bcXS400-81
XS400 Enthusiast
Hey all,
Thought I'd start a thread to introduce myself and maybe follow a bit of my build(s) as they progress. I recently picked up 2 1981 XS400's for really cheap, one runs but doesn't charge and the other isn't running but is basically complete. I come from a sportbike background and don't have much experience with motorcycle mechanics other than just general maintenance. I've been wanting to pick up an older bike, specifically an XS650 or XS400 for a while as I've really been inspired by some of the bikes by Gravel Crew, Wrenchmonkees and Brat Style. So thats going to be the theme of my builds.
It looks like there's quite a knowledge base here, so I'm looking forward to learning from all of you.
I have a couple quick questions off the bat;
First, whats the best source of parts for these bikes? They obviously don't have the following or support that the XS650's have, so I've heard parts are hard to come by.
Secondly, how reliable are these bikes? I've heard pretty mixed reviews so I'm hoping I haven't bit off more than I can chew in adding 2 of these things to my garage.
I'm hoping to begin the teardown on the running(ish) bike soon and try and diagnose the charging issue. I've got the Haynes manual, which details a pretty decent diagnosis procedure for the charging system, but any other tips or tricks are greatly appreciated.
Thanks Guys!
Thought I'd start a thread to introduce myself and maybe follow a bit of my build(s) as they progress. I recently picked up 2 1981 XS400's for really cheap, one runs but doesn't charge and the other isn't running but is basically complete. I come from a sportbike background and don't have much experience with motorcycle mechanics other than just general maintenance. I've been wanting to pick up an older bike, specifically an XS650 or XS400 for a while as I've really been inspired by some of the bikes by Gravel Crew, Wrenchmonkees and Brat Style. So thats going to be the theme of my builds.
It looks like there's quite a knowledge base here, so I'm looking forward to learning from all of you.
I have a couple quick questions off the bat;
First, whats the best source of parts for these bikes? They obviously don't have the following or support that the XS650's have, so I've heard parts are hard to come by.
Secondly, how reliable are these bikes? I've heard pretty mixed reviews so I'm hoping I haven't bit off more than I can chew in adding 2 of these things to my garage.
I'm hoping to begin the teardown on the running(ish) bike soon and try and diagnose the charging issue. I've got the Haynes manual, which details a pretty decent diagnosis procedure for the charging system, but any other tips or tricks are greatly appreciated.
Thanks Guys!