xs400 project bike

i just bought a xs400 from a guy and he was gonna make it a bobber but ran out of money so i got it off of him for $100. he had already cut the frame from the motor back off. so i ended up buying the universal weld on kit from tc bros and planning on just making it simple hardtail frame. ive messed with alot of bikes before but i have never messed with welding a frame....... so i thought i would see if anyone had any info on where to start with this kit i bought. ill try to post some pics later.

 

http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=24980.html

is my thread with the same kinda bike,
i also was directed here

http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=10305.html

the second one is on hiatus, but a good start it looks like

 

yeah i read were you were trying to do the same thing. im new on here and i just did some research on these bikes and havent found anything yet on trying to hardtail it the way i want to. my problem is that the guy i got it off of already cut the frame so im gonna have some problems. hopefully this hardtail kit will work out with a few mods.... heres some pics when i got it.

 

oh right on,
as far as i know its not a Maxim, like mine, cause you have the front frame (on mine the engine is part of the frame)
so you might have better luck at gettng it together than me.
did you order the hardtail weld on yet?

 

yeah mine is a 1980 xs400 special 2.....whatever that means. my motor bolts on at the front bottom with 2 bolts and at the top with a moving braket and in the back (which im gonna have to make) i have the kit already, it in the pic of the frame..... i have slid on the two bottom pieces which you can see then i think the rest of the kit is sitting on the floor beside it. so are you thinking of doing the same?

 

Does that kit extend it out a little bit or make it longer? I kind of like that. I never really liked the raked out look of choppers very much but extending the frame makes it look fast to me. This is all speculation based on my observation or possible illusion of it being longer so take with grain of salt lol.

 

oh i see, i thought you were talkin about getting a weld on, which is pretty much the entire back end, premade for you.
i see the kit now,
i'm no welder, but you might be able to find one. maybe mock up what you can to make sure it all fits fine, measurement wise, and look up an online classified for a pro to do the weld - unless you are gonna rock that.

myself, i have a different frame, and i think im going to do what Future94 (or whatever his name is ) did and replace the spring with a steel bar. bolt it in and shave of the excess frame i dont need.

 

yeah as it sits right now i have it stretched 5 or 6 inches and the kit gives you more tubing then you need to be able to stretch it that far. i have already lowered the front end for inches and im planing on the ride height to be about 6 inches off the ground..... i couldnt find an actually weld on kit for this bike so thats why i went with this kit, im just not a good welder either so im gonna get it tacked up how i want it and then have someone weld it up for me.