Yamaha XS400 Cafe Racer

.Spindat.

Active Member
Hey Everyone,

My name is Eric Spinney, I would have started out in the new member forum but I am just going to dive in head first here to document my build from start to well... where it is now.

Let me just start out by saying my mechanical skills stems from my interest in all things Volkswagen, I have loved motorbikes forever but only got one this past year and itched to make it my own.

My Corrado for interests sake:

Halifax-20120604-00029.jpg


Anyway, right, lets continue. A friend began a family which in return made his gain also I loss. But for me, a good foot into the door of cafe modifying my first bike.

A 79 XS400 in great mechanical condition with all very clean parts on it.
IMG_1406.jpg

IMG_1405.jpg

IMG_1404.jpg

IMG_1403.jpg


The first thing I knew I wanted to change was the bars. They had to go.
IMG_1407.jpg


Next up, I knew I would never be happy with only one part changed out. It had to have a cafe seat pan, but I am very cheap and wasn't about to go an buy one that was already made. When a friend decided to change direction with his cafe project I jumped at a seat pan he had tacked up a bit and finished it the way I saw fit. Here is what it looked like when I got my mitts on it.
17868_439666870087_2553187_n.jpg

17868_439666875087_4752090_n.jpg

17868_439667065087_6783581_n.jpg


I knew it was not going to be a perfect fit and frame cutting and changing the pan up was going to have to take place, but here are some mach ups that I was going through as the project unfolded.
IMG_1480.jpg

IMG_1481.jpg


As you can see I had originally carved some high density foam into shape to fill that 90o angle and I thought it would be okay for a bit..

So now that I knew how everything was going to mount onto the bike, it was time to pick a new colour. I had always loved cream colours with brown accents all around so it only made sense for me to do it to my own stuff.
IMG_1730.jpg


I wet sanded, polished and waxed the tank, and seat. i never did get to put any real good time into the side covers. I guess I didn't care enough at the time, and am too broke to do anything about it now. But the tank and seat took away from it enough that people never mentioned the shauty work on the side covers.

So I decided to take up sewing and make a seat cover for my foam piece, but it ended up looking like this..
IMG_1732.jpg

Gross.

So new plan, I welded some more pieces to the pan and picked a new type of thin foam to get covered. Here is the completed (unpainted) pan mounted to the bike.
IMG_1763.jpg


I had to figure out my mounting for all the lights on the seat, and it was simple. Small turn signals on the side and a tiny tail light. Only had to drill 5 small holes.
IMG_2003.jpg


Installed:
IMG_1963.jpg


Maiden Voyage, I was very happy at how comfortable it positioned me:
IMG_1967.jpg

IMG_1964.jpg


I brought it to work and wrapped the pipes (it was free), but I don't have any pictures of the header wrap on. But here is a picture of it at the shop at work!
IMG_2288.jpg


Since all of this I have taken it to our local road race track;
IMG_2299.jpg


And camping at Digby Warfe Rat Rally;
IMG_2451.jpg


So that is where it is at now! Of course I have plans for this winter but I'll just try and keep everyone posted as I go. I might even pick up something else for a grand project and leave this be.

Look forward to getting to know everyone!
 
Well long Canadian winter is here, and as fun as riding this was, I want better brakes, better suspension, sexier paint and a tank and seat no one at all has.

So I tore it completely apart.

7381AF45-6C24-44D4-9874-E4D0952C7EF7-8554-0000079B56ADA91C.jpg

CCE0422A-7262-4B4B-9F43-B72C47F542AF-8554-0000079B6664B94C.jpg

66924CE4-B3B4-4128-A52B-45AA7654993E-8554-0000079B72BCA284.jpg

35238425-C887-4635-AD44-0C92510E4511-8554-0000079B7C32D2D8.jpg

B0DE535C-E127-4788-BF3E-50629B04B607-8554-0000079B860E509A.jpg
 
So here is the seat mold, I should have taken more pictures. I'm building a fiberglass tank to match but i wanted to see very roughly how this was going to look. The seat looks really big but the tank will match.

