Cy Welch

I don't know about the replacement parts, but on my 80, the original kickstart broke before 14,400 miles (which is when *I* got it). It's had the same replacement kickstart since then, which is NOT an XS400 kickstart, maybe an RD one I think? As mentioned before, I have NEVER used full stroke with it, always take it down till there is some resistance and then push it through. Unless I screw up, it always starts by the second kick this way, and yes if I screw up it can take 11 or 12 kicks. I also put ALL my bikes on the center stand by myself regularly AND have bump started ALL of them cold at least once in the time I have had them. A properly tuned bike should start with one or two kicks and be able to be bump started even when cold. Having worked with mechanicals much of my life I have learned that the fastest way to break something is to slam against it without taking up the slack first (much like a clutch, the tranny will take far more power applied without breaking if you get the clutch starting to engage before dropping it the rest of the way, as if you don't, things can get moving pretty well before everything gets the slack out of it, which transmits a LOT more shock to the drivetrain.)

I agree with the parrafin/kerosene for cleaning, although wd40 actually does a good job as well, and 100% agree with not cleaning with the engine and chain running, but when lubing the chain it needs to be warm to get proper lubrication and needs to be moving as you apply the lube so that it works into the chain, yes you CAN spin the tire by hand, but your going to be doing a lot of unecessary work spinning the tire when you have an apparatis designed to spin it for you that works just fine. (proud to be an american redneck).

I'm not sure how easy they are on your side of the pond. I know there is an XS1100 specific site over there (kind of a sister sight to the US XS11.com) but I don't know if they have someone on there who deals in a lot of those parts like we do on the US site. Most of that stuff is NOT available from yamaha anymore, but there is an aftermarket co call wiseco that sells a big bore kit that comes with both rings and pistons, valves I think might still be gotten from yamaha but they are quite pricey, most of us are pretty much sourcing used good condition parts, but these engines are known to go well over 100k if taken care of (althought mine only got a bit over 80k and has a bad rod bearing, so I'm replacing the engine soon (but not until it quits, I want to see just how far it goes first (and yes I have roadside assistance on the bike))).

This would take considerable work, and will very likely result in the battery running down all the time as the charging system can just barely handle the stock electrics. That said, to make them work as marker and turns both you will either have to find a module that will run them at 1/2 bright when not blinking (I saw one once somewhere but can't remember where, but they are usually sold for the rear signals), or you will need to find 1157 sockets to fit into the front turn signals and run an extra wire for each as well (which can be difficult as the fit is pretty tight even for the single wire used stock) and hook that into the line for the low beam on the headlight (the 400 has no line to power marker lights like some of the larger models do), especially since you really don't want to have them running on high beam anyways). Also you should consider changing at least the brake light to LED bulbs, I picked up a set of direct replacements for mine at Autozone (but all the major auto parts stores seem to have them) for about $14 for a pair, and it actually makes a big difference. When I put the tail trunk on my XS1100 I changed out all the lights on it (4 of them) to LED as well since they work as both marker and brake lights. What I like about that is the area behind me lights up brightly when I apply the brakes at night.

No they are not running lights, they only blink when used as turn signals, the rest of the time they are off. As for the turn switch, it should turn off by pressing it in. If it's not working it may need to be opened up and cleaned and lubed (mine did) to get it to work, as the original lube is pretty much hardened and such now.

Fortunately the 80 models have both electronic ignition and regulators and have grease fittings for the swing arm so that problem has not happened for me.

Unless I'm misreading it, he's saying the once the bike is running and he turns on the lights the light switch doesn't turn the lights off. I don't know about other models but the US models I believe work this way by design, the light once on while running stays on till the engine stops.

That's got something wrong then as mine starts with almost always a single kick the way drewpy describes hot or cold unless it's been sitting a while and I forget to put it on prime first.

It also could be the butterfly seals since you say it was solvent cleaned. If the person doing the cleaning used carb cleaner and imersed the whole carb in the cleaner then the butterfly seals are probably ruined and need replaced. I believe MikesSX has the seals, you need to ones made for the 34 mm carbs which is what the 400 uses. If they are ruined that would cause the mixture to be so lean that it would only run on full choke quite easily.

