Hello All,
first post. Picked up a xs400 for $200, not running, but had heard it run a few years ago. Came with a spare (junk) engine and boxes of parts. I'm not new to bikes, but haven't had a dedicated street bike. I've owned a few dual sports and dirt bikes over the years...random stuff; sp250, ts185, dr350, tl125, etc...a few old bikes that have all been fun. I prefer the older stuff, or can afford it, one or the other. Still have the tl for a woods bike, it's as reliable as a hammer and is real fun on the trails around here. Maybe not as fun as some more modern bikes, but 6hp can still make a guy smile after a day of trail riding without breaking anything
The goal for the project is to just have a decent running reliable bike, built with very little money. I'm not sure what style it fits, but we'll see. I like trackers, but this will transform over a long time likely. Just want to get it together this summer and start from there.
started like this:
I got it home and started making a list of the issues, and parts needed. It's rough, but savable. Had compression and I got all the lights working, etc...so started messing with it. Took the carbs apart and while working on those I got into other things as well.
cut the rear portion of the frame off, since seems like the thing to do. Then took the stock fender and shorted it significantly
Welded up some small tabs to plug the cut frame tubes and hold $8 turns
and cut the factory seat all up and wasn't excited about it in the end, so started to work on a new seat pan now. Using some 1/2" square tubing to start
I got it running too. Carbs still need work, just did a quick job to make sure this thing was going to be worth the effort. Seems healthy enough, so time to get it ride worthy. Plan is to focus on all the safety and reliability thing, then make it my own on the cheap. This forum has a lot of good stuff on it, happy to find it and see some bikes for inspiration and pick the brains of those with a whole lot more knowledge than I have about these bikes
first post. Picked up a xs400 for $200, not running, but had heard it run a few years ago. Came with a spare (junk) engine and boxes of parts. I'm not new to bikes, but haven't had a dedicated street bike. I've owned a few dual sports and dirt bikes over the years...random stuff; sp250, ts185, dr350, tl125, etc...a few old bikes that have all been fun. I prefer the older stuff, or can afford it, one or the other. Still have the tl for a woods bike, it's as reliable as a hammer and is real fun on the trails around here. Maybe not as fun as some more modern bikes, but 6hp can still make a guy smile after a day of trail riding without breaking anything
The goal for the project is to just have a decent running reliable bike, built with very little money. I'm not sure what style it fits, but we'll see. I like trackers, but this will transform over a long time likely. Just want to get it together this summer and start from there.
started like this:
I got it home and started making a list of the issues, and parts needed. It's rough, but savable. Had compression and I got all the lights working, etc...so started messing with it. Took the carbs apart and while working on those I got into other things as well.
cut the rear portion of the frame off, since seems like the thing to do. Then took the stock fender and shorted it significantly
Welded up some small tabs to plug the cut frame tubes and hold $8 turns
and cut the factory seat all up and wasn't excited about it in the end, so started to work on a new seat pan now. Using some 1/2" square tubing to start
I got it running too. Carbs still need work, just did a quick job to make sure this thing was going to be worth the effort. Seems healthy enough, so time to get it ride worthy. Plan is to focus on all the safety and reliability thing, then make it my own on the cheap. This forum has a lot of good stuff on it, happy to find it and see some bikes for inspiration and pick the brains of those with a whole lot more knowledge than I have about these bikes