bznchris

i joined up. looks like it's going to be a pretty cool place!

junununu: Tires are Dunlop ArrowMax front and rear. And the wheels are stock. The rear is a stock xs400 and the front is a stock xs750, both painted. oldgitonabike: I would love spoked wheels. I would also like to keep dual discs up front though. And at this point, I'm looking for my next cafe project, which must come with spoked wheels. I'm pretty well done working on this girl.

Right on whiteorbs, welcome! I think the only major difference between our bikes is the ignition. Might have different wheels and brakes and all that stuff... For the exhaust, i bought a pair of stock xs400 pipes off ebay, cut them off at about a foot down from the head, and welded on several pieces of stainless steel pipe that I bent and rebent until I got right. A word of warning about the xs400's pipes: there's an outer and inner pipe, so when you cut the stock pipes, be sure to weld those together, otherwise you'll have the outer pipe welded to your new pipe and that inner one will just rattle around in there. Be sure to post up an introduction thread, and the more pics the better!

Not sure. But I do know that the speedos/tachs at mikesxs.net will work for your bike!

Per a Clymer manual: "Compression leaks at the head-cylinder joint will sound like a rapid on and off squeal." Sure sounded like a 'rapid on and off squeal' to me!

Got them on ebay, if my memory serves me right.

Thanks drewps! It was a first for me. I didn't know if I could pull it together, but getting the pipes fitting right really isn't all that hard. Just tons of trial and error.

Hey all, It's been a while since I was on here, but I've still been wrenching on the bike! Finally have her in a state I'm happy calling finished, and just wanted to share some updated pics. Since I was last on here, she's gotten new rearsets (Tarozzis), new mini speedo/tach, a larger-piston master cylinder for the dual discs, and a new 2-2 exhaust. One of the pipes on the old exhaust cracked through during a ride, so I started from scratch, picked up some ss tubing, and bent/welded it together. Oh, and I did end up rejetting the carbs for the pod filters and exhaust. I went with 145 main jets and it's running perfect. old exhaust: new exhaust:

If you're getting flow but it's not getting to the carb, it must be your filter. Pull it out and see if it will fill the carb. If it doesn't, put it on prime and see if it is vacuum causing the problem.

The carb doesn't produce vacuum. The cylinder does, so yes, the petcock probably needs to be rebuilt. Or better yet, replace it with an on/off/reserve (non vacuum) petcock. These vacuum petcocks are notorious for failing...mine did.

VERY nice!

John's right, you'll need to rejet with the pods. And if you're using the battery box, you'll need to attach the pods to the airbox connector (that weird rubber thing in between the airbox and the carbs), it gives you more space for the battery between the filters.

You'll be shooting for 1200 rpm. I don't know if the xs500 uses the same carbs as the xs400, but the idle speed screw on my carbs is underneath them at the front. It's a big knobby screw. But if you didn't tweak the idle speed to begin with, I'd think an air leak is the culprit for your high idle. It's pretty common on these bikes to have the carb boots crack and let in air between the carbs and cylinders, leaning it out. Examine them for cracks and replace them if they're shot.

I have a 750/850 tank on mine. It needed some easy modification to the tank mounting point, and also a little to the frame, because of the petcock. There are two different 750 tank designs though, and mine is the Special version, if I remember. It's the same as the 850 or European version.

Yup. Raask they are!

ha ha ha, everybody ought to have a long hair phase at least once.

that's a great question, LostCost. I'd like to know the answer too. I do know that a stock fuel mixture is usually good up to 3000ft at least. But since these bikes usually came from the factory lean, they should be on for higher altitudes.

very sharp. looks like it was made for that color! 2 Wheels is right isn't he. i can picture it. drivin' the ladies crazy!

HoughMade answered your question there. Connect the vacuum nipple on the petcock to the nipple on either carb boot (manifold). They're attached to the cylinders and the nipples are on the bottom. One will need to have a cap.

Drewps, you ever get that scanner fired up? they say the boiler on those old coal-fired units can be pretty cantankerous.

Thanks 2 Wheels. She fought me every step of the way. Well, her carbs are still fighting me, but I'm happy with the result.

can't speak for the 500, but the xs400's charging system is barely adequate to keep the batt charged. I wouldn't think a gps would draw enough power to upset the balance, but I don't know. I'd test it out as best I could before a road trip. having your battery die 30 minutes from home is a big enough pain. trust me. can you find out how much power it draws? you ought to be able to connect it to the ignition switch circuit, after the switch. going straight to the battery would be easier though. you just have to remember to turn it off! I'm sure somebody who's put one in will weigh in soon.

Yep, they're staggered just like any other h4 bulb. The high beam just isn't any brighter.

i had an h4 headlight conversion on my xs400. was running the standard 55/60w bulbs with constant charging problems. switched to a 35/35w h4 bulb and everything is golden. these guys also make led bulbs that plug into any socket your bike may have. could possibly run a 55/60w headlight bulb if you switch everything over to these: http://www.superbrightleds.com/cgi-bin/store/index.cgi?action=DispPage&Page2Disp=%2Fled_prods.htm

he charged me $5 shipped for 4 decals, and can pretty much print anything you give him. cool guy.