What did you do with your XS today?

[Sesty]

Nice looking ride!

 

[Sesty]

Living on the beach has its perks, one of them is not finding parking on the weekends. That's why its great having the XS to cruise around on during the weekends! Can park it anywhere!

Nearly lost my license plate and taillight after the screws backed themselves out. Got new hardware and coated them with a healthy dose of lock-tite to keep that from happening again!

Something is wrong with my choke rod. (not that I need it now that its warm out) but the lever is stuck closed... pulled and pulled and pulled, I even yanked, nothing, no movement. Anyone ever experience a frozen choke rod??

 

[Flagg]

today i dreamt about being in the shop welding a frame in the jig, and NOT GOING TO WORK.

then i woke up.

 

[Lou Ranger]

... Anyone ever experience a frozen choke rod??

I was going to reply that this is something which can happen periodically once one reaches a certain age , . so get used to it - then I thought better of it.
then I changed my mind ...

 

[mpetry]

Anyone ever experience a frozen choke rod??

Yes. You need to remove the link rod, then unscrew the choke valves, and clean everything good with carb cleaner.

 

[Sesty]

Yes. You need to remove the link rod, then unscrew the choke valves, and clean everything good with carb cleaner.

do i have too!!? wah!

lol as long as its starting and running fine im leaving it!

thanks

 

[dwhite0729]

Blacked out my rims a few weeks ago, been meaning to post pics. I think they turned out pretty good!

 

[levdir]

That looks great, it's a good contrast to the yellow

 

[dwhite0729]

Thanks! I really appreciated it!

 

[ChrisValentine]

Today, I got my bike started for the first time in 3 years. Makes a big difference just knowing it still does run.

 

[16VGTIDave]

I think I may have over-revved the engine while passing a car. The engine had a bit of a knock that I couldn't pin down when it was running. It was loud. Turns out that the #1 intake valve adjusting shim was shattered into pieces. I found most of them, less than 1/4 of the shim is missing. May be 1 piece, or many, I don't know. It didn't come out with the oil, wasn't stuck on the magnetic drain plug, and wasn't in the filter. What ever if it decides to be a problem in the future, I'll deal with it then.

 

[Sesty]

oh no! check the sump screen?

hopefully not a issue later on!

 

[short1]

Had to order some seals for the carb and might take up to a week to get them, so i decided to start pulling the headlight and a few other things. Then my friend stopped by and an hour later this is where i ended up

 

[arfstrom]

I think I may have over-revved the engine while passing a car. The engine had a bit of a knock that I couldn't pin down when it was running. It was loud. Turns out that the #1 intake valve adjusting shim was shattered into pieces. I found most of them, less than 1/4 of the shim is missing. May be 1 piece, or many, I don't know. It didn't come out with the oil, wasn't stuck on the magnetic drain plug, and wasn't in the filter. What ever if it decides to be a problem in the future, I'll deal with it then.

I had religious over throttled my bike, then one day, I slowed down for a clover leaf turn, and then the knocking. and I could not drive faster than 55 mph. My cam chain tensioner over compensated, and broke both the tension bars.

 

[xschris]

Picked up a new old stock shock for the 79 off ebay the other day and it only cost me $19 shipped

 

[jthiessen]

The in-laws got me a Torque Wrench for my birthday! Should help when I replace the rings this winter. I believe it is a 10-100 ft/lb unit, that should cover all the XS400 specs, no?

 

[Lou Ranger]

Theoretically, yes. However, be very careful with any low torque bolts.

The signal which the torque wrench gives when you are doing a 98 ft-lb car wheel bolt is substantial and can't be missed. The signal it gives on the 11 ft-lb oil filter cover bolt is at least 1/10th as strong and easy to miss. But the wrench is long enough to torque a car wheel bolt @ 98 ft-lbs.

So if you miss the signal, it is easy to use that long wrench to create an unnecessary owner inflicted maintenance opportunity - like this guy did:

http://www.xs400.com/forum/showpost.php?p=89747&postcount=33
​

 

[lemonhead]

For low torque bolts, I like to hold the wrench really close to the head to effectively reduce my leverage. If you're torquing an 11 ft-lb bolt, you can pretty much palm the wrench head and hit torque without much effort. The long handle is only there for those 80+ ft-lb bolts.

 

[bcware]

I painted the gas tank, seat pan, side covers, and front fender.

I also received a new regulator in the mail.

 

[xschris]

Made some changes to the 80. I needed to make it more comfortable to ride and more highway friendly. I put a set of bars off a 81 SR250 on it, which then I had to order a new longer brake hose Then stock type speedo, original key ignition switch, stock foot pegs, stock type fender and brake light (led lights inside), stock plate holder (led lights in it), stock chain guard (had to fab a new swing arm tab to hold it on ), new speedo, throttle and clutch cables. I also added a pipe to the muffler to choke it down a bit so it was not so dam loud. All of this and a few other changes added about 15-17lbs to the bike making it a lot less twitchy Also my back feels a lot better after a long ride. Just wished I had not cut so much of the frame on it Making it very hard to go back to a more functional bike. After riding my 82 for over 1200 miles I found myself riding the 80 very little because of all the mods I had done made it less a long trip rider and more a pop around 20-30 mile bike. I am in my 40's and comfort is what I need and like.