Buyer Advice?

[Celtic67]

Hi all,

I'm hoping to go and see a 77 XS400 soon. I had been looking at a 2 stroke like an RD but saw this XS and liked the look of it. Are there any issues specific to the XS that I should look out for? I'm not bothered about going too quick, I ride a couple of old Brit bikes and a Yam Fazer at the moment.

Anyone know what parts availability is like in the UK?

 

[Celtic67]

Forget about what to look for, I left a deposit today & will pick it up tomorrow.

Of course, any advice on where to get parts in the UK would still be useful!

 

[BBS360]

Ebay will be your #1 source.
http://yambits.co.uk might have some pieces.
Haven't bought from them myself but cmsnl.com is on your side of the planet.

 

[Celtic67]

Thanks, I'll have a look at those. Already looking for a fork cap, one of them fell off on the way home. Grr!

Right, I'll try to upload a few pics.

 

[levdir]

That is a very nice-looking XS. Well-sorted all around. Make sure you put a fuel filter in-line between the petcock and the carb.

 

[Scorpio1963]

Nice find did the po do a restore or has it just been kept in imaculant condition?

 

[xschris]

Nice resto mod.

 

[Celtic67]

Thanks for the advice of a filter, I hadn't thought about adding one, but I'll pick one up.

The PO has done a few bits & pieces, but a lot is original. Photos don't show the odd blemish, but overall I think it's in the excellent condition that he described it as.

 

[BBS360]

I don't think I've ever seen that Yamaha name plate between the exhaust port before.
Is this something stock bikes ever came with or something unique the PO added?

 

[xschris]

It's not a stock item. Looks like the p.o. changed the rear shocks, mufflers, headlight ears, horn and added front fork protectors. Plus a few yamaha logos and blacked out engine parts and a few other bits. Like I said a nice resto-mod

 

[Celtic67]

I did think the black engine was non-standard.

PO supplied the original shocks & headlight, they just need tidying up. The current headlight is a larger one off an RD. The silencers are new, I'm not sure if the 78 model should have megaphones.

As mentioned, one of the fork caps came off as I took it home on a trailer. The remaining one is a strange-looking thing. Asked the PO about it & he says it's a from B&Q (UK DIY shop), presumably a cupboard door handle. Looks OK, but I've ordered some plain black plastic caps that will hopefully fit.

I have to admit, I'm quite taken with the look of it.

 

[XS400NJ]

Nice bike! Previous owner deserves a thank you card - he took a good care of it.

 

[xschris]

This is what a stock one looks like. Nice stock parts are getting very hard to find.