New owner '84 MAXIM XS400

[James Gelinas]

Completely new to motorcycles and am still on a learner's permit. Took and passed MST last week. Bought the XS400 last weekend. It's a beater bike. Seems to work well enough but the seat vinyl has a rip and the indicator plate inside the tach has broken off inside (tach itself seems to work). I'd like to fix these as winter projects. Would also like to move the rear signal lights back and install a bag rack. But for now, just getting used to the bike and learning how not to kill myself seems a good start. .

 

[MoonClipper]

These bikes are great to learn on. I've owned mine for quite some time and used it mostly as a daily commuter. New seat covers can be bought off ebay for less than $30, which is what I would do, recovering a seat isn't a huge task. The indicator plate is easy, if you can find a spare tach to pull parts off of. If you were in the states (or local to me) I would give you my spare one.

 

[BambinoFan]

Welcome to the club! Bought mine (with similar tears) couple months ago

 

[James Gelinas]

I've had it for a year now. Put about 2k kilometers on it since I first bought it. But the bike has some nagging issues. There's a rip in the seat. The tachometer is still broken. I have some issues with gear shifts, which I think may be solved with a clutch adjustment. Will probably have to get the brakes serviced soon. And the carb probably needs to be cleaned and air filter replaced. Am worried the engine will have to come apart and service the gears. Could use some advice on that. Should I post photos / videos? Also, one of the farings got stolen. I'll have to replace that too.

 

[Kitchi]

Just curious what is wrong with the gears?
IMO the only reason to split the case to get to the gears is if something is wrong such as a broken gear a bad bearing or a bad shaft.

Also seems the bike is running put some seafoam treatment in the gas tank a few tank fulls. It works wonders.I used more than recommended in my gas tank
I have seen a few carbs cleaned out with this stuff.

This is the stuff i used to clean out the carbs. I was never a fan of this stuff until a friend of mine showed me on a clogged carb he had on his bike.

 

[CaptChrome]

But the bike has some nagging issues. There's a rip in the seat. The tachometer is still broken. I have some issues with gear shifts, which I think may be solved with a clutch adjustment. Will probably have to get the brakes serviced soon. And the carb probably needs to be cleaned and air filter replaced. Am worried the engine will have to come apart and service the gears.

Sounds to me like you own a vintage motorcycle!

 

[Kitchi]

I got a basket case 1981 XS400 that was given up on and was to be sent to the scrap yard last year.
I got it back on the road this spring.

 

[James Gelinas]

Just curious what is wrong with the gears?
IMO the only reason to split the case to get to the gears is if something is wrong such as a broken gear a bad bearing or a bad shaft.

Also seems the bike is running put some seafoam treatment in the gas tank a few tank fulls. It works wonders.I used more than recommended in my gas tank
I have seen a few carbs cleaned out with this stuff.

This is the stuff i used to clean out the carbs. I was never a fan of this stuff until a friend of mine showed me on a clogged carb he had on his bike.

(image removed) I will definitely try that stuff. I stored it over the winter with the carbs drained. But on cold start, even in summer, I still have to open the choke until it warms up. Also, while I could push the choke fully closed before, now I have to leave it a bit open after warm up. But the engine idles OK. Could maybe use an air filter replacement. Which is cheap and I ought to learn how to do that anyway. Also, one of the previous owners supposedly changed out the carb needles to ones with bigger holes to get a bit more HP. Don't know how common that is. But the bike is LOUD. lol

On the gears. I sometimes have trouble where it gets stuck in neutral when shifting up from 1st to 2nd. Then I have to shift back down to 1st and try shifting up to 2nd again. I'm hoping I can just adjust the clutch cable here. Also something I should learn how to do on my own.

The seat is something I should just learn how to do too.

On the tach, I'm not sure if I should buy a combined speedometer//tach unit just for the maxim or if I can break that thing open and just install a new tach. I would like to fix that though.

The only tools I have are the ones that came with the bike. (I have some basic tools too). So I may need to buy some additional Yamaha specific.

The bike is stored in an underground garage.

 

[Kitchi]

I would adjust the clutch to see if that helps with the shifting as well as changing the oil and oil filter.

Seems you are in Canada if you have a Canadian tire local to you watch their sales they have sales on tool sets for amazing prices.
were I am they have a sale on now I don't know if they have the same sale on in BC. all the fasteners that are on that bike are metric.
Basically i would look for a socket set with wrenches and an Allen key set.
the picture below is the one I currently use.If you wait you can get it on sale for about $150 from $500. It will do most things. My only complaint with it is the wrench selection only goes to 14mm so i bought a few from yard sales and other stores that sell wrenches.

and it comes in a handy case that isn't all that heavy.

 

[MoonClipper]

I can do a how to on how to split the Maxim clusters. Really simple, I think a total of 12 screws or so to get the cluster split and both gauges pulled out. Don't let it intimidate you. If I were you I would do it anyway to grease up the gears, if it's like mine then the grease is 40 years old and could probably do with a nice cleaning.

I bought a whole gauge cluster from a member on here and have used it for several parts since, most recently my speedo self destructed so I had to swap that out.

