Joe's XS400 Heritage classic custom build!

[Telecasterjoey]

Hey all, I've been looking at this site for a while now... Tons of useful info and an all round good vibe.

I recently picked up an 82' heritage special, after a lot of debating with myself lol I'm gonna build a simple, clean cafe'ish xs! I've got so many ideas and inspiration from all of your bikes.

I'll be updating this thread as much as possible and would love some input and questions answered haha.


I'm looking to delete the stock harness and wire up a new simple and clean harness, much like Drewpy's FAQ thread.

I've been looking at the wiring diagrams in the FAQ section and have a fairly good idea how I'm going to wire this sucker the only difference I can find is I've got electronic ignition and most of the diagrams show points style systems.
Does anyone have a simple diagram for a bike with the ignition module, rectifier, regulator, no electric start and simple light circuits?

Lots to figure out, but I've got time there's still a lot of snow on the ground!

So far I've just done some disassembly and frame tidying up, Gonna have to run a battery (I'd rather not) but as far as I know they don't make the alternator mod for the 400's

The black & red complete bike I posted is the style I'd like to achieve (hope the original poster doesn't mind) and the wiring diagram is what i'd be aiming for as well....

I bought the bike in pieces and the original owner hacked the rear of the frame off, so i'll have to get creative with some fabricating. I mocked up a wood seat just to aid in the fabrication process.

Thanks a lot!

 

[16VGTIDave]

Welcome! Another member from Ontario! We seem to have an abundance of XS's around.

Looks like you have a virtually blank canvas to work with. I can't help much with your wiring as I've been adding to the harness rather than removing. That said, rather than feeding power to the coils and grounding through the points as shown in the diagram you posted, you will be feeding the TCI module and the coils, with the TCI module providing the ground for the coils. The triggers are connected to the TCI module. You should be able to reuse much of the stock wiring to do this.

 

[Telecasterjoey]

Thanks for the info! There seem to be lots of Ontario guys in here!

 

[Telecasterjoey]

I'm working on my wiring diagram now ill take a pic later maybe someone could help me fill in a few blanks!

Thanks again

 

[Telecasterjoey]

Welp I've got my wiring diagram drawn out, well at least for the engine anyways......
It would be awesome if you guys could chime in and lemme know where I screwed up lol
I based it off the simple digram I posted above, and then figured out the Ignition module from this factory diagram I found online. Mushed the two diagrams together and this is what I get lol...

also did some more fabricating, made the pan I'm going to mount under the seat between the frame rails for my electronics and the cross braces to support my new rear section. Feeling confident!

I'm guessing that the coils ground out through the frame! Also wondering, prolly a dumb question, but when you have wires intersecting at a "T" Where to you tie them together? At the last component? Ie. in my little diagram, there's red wire that comes out of the rectifier and ties into the positive battery wire, where do I actually tie them together? At the battery?, I'm not master electrician but I'm sure you wouldn't "T" them....... I'm a visual guy I hate wiring diagrams!

Bare with me lol!

Thanks!

 

[Telecasterjoey]

Gonna be a busy weekend, but I'm gonna try and find time to start wiring!
Gonna try to write up a spreadsheet of all my materials and pick em up on my way home.

any wiring advice or tips would be much appreciated!

Thanks!

 

[Telecasterjoey]

Didn't get started on the wiring yet, but I got my rear frame piece bent. I came straight home and got it all welded up few more welds and the frame is done!

Picked up a bunch of wiring supplies too!

More pics soon..

 

[ksqrly]

Yay I want to see pics!!!

 

[Telecasterjoey]

Here's my fabricated rear end section!

Gotta weld on one or two more braces, clean it up and paint it.
Won't let me upload more than one pic at a time on my phone, and it's sideways lol

 

[Telecasterjoey]

Here's one more

 

[Telecasterjoey]

Nother update, got the frame cleaned up and welded, tabs ground off and electronics tray built. Just assembyled the bike and wired it up. Started right up. Super simple wiring right now, I read drewpys wiring thread daily lol.

I'm gonna finish mocking up the fenders, tear it back apart, and finish up all the welding.

I don't think she's charging properly though, I'm gonna have to investigate a bit further into that.

Also it only fires on one cylinder when idling meaning the right side carb idle circuit is still dirty ( I completely disassembled and cleaned em but guess it wasn't good enough).


I think that's it for now, ill try and get some pics up.

 

[Telecasterjoey]

Here's a pic

 

[Telecasterjoey]

And another

Phone won't let me post em together.

 

[xschris]

Looks good

 

[Telecasterjoey]

So its been almost a year since the last update, I've done a lot of work to it, as well as lots of changes.

last summer I got it all tuned up and running well, built simple wiring harnesses for the engine, now just adding the final touches wiring up lights and getting it to look how I want.

Picked up lots of little parts, mini horn, bronze swingarm bushings, drag bars, exhaust gaskets, petcock (old one leaked like crazy), all new brake switches, new mufflers ect.

I'd like to have a nice seat upholstered and maybe rearsets.

I wasn't happy with the way the rear hoop looked so I shortened it by 5'' haha.
I changed the dirtbike bars out for some drag bars shortened the seat and picked off all the little things one by one to get it ready for the road.

Next step is get my safety done and then wait for nice weather.

here are some pics of the progress and changes.

 

[Telecasterjoey]

Here's a few more of how it sits now.

Also took off my clutch cover to look at the kick start guts. The odd time it doesn't engage and slips but I think its due to not giving that little line up before I give it the kick. I'm always cautious to not karate kick the thing cause I've seen dirtbike kickstarters break, but I took the cover off just to be sure.

 

[bcware]

Mine sort of does the same thing when kicking it over. Occasionally it doesn't seem to engage but otherwise seems to work perfectly.

I like the roughed up tank paint job better than the original.

 

[Jones]

Whats up with that simple wiring diagram? Im almost to that stage and would appreciate the help.