dmarkey
XS400 Member
Hello, and thanks for checking out my thread. I purchased a 1977 XS400 today, which I pick up on Thursday. It's in great shape, with 11k miles, and clearly maintained by the original owner for the first 30+ years as well as by the current owner.
Back in December of 2013 I purchased a 1976 Honda CB750F SuperSport as a project bike. At that point I had never ridden a motorcycle, but had known for years that I wanted a cafe racer project. I've owned and modified a bunch of cars over the last 15 years since I started driving, but I've always been intrigued by motorcycles. I chose to take the Motorcycle Safety Foundation training course at my local community college, and after passing it this weekend I knew I couldn't wait to finish the CB750 before I start riding.
The search began for a bike with enough power to haul my 6'2" 230lb self around; but not so much that I'd push my luck as a beginner. I figured the CB750 will end up with some power adders, and at this point looks like it will have shed 30lbs or more, so it will offer the extra power when and if I desire that.
I found a ton of local bikes within my $1,200-2,000 budget, but even the Craigslist descriptions and pictures were enough to rule out most of them. The short list included a CB360, another CB750, a BMW K75, and the XS400. The guy selling it sounded like an honest guy, and after seeing it I knew it would be the best bike for my money. The condition isn't perfect, but is very good for a bike that is 37 years old. Other than a slight fade to the paint, some typical metal/chrome finish aging, and a couple of minor revisions, it's a very nice stock bike.
So now you're wondering what the plan will be. For now, very little. I want to use this bike to get comfortable riding while working on the CB750. I do, however, see the potential for this platform. The small, narrow body of this bike is so well suited to making it a great bike for the curves, and there will be some changes made to improve upon that character of the bike. After I get comfortable with it, I plan on doing the standard cafe treatment of clip ons, a small single seat, rear sets, intake, exhaust, and some other odds and ends. I may end up painting the tank, but for now I love the look.
For now, the only photos I have are from the seller. Once I pick it up I'll try to get some better shots and to start documenting any changes. Thanks for listening, and if you're in my area pleas let me know so we can get together. I'd love to ride with some experienced riders, and to learn more about the bike.
Back in December of 2013 I purchased a 1976 Honda CB750F SuperSport as a project bike. At that point I had never ridden a motorcycle, but had known for years that I wanted a cafe racer project. I've owned and modified a bunch of cars over the last 15 years since I started driving, but I've always been intrigued by motorcycles. I chose to take the Motorcycle Safety Foundation training course at my local community college, and after passing it this weekend I knew I couldn't wait to finish the CB750 before I start riding.
The search began for a bike with enough power to haul my 6'2" 230lb self around; but not so much that I'd push my luck as a beginner. I figured the CB750 will end up with some power adders, and at this point looks like it will have shed 30lbs or more, so it will offer the extra power when and if I desire that.
I found a ton of local bikes within my $1,200-2,000 budget, but even the Craigslist descriptions and pictures were enough to rule out most of them. The short list included a CB360, another CB750, a BMW K75, and the XS400. The guy selling it sounded like an honest guy, and after seeing it I knew it would be the best bike for my money. The condition isn't perfect, but is very good for a bike that is 37 years old. Other than a slight fade to the paint, some typical metal/chrome finish aging, and a couple of minor revisions, it's a very nice stock bike.
So now you're wondering what the plan will be. For now, very little. I want to use this bike to get comfortable riding while working on the CB750. I do, however, see the potential for this platform. The small, narrow body of this bike is so well suited to making it a great bike for the curves, and there will be some changes made to improve upon that character of the bike. After I get comfortable with it, I plan on doing the standard cafe treatment of clip ons, a small single seat, rear sets, intake, exhaust, and some other odds and ends. I may end up painting the tank, but for now I love the look.
For now, the only photos I have are from the seller. Once I pick it up I'll try to get some better shots and to start documenting any changes. Thanks for listening, and if you're in my area pleas let me know so we can get together. I'd love to ride with some experienced riders, and to learn more about the bike.
I struggled a little due to inexperience, but mostly because it was sputtering a lot at anything under 3k RPM. Not a big deal, as I felt comfortable with the power and response between 4-5k anyway. It did leave me having to rev it anytime I stopped so that it wouldn't stall, because it was tough to get it to restart with the low RPM issues as well. Starting in first required being at 3K or more to keep it from bogging down, but once I got going it did fine. 
