Anyone playing with a XS400 - Seca or Maxim - DOHC?

[gentlemanjim]

I actuallly sold itand went on tobuild this.

 

[Lou Ranger]

I actuallly sold it and went on to build this.

Wow, that's beautiful. What did it start out as - CB 400, Nighthawk 450, ?

 

[Mannix]

I'm just about finished breaking in the top end of my Maxim commuter bike. It seems like I must have bought one of the last pair of oversize pistons left in the western world. Have done some mods and may do some more as I'm not a fan of "cruiser" style bikes and feel a bit cramped on the Maxim (I am 6'4" tall). Mods so far:
1. Seca 18" rear wheel (Seca front was bent so I couldn't use it)
2. Seca 400 six speed transmission
3. Flat Superbike handlebar
4. Braided front brake line
5. "Triumph" style reverse cone megaphone mufflers (stock were rotted)
6. 10$ swap meet Bosch headlight with replaceable H-4 bulb
7. New o/s pistons and rings and valves/ seats recut to stock dimensions

I seem to be turning a $100 bike into a $1000 bike, although some of the bits used were leftovers from other projects. Still need to do something with the cramped seating. The step in the Maxim seat needs to dissapear but I refuse to cut up a nice original seat. And the seca seat will not just bolt-on. Rear sets? More modern wheels? Wire wheels? Better front brake? Seca bodywork? RD 350 LC bodywork? Etc, etc. Fun things to ponder.

Did you ever figure how to make the seat less cramped? I'm 5'11" and just wish I had maybe some additional pegs to stretch out on once in awhile. Does that exist? This is my first bike/ first time even on a bike!

 

[Lou Ranger]

Did you ever figure how to make the seat less cramped? I'm 5'11" and just wish I had maybe some additional pegs to stretch out on once in awhile. Does that exist? This is my first bike/ first time even on a bike!

Hi Mannix (1st name JOE?), welcome to the Forum!
Most of the Maxims I've seen, including the one I bought in April of this year, have a small engine protecting crash bar in front of the engine. I have seen a couple of tall folks who have mounted folding cruiser pegs to the vertical portions of this bar on both sides and they work well for them.
I'm lucky (?) to be short and comfortable with the existing pegs but I can see where you would love them.

 

[lhaolpa]

I have an '82 xs400 Rj seca,and they're good bikes.I'm building it slowly[due to sickness and other commitments]into a rat/bobber/brat bike. Don't really know what it'll be classified as,but when I get it finished,I'll post some pics. I bought a big solo seat from an xs1100[I think] and parts from all different kinds of bikes,so it'll be interesting when I finally get to work on it in earnest. By the way,great looking bike[even though it's a Honda],just kidding,I had a 450 dream back in the day. Man,what a bike that was!!! lha

 

[svbrian]

Did you ever figure how to make the seat less cramped? I'm 5'11" and just wish I had maybe some additional pegs to stretch out on once in awhile. Does that exist? This is my first bike/ first time even on a bike!

Lou's suggestion of crash bars and highway pegs is probably the easiest. I'm 6'3" and find that the step in the seat doesn't let me reposition at all. I have no time to investigate at the moment, but maybe the seat foam can be reshaped to an almost flat profile, a thin layer of foam added on top and a custom seat cover installed. Might not look as nice as the stock seat. If you are adventerous you could add a cafe or street tracker tail section/seat. Lots of work fabbing mounts,tail light, etc.

 

[DanMach]

I will shift onto the passenger segment of the 'stock' seat while riding long stretches of empty roads. Just to stretch out. But I am 5'8, so our bio metrics will be vastly different.

(BTW they are 'unloved' because of the flipping cylinder to head weeping issue)

 

[bentwrench]

What's the flipping cylinder to head weeping issue? Sounds painful...

 

[DanMach]

Not sure if 'cylinder to head' is accurate but I was tired as hell when I wrote that.

Basically the bottom half the cylinder is mated to the top half(standard affair). The gasket between the two has a tendency to weep out oil.

My left cylinder is doing it. A lot of the dohc engines do it as well. Its not a HUGE deal because it typically only happens when you run at high rpm's, and even then its a small amount.. but people read about it and it sours there taste.

 

[Lou Ranger]

Not sure if 'cylinder to head' is accurate but I was tired as hell when I wrote that.
Basically the bottom half the cylinder is mated to the top half(standard affair). The gasket between the two has a tendency to weep out oil...

What a relief.
My first thought was that poor Dan (who is out there riding around in the Arizona heat while simultaneously quitting smoking and having the RAAAAAAAAGE!) was about to blow a gasket.

 

[inuit]

i got a DOHC and i played with my xs... if you see my album,you can see what i've done with her!!!

if you got any question i try to answer with my spanish/english!!!

 

[stuckey138]

I own a xs400 maxim fun to play with i have some pics on my profile but its changed since then ill post more

 

[bentwrench]

Stuckley, the bike looks good, but I don't get the seat - it's sprung off the fender, which is of course attached to the swingarm... and also sprung from the front? Isn't that really uncomfortable, or is there a trick to it?

 

[stuckey138]

Just sprung from the fender. Pretty nice ride. It feel rigid. Im gonna hard tail it soon though.