XS400 Project Bike

For my next project I wanted a small displacement vertical twin that looked like it was from the 60's.  I found a 1981 Yamaha XS400 Special II on CL that fit the bill perfectly.

First things first, I had to get it running.  The PO said the bike had been sitting about 10 years.  I tore down the carbs first and was surprised what good shape they were in.  I cleaned them up and put them back on with some new carb boots.  I put some fresh gas in the tank and she fired right up.

None of the lights were working and what should have been a fuse box had been hardwired.  I started going through the rats nest of a harness and discovered someone had totally hacked it up.  I ended up rewiring the entire bike.  No turn signals, no horn, just the necessities. 

I'm not a fan of the stock bars, so I swapped those out.  I also replaced the headlight.

Next I went to the rear of the bike.

I replaced the single taillight with two side mount taillights.

I also replaced the stock shocks with a shorter and beefier set.

Then I cut out the rear fender mount so I could fab up and new seat pan.

I only had a couple layers of fiberglass layed on the pan.  Dice Magazine was throwing their annual party with Church of Choppers at Kung Fu Tap and Taco.  So, even though the bike wasn't done, I still rode it there with an unfinished seat pan.