Hi, new member here with a few questions!

[ilovemountains]

Hi guys, newbie here with a few questions. I just bought a 1977 XS400, I know it’s not an 11 but I couldn’t find any info on the web that may be able to help me out and your group looked good! I bought the bike as another project, it was last tagged in 1991, and it’s a 1 owner bike with 8,000 miles. The bikes owner passed away back in 92, the bike was taken to a stealership to have the carbs cleaned and some other work done to it and when the relative of the owner got a bill he told them NO WAY, so they gave the bike back less the carbs that they had just rebuilt, nice guys huh. Anyway it sat in this guy’s garage since. I just found a set of carbs for it, but I do not have a key! Does any one know what steps I should take to get one cut? I don’t have the key # but do have the VIN and the lock #, I’ve never had to get keys made like this! I was told the Yamaha dealer can make them if you have the actual key#, would that be the same as the ignition #? Does any one have any information on the XS400 or know where I might be able to find any? Its the rare one with the 7 spoke wheels, integrated seat and the squared off tank, it looks like an RD400, kind of. It has front and rear disks and the flat seat, the late 78 up models went to the stepped seat, spoke wheels and a drum rear brake, why I don't know! Thanks again for any and all help you all may be able to offer me! My last project was a 1984 Yamaha FJ600 that turned out better than I ever imagined, I was able to track down a NOS SpecII lower body and a full Yoshimura 4to1 exhaust! Anyway thanks again, Matt

[xssiveone]

Re: Hi, new member here with a few questions!

Originally posted by ilovemountains
Hi guys, newbie here with a few questions. I just bought a 1977 XS400, I know it’s not an 11

Everybody's welcome, doesn't matter what you ride.

but I do not have a key! Does any one know what steps I should take to get one cut? I don’t have the key # but do have the VIN and the lock #, I’ve never had to get keys made like this! I was told the Yamaha dealer can make

Any competent locksmith should be able to make you a key for it. Bring the ignition switch with you. I had to have one made, cost me about $20Cdn. Tried the Yamaha dealer and had no luck with the useless twits. Even after I gave them the number off the ignition, the best they could do was sell me a blank key with "Yamaha" on it.

[Dennyz]

The biggest risk you have by watching this list, is you might find yourseld waiting for your little XS to grow up. I had a '77 XS400 at one time and really enjoyed it. It was very fun bike on tight twisty roads and around town. One day my brother and father both came home with brand new XS1100. I stepped up and have never looked back.

I ended up parting out my 400 to a guy that crashed his. I kept the throttle assembly from my 400, it is on my '79 Standard.

[ilovemountains]

I know what you mean!

Yeah I know what you mean I ride a 2001 Triumph Sprint 955i with a Staintune exhaust system and a power commander! I bought the 400 just to tinker with and ultimately for my girlfriend to ride. She lost her 1996 Katana to a wheat field last summer at 50mph, when I showed her a picture of the XS she really liked it, she thought it looked like her old Tomos moped!!! Anyway thanks for the input, if any one knows where I can get some info on this beast please let me know, I found a lock smith that will do the key for $19!

[xssiveone]

Shop Ebay for a repair manual, or check here: Repair Manuals

Check here for part numbers: Parts Catalogue Sometimes the dealer doesn't want to help when they hear the age of the bike, but will look up a part number.

[fxrer]

If you do a search in this forum for "duplicate key" you will find two previous threads that discuss this problem. You should be able to get a key from a dealer, from the lock number.

[prometheus578]

...the owner got a bill he told them NO WAY, so they gave the bike back less the carbs that they had just rebuilt, nice guys huh...

It's hell when you work on some clown's bike and he refuses the bill. Often means the mechanic doesn't get paid for his time. Hey, I've got dogs to feed. He's lucky they gave him the bike back! I've got an XS1100, a Yama 850, a 650, a Kawa 400 and a Kawa 750 sitting under a tarp in my back yard, but I would rather have been paid the money instead! (except for the 1100... I liked that one!)

[Czekus21]

That's quite a few horses in the barn.
pull the ignition switch and take it to your local lock smith, ( not menards,home depot, ace etc ) they will be able to cut you a key. It might cost a penny or two but they CAN do it. It's part of the required course in lock smithing to be able to do this. If they say they can't then they're either not very competent in their work or are lazy. Most hardware stores don't have the proper equipment to cut a key for these bikes. If you can't get-R-done. Send me the lock and I'll take it in to the lock smith that I deal with. I've got to take in the switch for my XJ.

[prometheus578]

horses in the barn

Yeah Czekus21, the barn is full. That's why there's three more in the old dog kennel, two in the garage, and two more in the shed.
But back to the subject of keys. You can't expect a dealer to stock keys for every model going back 25 years, especially if the dealer carries 4 different brands of motorcycles. The cost of inventory would be tremendous, and for an item that is seldom requested.
I point them to the local locksmith and tell them to go do it themselves. Cost: $16.
"Oh, but I don't have the time... could you do it for me?"
Sure. Cost: $91. That covers the key, and the time wasted where I could have been paid for working on someone else's machine.
Incredible as it may seem, some folks actually go that route!