I just bought an 81 XS400SH about a month ago, do these bikes have hardned valve seats? Should I be running a lead replacer if not? Thanks

I just bought an 81 XS400SH about a month ago, do these bikes have hardned valve seats? Should I be running a lead replacer if not? Thanks

All Japanese motorcycles manufactured since 1972 were able to run on unleaded gas, well, the ones supplied to the UK were. However, the model of XS 400 you refer to were in the UK a poor replacement for the earlier XS 400 models as they had overheating problems due simply to poor design of the oil pathways and oil capacity which in turn resulted in burnt out valves. The model did not stay in production long compared to the early XS 400 / XS 250 series. You have a bike fated to have problems unless you're a magician in the machine shop and working with Japanese alloy and can find a way of having hardened valve seats and can find titanium valves to fit. Nonbodgit.