1980 Stockmodcustom xs400 project, that's what I'll call it

[keepitmike]

I posted a little bit ago when I bought it, and now I have been playing around with it a little bit, coming up with ideas.

The more I think about it and the more I search for a job in this black hole and find nothing, the more I consider doing what I've now begun.

I started the other day with removing all the easy stuff, rear grab handle, reflectors on the front and rear, passenger foot pegs, and the center kick stand. Then a couple days later looked at it again and took off the rear fender and ordered a set of flush mount l.e.d. turn signals. I'm not certain of where I'll put them but it'll look better than those shreck ear looking beasts.

Today I broke out the old hack saw and took up the seat and chopped the back of the frame off, two simple cuts and that's that. So then I took the staples out along the edge of the seat cover and peeled the authentic imitation leather back and took the foam out. And now my plan is the cut the original seat pan in half and narrow it to take up the gap along the frame on both sides of it, then cut the foam and rebuild it to like a stock/mod type deal. I'm not sure!! "I'M NEWWW!! I'M NEWWW I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DOOO!!!" -Joe Dirt Quote

 

[keepitmike]

like I said I want to alter the original seat and reuse it, I also am thinking about using the rear fender to cut and add a bracket of sorts to use as a small rear fender again, for now I think the tank and everything will remain original, I would however like to do a lower handlebar. Possibly center the speedo and get rid of the tach, using the original speedometer. no hard tail plans now but maybe down the road.

Let me know what you think positive or negative of course, thank you everyone

 

[drewpy]

I think you need a plan first, a look, something to aim for.

then when you have that look you want, the way you do things to achieve that look is the best way to do it! there is no right or wrong way.

good luck!

 

[keepitmike]

I worked on the original seat pan tonight, even if its an ugly waste of time in the end at least it was a waste of time, I hate being bored.

Anyway I started by cutting the back off and making two cuts down the middle removing 1.5" of the width bringing the sides much tighter to the frame. Then I drilled all my holes for the rubber bumpers that are under the seat, drilled these 3/4" to the outside to have them sit where they originally did, the front brackets needed to be trimmed around more so they could slide into position, I had to epoxy some pieces in around some of the new holes to build low spots to where I need them to put the rubber things back in. now I just have to take a piece of sheet metal or something and use rivets probably to ment the seat back together and decide how to cover it back up. I'll be cutting the foam lower for sure to have the seat be a couple inches lower, I'm not a big guy so I don't need as much padding as it has now

 

[keepitmike]

this is very likely going to be ugly as hell, but I personally think that stock bike is ugly anyway haha, so since I want the final look to be mostly stockish with changes to the original parts...I guess we will see

 

[16VGTIDave]

Keep at it! It's your bike, time and $, have fun with it!

 

[keepitmike]

Keep at it! It's your bike, time and $, have fun with it!

Thank you sir! We will see what happens!

 

[keepitmike]

Been doing the basics, tach gone signals gone rear spring covers gone, cut the front fender last night and grinded it round today. used a marker a magnet and dental floss to draw the curve haha, came out nice I only cut the front for now I'll see what else I decide. I want to make a new bracket to mount the speedo in the center, I'd like to lower the headlight a couple inches so the speedo can drop a bit as well

 

[keepitmike]

blah the seat idea was stupid haha I'll figure something out eventually but lately I've been working on a new bracket for the speedo and headlight (new headlight to come, bottom mount)

got a piece of 16ga from a metal shop nearby, measured and drew out plans, measured and drew it on the steel, cut it out rough and grinded it up drilled my holes heated it up did some bends and this is where it's at now, I'm a bit ocd so I wish it were better but I've never done metal work so I can't complain too much, I didnt finish the headlight end because I'm not sure how I'll want it since I don't have a light yet
Bent the speedo mount up and the other parts down

 

[xschris]

You could make up a bunch of them and sell them for $$ I would buy one.

 

[keepitmike]

would you want to have the speedo and the headlight on the same mount like I'm working on here or have just the top centered speedo part?

I'm considering just making one just like the top of this one is just to center the speedo and then mounting the headlight lower on its own like I see some people do just so the weight of the headlight isnt bouncing on the bracket but I'm not sure yet

 

[keepitmike]

Updates, got a job in the next town over at a hardware/everything store in January.

First thing we did when I got here was expand the hardware section and sell all the rental tools and equipment, leaving me with a very nice shop space full of tools and such (making playing with this bike a lot easier) I keep my bike right here at work in the shop and work on it here and there and on my lunch hour most days.

I will have to post pictures but a lot has changed, I painted the forks and other parts up front, took thinks apart for paint not just shake a black can at it for an hour and cover everything. Much of what I put back together got new hardware, stainless when I could and always metric to prevent future frustration with finding the right wrench.

I made a wood kick start pedal with a pallet board I deemed nice enough, with stainless hardware as well.

From the metal dumpster I made a side cover for the stock battery box just to add something in considering not putting the original air filter side covers back on (though I did paint them black at well)

I learned how and completely rebuilt the original carbs, got 54mm filters and a little filter for the bottom thing there. Changed the oil and filter and cleaned everything up as I went along.

Made the center speedo bracket from an angle bracket/corner brace.

Basically at this point all I have to do is get the tail light plate frame in the mail and put it on, have a grab bar welded on the back to finish the frame, and get a seat on it.

Like I said I'll post pictures some time!