot more often than I think it should Drewps, I didn't bring my digital cam but I will get a disposable 35mm on the way home.

About all you can do is replace the fenders with nicer ones. If you have any bike junkyards, you should be able to get out for under $50 for both. That, or use POR-15 on the fenders and rattlecan 'em outside...

Random thoughts: -How are your carb boots? Unless they are PERFECT, they can cause weird things to happen. -Float level? -Initial timing? That spitting back might be a timing issue.

Day Seven. Not much to report today either. it *looked* like it was going to clear up so I went out to Cyco Cycles, the local vintage bike shop/ boneyard here in Jax. Got a pretty close lens for the busted turn signal and it started raining. Yay. So $30 more for a new pair of rain pants and I was on my merry way back to Mayport. Got back and decided to lube my clutch linkage, troubleshoot the turn signals and a few other things. In re-installing the shifter, I wrung the head off of the bolt that snugs the lever onto the shaft. However, there is enough there to keep the lever on the shaft and I would think it would be VERY difficult for the stub to vibrate all the way out and down onto the road; I would think it would get cockeyed in the hole and stay right there. Got done with that and adjusted my chain (which I lubed good right when I got to the Auto Skills Center). Observations: -Tried loosening the top of the triple tree. It sort of seemed to work; the bars are slightly less off than they were. I still don't see how this technique can work. -Oil leakage is slight at this point; I still think I might have overfilled. -Need a cable luber; the clutch is still stiffer than I think it should be, though it DOES get easier as the bike warms up. -Still running like a dream; 1000-1100rpm idle, and pulls clean off the line with less throttle than before the float levels were right.

You mean the bike with the white stripes? Thought that was an RD of some form... Never seen an XS400 over here with that Norton-esque tail on it.

Day Five. Not much to report today. Got the bike back out on the road, all appears well, the oil pressure light even came on at ignition on. However, my turn signals are weird to say the least. I think some of the connections got some corrosion in them in the heavy winds the other day. The bars appear warped, however I have been advised that if I slightly loosen the upper bolts on the triple tree, I should be able to straighten 'em out. Only other gripe is that the bike pops occasionally (twice, actually) through the carbs. The floats might have been knocked out a bit. As it don't seem to affect performance/driveability I'm not too concerned. The chain was bone dry and had light corrosion on it, but I cleaned it with carb cleaner and re-oiled heavily to get SOME in the rollers for the motor back to lodging. Will re-oil properly after the next fairly long ride, possibly Saturday if the weather holds. The clutch lever seems to be getting slightly easier to work; I will take off the left side cover and re-lube the linkage (and adjust the clutch) Saturday. She's done this before and that seems to work. Observations: -With several of the full time Sailors standing watching and givin' me grief about my "little" bike, I pulled the choke all the way out and she hit AND stayed running first kick! First Kick! Good times! -I have found some members of the now-defunct Atlantic Beach Vintage M/C and hopefully will be able to source a longer sidestand whilst here. Is an XS 650 stand longer? -I think the "oil leak" was overfilling. Checked the level on the centerstand IAW the service manual and it had plenty on there. Not running down the side of the case like it was up in GA, either. Not much else to report. Hopefully the ride home will be more pleasant. I might just tool to the Wheels Through Time Museum when I get back up there.

Drewpy: Carbs are spot on the money. See below. Day Three. Go to the weather channel's site and look at US weather for 32228 and you'll see what I'm up against. Not much happened today; rode to work at the squadron and the bike fell over in the 30mph+ winds. Three times. Functional check (check for lights and starting, shifting and clutch engagement) went well, and all that was broke was the left side turn signal lens, a $3-4 part. The bike is (fortunately) now in out of the weather. Observations: High winds are NOT good times on a little bike like an XS 400. I really need a longer kickstand; bike fell over TOWARD the stand. The carbs must be about right now. To start takes a couple kicks on full choke. Once she starts wantin' to take, go to half choke and it happens after a couple stout kicks and starts loading up bad after a couple minutes on half choke. To call the current Jacksonville, FL weather awful is an insult to self-respecting awful things everywhere. I'll post SOMETHING tomorrow, but it won't be much.

You may be right, I may be crazy. (Day Two) Well, I and the Green Machine have arrived, not much the worse for wear. Rained all through FL, AND I got lost in downtown Jacksonville. Good times. Adverse: Almost lost the timing cover off of the points and the oil pressure light apparently has burned out; don't come on when you cut the key on. All is apparently well engine-wise, though; still getting 55-60mpg and I think the oil leak has all been washed off. Jobbed a O-ring in the tach drive and that seems to have solved the oil leak. Took most of the day to pressure wash the leaked oil off the engine on the road, though. Troubleshooting commences tomorrow if it will stop raining. Observations: Lock-Tite: If you have a parallel twin, this is your friend; if it CAN vibrate loose, it probably WILL vibrate loose. A multi-head screwdriver should also be in the saddlebag. The oil leak that "ain't nothin" around town may well develop into a quart-a-day habit on the road. Ribbed tires are almost frightening on certain road surfaces. Cheng Shin tires are VERY under-rated.

