First time bike buyer–should I buy this '81?

burr · Apr 10, 2017

Hey everyone,

Just got my M2 license here in Ontario and looking at bikes. Whatever I buy will be my first bike purchase ever!! Just looked at a bike I think has a lot of potential… a 1981 Yamaha XS400. I'm adding about 40+ pictures for you experts to let me know what you think. Hopefully you can give me some advice:

Should I buy this one, or pass on it?
Is it a fair price? If not, what I should pay for it?
What are the major replacement parts I'll need to/should be replacing first?

Key things you should know:
The seller will take $600 Canadian.
the bike has about 14,500 miles (it was originally from NY state).
It was certified last year (says the seller). He's had it for the past 3 years, and selling because he has another project bike (Which i saw, story checks out). A small bonus is that the seller has an extra salvaged engine that he'll throw in for free. VIN number checks out.

When i went to view the bike, it started very easily with the electronic starter from a cold start.
Didn't try the kick starter. The seller also said the cylinders have good compression (140/138 psi). He took apart the carbs and they were especially clean. However the exhaust and seat are in pretty rough shape.

Enough talk though… here's the pics. Any advice would be wonderful! Thanks in advance.

burr · Apr 10, 2017

Here's the full bike in its Barney-coloured glory (gross, but whatever).

Tyler Shiells · Apr 11, 2017

I'm in Manitoba and if that bike starts and is mechanically sounds as the owner says $600 is definitely worth while price for your first steed!

If you are getting it saftied, make sure the turn signals work, horn honks, reflectors are on both sides of the bike, bars aren't bent. Visually see if there is still some meat left on the brake pads. License plate light works. High beam works.

As far as replacement parts you might need right away. Oil change and filter. Battery. Check the sproket for wear, see how much chain adjusting you have left. See if the air filters are clean. Tire tread left. Forks seals. Any oil leaks.

Overall $600 sounds fair to me. Especially with a parts motor.

burr · Apr 11, 2017

Thanks Tyler!
They are drum brakes so i'd have to take them apart to check the life left on them…
On the good side

All the electronics seemed to work (I didn't check to see if there was a license plate light, i didn't even know there was such a thing)
Filters seemed clean enough to not require replacement
No major oil leaks noticeable (the engine did have *some* viscous black grime on it on the left side, but nothing leaking onto the ground. Could that be oil? Check this new picture i just uploaded.

On the bad side:

Battery will be needed! Thinking a Lithium Ion rather than Lead Acid. Any specific model recommendations? If it makes a difference, the bike will be parked outside.
The seller welded the exhaust pipes pretty poorly, and there's quite substantial rust on the connecting part between the two tailpipes. Should i buy an OEM part for this? They seem expensive (~$325). Do you have experience replacing exhaust pipes? All advice welcome.
Fork has some very light oil marks, and the seals are cracked. It could be in better condition, but I have it on good authority that this is not an immediately necessary/urgent fix. Any thoughts regarding the shape of this bike? Check the picture I just uploaded now

Again, THANK YOU!

xschris · Apr 11, 2017

Looks like lot of little things that will need work. Those type air filters are crap, get a set of stock air boxes and H-pipe put back on the bike if you get it. I would say a bike like that around me would be a $400-500 bike if everything works and it has a good title.

Tyler Shiells · Apr 11, 2017

I would just get a standard acid battery if your not changing any electrical.

You could wrap the headers and replace the mufflers. Much cheaper.

And those are just dust covers on the forks. The seals are underneath.

NewHavenMike · Apr 11, 2017

Honestly, if you're not mechanically inclined I'd pass on it.. You just got your bike license, do you really want to waste time tinkering with a bunch of old rusted parts?

Wouldn't you rather just be able to get on the bike and ride it without having to worry about anything?

That bike is "just good enough to run" project.. it needs another safe bet of $400 in parts to go..

BBS360 · Apr 11, 2017

Ditto what Mike said above. It IS a pretty good price for a running xs400 in Canada.
But for the first while you'll spend more time wrenching than you will riding.

Rusted mufflers will need replacing soon. That'll mean aftermarket mufflers that will necessitate carb rejetting, complicated by the filters that xchris mentioned. Could be a long process right there to get it running nicely.

SoraXS400 · Apr 11, 2017

NewHavenMike said:
Honestly, if you're not mechanically inclined I'd pass on it.. You just got your bike license, do you really want to waste time tinkering with a bunch of old rusted parts?

