newbie here, how much is needed and what's a good brand of fork oil?

[81xs400s]

Hello there,

I'm new to the street bike riding and just about to have my 81 xs400 almost done being fabricated. I got my license, insurance, and riding gear, just need my bike lol!

oh here's a little intro:
25yr old living in SoCal, been riding offroad for 7yrs. Gearhead since i can remember, been restoring an old muscle car. It's in pieces right now lol!

This'll be my first street bike, picked it up for $400 not running. Had to clean the carbs twice but it did the charm and had it roaring and idling good! Hopefully ill be riding my bike by the end of this week. And as the title says, what amount is needed in each fork and what's a good brand of fork oil?

here's a pic of how i bought it

 

[81xs400s]

 

[hmusket]

Welcome to the forum. Good to have a running bike.
From the tech section: View attachment 3882
Check out page 6 of the PDF, should answer your question.

Just looked at the picture of your bike, do you have air filters, plan on using pods?

 

[81xs400s]

thanks a bunch, still trying to get used to this website and posting threads & pics.

I'm gonna use the pod filters from k&n, the 54mm diameter X 3in long. The carb openings are 55mm but they slipped on, might have to buy bigger clamps but they work! I've turned it into a brat style bobber.

ill post up the most recent pics of its progress that i have. Its almost done just needs to be wired up and have the engine up to specs

 

[hmusket]

Quite a different looking bike from up in your first post. You sure work fast! Sweet looking, nice design, looks like quality fabrication also. Since you're going to be running pods you might want to go through carb tuning posts on this forum, plus look at the BS34 carb guide in the tech section, it was imported from the XS650 site.

 

[81xs400s]

haha yeah big time! Actually i bought the bike in feb. got the papers fixed first. Then made sure it ran. I then used my tax return money to hire a bud to do the fab work for me in late march, he builds hardtails for a living and he did a great job on his first brat style. We both had ideas and put them together, in all it came out better than i thought it would lol! Definitely will thanks again. Gonna be running open exhaust too

 

[frwinks]

nice tube werk that's going to look sick
how bout a pic of that baja truck

 

[HoughMade]

As for fork oil, I use motor oil as suggested by the manual. I use 15w40 and i don't think brand matter at all. No complaints so far. For your '81- 142cc (4.8 oz).

 

[drewpy]

I use fuchs 20w oil,

sick looking bike bud

 

[81xs400s]

thanks fellas! Digging this website, lots of great information to be used! ill see if i can get some pics of the prerunner toyota frwinks, that thing is no joke! Has a secured center ice chest holder in the back seats lol!

Ill post more pics of my bike asap! Lots of powdercoating done on it!

 

[01ps]

I used fork oil the first time but it rode like crap, so I put atf in it the next time and it rides great.