The XR400 Thread

[mark1150]

Although I love riding the XR and the little spin that I've had on the DRZ, the one thing that I've missed is being able to see what's coming up behind me on the road when going to and from the trails.
This can be a particular PITA while wearing goggles as it gives you, for want of a better description tunnel vision.
Now both bikes have the threaded receiver to accept standard mirrors, which are big and bulky, and the specialist fold into the centre types are quite expensive, and I don't like the style anyway so....with a bit of luck these will work.
When I arrive at the trail head a couple of seconds and they are removed and plenty small enough to fit in a fender bag ruck sack or pocket.

NB:- I'm in the UK where we drive on the proper side of the road, :) so the important mirror is the right hand side one.


Bought for a pound each at the pound shop for using on push bikes,so worth a go.

They started life with the attached flexible arms, which were too long, and too flexible.
These are held in by a little screw which passes through the mirror body and the arm which was then removed leaving just the mirror body.




Next I inserted a stainless Allen bolt, then drilled through the body to one side of the bolt, and screwed in a self tapping screw.
The threads on the screw bit into the threads on the bolt in effect creating a fixing system similar to that of the gear lever; all that was left to this part was to cut off the excess screw on the far side, and painted over it to stop it rusting.
This was followed by some alaldite to keep it extra secure.





The final stage was to drill and tap the hand guards to accept the bolt,



I intend to use a nut when in proper use just to prevent it from spinning due to vibration.
And viola, a pair of bar end mirrors for £2! or at current exchange rates $3.16 US.



Lets hope that they work.

[kito]

Hi I have been looking into what bike to buy next .I am wanting to build up a simple reliable lightish long distance offroad touring bike . I think the xr400 might just be the bike but I will need to "A" increase the amount of oil going round the engine and "B" fit a wheel with a cush drive
"A" shouldnt be to hard I think as its a dry sump . Has anyone on here already done this mod ?
"B" what wheels with cush drive should fit the xr400 ?
thanks kito

[overlandr]

Originally Posted by DrLewall

I would agree with this..and even at $300, might be a little too much for it.

For the record it appears to have sold for $1000!

[G600]

Originally Posted by kito

Hi I have been looking into what bike to buy next .I am wanting to build up a simple reliable lightish long distance offroad touring bike . I think the xr400 might just be the bike but I will need to "A" increase the amount of oil going round the engine and "B" fit a wheel with a cush drive
"A" shouldnt be to hard I think as its a dry sump . Has anyone on here already done this mod ?
"B" what wheels with cush drive should fit the xr400 ?
thanks kito

Hi. Very interesting. Please do post if you go for it and show us lots of pictures as the project progresses.

A. Why? The XR4 holds a little under 2 liters of oil, I change the oil at about 2000km (dual sport riding). Offroad-touring will add km faster pr hour, I’m sure you can stretch the oil change interval to maybe 3000 km. Is that to frequent for you?

B. Why? I have never heard about XR4 gearbox failures related to street use.

IMHO your challenge has to do with rider comfort and the ability to carry heavy luggage. The XR4 is after all a dirbike, tall and thin with a narrow seat. And the subframe in not that strong, it probably will not handle heavy luggage for long periods of time, specially not offroding.

[ibeme1]

Originally Posted by pzs

Im in Australia I have one you can have, to expensive though to post international

Thanks for the offer but I think shipping would be really expensive.

Thanks again!
Jeff

[kito]

Originally Posted by G600

Hi. Very interesting. Please do post if you go for it and show us lots of pictures as the project progresses.

A. Why? The XR4 holds a little under 2 liters of oil, I change the oil at about 2000km (dual sport riding). Offroad-touring will add km faster pr hour, I’m sure you can stretch the oil change interval to maybe 3000 km. Is that to frequent for you?

B. Why? I have never heard about XR4 gearbox failures related to street use.

IMHO your challenge has to do with rider comfort and the ability to carry heavy luggage. The XR4 is after all a dirbike, tall and thin with a narrow seat. And the subframe in not that strong, it probably will not handle heavy luggage for long periods of time, specially not offroding.

Hi thanks for the reply .I have a friend who went 2up with his better half on a xr400 from UK to morocco on it so the bike can take some weight on the back . I will weld up some gussets ect to add some strenth to the frame . I have had tony archer do the seat on my BMW x challenge and am happy so I would get him to do the same again on the XR. I have a lot of mods in mind if I do go ahead with getting an XR so might just do a bike build thread.
I have read that quite a lot of people change the carb . What sort of MPG will I be getting with a different carb ?

[aaron2a]

I've got a street legal xr400 that is awsome... I've started to do wheelies and now I want to put axle sliders and a 12 o'clock bar and foot pegs.. I found where one guy fabed one up but I kinda want to keep the air box... If anyone knows someone or can build one without having to have my bike there it would be awsome.

[mookybird]

Kito....I bought a 98 xr4 last fall off craigslist, other than fork springs and a baja designs kit it is stock. In august I rode it from home to Baja than northeast up to North Dakota and back home. I covered a bit over 5000 miles and it was trouble free.

