Can I hang with an XS?

Hey folks,

I just joined the forums...but I have an XS not a XJ! Hope I can still hang out...

My bike's an '82 Maxim 400, it's pretty sweet. This is the first motorcycle I've owned, I rode a few years ago on my mom's Rebel 250. I just finished my MSF Rider Course and picked up my endorsement a couple of days ago.

I really love the 'older' bikes and have plans for some cafe racers, stock standards and I'd like to do a mild bob on the Maxim, take off the stock seat, fender etc...and put a new seat and drag bars on it.

I've already checked out a ton of bobber projects on here...

 

yes they are XJ's really

 

Is it just me or is the XS400 getting quite a bit of a following on this site? which is a good thing. I'm sure pretty much any advice here would be beneficial to the xs enthusiest....

 

All old Yamahas welcome here.

 

what's the difference? if there is one

 

It's all in your head !

Literally- - the twin cam and valve shims are just like the XJ, and not like the older XS 400 single cam bikes.
And Welcome to the site !

We even let guys with Harleys hang out here :lol:

 

But we make them clean the floor, after all its their oil on it... :lol:

 

Heheh yet another joins the fold, and there are 3 for sale here on kijij atm....

 

Welcome aboard!
XS or XJ, it's all good.

 

We also use those harleys for flood control (broken down water pump junk)

 

In the beginning, there was the original XS400. It had a SOHC and tappet valve adjustment, and a twin shock frame.

Then the "XJ" XS came out. It had DOHC, shim-over-bucket valve adjustment, and YICS, just like a 2-cylinder XJ. And a revolutionary monoshock frame. But in the rest of the world, there WAS an XJ400, so the new twin got stuck being called an "XS" also, even though it had a lot more in common with the XJ.

So for 1982 we had the XS400J (Maxim) the XS400RJ (Seca) and the XS400SJ "Special," the OLD-style 400 twin.

 

Weeee another 400

 

Some ropes, hooks, and sturdy rafters, I am sure you can hang with just about anything. Better to keep it on two wheels though. Welcome to the site. XS bikes are cool.

 

I also like the looks of the XS400. There is a guy not too far from me selling an XS400 for 250 bucks. The problem is it doesn't have a title and everyone at MO Dept of Rev is telling me it's too hard to get a title. I really want this bike but not If I can't get it on the road.

 

In Washington it's not that hard. My girlfriend gave me the bike and she lost the title, we just had to fill out a form and pay a fee and they're mailing the title to me.

I just saw a nice little Honda on craigslist for super cheap but the guy doesn't have the keys or a title...suspicious...

 

cturek, look for another fix-er-upper and snag that one for parts....

 

Now that's a good idea.

 

hey... just joined the club too.... i have an 82 xs400rj seca i rescued from no title and some missing parts.... i didn't do most of the grunt work but i will be from now on, this site looks invaluable.

Questions questions.... i will have so many of them.. the newbie i am...

Do you guys know of an easy way of balancing a wheel... I had new tires installed and the local shop did it all by hand and has no balancer.... i can tell the front wheel is a little off at around 40 mph.

What about that rear shock on the seca 400... i think mine is fine but i'm looking for a good replacement anyway?

 

hey... just joined the club too.... i have an 82 xs400rj seca i rescued from no title and some missing parts.... i didn't do most of the grunt work but i will be from now on, this site looks invaluable.

Questions questions.... i will have so many of them.. the newbie i am...

Do you guys know of an easy way of balancing a wheel... I had new tires installed and the local shop did it all by hand and has no balancer.... i can tell the front wheel is a little off at around 40 mph.

What about that rear shock on the seca 400... i think mine is fine but i'm looking for a good replacement anyway?

 

Welcome Dillrepair,
Balance your tire on it's axle between 2 chairs. Wiggle it, put weights at the top.

You should start a new thread with a picture of your bike.
Titles can be had thru title services- - don't give up !!

 

Better yet, put in two oz. of Dyna beads and fo-get-a-bot-it.

 

If they let me "lurk" around I'm sure they'd make you welcome to....

Jump in, a finer group would be hard to find!!! Welcome!

 

they are a pain to get in but they are the way to go.

 

Do you guys know of an easy way of balancing a wheel... I had new tires installed and the local shop did it all by hand and has no balancer.... i can tell the front wheel is a little off at around 40 mph.




Look on the sidewall of the tire. There should be a painted on circle on one side. Make sure they lined that mark up with your valve stem.

 

thanks for all the advice..... and for welcoming me.... I just bought this awesome seat for my bike... a corbin seat for a seca 400 for only 30 bucks!

 

Most likely you have worn out steering head bearings. Put the bike on the centerstand and have someone sit on the passenger seat. You need to have the front wheel in the air. You need to slowly rotate the handlebars right to left and see if they try to self center. If they do then you need a new set of steering head bearings. Get the Tapered roller bearings instead of the ball bearings.

Sean

 

if you do, buy from pyramid parts on ebay. they are dirt cheap