Hello All

[Nuddy]

Hello all.

I joined the clan yesterday, brought a second hand XR400

Spent the last 10yrs riding sportsbike on the road and track, getting fed up of riding everywhere with my head down at silly speeds

Me and a few mates have taken up green laning and everyone who i speak to recommend the XR400 as a good all round bullet proof off road bike.

My XR has spent the last 3 years sat in a garage in wales, i found the bike through a previous advert for a XR which another person beat me to it

Well a bit about me, Currently ride a 05 ZX10R on the road and i have a 98 R1 trackbike, i'll post some piccies as some stage

Based West Midlands

My XR needs a full service, MOT and a set of tyres, looking forward to some after work fettling of an evening

Still learning the knack of a kick start

[Snaphappy]

Welcome to the clan
its a bit of a madhouse but that's what makes it so interesting

[Recycler]

Still learning the knack of a kick start

Best of luck!

Had a XR600 I nearly torched n buried under the patio (Fred West would of been proud);
Could start it by hand when hot but when cold could be half an hour (never mind correct procedure) so despite the fact that I loved it, had to go.

Lovely bike mind, hope the 400s are better!

[StumpyFingers]

Hello and welcome to the forum, Trying to kickstart an XR is the best way to get warm in the winter months.

[mr brightside]

the xr400 is normaly a good starter from cold but can be a bit harder if you have droped it then i find the best thing to do is pull in the decompresser and pump the kickstart about 20 times as its probably flooded then get the piston to top and give it one good kick

[Nuddy]

Thanks all for the welcome

I understand from the chap who i brought the bike off, the slow jet needs to be cleaned out as it wont run without the choke on.

Having checked the service manual, i apparently need to remove the sub frame to access and remove the carb?

Would it be worth putting some good quality injector cleaner in the petrol and taking it out for a good blast?

[cookingfat]

One of my best mates has a ZX10 and a 98 R1. The lads I ride with, bar two, are into sports bikes and speed.

Ironically most are over 60, after one hour in the saddle they need a rest and complain of stiff necks. Give me a gentlemans motorcycle with comfort and a solid street presence any day.

Then again its 'different pokes for different folks' as my gym mistress used to say in the showers.

UP THE WORKERS!

[Snaphappy]

Reminds me of my first (Funny that you never forget the first, it must be virgin thing)
anyway back on topic my MT 500 Armstrong, what a fecker with leftside kickstart, I had to get off to start it but when she was running we had some fun.
I thought I would do her her some good and got some carbcleaner fuel additive stuff, added as per instructions and then out for a good cleaning blast, 6 miles down the I had no compression and had to walk home and get the trailer, unfortunately the vet couldn't do anything and she was put down.

Moral of the story "doing something good can go wrong" and "dont fix something that works"

I wouldn't bother with the carb cleaner

[Mudwiz]

I've also heard some bad stuff about additives - wont use any in the xr.

If it still runs, either run it, or fix it properly. Sure you need to remove subframes?? Can you not just undo the carb boot clamps and turn it round, then drop thebottom off?