BlindSight

so my 1990 xs400 is running ok now (still need to clean the carbs and fx the electrical problem)...any ideas why it wont shif into anything but 1st and neutral? Should I just assume its the tranny and going to be an expensive fix? Suggestions?

No problemo, glad you got it running right. yeah I think its electrical, im sure the carbs need a good cleaning but after 2 days of riding it for about 45mins until it dies...not being able to restart it until it charged for a couple of hours...and then after a good charge it starts right up and runs for awhile...pretty sure its the alternator...will probably just ebay the parts. im hoping that the not going over 6krpm is just the carbs need to be cleaned, it was sitting for almost 2 years. still dont know what to do about the clutch issue though. anyone with pictures of how there cable is run with straight bars?

well I had bought a brand new clutch cable, there aren't any major curves or anything but it curves more than id like...anyone with straight bars have pics following the cable from the bar to the case to show me how its supposed to run?

ok so the tires are rear MT90-16 74H and front is120/90-18 65H

after messing with it yesterday im leaning heavily towards it being an ac generator problem (darnet I need to go buy another dvom :-/)...after it died I was having problems getting it started again and wouldnt stay running but I stuck it on the battery charger for a few hours and when I went outside it started first try and ran for awhile. so if I test it and the generator isn't charging the battery properly what should I replace and how hard is it? Also I noticed it wont rev over 6krpm, once I get going it will climb to 6 and if I dont let back on the throttle it will start to bog down a little bit. Also I can get it into first but it doesnt want to shift up to 2nd, I switched to a straight bar and the clutch cable is run kind of funky so it is really hard to squeeze the lever but even squeezed all the way back it doesn't want to go into any other gears, any suggestions on that one? THANKS FOR ALL OF THE HELP

OK so cleaned the cabs up a bit, and added some b12 fuel system cleaner to the thack, I got it started and adjusted the idle all the way up, rode it around a bit and it stayed idling in my driveway for about 30 mins this time before it died. any suggestions now?

oh and I forgot to say..... fonzie rode a triumph.

Ill admit im only 21 so I cant go into all of these old stories about the past but my automotive professor taught me alot about the history behind harleys...it started off a long time ago when one of his mechanics in his shop was working on one as a sideproject and when he quit he left the bike there...for months mr fant(my professor) tried to GIVE the harley away but noone would take it so he ended up throwing the bike into the dumpster.....import bikes had always dominated the marked as good, reliable, affordable, comfortable bikes in comparrison to the harles at that time that were cheap and constantly failing....from what ive heard the only way harley ever made it was because the hells angles bought them because they were so cheap to find one used and unwanted by anyone else...and now that they chose to slap a wayyyy overpriced msrp on the sticker and promote them to all of the "going grey" mid-life crisies people of today...they are buying them up like vetts...just look around you...just like vetts, at least 95% of them are owned by middle to upper class males over 30...they have come a long way but they are still a modern status symbol. I appologize to anyone who rides a harley taht doesn't fit in this category but you do have to admit that your fellow harley owners arent quite as "cool" as the used to be. Just my 2cents

I remember spending awhile finding ones that would fit and were meant for front and rear...they have them on http://www.jcwhitney.com/Street-Tires/GP_2...14323_10111.jcw now but I got mine from bike bandit ffor 56 and 60 each but I checked there and they dont have them anymore.

my dvom just got rained on and wont work anymore but do you think that could cause it? I mean after it dies and sits a min I can still use the electric start and it will crank over so I figured it wasn't battery/charging related.

Nope I havn't gotten any help...will be working on my bike later this week a little bit though. I was going to start by rebuilding the carbs but if it didn't fix your problems I might go ahead and replace the ignition coils and CDI and see if that makes a difference.

Ok so trying to figure out which carb kit I need to by for my 1980(what the title says) yamaha xs400 special (had special badging on the airbox cover panels originally).... I found some pretty cheap from partsnmore.com... but which one, is it the G model? Also, under the carb holders there is no G model but they do have an XS400S? https://www.partsnmore.com/cat_index.php?mo...p;category=carb

ill get the tire size for you later this week when I go visit my mom (bikes at her house right now). As long as its aligned properly there is maybe 1-2mm clearance on the swingarm in the rear.....bareeeeeeely fits but looks a million times better than stock IMO.

yeah I have already replaced most of the normal stuff and it had been sitting up for almost 2 years..will check the venting on the tank this weekend when im home but I cant ride it to work the kinks out when it dies every couple of mins

love the bike...I want to find a tank like yours...what did you use to cover all of the electricals? check out bikebandit.com for the whitewalls...I love mine although I cant fit any fenders (dont want to anyways but I noticed your running your front...it wont fit after these.)...here are some pics..still needs some work here and tehre but its close....bike is dirty and walls are filthy but you get the idea....

My 1980 yamaha xs400 special will start up and run for 1-3mins and then die. usually if I try to start it right away it either wont or it takes alot of effort but if I let it sit a few mins it will start again and run for a short while and die again...when it dies it just idles down, kind of putts, and then dies...also its smoking a bit...white smoke so burning oil? I was thinking maybe its the CDI unit or the coils? what about possibly moisture in the tank or carb adjustment? This is my first bike to play with but ive been an automotive tech for 2 years...thanks for any and all help

annnnnnnnnnnnyone?

so im still having electrical issues so wondering where I could get a manual or a scan of the wiring diagram or something? anyone?

so anyone replaced the grips on an 400 special? trying to find out what size will work.

im also looking for some parts for a 1980ish 400 special...mainly the handlebar switches and the left lever. Also could use the majority of the little rubber grommets like the ones the seat slides onto and the plastic battery covers.

anyone have any suggestions?....took the ignition appart and didnt notice anything wrong but will replace it while im at it because its kind of finnicky and the key likes to stick. I took off some more stuff and looked back over the harness again and dont see anything that looks like it could have rubbed through...anyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyone help?

well I followed along the main fuse line and cant really see any spots where anything has rubbed through...I replaced the fuse and had the key all the way counter-clockwise and it didn't pop, could turn the blinkers on and such...but as soon as I turn the key it blows....I can even take the key out of the ignition and a red light in the spot in between the two gauges lights up....think the ignition cylinder or something might be causing it?

So I just got a 1980ish yamaha 400 special for $200...put a new battery in it because it had been sitting over a year...supposedly ran before it was parked....its my first bike. it had a 30amp fuse in the main fuse slot and it was blown, tried putting the recomended 20amp fuse in and popped instantly then tried another 30amp and smae deal-y-o. does it even with the key out. any suggestions?