1982 XS4oo unleaded or not unleaded that is the question ?

[Tommy xs]

when i bought my xs400 in 1982 I ran it on 4 star petrol or even 2 star if money was low. since I put her back on the road last year iv'e been using lead replacement additive by redex but finding it harder to find lately

iv'e seen something on ebay that looks like three lead weights in some chicken wire, that you just drop in the tank, has anyone else used one and do they work. still got to refurb tank so meantime still using redex. but would appreciate any info

thanks..

[neversaydie]

Should be ok with unleaded,try the premium grades, higher octane

Avoid fuel containing ethanol. Depending on where you live Total stations are not supplied with ethanol added.

Try using the search function here for "ethanol" to find the list of stations

[Tommy xs]

Thanks for the advice been busy google ing and you do have a good point about the ethanol, i didn't realize it will cause

so much damage to carb seals etc, also the year is fine with unleaded. the money iv'e wasted on redex over the last year could have had a good few more run outs with that, i will still put a bit in now and again just to cushion the valves cos the bike is running fine

31 years old must be doing something right ? thanks again I will take your advice and look up ethanol free fuel cheers

[Preload]

You can use any super 98 as its hasn't any ethanol in it at the moment.

[drewpy]

the japs designed their bikes to run on unleaded since 1974ish it was headed by the US regulators, their biggest market

[Tommy xs]

thanks everyone, put my mind at ease first time i run on unleaded.

[Preload]

I see you have the last type of the 400 twins but I thought they were called XJ400?

[Tommy xs]

a lot of people say its a XJ motor cut in half. cos the XJ is a four not a twin but your right it was the last of the aircooled twins

I believe it was introduced for the american market because the RD350LC was banned because of omissions noise mainly

it was called the Seca 400 in the states ,it never became popular here because of the LC but i bought one after just passing my test

on a XS250, seemed like the next step up at the time and i still have her today still going strong

[drewpy]

and also called the Maxim with a 5 speed gearbox

[Preload]

You don't see many about these days I've always liked them.

[Tommy xs]

there's still a few about considering they weren't very popular. the only problem iv'e had apart from normal w/t was when she was only 18 months old, both the exhaust holed big time and because it was a new model at the time no one was making after market parts for it

Yamaha was wanting £180 for their replacements (bike only cost £1284.00 new) I wasn't going to pay that kind of money for another 18 months so i stripped her down and put her in boxes under the stairs and their she stayed till i moved house 8 years ago, then with wonder of the interweb i found what i needed including another whole bike and my brother bought 1 to do up and got fed up with it so now i have 3.

the Maxim as drewpy referred to is much rarer as i don't think it was released here but iv'e seen a few imports i never really liked the look of the maxim supposed to be the follow on to xs us custom but to me was plain ugley but to each their.

I see you like the old two strokes do you still use them much ?

[obriens65]

I have a 1982 TR1, same year as your XS400, and it runs just fine on regular unleaded.

[Tommy xs]

now that's a nice bike i was almost tempted to bid no one of those last week on ebay but couldn't really cos iv'e just booked to go to tt in may and i think the wife would have killed me if i spent the mortgage money again it looked just like that one did you get it on ebay ?

oh and thanks for unleaded feedback I will fill up on premium unleaded next time out when all the snow has gone

[obriens65]

I did get this one from ebay as it happens. Paid £1 per cc. Just had it serviced today and the garage couldn't find a single thing wrong with it, it didn't even need the air filter changed . It's only done 24,500 miles in it's 31 years (and I've got the MOTs to prove it) and it's running like a dream.

[Preload]

Yes I like 2Strokes but better at 4Strokes. I only finished the 350B last September then had electrical charging issues and by the time I had that sorted the weather had turned. Its got less than 200 miles on the bores. It was a full restoration ie. engine, frame, paint, wheels etc still got a few nuts & bolts too get zinc plated and thats it completely done

[Tommy xs]

I did get this one from ebay as it happens. Paid £1 per cc. Just had it serviced today and the garage couldn't find a single thing wrong with it, it didn't even need the air filter changed . It's only done 24,500 miles in it's 31 years (and I've got the MOTs to prove it) and it's running like a dream.

always liked the look of the TR1 nice & compact looking a still looks good today wish it was mine

[Tommy xs]

Yes I like 2Strokes but better at 4Strokes. I only finished the 350B last September then had electrical charging issues and by the time I had that sorted the weather had turned. Its got less than 200 miles on the bores. It was a full restoration ie. engine, frame, paint, wheels etc still got a few nuts & bolts too get zinc plated and thats it completely done

never had a 2 stroke, my brother had an rd200 and that little thing was quick he was a spot in the distance when i had my XS250

have you got any pics of the 350B sounds good ?

[Preload]

Yes. Here you go.

I've just altered the ignition to standard as I was running in at a lower state of tune for 200 miles.

Its as close to standard as I think because I havn't seen another one in the flesh yet.

There is a chap that has a few of them down south that are mint with zero miles on them and he said its very close to standard so that's good enough for me.

[Tommy xs]

you should put that forward for the YOC calendar cover in the bar iv'e not seen one before, looks superb everything you want in a classic yam. I'd like that in my living room just to look at

[drewpy]

very nice