Brought home a XS cafe... need hel getting to fire

These are getting very hard to find! Only saw two sets like this for sale. Take good care of them.
 
I'm muttering through getting the kickstart reinstalled. I've read the manuals, and watched a couple videos.

Do you have any tips from when you've had them apart?

I'm orientating with the tang on the shaft facing the back of the motor, the horseshoe clip (pinion clip) orientated downwards so that it sits in the relief in the case, then winding the return spring all the way around ( basically 360*), and landing it on the boss in the case.

I can rotate the kick by hand, and I get to about 9 o'clock and it stops. this is typical with the cover on, or off. It does not feel like i am coming up on compression, and that is limiting my travel, it feels like I am out of range of travel.

Any thoughts?
 
These never grab at the top. Most about half way through. There are threads on this in the forum and the manual has a section on it. Just never kick or put any pressure on it without the cover on!!! It can and will break the case journal inside the motor.
 
...and it runs.

I needed to gap the RS contact breaker. It was too tight. And static timing was off. But now it runs, and idles. And takes throttle!
I will sync the carbs next, and throw a timing light on it to check that the advance works

XSChris, do you recommend a range of jet sizes to keep on hand for the 360 carbs? I will put it on a dyno to check the fueling, and would like to have them on hand for when I do it. On all my carb'd bikes I would have a kit on hand from Factory Pro, but he doesnt support these hotrods
 
I ran 130 mains with both stock and a 2-1 free flow exhaust. 140 was too big and 135 was a bit Rich. Stock 17.5 pilots and needle jets set on the third clip. I ride mostly at low elevation (200 ft and less) so yours may be different. Floats are set to stock xs360 level which is 24mm I think. 1 1/4 -2 for the the pilot mix screws. Use only real Mikuni jets. Jets are us.com has them. Yamaha also usually does.
 
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Its funny, when I put my 360 carbs on the 400 block, I made no jet changes and it ran fine. The running gear on my bike is all stock, with the exception of the Emgo tapered exhausts. Im also at 130 mains with stock 17.5 pilot. The needle is one notch leaner than factory. Floats float height +1mm (stock =26mm, says Haynes manual)

If youre buying jets, you will end up with a couple sets. I ended up collecting 130-142.5. I havent made any changes aside from readjustments in a long time, even after installing a completely different engine. I ride in temps 40*F - 105*F at low altitudes and the bike runs fine. The engine acts a little funky at the temperature extremes but thats expected. Most of my riding is done at 65-85*F and you should tune in whatever you expect to be riding in.
 
Agree with everything you said. We also ride in similar climates. I am in NJ

I always set my bikes up on a dyno. Not for the HP numbers, but so I can watch the mixture on the chart and adjust from there. I was a big ZX7r guy, so learned in setting those carbs up to have a wide range of jets available And those were even finickier, always had different needles and springs on hand as well.
 
My manual (pg 58) calls for 26mm +- 2.5mm for the floats but thought I set them at 24mm. Maybe 25mm I can't remember as it has been a while since I have done a set. A dyno or a o2 sensor will let you know what the bike needs.
 
Did a couple shakedown runs on it today. Bike runs surprisingly well. I caught myself giggling in my helmet. Im used to bigger cc bikes, and this was a blast

The few things I did notice:
  • Clutch is toast. I need to replace it.
  • I think it needs dual discs up front. Ive been doing my homework and will be doing the swap
  • I need to put new cables on it. There is so much freeplay in the throttlecable (about 40* of throttle turn)
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Nice. Yea if youre using a dyno then youre getting superior results for sure. I definitely have more fun on this bike than my bigger bikes. Its nice to run some gears out on the backroad twisties and keep it under 50mph. New cables make a nice difference in feel, lubing them does too. I always thought that the throttles were purposely designed to have a long pull? as a means for safety. Im easily pulling as much as you are. My RD is a 1/4 turn throttle its very fast.
 
yours looks great.

I am likely going to go the route of an xs400 rotor, with xs750 calipers and brackets. Im thinking a radial MC.
A huge part of my issue is the forks, they are bottoming out when I just look at the bike, haha. Some 20wt oil and Progressive springs will happen at the same time as the brakes.
 
Progressive offered 2 different spring rates when I purchased mine. I cant find the part # for the other set.

Progressive #11-1115 is what I have. Dennis Kirk has a set, which surprises me. I cannot remember if these were the firmer springs or just the firm ones but they sure did help with front end sag and brake dive. If Im not mistaken I used SAE30 wt oil.
 
It's funny that I have heard some people with this issue over the years. I have five of these bikes and they all still have stock setup forks with stock 20wt oil in them. I have never had any problems with "bottoming out" forks or any type of sag. I have weighed as little as 140 lbs and as much as 190 lbs ( without gear/clothes) and its never happened under any normal riding. If I sit on the bike and hold the front brake then push really hard it will compress a lot but not bottom out. Maybe people are using the front brake too hard? Maybe it's just me.
 
When I rebuilt my front end I added 20mm spacer to each for leg, works really well, especially with Hagen shocks on rear. did exactly the same with Ducati monster 900 and triumph Daytona (73). Always just reduces the sag at the front, and with these bikes is dead easy to do. Don’t even need to take the forks off.
 
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