What did you do with your XS today?

[CaptChrome]

Hi! You seems to have a 2 into 1 exhaust system; where did you get it from? You also have a nice seat! What year is the bike?

The bike is a 1981 Special II, and the exhaust is from MAC (I don't believe it is produced any longer). This exhaust was installed on the bike when I bought it, so it got refurbished when I put Trusty Rusty back on the road. The seat was reupholstered by me, not a great job, but good enough - the link to my start at seat work is here:

https://www.xs400.com/threads/81-xs400h-–-putting-the-trusty-back-into-rusty.20444/post-187627

 

[GuyS]

Nice job on your bike CaptChrome. I really like the seat. Especially the black/white angled look. Your video talked about a lean idle but the video sounded like your bike was running perfectly? By the way how do I post a video of my bike running? I can’t get it to work.

 

[LeBouc]

The bike is a 1981 Special II, and the exhaust is from MAC (I don't believe it is produced any longer). This exhaust was installed on the bike when I bought it, so it got refurbished when I put Trusty Rusty back on the road. The seat was reupholstered by me, not a great job, but good enough - the link to my start at seat work is here:

https://www.xs400.com/threads/81-xs400h-–-putting-the-trusty-back-into-rusty.20444/post-187627

Great job! We have the same approach about doing new things: let's try and learn from the first try. If needed, we can always try again but, this time, with some knowledge gained. Soon, we get some beliefs that we can achieve anything if we give ourselves the possibility to screw and retry. I even became a programmer with that approach and, eventually, was given contracts to create systems out of totally new technologies! Let's the fear behind and GO!

 

[LeBouc]

Right now, I am working on brackets to be able to use the saddlebags from my BMW 1996 R1100RS. Next, it will be the little windshield that also comes from the beemer that will find itself over the front light. I have noticed that, when I ride the beemer, everybody respect my right of way and I dont get cut. However, on the Yam, some car drivers don't mind getting very close to me. So I figure that fitting the XS400 with those hefty saddlebags will calm the drivers that should now see this motorcycle as a bigger bike. I have already fitted a steering damper, end of bars buzz cancellors and I have plans to build a small trailor to haul some light stuuf on small journeys. What I like the most of this motorcycle is that it's agile and peppy, fun to ride. Next year, I want to change the wheels for 21 /18 and use my old Marzocchi forks and Girling shocks from my big CAn-Am motocross to be able to go riding trails as well as roads. Here, in the Quebec province, we have 5 times more dirt roads than asphalt ones and the best sceneries are out in the wood!

I have forgotten one important change that I want to make: I will put aside the VM34 carbs and swap a pair of BS32 that I had used on my RD400 race bike and was coming from a Suzuki GT750 1972. The diameters on both side of the carb are perfectly matched and I will have total control on the opening of the slide insteaf of relying on a tired spring and the smoothness of the slide and its barrel.

 

[CaptChrome]

There is a series of rides I have always wanted to do on a bike. There are a number of lighthouses in New Jersey and by my count, 13 can be visited on land. It will take a number of rides, some of them pretty long days using the routes I like to ride. The first window of opportunity presented itself, and I managed a day long ride on Trusty Rusty to kick this thing off. The two lighthouses along the Delaware River were the objective this time.

Lighthouse 1 of 13 - Here is the Tinicum Rear Range Light in Paulsboro, NJ, sandwiched between a couple of refineries and a marine terminal:

Also a block away is the site of Fort Billingsport which was the first federal land purchase of the United States and occured the day after the Declaration of Independence was issued. I did ride over to that as well.

 

[CaptChrome]

Lighthouse 2 of 13 is the Finn's Point Rear Range light in Pennsville, NJ:

Nearby is Fort Mott which along with two other forts in and across the Delaware River guarded the approach to Philadelphia during the American Civil War. Also there is a small national cemetery with the graves of a number of Confederate soldiers who died as POWs during the Civil War as well as the graves of a dozen or so German soldiers who died here as POWs during WWII and who's bodies were never claimed after the war ended.

 

[CaptChrome]

It was pretty warm outside, but I bagged a couple more lighthouses.

#3 of 13 is East Point Lighthouse in Heislerville, NJ

This is the second oldest lighthouse in NJ and is still in active use.

#4 of 13 is Cape May Lighthouse in Cape May Point NJ

By my thermometer, the temperature driving down the road was 105 deg F. The bike handled it like a champ and didn't roast me alive.

 

[GuyS]

Cool. This is where these bikes fit so perfectly! Not shooting down the I-5 at 70 mph.

 

[CaptChrome]

Another lighthouse off of the list:
#5 of 13 is the Tucker's Island Lighthouse in Tuckerton, NJ.

Technically, this is a replica as the original fell into the ocean 100 years ago. In fact all of Tuckers Island has been washed away over the years.

Also while in Tuckerton, I drove to the end of Great Bay Blvd from where you used to be able to see Tucker's Island. These days you get to look at the old Coast Guard station (far left), the rusty remains of a fish processing factory (far right) and enjoy the color of the sedge grass in the marsh.

 

[Revvy Kevvy]

Rolled the stripped down xs400 out into the yard and pressure cleaned the frame.
Drained the oil from 10 years ago and opened up the strainer and found some very small bits of metal in there, spent some time wondering what they are and if its important.
Finished removing the started motor and made a new cable for it and reinstalled it. Polished up the cover for the starter as best I could.
Washed the chain in petrol and then degreaser and hung it up to dry and sprayed it with WD40

Still wondering about the little bits of metal in the strainer...

 

[Revvy Kevvy]

This is how she rolled today.

 

[tstidham]

Haven't ridden her in almost 2 months due to an idle issue, stalling out at red lights and stop signs. Figured I would have to go into the carbs again and wasn't feeling that until the other day. Fired her up and I could hear a sucking sound. Put my finger on the vacuum cap and sure enough the darn thing split. I had inspected them when I had the stalling issue and they looked fine, but I guess it must have had a crack you couldn't see, but now it was completely split open down the side. I swear the vacuum cap rubber these days is total garbage. It was barely a year old. I was all out of that size so I made a vac hose and screw cap. She's back to running and idling great again.

 

[Meadowhawk]

My XS got the better of me today.

 

[tstidham]

Riding home from my brother's BBQ at about 10pm, I had someone high beam flash me from behind. I thought that was weird, then realized they must be trying to tell me something. I was almost home at that point so continued when I got home I looked and realized my tail light was out. Brake lights worked but no tail light. So I knew at least the ground was good and I doubted both led bulbs went bad at the same time. Next day I checked the harness and when moving and squeezing it, the tail lights came back on. Long story short, at some point the tail light harness has been shorted and melted the insulation and the previous owner just did an electrical tape reinsulate and twist wires together repair. I did a proper cut out bad wire and replace repair with small crimps and heat shrink and all works perfect again. I wish I had taken photos as it was a real mess with only 2 copper strands remaining for the brake light circuit and the tail light circuit, which melted through had corroded under the sloppily wrapped wires.

 

[Lou Ranger]

nice rescue !

 

[CaptChrome]

i checked off a couple of more lighthouses in a full day ride.

#6 of 13 Hereford Inlet Lighthouse in North Wildwood, NJ

This was designed by the same architect who drew the US Library of Congress in Washington DC. Also, a couple of lighthouses that look just like this one still exist on the US West Coast.

#7 of 13 - Absecon Lighthouse in North Atlantic City, NJ

This is the tallest lighthouse in NJ