Mini_Toasts
XS400 Member
Hey everyone! This is my first post to XS400.com, I found myself coming here more often than not for answers to my questions, so I figured why not just create a profile?
Anyways, it seems like you all like a little info/pics before diving into it, so here she is! 1980 Yamaha XS400. Bought her a couple years ago for $500 in non-running condition, similar to pictures. a "barn find", if you will. Old man had purchased it as a nostalgia trip, and then died, leaving it to his son who had no use for it, hence 5000 odd miles on this beauty
So far I've replaced the battery, put on new tyres, cleaned the carbs, and replaced the air filters (old ones were shot). It's my first project bike, and the plan is to turn her into a cafe racer. I want to do as much of the work as possible myself (paint, seat fab, etc), but as it is now she runs and drives just fine. A tune up is needed sometime in the near future, but that's for another day... and the next paycheck
So here's my question. my plan was to cut out the existing rear tail section/mudguard and have my welder friend swap in a hoop design. I'm going to fashion my own fiberglass seat, and i wanted to do an integrated taillight/rear signal combo. I'm running the stock wiring harness as it is, but I wanted to know if it's possible to run LED's off the stock harness. I've heard you can and you cant. Anyone have experience with this?
Another question: as of Last Saturday I re-drilled and tapped the four header bolts that hold the exhaust clamps to the header to fix a fuel leak from the left hand cylinder (so far it worked). Before I fixed it, my left side exhaust pipe was filling up with fuel, while the right side was staying bone dry. I am guessing the carburetors need to be synced, is this correct?
Anyways, it seems like you all like a little info/pics before diving into it, so here she is! 1980 Yamaha XS400. Bought her a couple years ago for $500 in non-running condition, similar to pictures. a "barn find", if you will. Old man had purchased it as a nostalgia trip, and then died, leaving it to his son who had no use for it, hence 5000 odd miles on this beauty
So far I've replaced the battery, put on new tyres, cleaned the carbs, and replaced the air filters (old ones were shot). It's my first project bike, and the plan is to turn her into a cafe racer. I want to do as much of the work as possible myself (paint, seat fab, etc), but as it is now she runs and drives just fine. A tune up is needed sometime in the near future, but that's for another day... and the next paycheck
So here's my question. my plan was to cut out the existing rear tail section/mudguard and have my welder friend swap in a hoop design. I'm going to fashion my own fiberglass seat, and i wanted to do an integrated taillight/rear signal combo. I'm running the stock wiring harness as it is, but I wanted to know if it's possible to run LED's off the stock harness. I've heard you can and you cant. Anyone have experience with this?
Another question: as of Last Saturday I re-drilled and tapped the four header bolts that hold the exhaust clamps to the header to fix a fuel leak from the left hand cylinder (so far it worked). Before I fixed it, my left side exhaust pipe was filling up with fuel, while the right side was staying bone dry. I am guessing the carburetors need to be synced, is this correct?
may have to just buy new ones. I put the clubmans on myself, still have the original bars kicking around somewhere. I plan on saving everything I take off/change. 
