christoph21

Here's a pic of my finally completed 81 XS400 racer. The camera was goofy and only one picture was saved but it's a goody. I'll get more tomorrow hopefully. Rides NICE!!! I restored it to factory default first then redid it again. However, I didn't take a before everything pic. It was in really rough shape. It had been sitting in a barn since 1987 (two years before I was born even!) It had an extremely worn gas tank, bent handlebars, missing side plates, broken carbs, worthless tires, etc. I replaced the usual for a cafe conversion; seat, bars, signals, 2into1 exhaust etc. I've done all the work myself minus the upholstery on the seat. I appreciate all the help I've gotten here also by the way. Thanks. Enjoy! Stock - summer 2008 Cafe racer - Spring 2009

I came out this morning and checked to see if anything had changed and there was no pressure and the was brake fluid on the ground. It really sprayed out when I applied pressure to it. Upon introducing that new fluid, it seems that it corroded the rest of the old seals away. I'm going to buy a kit and hope that I don't need a new caliper.

I recently bled the brakes of my 81 xs400 and it's the first time they've been bled in 20+ years ( found the bike in a barn a year ago). I didn't have a bleed kit so i roughed it a bit. I disconnected the fluid line at the caliper and drained all the black mess out. I seal it back up, added the new stuff and ran it through. I pumped it through the bleeder valve then. I sealed everything back up and the pressure seemed to have dropped a bit. Stopping felt smoother though. However, now there's a leak coming from somewhere when I press the brake hard and it doesn't look like either the bolt for the fluid line for the bleeder valve. I'm gonna try the baby powder trick tomorrow. Any thoughts? Is there a caliper rebuild kit for stuff like this (seals, etc)?

My low beam recently burned out of my 81 xs400 headlight. Will a 77 or 78 fit this too? I'm fairly certain all of these 7" diameter lights from the classics are interchangeable, but i don't want to lose my cash!

So I can do this with the shocks still on right?

How do I tighten the suspension in the rear shocks of an 81 xs400?

I recently replaced my turn signals with after market ones and now my tail light and headlight are spontaneous on working. The brake light always works still when the brakes are pushed, but the constant tail light doesn't work all the time as well as the headlight. I'm going to replace the two bulbs in the brake light because i think one of them is burned out. Any idea what's going on here? All the electrical systems worked fine before the turn signal switch and at a time, i have two of the signals hooked up at the front with two stock in the rear and everything still worked great.

Scratch the brake light stuff. I just need to know now why my signals stay on constant instead of flashing. Flasher relay?

I just got new signals and brake light for my 81 xs400. The signals are hooked up correctly and the lights come on but they stay on constantly. The turn signal fuse keeps blowing as well. However, the brake light was being hooked up on and off with the battery still running. Also, the signals were being tested with the brake not hooked up. The brake light has three leads coming from it and won't change brightness when the brakes are applied. Any ideas?

Hey all. I'd like to replace my tach and speedo in a while and I'm wondering a couple things: Do tachs and speedos from xs650s fit the 400 model? Are there universal gauges that I could use instead? Also, how do i install these things?

Hey guys. I just threw new carbs in my 81 xs400SH and the bike runs amazing now. I also fitted a 2 into 1 exhaust which came off a 1977 xs400. However, when I rev the bike up to 5000rpm, there's some little pops out of the exhaust when i let the throttle down. The bike didn't do this before the new carbs and new exhaust. Does this relate to running to lean in the carbs or what? Do I even need to worry about it all? Thoughts? Cheers!

Where can I find a little tail light to put on the back of my bubble seat of my cafe racer or is this something i'm going to have to have to get crafty with?

Awwwww yes. That's more like it

Wow. Now that is rugged. Anyway, I broke down today and found a cafe seat pan on ebay with the right dimensions. However, it's just the pan. So...........Does anybody have some great seat pad making guides? I'm pretty handy with a welder, but I'm unproven with a sewing machine! http://i7.ebayimg.com/03/i/000/a1/73/cd82_1_b.JPG That's the seat pan I bought.

That's not quite what I'm looking for unfortunately. I really just want a simple bubble end seat is all with the rear fender eliminated

I rebuilt my 1981 xs400 last summer to it's original factory look. This summer i'm looking to turn it into a very legitimate cafe racer. I just want to buy a universal seat off Ebay and not go through the trouble of making one (when in fact, i'd love to). So the problem i'm running in to is the dimensions of xs400 seat are wider than most seats on ebay for the seat to properly rest over it. So i'm wondering if anyone has a site that i could find more specialized seats WITH seat pads and/or a recommendation of ways to make a narrower seat work? Hope you can get the drift from that confusing paragraph. Cheers!

Will a seat from an xs650 fit an xs400?

Yes, I do know what my problem is. I do have a vacuum leak in one of the venturi slides. I'm in the process of ordering a whole new set of carbs but its $$$$$$...

Yeah. Cy's right. This is a pretty common thing i find among these ~30 year old xs400's. Heck, Cy answered this very question for me aways back.

Another question - If I were to do pod air filters, what jet numbers would i need to go up to to compensate for the increased air flow!?

I understand that this could be the problem; but i have a hard time believing it. I have cleaned the carbs extensively. All the jets are spotless as of June this summer. One of the venturi diaphrams may be a little questionable, but I don't think it's creating a problem. The intake boots have all been sealed with silicon as well.

Upon trying to really top out my 81 xs400, I got to 71 MPH and just couldn't get anymore. When trying to rev the throttle any higher than 6500 RPM in 6th gear, the engine boggs down and can't go any higher. The bike is really quick up until that and the engine runs strong. I know most of these can do 90-95 mph with stock components. What's going on here!?

I'm looking at buying a 2 into 1 exhaust and then fitting it with a can instead of a megaphone for my xs400. I found a 2 into 1 for a 78 xs650. Will this be compatible with my 81 xs400?

No, all electrical is fine. Electric start just doesn't work. I worked with it the rest of the night and found out the starter relay was the problem. Strange time for it to go bad. I've got a replacement coming so hopefully all will be well. If not... well I'll be back here I'm sure.

Hello all. I recently changed out my handlebars on my 81 xs400. Right after doing this, my ignition switch died. it was working flawlessly beforehand but is now dead. I cleaned out the switches connections in the throttle housing and took a voltometer to some open connections. I have tested from the switch to the starter solenoid and everything checks out. I thought it would be just a wire being that i did jostle some wires pretty good when i had a wrench slip. The kill switch still works fine however. I'm probably going to try and check the connection from the starter solenoid to the starting motor if i can get in there easily enough.......What's my next step?