E9C46117-A791-4283-8B6B-C5D01B3EE5F6-9582-0000086FCD6ECFCC.jpg
 
So I got shaved the unneeded tabs from the frame as I wont be running a centre stand or side covers. I am going to sand blast the rest of the shit off some night this week then start figuring out placement for my battery under the seat. I've got a good idea of how its going to go in there so I just want to finish up my seat to make sure everything is going to work when I weld up the new "battery box." I'm probably going to pick up a nice small battery but even if I don't I can make it work, I'm not worried about it.

420779AD-F4CB-43F9-A2B1-DC2ECE40EFB0-657-0000009B90691C3D.jpg

74D38A53-360B-47F5-A8E8-37ED0A9185C6-657-0000009B87E0F4C4.jpg


So I am taking a page out of Ringo's book and his LeMans CB550 and building my tank in the same fashion he did. It will be a headache, but I am persistent is anything so whatever. I took a couple styling cues as well but not enough to copy, I think my seat will be original taking ideas from newer crotch rocket rear seat covers. It looks like it'll be too big but I put it next to the seat I ran last year and with the way this covers the frame rails a bit they will be the same height.

6B8D0F0F-7294-4B6E-82CA-EFB430BDF975-657-0000009B99A1837E.jpg

199A6CC1-5D2A-4529-A932-6362D32E03B6-657-0000009BA2D6BB58.jpg


Still needs work but you get the idea.
 
Here it is glassed. Work to be done yet but it will turn out half decent. I love working with fiberglass and doing body work so I'll work away at it.

Like I said I am going to give Ringo's fiberglass tank method a go and I can see how it will work really well.

2FE58185-8B51-4D5A-BA1F-06FB4BBCD4CF-1231-0000010783D67493.jpg


For reference, the old tank with the new seat. The fiberglass tank will be bigger and match the seat. I'm stoked.

7B51CCA5-853C-4567-AF1B-DCDA10A42D86-1231-0000010797858731.jpg
 
Good job,

I like the color mate, u Guna stay with that ? or like me do u change your mind like the wind lol

Wayne :)
 
Looking good Spindat. I'm curious to see how the tank looks with the seat. I see it looks like you're using polyester resin? For the tank, vinylester or epoxy resin is recommended, along with a sealing coat of Caswell to protect your work against ethanol. You probably already know this, but it's info that should be heeded when building a fuel tank. Good luck man!
 
Getnjgywitit said:
It looked cool before! Looking forward to the rest of the build!

Thanks! It caught interest before but I want to go for something a little special this time around!

phat13 said:
Good job,

I like the color mate, u Guna stay with that ? or like me do u change your mind like the wind lol

Wayne :)

Thanks Wayne! I loved the color as well, I originally wanted to stay with it and have all nice brown accents everywhere like I had started but I am going to change this up completely. I am thinking I want to paint it in tribute to some of the newer white/red/black R6's but in a vintage style. Red frame for sure and then however my painter and I see fit to make it look right. I probably will change my mind though hahaha

Ringo said:
Looking good Spindat. I'm curious to see how the tank looks with the seat. I see it looks like you're using polyester resin? For the tank, vinylester or epoxy resin is recommended, along with a sealing coat of Caswell to protect your work against ethanol. You probably already know this, but it's info that should be heeded when building a fuel tank. Good luck man!

Thanks Ringo, I was hoping you would chime in, I basically look through your build before going to the garage everyday just to stay focused haha. I had used the cheapest most gross resin and fiberglass cloth out there. I will probably redo it when I can get some quality stuff. I had read up on that in several places but I appreciate the warning! I will probably re-do another seat, I keep looking at this thinking its just too big. I guess I'll know once I do the tank.
 
I know wot u mean mate, do u go old school or modern but with a twist

I recon u can make or break a project on the colours tho, like u say the mind changes daily lol .

Wayne :)
 
phat13 said:
I know wot u mean mate, do u go old school or modern but with a twist

I recon u can make or break a project on the colours tho, like u say the mind changes daily lol .

Wayne :)

It will have lots of modern touches! but hopefully not so much to over shadow the fact that its a 79.