I am on the road to Jacksonville FL with the Green Machine, my 1978 Yamaha XS 400. Only made 240 miles today as it rained the whole way through the State of Georgia; I am holed up for the night at a hotel at the junction of US 441 and I-20. Bike ran like a champ, just seeped more oil than usual, but I can live with a little under 1/2 quart leakage for 230 fairly hard miles considering how little I have in this bike (I think most of it's leaking out the tach drive and valve adjustment plug/bolts). Bike ran like a champ all day with a minor exception. Observations follow: -Never. Leave. Home. Without. Rain. Gear. -US129 even through GA is a VERY curvy road; I wound up going over the tallest mtn in the whole State. -Old bike on the road without tools= Expensive disaster waiting to happen. (Yes, I brought my tool set) -Allen wrenches for the saddlebags would be a wise investment. -First thing to check if the bike won't start/idle (specially if it spit back and stalled just prior to event): vacuum plugs/hoses on the carb boots. -New carb boots for old Japanese bikes: worth every dime. All told, I'm getting 55-60mpg and the bike's running like a champ. Tomorrow night's update will be from Naval Station Mayport in Jacksonville, FL

Wound up getting a cap off of an SR500 and it fits like it was made for the bike.

Exactly correct, at least on a '78 XS400E. Bubba might have wrung the head off the back screw. You might have JUST enough remnant of the head to hold it in place, and need an Easy Out to extract the shank from the head.

All that is listed on the Dunlop website are K70s and K81s; K70 sizes: 4.00-18, 3.25-19, 3.50-19 K81 sizes: 4.10H-18, 4.25/85-18, 4.10H-19 Never even heard of a K82 until this post. Must be a Europe-only tire that has been discontinued. If so, make sure they're less than 3-5 years old. BUT new K70s and K81s are too much tire for these small bikes, unless you LIKE wrestling your bike through corners. You'll be much happier with either Duro (they make a 3.50H-18 K81 clone I really like) or Cheng Shin/Maxxis (if you can find their clones; they went out of the street tire business last year).

Probably not DOT approved, thus illegal for US "highway" (public street/road/interstate) use. Not to mention that on E-pay they are goin about for what DOT approved K70s and K81s go for.

Mild prob: The skinniest new K series Dunlops are either 4.00 or 4.10-18... That much meat on the front of an XS400 will make it handle about like a Harley Sportster. I had a Kenda 100/90/19 on the front of mine and I went to a 3.00-18 Cheng Shin for this very reason. Previous bike was an Ironhead Sportster.

They're good tires. If you go to the Vintage Bike Night my club has all 52 Tuesdays of the year, CS is the single most represented tire there is. They do fine on Hondas, Yams (my XS400), Triumphs, Beezas, and just about everything else. My Rebel I had years ago I put a set of Hi max's on and they had decent tread when I sold the bike. The compound IS a bit soft, but I don't hammer it goin around curves. Not to mention the CS K70 replica is the only affordable K70 on this side of the pond; I am tempted to get a 3.00-18 and 3.50-18 CS K70 copy and vacuum seal 'em in a garbage bag for when the current CS's wear out.

Vintage content: I did it on The Green Machine, my old 78 XS 400. Thoughts: Them cones are a LOT harder to ride around than they would initially look like. Best thing I got out of it: the cornering drills. They should help out with switchbacks, which we have a good number of here in the hills of East Tennessee; the Tail of the Dragon, the Devil's Triangle and 1000s of others. If you have a choice between a kick only and a kick AND electric start, take the one w/the electric leg. Your right leg (and your fellow students) will thank you. Cool content: In the "figure 8" drill (those that have taken the course will know what I am talking about), the coaches said my last time through was the best they had EVER seen anybody do it, period. Ultra tight, smooth and textbook perfect were the basic comments. I wonder if the same engineers that did the RDs did the XS400 frame. Bottom line: If there's a RiderCourse near you, TAKE IT.

How long is each cap? I don't know whether my bitsa bike is a Special or a regular 400...

I went to a 7" bucket/headlight off @ a 78-79 or so Honda CB750. Looks great, works like a champ. I did, however, have to change the front turn signals. Usin' universal ones that are doubling as hold-down nuts for the headlamp. If I can get 'em, I'll post a few pix tomorrow.

Does the 400 use the same gas cap as the 650? Found a nice gas cap off of a 78 650 on E-pay and it looks identical to mine.

My master cylinder broke a while back and so I changed to a m/c off of a Honda CBR600F2. Bolted right up and will pitch the bike hard on the front suspension. VERY good upgrade, and doesn't look too very out of place.

Lots of the vintage guys around here run Cheng Shins. In my experience on a fairly low powered small bike like what we're talkin' about just about ANY tire will dry rot before it wears out. Aside: I have had my Duro HF-314 on long enough to make 3 oil changes (@6000 miles) and I can't tell any wear.

What in the wide world of sports is an MOT? Is that some sort of inspection?

I intend to take my XS400 from home in East TN to Jacksonville, FL for Annual Training with the reserves this summer. Are there any components I should be pro-active and replace? The reference to the Triple Five is a local group http://www.thefivefivefive.com. They take smallbore bikes across the country (less than 500cc, pre-1975, less than $500 total investment), While I don't have a prob with spending more, IMHO old iron has more character.