Where to 1978 XS400 find parts in Australia ?? plus other questions

[butterbeats]

Questions For XS400 ers??

1. Where can you get parts within Australia?

2. Is it normal for this 1978 xs400 to have a screw connection at the end of the throttle cable where it attaches to pulley, mine does?? Cannot see throttle cable or ending pictured anywhere in the manual. I see in the official manual diagram 4.5c shows one end... and it does not look like mine...?? Replacement ordered anyway. Frayed and weird.

3. Where the wiring connects to the rear brake mechanism on the right hand side near brake pedal, I have one brown wires attached and one brown wire spare. One brown wire does not seem to attach anywhere... ??? Was hidden behind black electrical tape. Rear light works, brake light doesnt. I assume its related. New brake mechanism ordered, but would love some insight.

4. the engine has a silver like paint lightly cracking in places is that genuine or has someone along the way tried in their way tied it up??

thanks

Butter Beats

 

[Greasey Fingers]

the motors did have a coating, so it may be genuine. Hard to see from your photo...

 

[BBS360]

1. Don't know. Most shop online/eBay, no matter where they are in the world.

2. Doesn't sound stock but I'm not 100% sure what you're describing. Is there a pulley on the carbs? Picture?

3. Sounds like the previous owner disconnected it. Check out the wiring diagrams in the manual (available on the forum, top of the page).

4. Probably stock. It could be stripped and redone if you really want to but it's probably not necessary.

 

[butterbeats]

Here is a picture of the end of the throttle cable.... little wonder it would not fit into the carbie end properly.... I do not think it came out of the factory with a screw adjust throttle end.

I just finished cleaning the existing tank with vinegar and than flushing with baking soda to get rid of acid... followed by distilled water flush out... drying and and then a little coating of oil on the inside of the tank to stop flash rusting. Hopefully I did not mess too much with the petcock. Surprising how much rust comes out. Next tank I will try molasses.

Still waiting for some new old stock to turn up from the States and the UK. New throttle cable, new throttle grip.... couple of carbie tubes that need replacing.... waiting 3 weeks almost no sign...hate Ebay for this reason.... bloody posties.....

I just got a secondhand replacement petrol tank for free (check flix) today from a dealer down the Gold Coast/ Robina by the name of Peter Mercer. A rather knowledgeable chap, ex racer from the UK and seemed damn helpful too.... helped out with the replacement plates and tail piece and secondhand throttle cable $200 AUD, then another $50 for some nice tail indicators... short stem black.. supposedly bright as. Find out tomorrow night. I always prefer to buy in person. Half the fun of these projects is the characters you meet.

Got these parts as I hope to clean them up and repaint them to put onto my bike. Clean the original plates then and add some colour appropriate details. Race number etc.
I will eventually take off the original tail indicator lights and replace them with the sleeker racier numbers I got from Peter.

Next to find a seat to rebuilt....

 

[norrie]

SNAP!

Hope to get this back and registered tomorrow. I got my parts online from all over the place. Nothing here in Oz. Got lucky with a newly recovered seat from New Church Moto via a nice chap in Portland for $40 on eBay. I feel your pain with the post but after 3 weeks I have almost all of it now. Just waiting on a new set of Dunlop K81s to show up from QLD.

Good luck with yours mate!

 

[butterbeats]

Norrie,

really like what you did with your bike. Clean and real simple styling but it says it all... without going overboard. Kind of what I want to do with mine. What are the Handle bars??



thank Butter Beats

 

[norrie]

Thanks mate. Just a set of clip-ons. This is how I bought the bike. I was planning on doing some more cosmetic mods with a different tank and seat but I like the look of it now. Not sure if I'll mod further or not now.

 

[butterbeats]

Got a new Brake Light switch for the Rear from Yambits in the UK. Professional service with well packaged parts and good simple communication/ invoice/ returns policy.

Pictured here is the old rear brake switch which had the loop at bottom broken. The Yambits replacement spring (pictured next to old switch) was too short by 2 inches. I simply swapped the old spring with the new and the switch activates. Someone modified the existing wiring so I am slowly working thru that unfolding scenario...