Wouldn't you rather just be able to get on the bike and ride it without having to worry about anything?

That bike is "just good enough to run" project.. it needs another safe bet of $400 in parts to go..

Agreed. Definitely a project bike, and not something that you would enjoy buying to not be able to ride for at least 2 months. There's a lot of work to be done here, and quite frankly (and you agree I see) that paint is disgusting.

Greasey Fingers · Apr 12, 2017

I would be more concerned about the seat rather than the paint, it looks like something you could potentially catch a disease from :umm:

For $600 its ok if it runs good and can be registered. You can always paint the tank and replace the seat later and make it look the way you want.

burr · Apr 13, 2017

So i bought it… for $580 Canadian. Got a quote for $1244 insurance for the year. So excited but know i'll have to tinker and fix up the gross colour, seat and rust/corrosion shit all around. With a battery for $50, i'll be ripping around and posting here more often! Super stoked guys.

Can anyone help me narrow down the EXACT model type? I believe it is a 1981 Yamaha XS400H Special II, but the insurance guy says his database pulls up a 1981 Yamaha XS400 SECA with the VIN. According to my research the SECA wasn't made until '82…
Either way, the government records and VIN match, so it doesn't matter with regards to title/ownership transfer. Just out of my curiosity.
VIN is JYA4R5004BA009622

BBS360 · Apr 13, 2017

Definitely not a Seca. Could be an 80 or 81 Special II. Not sure what the difference would be between those years.

Is that vin off the paperwork?
What's the stamped vin on engine and frame?

burr · Apr 13, 2017

That VIN is off the headtube/steerer tube, and matches the VIN on the paperwork.
The engine has a nearly identical number stamped into it, but without the "JYA" prefix. It says "4R5004BA009622."
My research (including other threads in this forum) say it's probably a XS400 Special ii.

Called another insurance company, they're asking me whether it's a XS400 MAXIM or XS400 SECA.
Ideas, anyone?
Anyone have a direct number for Yamaha? I tried emailing, but they prob won't get back for a few days

BBS360 · Apr 13, 2017

Yeah. 4R5 is the 81 Special II
http://www.xs400.com/threads/history-of-the-yamaha-xs400.4458/

Your insurance company doesn't know what they're talking about. Probably referring to some crappy database that doesn't have all the models.
See if they can just call it "XS400"

burr · Apr 13, 2017

Cool, thanks for the confirmation.

Now… just took it to get "Safetied" before i spend my money on insurance. Good thing I did that, too.

Need some parts urgently before it's road ready whatsoever, says the mechanic. And this guy has a reputation around the city for giving out safety certs like they're candy (which means i really, really need these parts).

Front Brake Cable.
Rear brake boot (at least I think he said boot, he hung up before I got the chance to double check)
Front headlight low beam light
Also need a new battery, but this shouldn't be too hard to find.

Having some serious trouble finding a front brake cable. Partzilla says "obsolete" and eBay has nothing whatsoever.
Ideas? Universal ones that are known to fit?
I've been through 4 or 5 threads on this forum about this same issue already, it's not looking good.

Any and all help is super super appreciated. I just bought a Shoei and feeling like an idiot for (possibly) wasting $600 on the bike

Jeff0133 · Apr 14, 2017

Now-now....No crying over spilled milk.
Cables can be custom made and the other stuff the mechanic told you to do on the bike are pretty small jobs.
the bigger jobs are still to come...

kshansen · Apr 14, 2017

I know you said "front brake cable" but just check this out:
http://www.venhillusa.com/venhill-universal-motorcycle-clutch-cable-kit.html

If you don't believe me give them a call. This is what they recommended when I needed the cable for my 1978. If you have the original cable you are one big step above where I was so making up a new one should be easy if you have any mechanical skills at all.

First time bike buyer–should I buy this '81?

burr

XS400 Enthusiast

burr

XS400 Enthusiast

Tyler Shiells

XS400 Addict

burr

XS400 Enthusiast

Attachments

xschris

XS400 Guru

Tyler Shiells

XS400 Addict

NewHavenMike

1976 XS360C

BBS360

XS400 Guru

SoraXS400

1982 XS400

Greasey Fingers

XS400 Guru

burr

XS400 Enthusiast

BBS360

XS400 Guru

burr

XS400 Enthusiast

BBS360

XS400 Guru

burr

XS400 Enthusiast

Jeff0133

XS400 Junkie

kshansen

XS400 Addict

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