The picture that I have in my head makes the bike, a very race inspired scheme. I would show you but... its kind of hard to
 
I have no supplies this week to do anything really except sandpaper. Which means start sanding and getting things ready for polishing as much as I wanted to put it off..

8748C44D-BC15-4895-B3A8-2CB4DEBAA999-2081-000002563599EFB6.jpg


parts to put the front end together should be around next week. need to machine the stem a bit.
 
.Spindat. said:
Thanks Ringo, I was hoping you would chime in, I basically look through your build before going to the garage everyday just to stay focused haha. I had used the cheapest most gross resin and fiberglass cloth out there. I will probably redo it when I can get some quality stuff. I had read up on that in several places but I appreciate the warning! I will probably re-do another seat, I keep looking at this thinking its just too big. I guess I'll know once I do the tank.
Hah! I've been given too much credit for that gulf bike, man. I took the easy route much more often than I should have, and were I to do it again, I'd do it right. I'd look elsewhere for inspiration if I were you. There are many great resources out there that show you how to do it right.

re the resin, the cheap stuff is fine for parts like seats. You're not building aerospace-grade F1 parts. Just make sure it's sturdy enough to hold your butt up. :)
 
Buddy I know wot u mean, everything is in my head , people only know about it when it becomes a reality lol

Wayne :)
 
i'm fan of the cream tank. reminds me of my pearl one on my xs750. i'll be reading this thread for sure. keep the pictures and updates coming!
 
Ringo said:
Hah! I've been given too much credit for that gulf bike, man. I took the easy route much more often than I should have, and were I to do it again, I'd do it right. I'd look elsewhere for inspiration if I were you. There are many great resources out there that show you how to do it right.

re the resin, the cheap stuff is fine for parts like seats. You're not building aerospace-grade F1 parts. Just make sure it's sturdy enough to hold your butt up. :)

I do read up all over the place, however I just love your seat and tank design, and how you made the rear subframe, seat and tank all work together line wise. I know I can think that way but won't dive into it like that, I doubt myself too much. So it's nice to go in and follow the process of how you did it!

The seat if I chose to re do it will be done with a better product, but you are right it will hold up just fine if not! With the cloth and resin you used did it pull itself apart while brushing the resin on?
 
It will try to, for sure. One thing that helped me was to tape some saran wrap or wax paper onto a flat surface. Then fully wet down your fiberglass on that, and transfer it onto your mold. Also, the weaved mat fiberglass is a lot easier to work with than the cloth.

Of course, there are other options out there than glass if high strength/low weight aren't huge concerns. revheadgl (not really active here anymore) has had great success with fleece as a cloth, plus you only need one layer of that! ...And then a fair bit of sanding, but you'll need to sand anyways without a true female mold.
 
Thanks for the tips chris! Laying it out on saran wrap would have been a far better way to saturate the cloth.

I started working on a way to mount the battery, and none of it is really going to work with that huge battery. Another much tinier one is on the way.

4058EE32-0136-491F-B78F-CB112D47BC45-5749-00000617B74DE935.jpg


So i think what I'll do is get rid of the dip, keep everything flat and run a small battery near the back in a small box with a strap.
 
So I got started on actually polishing the stuff i want to shine. They still aren't to where I want them to be but they are "pretty good".

D1536A72-2440-49EE-A74C-9671777784A6-730-000000675F6CAB68.jpg


8445AA3D-F8D5-4062-9DAD-6AF54329AC8B-730-000000676A1D14D8.jpg


I had a pretty good crash last summer with this thing, and I'm only noticing the gouging on this now, I'll keep it there for story and laziness sake.

17DDD72B-2EF7-43D5-9E16-4E8E205B59DC-730-000000677240F655.jpg


6DC00BA4-0628-4772-9399-4D494607DFA0-730-0000006778EF1E86.jpg


377E6895-2A22-4F11-B383-3B6801F71F38-730-000000677FDE4DC8.jpg


I'm getting really excited to get this back to a roller, but thats still a ways away.
 
Back
Top Bottom