XS400 special II

[jjz28]

Anyone know anything about this bike? I know the specs and it seems really slow. I was looking for a bike for my wife because she is so small. She cannot even touch on the xs750 with cut shocks. She would fit the xs400 very nice but I don't want to buy here something she will get run over on cause it cant get out of its own way. It would be cool for her to have a bike that looked just like my xs11 though, just a little smaller. The bike hasn't been on the road since 94 so will need work. the brake cable, throttle cable are stuck. I am sure all the other maintenance stuff and carbs will have to be done too. I can probably get it for $400. The bike itself actually looks better than mine as far as paint goes. It has the ugly (to me) king queen seat that has the hump and goes up the sissy bar seat on it. Any thoughts?

[Jerry]

I had an '82 XS 400, not the Special, and it could move me at 75 mph on the freeway. I weight 265. I used to use it to commute to work which included a stretch of interstate.

Great bike to throw around corners. Handling was good with a monoshock rear suspension. Used the same size rear tire as my XJ.

There was also a Secca version of the 400 that had a 6-speed transmission. Mine was a 5-speed. I put a lot of miles on it but SWMBO said I had to many bikes and it had to go when we moved from Wisconsin to Oregon.

Only problem I ever had was the oil pressure light would get crud on the top and give me a false reading. I cleaned the top of the sensor a couple times a year after I found this out and it never bothered me again.

IMHO a nice little bike with good performance, good handling, and easy to ride.

[jjz28]

Thanks jerry. My wife weighs 110 so it should haul her around good.

[fredintoon]

Anyone know anything about this bike? I know the specs and it seems really slow. I was looking for a bike for my wife because she is so small. She cannot even touch on the xs750 with cut shocks. She would fit the xs400 very nice but I don't want to buy here something she will get run over on cause it cant get out of its own way. It would be cool for her to have a bike that looked just like my xs11 though, just a little smaller. The bike hasn't been on the road since 94 so will need work. the brake cable, throttle cable are stuck. I am sure all the other maintenance stuff and carbs will have to be done too. I can probably get it for $400. The bike itself actually looks better than mine as far as paint goes. It has the ugly (to me) king queen seat that has the hump and goes up the sissy bar seat on it. Any thoughts?

Hi Jeff,
didja end up getting that bike?
I'd say that machine would be just great for a height-challenged beginner but lose the KQHB seat.
Not just because those seats are ucking fugly but because they can get in the way if the rider needs to do an emergency bailout.

[Crusty Snippets]

400 Yami

I just bought an 83 400 Yami and was researching the specs. Seems I have a DOHC model that makes 46hp and will do over 100mph.
Has a mono shock at the rear.
The original motor is thrashed so I am in the middle of installing a new decent engine. Also replacing front wheel bearings and brake parts.
Should have it running in January and can report back. If it does 90 I will be happy enough.

Unkle Crusty

[Prisoner6]

I know I'm a little late to the party, but my very first bike was a 1980 XS400 Special with the cast alloy wheels. I rode that bike everywhere; put just over 39,000 mi. on it with nary a problem ... very easy to handle; I weighed about 165 lbs. when I bought it brand new off the showroom floor, and that little twin had no problem propelling me down the freeway at 70 mph. IIRC, Yamaha's claimed wet weight for the bike was right around 400 lbs. A great beginners motorcycle!

[der verge]

I just bought an 83 400 Yami and was researching the specs. Seems I have a DOHC model that makes 46hp and will do over 100mph.
Has a mono shock at the rear.
The original motor is thrashed so I am in the middle of installing a new decent engine. Also replacing front wheel bearings and brake parts.
Should have it running in January and can report back. If it does 90 I will be happy enough.

Unkle Crusty

I am sure the little guy will do 90. I had the older 79 xs with a miserly 27hp. I kept her well in tune. Phone GPS clocked her many times at 86mph, flat and level, no tail wind.....

[Crusty Snippets]

Xs400

After a bit more research.
Mine is an XS400 Seca. Easy to tell the sporty DOHC from the more subdued cruiser type bike. I did not count the gears but it should have six.
This little bike, from the specs, is almost as fast as a 650 Bonneville or a 750 Norton. Have been looking up the specs on those bikes.
HP for Yami Junior is 45 or 46, for a Bonneville and Norton 48 / 50.
Top speed for YJ 105 to 106 claimed, for a Bonny & Norton about the same, maybe a bit more.
My 71 Norton did 108 to 110 by the speedo.
I will probably have $700 invested in Yami Junior by the time I buy a bunch of new pieces. I will have a spare engine to rebuild if need be.
So for a fraction of the price of old British, I will have a bike with similar performance. And cheaper insurance.
Forgot, claimed dry weight for YJ is 366.

Unkle Crusty

[IanDMacDonald]

They're cool little bikes, but I honestly could never hop on any of my smaller displacement bikes again after owning the Eleven.

[Crusty Snippets]

Big

They're cool little bikes, but I honestly could never hop on any of my smaller displacement bikes again after owning the Eleven.

Once a V8 kind of guy, always a V8 kind of guy.
Big Yami has collector plates on it. As a requirement for the collector plates I have to have something else insured under the regular class rules. A 400cc or smaller bike is the cheapest thing to insure, and also rideable.
I like the smaller bikes for around town, much easier to ride.
In the warmer months I will switch the plates from Yami junior to my Suzuki.
Yami is insured year round. It is the winter bike and the family cruiser.
Also own a V8.

Unkle Crusty

[madmax-im]

i had a 78 xs400 and if you want a small bike for your little woman...i would not reccommend this one...its really tall even sitting on it and she may not like the long reach to the ground...plus this bike is slow...70 mph max is all i would do on it...BTW being a parallel twin it gives out alot of vibrations that will make the mirrors useless at any speeds over 50mph and your hands will go numb in 50 miles or less..which is about how long you want to ride it before getting off it...it was fun to ride around town but not really a good hwy bike IMO