nice Cad 
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redratbike
XS400 Addict
cad i do like the look of that swingarm now you´ve mounted all to the bike with the forks...mmmnnn may have to go that way rather than the monoshock
did you get the bearing sorted in the forks? i´ll be picking your brains when i get back from Spain need to start this project rather than just buying bits..lol
did you get the bearing sorted in the forks? i´ll be picking your brains when i get back from Spain need to start this project rather than just buying bits..lol
I love the looks of those forks! Very nice... wish we had more of them over here.. Did you do any figuring on what the trail measurements are with the new forks vs the stock ones?
CadXS
XS400 Addict
No I didn't Travis...that would be using common sense and mechanical skill both of which are in short supply in my build. I did check the length of the forks and they are the same length (within a mm or 2) as the stock one I took off. The rough calc is 10mm = 0.5 deg head angle change I think, so there will be minimal change to the rake...maybe 
redratbike
XS400 Addict
Cad, just thought ..need to work out the caliper spacing as well...sure the guy in cornwall said approx 8mm.. so another set of spacers to turn on the lathe
dO-bOy
Woohooo!
wow that front end looks amazing
Yeah I was just curious about the trail. I'm sure it'll be fine!
CadXS
XS400 Addict
Travis, when I find my tape measure (probably under some clothes, that's one of the problems of having your bedroom as your workshop 
) I will work out the trail and let you know. I'm interested myself to see how much it may be different from stock. Do you have the trail measurement for a stock XS400? I think the trail may decrease a fraction as the yokes seem a bit deeper than stock so the offset from forks centres to neck centre has increased. Hopefully still around the 4" mark.
) I will work out the trail and let you know. I'm interested myself to see how much it may be different from stock. Do you have the trail measurement for a stock XS400? I think the trail may decrease a fraction as the yokes seem a bit deeper than stock so the offset from forks centres to neck centre has increased. Hopefully still around the 4" mark.
isigt
XS400 Addict
Hey cad,
are you ok btw?
all the hysteria in the london area made me think.
hope you're ok.
are you ok btw?
all the hysteria in the london area made me think.
hope you're ok.
XS400D
Carb Fiddling Enthusiast
what did you use to cut and bend the plate frame i may have to copy that
CadXS
XS400 Addict
Hey Jonathan, I'm cool mate. The riots/looting/thieving bastards, whatever you want to call them did not come to area I live in. It was pretty crazy watching that stuff on TV and knowing it just a couple of miles away. What a world we live in
I used 3mm aluminium plate as the base. I drew the shape on with pencil and where there was a internal corner I drilled out with an 8mm HSS bit to create a bit of a curve for the transitions. Using a clamped piece of steel as a straight edge I then did all the cuts using a dremmel. A file and a bit of emmery cloth to smooth out the edges.
The bends I did by heating up the area of the bend with a small hand propane torch and then just clamping it my workmate and pulling it to the angle I desired. The aluminium springs back a little bit so I had to go past the angle I wanted and then let it ease off a bit.
Hope that helps
frwinks
XS400 Addict
looking wicked Cad...and that fat fork..just wow
akronevan2
XS400 Enthusiast
Everything is looking great Cad!
XS400D
Carb Fiddling Enthusiast
I used 3mm aluminium plate as the base. I drew the shape on with pencil and where there was a internal corner I drilled out with an 8mm HSS bit to create a bit of a curve for the transitions. Using a clamped piece of steel as a straight edge I then did all the cuts using a dremmel. A file and a bit of emmery cloth to smooth out the edges.
The bends I did by heating up the area of the bend with a small hand propane torch and then just clamping it my workmate and pulling it to the angle I desired. The aluminium springs back a little bit so I had to go past the angle I wanted and then let it ease off a bit.
Hope that helps
that is perfect that is along the lines of what i was thinking but i hadn't thought to heat the metal when bending, that's a great tip.
No. Sorry. I'm sure you'll be fine though.
redratbike
XS400 Addict
Hey Cad , any updates ??
i'm back to work so will have to arrange a meet up to pick up the yoke bits
and no..no progress my end :-(
i'm back to work so will have to arrange a meet up to pick up the yoke bits
and no..no progress my end :-(
CadXS
XS400 Addict
Hey Mark, I've been doing bits on it here and there and it's now back in bits ready for the frame and swingarm to go for powder coating, but how do you decide what colour
I think I'm just messing about because once it's PC'ed I will have to start building it for real and where would I hang my clothes to dry???
I was thinking of trying to leave it bare metal looking but it will be left outside all year and I'm not sure if only a clear coat sticks to bare metal that well....
I think in the long run it will be less hassle to just get it powdered.Been doing a bit of work on other peoples bikes which has been fun and one of the guys is going to upholster my seat in exchange for doing some engine work for him, so that's cool
I'll post up some pictures later and we can meet up whenever is good for you mate and you can have your yoke back.
Caddy
come on you guy's, get your shit together
CadXS
XS400 Addict
come on you guy's, get your shit together
Sorry Drew, lol, I don't think me and Mark have the discipline you do
As well as my bike I currently have a CD175 engine in bits in my bedroom at the moment, and what with my other shit thrown everywhere I hardly have a spot to put my feet. Probably not the best enviroment to work in or to sleep in
As mention earlier I've been plodding along with my bike.
Cleaned up some stuff and gave it a quick buff, not looking for a shiney finish...
Trimmed the seat pan to it's final shape ready for upholstering and made up a little bracket to mount the ignition under my left leg close to the electrics tray...
Fabricated a bracket to mount the tail light and indicators...
Thanks again to another forum member Ben who very kindly lets me use his workshop and tools to make stuff and knocks out the welding for me. I'd be pretty stuck without his assistance
I'm kinda at the stage of needing to decide on paint and how I actually want the bike to look. Doing the mechanical stuff is no problem but deciding what colour power coat is going to kill me. Dropping the frame and swing arm off for pc on Monday so I need to decide pretty quick
I know what you mean regarding paint, Its a killer decision.
If you go black frame then you have a blank canvass for the periphials, tank etc. depends what statement you want to make.
have you decided how your gonna protect the alloy from corrosion? the only way I know is elbow grease!
CD175 was the first bike I ever had @ 14. learned a great deal on that. Never rode it but spannered and even got it going! GT750 TLS front end on too, geez with hindsight....
If you go black frame then you have a blank canvass for the periphials, tank etc. depends what statement you want to make.
have you decided how your gonna protect the alloy from corrosion? the only way I know is elbow grease!
CD175 was the first bike I ever had @ 14. learned a great deal on that. Never rode it but spannered and even got it going! GT750 TLS front end on too, geez with hindsight....