Carbs could probably use a good clean at least, I use sea foam every few months to help keep them clean and I love the stuff. I've used it for years. But nothing is a substitute for a good carb rebuild. You may also want to rejet the carbs back to stocks it's possible that's part of your issue, these carbs are pretty picky.

The clutch issue sounds like the clutch isn't disengaging (engaging?) Fully, making it difficult to shift. My Maxim had the same issue, fixed it with a new cable in my case, the old one was pretty wore out. Just be sure you measure the slack and order the right one, most sites list 2 different cables for the xs400 maxims, with two different slack lengths.

 

[James Gelinas]

Here's some photos and short vids. I added some oil and took the bike out for three hour ride today. Hit some roads and did some highway. The bike will hold 130kph though it's a bit bumpy.

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• James Gelinas
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I have two additional short videos of pulling the clutch handle and brake handle, but Youtube insists on uploading as "shorts" and the forum doesn't allow to embed youtube shorts videos. Don't know how to fix that.

 

[James Gelinas]

Some additional images. You'll note its missing a faring panel on the left side. Also, I'd expect some kind of support for the exhaust pipes which isn't there. Should I be worried about that? Buy the right thing and install it!?! Another issue, the turn signal switch sometimes gets a little stuck when I'm trying to signal left. Not a biggie but it is a PITA. Weirdly, this bike has an automatic signal canceller, which I guess is nice but something I've never seen on a motorcycle.

This thing rides. But I don't know even what I don't know. After a year, I'm still a green newbie at riding. And there's a lot I still need to learn about how to maintain this thing.

 

[James Gelinas]

Finally, there's a definite squeal to the front brakes. The brakes work just fine. But I see a brake job coming in the near future. I'll see if I can find a video of that if anyone cares.

 

[MoonClipper]

When you do the brake job I would swap for a braided brake line, it's a upgrade I've been putting off for way too long. Looks like you're running a OEM (or oem style) brake line, which isn't ideal. After 40 years the line probably isn't doing it's best job. The left cover is missing on mine too, you can find them on ebay but they're a little pricey.

The automatic canceller is amazing, in my opinion anyway. My turn signal switch started sticking too at one point, I pulled it apart and sprayed it with lock lube, hasn't given me issues since. The exhaust don't have a support on mine either, I think there might be a little pipe attaching them together under the bike, near the center stand, but that's all the support they have.

Also, and probably most important, your oil is over filled. When your bike is level (on center stand, on level surface) it should be between the top and bottom of the sight glass. I'm not sure how overfilling the oil will affect the bike.

 

[MoonClipper]

I don't remember if it was mentioned, but you can pop open the little plastic cap (use a flathead screw driver) on the left side of the engine case just below your clutch cable. That's your main adjustment for the cable, use a socket to break the locknut loose, then use a JIS screwdriver (NOT a philips) to adjust the screw. You should be able to tighten it up a bit there, and see if that helps your clutch issue.

 

[James Gelinas]

OK. So I need to find a more level surface for the oil gauge. I clearly can't read it right. If I have to I'll drain out some of the oil.

Will arrange a braided brake line when I get the brakes serviced. There's a trainer I know from the MST course who's into classic bikes and he recommended a mechanic nearby. So will follow up on that.

FortNine has vinyl seat cover material and there are youtube vids for doing this with a staple gun. I can handle that.

The tachometer I'd just buy but I don't know which one is the right part. I'd kick myself if I bought one, installed it, and it turned out was the wrong part.

The original left faring plate was stolen off the bike while parked. So that needs replacing.

And I'll try the clutch adjustment on my own.

Thanks for all the help!

 

[James Gelinas]

Bought the correct tachometer, vinyl material to recover the seat, and correct clutch plates. Will make installing all this a winter project.

 

[James Gelinas]

I would adjust the clutch to see if that helps with the shifting as well as changing the oil and oil filter.

Seems you are in Canada if you have a Canadian tire local to you watch their sales they have sales on tool sets for amazing prices.
were I am they have a sale on now I don't know if they have the same sale on in BC. all the fasteners that are on that bike are metric.
Basically i would look for a socket set with wrenches and an Allen key set.
the picture below is the one I currently use.If you wait you can get it on sale for about $150 from $500. It will do most things. My only complaint with it is the wrench selection only goes to 14mm so i bought a few from yard sales and other stores that sell wrenches.

and it comes in a handy case that isn't all that heavy.

Hey, I think you posted a photo of the 223 piece set. Found it but not on sale around here. But I found a 183 piece set on sale for $130, which includes sockets, Allen key and some wrenches. Seems good enough to start with.

https://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/...t-set-183-pc-sae-metric-0589287p.html?loc=plp

 

[Kitchi]

That set will help you out as I said previously you may need to buy a few additional larger size wrenches but for the price of that kit you can't complain

 

[James Gelinas]

I'm having trouble getting the oil drain nut loosened. For now I'm using a hand squeezer from a soap bottle to remove the oil bit by bit out where you pour the oil in. Out Through the In Door, so to speak. Have sprayed wd40 and cleaned the nut. Will see if tapping a spanner with a hammer will help.