1981 Yamaha XS400-"FLIGHT"

This weekend I started getting the wiring harness back on the bike. Most of it has gone well, but the new handlebar controls have different color wiring then the ones that came off the bike. So I need to figure out if the wire colors that match the original ones should be joined or if they should be joined in the manner that the plug would go together if the plug ends were reversed that is for the left control. It also has an extra wire going to the head light.
The right control has 1 less wire. I also need to figure out the wiring for the speedo and tach.

Another issue is that the case breather filter that I got won't fit under the carbs. So I need to figure a way to get that mounted on the bike.

Sorry no pictures but my camera decided to act up this weekend an not let me take any snapshots.
 
It has been a trail on my patients, but I believe that I have finished rewiring everything. Am I saying that I won't blow a fuse at the first try on restarting the bike? I will go with Maybe. lol
Also I have been trying to get the font forks aligned with the bars, and I think I might have done it. I guess I will find out when I get all the bolts tightened back up.

At this point I think the only thing left to do is get the cables re run and figure out how to mount my case breather filter. But I don't think that will be too big of an issue. Then there is the basic adjustments to be made to the brake pull to make sure both shoes are engaging at the same time. Add oil, grease the swing arm, charge battery and Ride sometime this weekend? Maybe.

I believe the camera has decide to fail me permanently I will borrow a nice one from a friend if I get this all together and running this weekend.

phil
 
I once tried to make a seatpan from a blue barrel, didnt turn out near as good as yours did. How long/hot did you have to bake it? I tried to shape it with a torch, needless to say it was a lil wavy.
 
I think the initial time in the oven was about 30 minutes. I would say most of the shaping was done with the torch. I would have preferred using a heat gun, but that would just have been one more expense that was unnecessary. I never let the torch sit in one spot heated until I saw the plastic start to get a little shine to it then I would work it around the metal pan. I also had some waves at the point where it was coming around the corners of the tail loop. Most of that came off with the trimming to fit. I also think that the tubing made up some of the forgiveness to get a clean edge, and should keep the vinyl from wearing out too soon.

I might not be done with the seat. I will see how it rides. The next thing I would do would be to switch to leather for the upholstery and get the quilting deeper.
 
went and attached the wire to the battery today. Turned on the key and the right turn signal is on not flashing, your can turn on the left, also non flashing, but the right doesn't go off. Hmm time to start a better trace on that wire up. Not quiet sure what that will be.
I also touched the starter hot to the battery and it started spinning the starter. Hmm Guess that means that something on the starter on the handle to the starter on the engine has missed something and it isn't cutting off. I am open to any guess' or offers of assistants on this stuff. The yellow the indicator did light up.

Brake light is wired correctly. it works with both rear and front.

The bars and front wheel look nice and aligned now.
I put the old chain on after cleaning it and after getting it tensioned, I am at the back of the rear fork adjustment. I have a new chain, I just need to get a chain break from harbor freight to switch them out.
so close I can taste it
 
The wiring saga continues. Although I think I might be getting a little closer on the starter issue.
-The wiring diagram shows the starter switch ground going to three lines not connecting to a ground.
- The plug from the old starter switch had the Ground going to it, but the connection relating to that spot on the plug didn't have a pin, therefore leaving that part of the switch not grounded.
So since I have the ground wire wired into a ground, the starter is a fully connected path through the battery when you hook the starters positive to the battery terminal. If I remove that ground the circuit is then open unless the starter button is depressed. Does any of that make sense?

I have tried to figure out what is going on with the blinker connections, but that is still a mystery to me. Not sure if the wires on the left hand switch is going to the right connections or not. The level of frustration that it brings about compares to nothing else that this bike has presented me with. For that matter, I think the bike is in incredible shape.

While adjusting my front break pad position to allow proper tire rotation I noticed the front wheel looked like it was woobling front to back. Or like it had a flat spot on it.
I took the wheel off and ran down to a local shop that works on dirt bikes. Wheel Right Shop. The guy spins it and tells me the rim is fine, but the tire is not. Guess the tire has a flat spot on it and is like 5 years old. PO told me that the tire was brand new.
So I guess that I will be buying new tires before putting her back on the road. Probably a good idea anyway. I am looking at the Shinko 712's I like the 705's but they don't have the 16" rear wheel in that series.

Gonna be a great 400.00 motorcycle.

after you invest another 1000 in it.
 
It always helps when you hook the wire to the correct spot. The Hot for the starter has to connect to the Hot on the starter switch relay, not the positive terminal post of the battery. but if your starter relay ever goes out, you can unhook that wire and use the battery terminal as a hot wire jump.

