What did you do with your XS today?

Changed oil with Lucas 10w50 synthetic. Yes 10w50. Tried to install in line fuel filter but it was too large to fit in the short length of line. Have to keep hunting for a shorter one. Then went riding for about an hour. A good day in the sun.

Hello there. Thought i'd share with you my winter Street Tracker project, my first attempt and im pretty pleased with how it turned out as all the work was carried out by myself. The bike started off as a pretty clean example so most of the work was mainly cosmetic. All the clutter was stripped off shedding a load of weight and a grp flat track seat fitted along with a custom made pad, tacho and idiot light cluster were removed and some homemade brackets fabbed to fit the original speedo centrally, new headlight brackets along with wider lower bars and a fork brace cleaned up and complete the front end. The ignition switch was relocated and mounted on the frame under the tank and a homemade licence plate holder fabbed to also accomodate the LED tail light. A short reverse megaphone exhaust completed the look and also sounded the mutts nuts.
Unfortunately within days of having completed it a car turned right across my path and I was involved in a serious head on collision resulting in the bike being wrecked beyond repair and a 3 week stay in hospital for myself, absolutely gutting. My injuries are pretty severe, 6 spinal fractures which have had to be permanently pinned with rods requiring me to wear an upper body and neck brace for the next few months, broken ribs and both hands fractured, one of which has also had to be permanently pinned.
Though my lovely little bike has gone to its final resting place I hope the pics may provide a bit of inspiration for anyone attempting something similar.

Sorry to hear about your wreck The bike looked very good

Oh MAN What a gut wrenching end to what was a nice looking bike. But first and Most Importantly you have survived!!! Banged up as you are your survival is the best outcome. The back and hand fractures will be a long and sometimes torturous recovery. Never lose patience in your recovery. Be diligent with the excercises and stretches in your physical therapy. You will recover to most of what you did before your unfortunate event. Be brave and continue your recovery.

geez, that's a bummer in the 1st degree.
dodgy car drivers in Bolton I know as I work there.

hope you recover OK Paul, I had a similar accident and was in hospital for 6months.

still riding though, thank god.

drewps

although beat up pretty good from the sound of it, I'm glad you're still with us to tell the tale. The bike looked great, any plans to build another?

As with the rest us Im very sorry to hear about your unfortunate incident,Like as mentioned the best thing Your still alive and wish you the best on a speedy recovery.I believe as motorcycle riders we`re destine to have a car pull out infront of us and either hit us or it be a very close call to getting injured.I hope the other driver got ticketed to death.It makes me wonder that if I want to ride if I should just get a dirt bike instead of street bike.

i put sponsors decals on it

Need a 'xs400.com' sticker too!

17 tooth drive sprocket successfully installed! Noticeable difference for sure, money well spent. Couple huge crappie over the weekend to boot

thielb said:

17 tooth drive sprocket successfully installed! Noticeable difference for sure, money well spent. Couple huge crappie over the weekend to boot

Click to expand...

Nice job on the sprocket.
I thought you were a Raider not a Badger - or do you just save their stuff for cleaning fish?

I thought you were a Raider not a Badger - or do you just save their stuff for cleaning fish?

Click to expand...

You're exactly right, that's just a fishing shirt

lol. I'm afraid to ask what you do when you wear your Warhawk t-shirt ....

Did a little cutting, then a little welding, then a little more cutting.

killer set up just needs a 400 motor in there

and a front wheel - don't forget the front wheel.

Thanks but this one will be getting the 650 treatment.

lol na lou it's a wheelie machine.

Just dug it out of the shed to mock up the exhaust. Cussed out the slack axx that welded a nut on the rear foot peg to hold it on. Ground the old muffs off and slipped the new ones on for a trial. Looks like it'll work ok so far. Then for spitz & wiggles hooked up the battery & gave it a spin. Runs like krap with the carbs in poor repair but it did hit on both lungs. Then while I was putting it back in the shed noticed the petcock was on prime. Gas all over reached down to turn it off lost my balance and followed the bike down. Stopped my fall by putting my hand on the wall & found out the shingles are stapled on with LONG staples. 2 of them pierced my hand F*%$ing Ouch!!!!

I ended up selling my XS400 and used the money to buy a pregen Ninja 250. I miss the torque of the XS400 but I do not miss the handlebar vibration.

Serviced the front brake. Cleaned and lubed the sliders and bled some fresh fluid through the system. Wished the thunderstorms and heavy rain would move on...