maintenance

Am getting all the stuff together to do an oil and filter change. I was just wondering if I need to thread lock the bolts on the air filter casing and the drain plug, or is this not needed. For the Filter it says in the manual to torque to about 1.5kg. It doesn't say anything about the drain...

I stupidly figured I could get by without a battery maintainer over the winter and that instead I would simply start up my bike every two weeks to get the fuel flowing and charge up the battery. Ya ya, boy was I wrong. See, where I live, it doesn't generally snow (maybe 1 or 2 days a...

I am trying to locate and oil seal kit for my 1980. I know i have seen them in the past on ebay and other places but now that i need to buy one i can't seem to find the kit anywhere. Does anyone know a place that sells the entire kit of oil seals?

I was trying to get a screw out of the cover for the points today and the head stripped. So i took a drill bit and drilled the center out and put a screw extractor in it. I started turning it and next thing you know...SNAP!! Needless to say i cant drill the screw extractor out because it is...

Well today I changed the oil on my XS360. It has 25,069 miles and I re-do the oil every 1000 miles or every year. It does not use any oil. I have always used Pennzoil but today I used Shell Rotella T 15W40. The clutch never slipped so we will see. Robert.

ok so after fixing the electrical part, I went riding my bike today and I noticed that in ALL gears I would just roll the gas, it would rev, but the bike wouldn't move along with the revs, it moved but very very slowly (feathering the clutch seemed to have good results, though). So I got to a...

Hi, I'm new here. Glad to find you. I think my son sent me the link. I have an '82' XS400, well 2. All the Specs I've read say it gets 55 mpg. However: The gas milage on the cycle has increased from 56.78 before the oil change and tire inflation to 63.87 since the last 4 fill-ups...

As a newbee, what is the best way to winterize your bike during the winter? This is for Chicago weather, not San Diago winter. Bike will be in the garage... Thanks Guys...

So i bought an original owners manual for my 1980 special from ebay the other day. It came in the mail today and i read through it and found out a lot of small things i never really knew or cared to know about my bike. But one i found out that will be VERY usefull is that there is a steering...

any one know the Part # for 1981 XS400 steering head bearings?

Bike leaking oil at clutch rod I think, please help! Can u change the clutch oil seal where the rod goes inside the case without taking apart the motor? Im pretty sure that's where my bike leaks and was wondering if anyone could tell me how or if there is a tech article or write up on this...

G'day to all; I am in Norther NSW Australia. I have a 78 xs400 project in the shed. When I got the basket case, it came with basically a spare bike in parts. So I have parts to trade with any xs400 enthusiasts in Oz. I am after a set of spoke wheels, so if anyone out there has a set, I have...

i have a snapped ring on one piston, being that the stock rings are so hard to come by, if i use 1st over rings will i need a larger piston also .. or will they work with stock pistons i know that on 3rd over you need the larger sized pistons which are 60 bucks a pop. thanks

So I have been riding around for about a week and a half now but had not taken to the highway. I got on the Highway (65mph zone) and was able to get up to speed probably hit 70 mph, went about 10 miles, then turned around and came home - was really just testing it out on the HWY before I make a...

im midway into tearing the case apart and the donor cases oil filter bolt is stripped by the po and on there good ideas? i dont have access to a welder to weld a bar to the bolt :doh:

So I got to thinkin.... wouldnt it be nice if we got a thread together to help us in case we ever got stranded or were out traveling and needed a roadside fix of somesort... Kinda what we can offer.... Like for instance, Im in Larkspur colorado outside colorado springs... 856-625-2194.. I...

Hello and Happy Memorial Day! :bike: I have a quick question that I'm hoping somebody will be able to answer. I have a 1980 XS400 Special II with the front drum brakes, and I need a new brake cable. I found an exact OEM cable, but its a little expensive. I know a few of the early 70s...

I received the Owner's Manual I bought off ebay for my 1980 XS400SG and found a couple interesting things as I looked through the manual: *Recommended gasoline - regular *Reserve capacity - 0.87 US gal *"This bike equipped with tubeless tires" plus warning about non-tubeless rims...

Well I broke my second throttle cable tonight, but thanks the Wildting65 I made it home

What do you think about a spin on type oil filter to replace the cartridge style main filter? I am thinking if I can find a filter that is the same diameter as the base of the cover and machine a threaded tube to replace the bolt so the oil filter can spin on and tighten down, it should work...