Recent content by xs400newbie

Ah good to know. Thanks!

Well, I managed to get the lever action closer to the handlebars. I think it's ok now.

Hey all, I took the xs400 out yesterday for it's first shake down run after installing new tires and doing some maintenance over the winter months. All is well but I need to adjust the rear brake and the clutch. The issue is that the clutch is disengaging right near the end of the lever travel...

The ol' gal was fitted with new tires, which had not been done in over 25 years!! I did some work over the winter and she's ready to hit the road. Bike has spent the last 25 years mostly in a garage. Aim to change that this year. Started up with first push of the starter button after winter...

Boy do I feel foolish. Thanks guys. The pilot jets are nice and snug now and I've located the idle mixture screws.

Sorry, snug them tight? Don't these have to be about 2 turns from snug? I find the pilot jet moves a bit too easily when I turn them, and I suspect vibrations will cause issues with them backing out.

Hey guys, The pilot jets in my carb are a bit loose, and vibration has cause one of them to back out a bit. Is it ok to use a thread lock/sealant on these? If so, what is recommened? Any alternatives? These are new pilot jets, recently installed. Thanks!

Yes, that's partly what I figured, and thanks for the detailed write up. In truth, I wasn't so much interested in track performance, but wanted to be sure there wasn't a safety issue. I don't want to spend a ton of money on this bike, and just want to have some fun cruising some country roads. I...

The front brake is quite sensitive, so perhaps adjusting it some will limit the nose diving. I will take a video of what I'm experiencing. I don't have much experience riding, but I still believe the suspension should be stiffer.

I haven't had the forks bottom out, but a touch of the front brake and you get significant diving. Maybe the stock setup is just crap? How much more oil should I try first? I hear some sloshing around when I push down on the suspension. Not sure if that means anything.When you say get the...

We've had this bike for 25 years and I can say that the suspension has always been like this. Since it's spent most of it's life in the garage, I never looked into it. Now I'd like to get this thing on the road. Should I try adding a bit more oil before I go to 30w? I measured precisely 142cc's...

Hey guys, I recently changed out the fork oil in my 81 xs400 and the suspension is still very soft. The springs look fine. They stick out the top considerably and took quite a bit of force to compress them. I used 20w synthetic fork oil, as recommended, and filled the forks with 142cc's, as...

PM sent. :)

I have the "buckhorns" on my bike. I'm 5'11 and have back problems, but I find the handlebars and seat position make it an overall comfortable bike to ride.

So I pulled the carbs. Right side main jet completely clogged and left side partially clogged. Float height seems to be 19mm. Remember these are the plastic floats. I read somewhere that it should be around 22mm? Can someone confirm?