how to

How to install an oil pressure gauge on your XS400. This is something I have wanted to do for some time and I have finally gotten around to it. I tried to do this install on as low of a budget as possible, about $50 (US) without including tools, so that anyone can be able to do this addition...

I want to start this off with a big thank you to everyone who completed their start deletes and shared it on the forum. Also a big thank you to my fiancé who took the photos while I mucked about with my starter motor. I got all of my info from this thread...

I want to raise my tank so it would be level with ground. I have some ideas but I thought that maybe some of you guys have already done it and have found some simpler ways how to do it. Original mount is a bit lower and it makes it look weird in my opinion.

I've been looking for a bike for a while now. My dad found a 1983 Maxim 400 at auction. The bike was being ridden when impounded. I haven't been able to get it to start since my father brought it home. It will crank, but not start. I've had it on a trickle charger for at least 24 going on 48...

Hi gang, Haven't been on here in a couple weeks as I gave up hope on the bike for a while. Since I've not received any bites on my ads yet and have cooled off, I'm thinking about trying a little more surgery to get her going. As I mentioned in my last post, the starter chain was...

Okay, so the 1979 XS400 that I'm working on has been leaking some oil. I checked it out and it looked like it was coming from inside the sprocket cover on the left side. I removed the cover and it looks like an oil bomb exploded in there. So I think I'm on the right track. I had a 1979 KZ400...

Not really building the best reputation on here but I'm looking forward to changing that. I am going to be humble and open to any help I can get. I also need to post more pics to show you guys my progress. If anyone can send me the link to an owner's manual for the 78' it would be greatly...

So I finally got all the parts I've needed to get the bike running, here it's been two months and change. I went to mount the exhaust and I'm having an issue with too much space between the collars that mount to the studs, they seem way to far off of the head. The bags have the part number for...

Hi guys! I'm new to the forums and so far everything I've read has been very helpful. I'm looking to install a digital speedo/tach system on my bike because the needles on my pods have both broken. Just wondering any tips on brands or that work well or are fairly easy to install. I have a...

Hey guys, Tried out the grease gun trick yesterday to remove my terribly seized caliper piston. Came out like a dream! So much easier than trying to use compressed air, heat, channel locks or whatever! Here's a quick little video showing what I did! Hope it helps. :):cheers::bike: Clicky Click

Hey there, I'm really new to motorcycles (and really, anything to do with an engine) and I recently got a 1980 xs400 special. This past week I went ahead and changed the oil and filter. The manual suggests 2.4 quarts of oil if you are changing the screen, so I went ahead and added 2 quarts and...

So I'm in the final stages of assembling my xs400 build and I've come to some carby issues. I've cleaned my stock bs34's and was in the process of re-jetting them to suit my pods and free flowing exhaust. The bikes been started and taken for a quick spin on stock jetting and its obviously...

This is my first post ever on this place so bear with me. I recently got an xs400 (guy said it was a 650 but the engine said it was a 391cc) main problem I have with this bike is that the left spark plug thread is stripped! I've been told to use a helicoil or just go ahead and buy a new head...

Does anyone know how to disassemble the rear shocks (remove the springs) so I can clean and paint them?

I intend to film most of the maintenance I do as I go along now that I have a better camera. Don't worry, the older low quality videos will get replaced over time. Disclaimer: These videos shouldn't replace the repair manual. I'm pretty thorough, but I can't possibly cover every detail...

Hey I just bought a XS400 and it looks a bit like this http://www.bikez.com/pictures/yamaha...ial_stuart.jpg But I would like to change it to a cafe racer. And first of all I would like to change the seat and the tank, I found this set: http://www.benjiescaferacer.com/p_item.php?pid=3124...

Hi there people, Another day another question! Now that I've got the engine running nice I attached the clutch cable to go through the gears and make sure they were all engaging right. They are all engaging OK but with no use to the clutch cable... I tried adjusting it all to make the...

Hi all! i'm having a I little trouble understanding my new signal lights. my problem is I bought some new signal lights from dime city cycles. im positive I hooked them up correct but when I turn then signal switch left or right the new lights either stay on constantly or blink very slowly...

Helping a friend get the '79 xs400 running right before I officially buy it. Swapped in a new battery, fresh fuel and oil, but it still won't run right. It revved up really good with the new battery and all, but finally bogged down and died. Every start after that sounded weak, even with the...

Hello All, This is my first post, so I'll give a little introduction. Almost two months ago I bought an '81 xs 400. It runs great and much more agile than my previous bike, an '80 xs 850, which I named the triple threat b/c it had three cylinders. I bought the 400 for $550 and have put about...