Now i just need to figure out this turn signal issue and I will be ready for the road.
 
phil check your pm , I had a similar problem on my '76 750 turned out to be the wiring in the hand control was jacked up.
 
I got mine to work last night, the control wires were not going to the right places on the harness plug. I had to figure out each one and move the pins, once I had the ins and outs going the right way everything works 100% and the signals flash with the electronic flasher I had already. Only thing left now is the horn and that is wired different for this control then the original so I have to run new wires and not use the harness ones.

Good luck, just follow each wire from hot side through switch to ground to complete a circuit and you should get there.
 
So I was looking at the way I had things hooked up, and I thought that I had it figured out.
I have one wire that is "chocolate" and one Brown. I had the chocolate one plugged in to the right turn. So cut and stripped.

The diagram
8016058894_48d770f7f1_c.jpg


the green and brown going to the indicator light on the "pilot box" one going to the end of the light one to the side.

So with the DCC mini speedo that I have with the indicator lights in the face, have a positive and negative to the speedo for the blinker.

If I touch one green to positive and brown to negative I get nothing. No signal.
If I touch both green and brown to positive and the negative to ground, then they all flash whether or not you signal left or right.
So I feel like I'm getting closer, but something is missing and it is a small thing. Any ideas.
 
I rolled the bike out last night thinking I will just ride it to breakfast in the morning and not worry about the lights not flashing. Started it and the signals started flashing so I guess the bike just needed to be running. But the headlight fails to come on. there are 4 wires coming off the high beams switch, and I am guessing that I have the high beam ones reverse or something which is canceling the circuit.

I have preloaded the shocks as high as I can and the tire is still bumping the bolt head on the underside of the rear fender. This might mean either new shocks or rebuilding the current ones. New one's would allow me to raise the rear end 1/2" which would more then likely cure that issue.

So outside of getting the headlight sorted out, I think that she is ready to get the first ride accomplished.
 
PEOPLE WE HAVE GENIUS IN OUR MIDST.

Sonreir, pretty much finished my wiring that I had issues with for the last week, and did it all over the shout box.

Is everything perfect, no, but the parts that aren't all seem to be indicator lights on the speedo, and well when it comes down to it, those knowing if my high beam is on is more an inconvenience then a must have. I will figure that one out before long, but now everything is working and I can get inspection, and plate the bike. Oh I need insurance too.

everyone wants my money.

I will see about getting a friend to let me borrow a camera to get some shots of her.

For now she is Done.

There are still things that I will do, still thinking about powder coating the wheels. Still need to work a little more on the seat.


AGAIN huge thank you to Sonreir.
 
Glad to help.

Always awesome to see another vintage two-wheeled freedom machine back on the road. :)
 
So, first ride, or rides as it may have been, have reveled a few things.
One, the left blinker stopped working, the right one still is working. Who knows probably a ground issue.
The front forks are still not aligned with the bars, and the tire with the flat spot needs to be replaced. At about 45 or 50 she starts feeling a little squirrelly. I think this is a compound affect of the alignment of the fork and the tire.

I need to put on new rear shocks. I have bottomed out on bumps a couple times and the current original forks are preloaded has much as I can load them. I might just need longer rear shocks. another 1/2" or 1", and shocks that are stiffer would probably stop the bottoming out issue. Which is damaging the rear tire where it hits the bolt head at the back of the fender, or the seat pin, <<I think it is that one.

The left cylinder is popping/ back firing, when down shifting, and sometimes when you just pull the clutch, there doesn't seem to be an issue with it when giving it gas. The left carb boot has a capped vacuum nipple, but i didn't have the spring clamp for it when I put it on, so i wonder if it has a small vacuum leak that could be causing the back fire.

The seat felt too wide at the front, Kind of like I was astride a horse, so I pulled the staples out of about 3/4 of the seat, narrowed it down so that the front is just about equal with the rear of the tank, and also dished that part out a little more. Feels better then it did this morning.

Any input on replacement shocks, or ideas on the back fire, would be appreciated.
 
Think the ones I got from Von are 13 maybe hair longer . There off a HD sportser I believe and there eye to eye . With me on it in gear is about 195lbs or so ...
 
06-3642.jpg


these showed up an hour ago. Amazing what non blown shocks will do. Looks like I have plenty of clearance now on the back end, and i barely depress them when I sit down on the bike.

This weekend I will have to change the fork oil on the front end and hope that gives the front end better response, or I guess new fork springs will be in order.

Also I think that I need to pull the carbs and reclean them, then try to make sure that they are balanced, and add an inline filter. After that it will be new shoes.
 
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