my fist attempt at a custom 80 xs400

[new kid on the brat]

well like it say,s this is my first so i'm gonna learn a lot!! and isn't a bobber that retains it's suspension called a brat?

so this is what i brought home.
and the second picture is after i put the hack job back together to make sure it all worked!

fortunately it did and i rode it most of last summer!!

 

[new kid on the brat]

i have been hitting it pretty hard the last couple weeks and this is what i have so far!

i would like to clean up the electrical and put on some pod filters, does anyone know what jetting is normal for a pod filter upgrade?

what size battery do people use for a kickstart only system?

 

[southTxs400]

Hey, like the bike! Im fairly new to the forum as well as bikes but i have an 81 xs400 . Im looking to put pod filters on my bike too, I just need to learn about rejetting the carbs and stuff. I noticed that your bike manages to maintain most of its original with a few hacks to alter its look. I like it! Being new to bikes and all, im trying to figure out what i can do to my bike to alter it, without having to weld many things because i dont have the know-how lol. Im also on a low budget. How much would you say that u spent getting your bike to the stage its at? I also like the solo seat! Is that directly welded to the frame? sorry if thats a stupid question lol but like i said any advice helps! thanks i appreciate suggestions.

 

[ahale2772]

you dont need much of a battery for a kickstart system, there is advice floating around that for every decent mod to the engine increase a jets size... freee flowing muffleres go to one 145's, free flowing mufflers and pods...got to 147.5's ...get it? I cant say its that much of a definite system but with some adjustments it should get you in the ballpark

 

[bcware]

I would take your carbs apart and confirm jet size by inspecting the parts you already have because the sizes vary so much from year to year. They are going to be off when you jet them, so you may as well clean and inspect them ahead of time.

For pods and a freer flowing muffler I have heard 2 sizes up on the mains and 1 size up on the pilot is working well. I have pods and mufflers that don't muffle much of anything so I ordered a few sizes; 2 and 3 sizes up on the mains and 1 and 2 sizes up for the pilots. Your slide needle may need to be raised a notch (lower clip to raise or shim with a washer for a half notch). The parts should be in today, but it may be a little while before I get around to installing everything.

I bought a 4 pound agm battery from walmart for $30 (it's quite small) and I have spent over an hour at times kicking it over without emptying it, but I keep it on a smart trickle charger.

Once your bike is running well and it isn't too cold out (depending on your location) I bet you could get away with something significantly smaller.

 

[new kid on the brat]

thanx southtxs. i really have practicaly nothing into the mods so far! my buddy had the alluminum streen sign "lol" the seat springs are from an old bicycle seat. a gate hinge from the hardware store "kind of a fancy one" i cut the springs for my shocks doubled the rubber bumpers to soften the blow when it bottoms out cuz it's only got about an inch of travel before it bottoms!! rolled the rear fender forward. choped the fram off and welded some mounts on. removed the front fender,threw on some dirtbike bars and...... oh yah i also flipped the headlight mounts over to drop the light about three inches. i think the hinge and some front blinkers are all the out of pocket expense so far.

 

[new kid on the brat]

ahale2772. thanks that's a good base line for jetting. cool way to put it!! iv'e worked on enough car carbs to know how atmosphere can efect them also!! do they need adjusted for altitude also...like if i ride from 500 feet 4500 feet?

 

[new kid on the brat]

hey bcware. ive been chasing your thread.you have learned a lot about carbs and timing. lol. it was nice to hear it run finaly!!! i will check on that battery idea.... we have a place here called "the battery store" i'm going to see what they have!! i would like to hear a video of your new pipes when you get done..

 

[new kid on the brat]

so i scored some parts today whoopie!!! a local salvage yard went out of business and is clearing the land!! got a killer deal!! whatcha think?

 

[drewpy]

those parts look useful

 

[staycryptic]

Woah! Where did your stock seat go? Still have it around?

 

[ahale2772]

whats that tank off of? looks nice.

 

[southTxs400]

Im pretty sure thats the stock tank just stripped of the emblems.

 

[ahale2772]

well it still looks nice, looks retro with the faded paint, not bad looking tanks IMO, if they were not as wide they would be even better

 

[new kid on the brat]

wow I havn't posted my own thread for a while. been kinda busy with buying a house work is getting busy! anyway i put my exhaust on and then a week latter i got around to finishing my blinkers and tailight. yipee i can ride again.

then i went to my buddy's house for a short ride and found he had some pod filters he took off of an xs650 " apparently round filters are smaller than oval filters and round ones don't work on xs650's.

so i put them on my bike and now it's not running so well!! jets are required !!!!!

so with pods, a 2 into one header and a straight through slip on. Do you think one size up on the pilot jets and three sizes up on the mains.

right now i have

135 mains
42.5 pilots
155 airjets

 

[new kid on the brat]

and yes that is the stock tank. hard to find anything else that fits that stupid frame design. i'll have to butcher that later,lol.

 

[bcware]

I am currently running 2 up on the pilot and 3 up on the main with emgo shortys and pod filters. It looks like I am running real rich and flooding a bit. I need to adjust the float height before I can say whether or not the jets are the right size! Unfortunately I don't have a lot of time until my big entrance exam at the end of the month is over and done with. You may beat me to the punch.

 

[new kid on the brat]

thanks bc ware i knew i could count on you for carb info..have you ridden your bike on the street yet? two up on the pilots seems like a lot, but if these bike are under jetted from the factory then maybe not.

thats why i was guessing 3 up on the mains. i would rather run rich than to lean.

 

[bcware]

I think my sporadic flooding is making it difficult to determine whether my jets are right. I have only ridden it in my neighborhood in low gear; it pulls really hard, but then bogs down and stumbles at times. This is my first bike, so by pulling hard I mean it throws me back hard enough to where I feel like I actually need to get low and hang on tight.

Once it gets warmed up my idle increases by a few hundred rpms and it doesn't seem to want to come down. I was constantly pulling the plugs and cleaning them; lots of carbon/soot being deposited. When I went to start it up the other day I couldn't and found some wet plugs (definitely gas). So, it looks like I am probably flooding. I don't know if the plug fouling is due to the flooding or just large jets. The rate at which it eats gas, though I have not been keeping track, is making me lean towards flooding as the main issue.

I also have a 2 up main and 1 up pilot in the garage. So, if I have the time I will mess around with the different sizes.

 

[new kid on the brat]

have you synchronised your carb in any way. i know that makes a huge diference. get your butterfly's matched and then match your idle circuits. throttle response will be amasing!!! then try letting it idle for a while and then pull your plugs to see if it looks too rich. a good box fan will keep it cool while you do this.