I thought the stock seat was comfortable enough and I plan to do a similar trip again this summer. With a bit of practice it only takes a few minutes to change oil, I would pull into walmart back by the repair shop doors and buy the oil and a bucket and they were very nice about disposing of the used oil and bucket afterwards. I changed oil four times and replaced a well worn rear pirelli MT43 trials tire in Moab.

I ran for a couple of long days in temps over 100 and just had zero problems. I can't recall exactly but I think mpg's were about 45 to 47 average.

I've toured quite a bit with several types of bike from big cruisers to the whole ADV hard panniers type and the old XR was not the fastest or the most comfortable but it was sure a lot of fun.

I used the giant loop coyote luggage system and had no issues, most of the trip was on pavement but there were several hundred miles on dirt and about 120 very punishing miles in Death Valley running as fast as I could stay on it on a rough road with no rear subframe problems.

Maybe I got lucky, hard to say. I've looked things over well and can't find any indication of wear or damage from not having a rear wheel cush drive? I like the inexpensive simplicity of the bike.

Good luck with whatever you decide, I have mine setup to run 65 to 70 comfortably and can change to a larger front sprocket in a few minutes as needed for the offroad sections. gramps

[Luke]

Originally Posted by kito

I have read that quite a lot of people change the carb . What sort of MPG will I be getting with a different carb ?

Probably the bad sort.

I usually got 30mpg-45mpg with the stock carb. 30 would be in lots of mud or deep sand, but usually 40-45 for hardpack trail, gravel roads or pavement. With the Mikuni TM36, which is the most popular replacement carb, it'll still get 45mpg on pavement but I can count on 25-30mpg anywhere else.

The extra little bit of power and easier starting is nice, but for traveling I would stick with stock.

[Ed@Ford]

Kito & Mookybird:

I have used my XR400R for significant road work. Be sure to gear it up...I run 16/45, get a thermometer to go in the dipstick hole, and make sure there is no fender toolbag to impede air flow to the oil cooler. Try to keep oil temps below 245, and run a top notch synthetic oil. I use 10W40 Rotella T Synthetic...it's a diesel truck oil...and no I don't want to open that synthetic oil clutch slippage can of worms. Make sure you tension your chain with decent slack with your self and luggage on board.

[Diravi]

Originally Posted by kito

I have read that quite a lot of people change the carb . What sort of MPG will I be getting with a different carb ?

If you set the pumper carb to pump fuel unnecessarily too early, and if you ride it hard in the dirt it MPG will go down.

What helped me to get MPG down is the high compression piston, CR 11:1 instead of the stock 9:1. Just see what Mazda is doing with their new Skyactiv car engines, they have 14:1 CR to get much better fuel efficiency.

[Clem Kevin]

Originally Posted by mookybird

I can't recall exactly but I think mpg's were about 45 to 47 average.

This is what I got on a recent 1500 mile trip, I was a bit disappointed actually. I think I was running 16/45, I figured I would break the 50's if not 60's. What tire and pressures were you running? I had the shinko 244 and kept it around 25-28 psi

Originally Posted by Diravi

Just see what Mazda is doing with their new Skyactiv car engines, they have 14:1 CR to get much better fuel efficiency.

This is very cool, I had no idea. Wasn't Honda working on something similar, where the pistons almost had a mini combustion chamber on top of them?

[kito]

Originally Posted by Diravi

If you set the pumper carb to pump fuel unnecessarily too early, and if you ride it hard in the dirt it MPG will go down.

What helped me to get MPG down is the high compression piston, CR 11:1 instead of the stock 9:1. Just see what Mazda is doing with their new Skyactiv car engines, they have 14:1 CR to get much better fuel efficiency.

what will this do to the long term reliability of the engine ?
do you know get a nock on low grade fuel ?
what is your mpg now ?

[kito]

Originally Posted by Ed@Ford

Kito & Mookybird:

I have used my XR400R for significant road work. Be sure to gear it up...I run 16/45, get a thermometer to go in the dipstick hole, and make sure there is no fender toolbag to impede air flow to the oil cooler. Try to keep oil temps below 245, and run a top notch synthetic oil. I use 10W40 Rotella T Synthetic...it's a diesel truck oil...and no I don't want to open that synthetic oil clutch slippage can of worms. Make sure you tension your chain with decent slack with your self and luggage on board.

verry interesting that you are using a truck oil ? any problems to report ? how long have you been using this oil in your motor ?

[Ed@Ford]

Originally Posted by kito

what will this do to the long term reliability of the engine ?
do you know get a nock on low grade fuel ?
what is your mpg now ?

My XR440 has the stock carburetor, 11:1 CR, and likes premium....It generally gets 50 mpg, as long as you stay under 65mph...give it regular gas, and you surely CAN'T lug it without getting knock..especially in hot weather....but if you have to burn the low octane just be smooth o the throttle and don't lug it, and it'll get you to a station where you can add some premium and dilute the regular....oh and these are US 4 quart gallons, not inperial 5 quart gallons