As a 20 year old getting an R6 your going to pay a LOT no matter what. At my advanced age of 51 I am paying about $100 a year for basic liability (not much point to full coverage on a pair of almost 30 year old bikes (yes, my bikes are older than you)), but I know if I got an R6 I would pay way less than you having over 30 years of riding experience, and a bit more driving. Your best bet is to start out with something around 250 cc for a couple of years to get the experience under your belt. However, typically on this side of the pond rates don't go down for young male drivers till their 26th birthday.

Yes and no, you can register it non-op, but you will have to go through whatever process to transfer title, and with only a bill of sale, it will require inspection unless the person who signed the bill of sale is the legal owner, and then there is some additional paperwork (application for duplicate title) that must be done. Provided that the bike is still in the system that is. Otherwise the inspection is required and must be done by DMV or a law enforcement officer (usually CHP). Hopefully if it's still in the system it will be a bit easier.

The bulbs on bikes of this age tend to be either just slightly larger or slightly smaller than the standard auto bulbs. It usually reguires going to an aftermarket headlight bucket to use one.

Have you also checked at the sending unit? It should go straigh to ground when the engine is not running. If it's not, then it's the sending unit, if it is, then it's the wiring.

I have not seen anyone but MAC making pipes for these bikes anymore, and while OEM can be had, they are obviously made of gold or something based on the price for them.

There should be a spring and a washer between the filter and the cup, holding the filter against the engine. If you don't have the spring there you will not get filtered oil, and maybe not get any oil. Also, if you don't have the washer on there but have the spring, the spring can push the rubber piece in the filter into the filter and again make the filter no longer work.

Can't much see the need. My driveshaft stays lubed pretty well on it's own.

Ol' Knucklehead of the Heavy Horses MC

There are two groups of riders, those who have dropped their bike, and those who will, and the large majority of the first group are also in the second.

Hi, my name is Cy and I'm motorcycleaholic. (waiting for everyone to say hi ). I'm 51 years old, been riding since about 1980 and I'm on my 3rd bike. I still own and occasionally ride #2 and wish I still had #1 (75 Honda CL360) and am enjoying restoring and riding my latest find my 1980 XS1100. I live in Sacramento California and have a wife, 4 kids, 9 grandkids and 2 chijuajuas and a basset hound. Oh, I have an 89 Camaro that sits in the driveway cause I'm too addicted to the bikes to get around to fixing it. Just enjoying this, and a couple of other MC sites I frequent.

Yep, not charging, it's unlikely to be the stator, but if you follow the wires up from the stator towards the top of the bike you will find the connector with the white wires, the other connecter IIRC will be pretty close to there. However, my money would be on the regulator being bad. It's very seldom that one of the other components fails, as it seems to be the weak point in the system.

If you put non yamaha bulbs in the turn signals they are problably 21 watt instead of the 27 expected by the flasher unit. This will keep them from working properly in many cases. My cure was to go to the local auto parts store and get a TWO prong electronic flasher unit (auto type) and up it in, it only works one way, and the auto cancel doesn't work anymore but the flasher works perfectly every time. I don't like the auto cancel anyways so it's no real loss to me. The other option is to find the 27 watt bulbs that it wants and put them in, but personally I prefer the flasher since then you can switch out for LED bulbs and take some of the load off an already overstressed charging system.

Check the charging voltage, at 2500 RPM is should be around 14.5 volts, if it's less than that it's not charging. Likely culprit would be the regulator, but there are a series of checks to be sure.

Did you remove all the jets and blow carb cleaner or air through ALL the passages? These things gunk up really easily and take a bit of work to clean out, just soaking them usually doesn't do the job. It sounds like a main jet problem, either than or the vacuum slides. Check the diaphrams on them for holes. The easy check for the diaphrams is to press them up, one of the holes around the carb bell will have air come out, cover this hole and see how quick the slide goes back down. Check both, they should some down slowly and both about the same. Also, when everything else checks, make sure the carbs are in sync, as that will also cause problems.

A battery that was just barely good can be killed by a short like that. The batteries for the XS400's are pretty cheap, and it's a quick fix.

There is a mantra on these bikes. Clean the carbs. Check them and then clean them again. Now that their clean, clean them again. Make sure you can get carb cleaner to blow through ALL the little passages, and make sure you remove the jets and clean them out. Then make sure to do a GOOD carb sync, as these things are VERY sensitive to carb sync issues. Also while this is a great site, there are both US and UK specific XS1100 sites, although both sites have members from all over the world. The US site is xs11.com and I don't remember the URL for the UK site, but IIRC there is a link on the US site somewhere.