Getting the best out of the 400

[phil w]

Well as the TA could go one day, I am facing the prospect of the XR 400 being my only bike. Not that I mind too much as I love it. People on here know far more than me so I have a few things on my mind that I wonder if it would be worth the money.
Basically when I use the bike off road now I have a set of wheels with a 14/42 gearing and its awesome, weirdly far better than the 15/45 I originally had.I obviously use this for days out off roading.
So with my spare rear wheel I have fitted a 40t rear which fits fine with chain length if I use a 16t front.
Point 1. For road riding I am goin to use a less agressive knobbly say TKC 80 , would a road biased tire like Avon Distanza increase any speed as theres less friction on roads also losing the need for rim locks so saving weight and the tire being lighter also ??

Point 2. A Mikuni pumper carb makes the bike more powerful so XR Stuff rekon ( a 5 bhp increase??) so are they worth the money?

Point3. If it came to it does giving it a bigger piston give it more power. Lookin at XR Stuff again they do a piston that takes it up to 416cc.. so is it a case of "aint no replacement for displacement" or what ever gets said.
Of course realising the 440 kit is known to be temperamental the 416 is down as the same 10:1 comp ratio which I dont really understand??

Point 4 Again from XR stuff comes a performance cam shaft and they state a stage 1 increases mid and top end power .. any views on this type of mod??

Basicallly Im pretty happy with the bike off road but on road still with a fight to get it comfortable at 65 to 70 mph with a fairly nice engine note. Lets have some thoughts

[Daz Max]

I suppose for the kind of outlay your looking at Phil,it all depends on whether it's a "keeper" or not.It would certainly transform the bike,but you've got to think about whether you'd be better off selling the XR and adding the money you would have spent on upgrades,on buying a more modern powerful bike.

[phil w]

I suppose for the kind of outlay your looking at Phil,it all depends on whether it's a "keeper" or not.It would certainly transform the bike,but you've got to think about whether you'd be better off selling the XR and adding the money you would have spent on upgrades,on buying a more modern powerful bike.

See what your sayin Daz but some of them are cheapish mods. Like I say Im thinkin about it as being my only bike and would have to have it ripped from me rather than get rid. I had given thought to if the Transalp does have to go, then sell the XR and go with a DRZ maybe that does it all.... but like I say the XR is a real love affair so Im thinkin ways to make it better and keep it.
I know its never meant to be a road bike but plenty of people use them in other countries for road work and travelling.

[jasonbc]

Well as the TA could go one day, I am facing the prospect of the XR 400 being my only bike. Not that I mind too much as I love it. People on here know far more than me so I have a few things on my mind that I wonder if it would be worth the money.
Basically when I use the bike off road now I have a set of wheels with a 14/42 gearing and its awesome, weirdly far better than the 15/45 I originally had.I obviously use this for days out off roading.
So with my spare rear wheel I have fitted a 40t rear which fits fine with chain length if I use a 16t front.
Point 1. For road riding I am goin to use a less agressive knobbly say TKC 80 , would a road biased tire like Avon Distanza increase any speed as theres less friction on roads also losing the need for rim locks so saving weight and the tire being lighter also ??

Point 2. A Mikuni pumper carb makes the bike more powerful so XR Stuff rekon ( a 5 bhp increase??) so are they worth the money?

Point3. If it came to it does giving it a bigger piston give it more power. Lookin at XR Stuff again they do a piston that takes it up to 416cc.. so is it a case of "aint no replacement for displacement" or what ever gets said.
Of course realising the 440 kit is known to be temperamental the 416 is down as the same 10:1 comp ratio which I dont really understand??

Point 4 Again from XR stuff comes a performance cam shaft and they state a stage 1 increases mid and top end power .. any views on this type of mod??

Basicallly Im pretty happy with the bike off road but on road still with a fight to get it comfortable at 65 to 70 mph with a fairly nice engine note. Lets have some thoughts

Hi Phil,

1: Less agressive tyres i don't think will give you any more speed as the bike has the aerodynamics of a house brick you might get marginally better fuel economy due to less drag on the tyres and running higher pressures.

2: Pumper carb a lot of outlay for a small gain, what are they now £600ish i sorted the fueling on mine by playing with the jetting now smooth no flat spots starts first or second time unless it's been on it's side or upside down

3: Personal opinon on big bore kits steer clear. Increase performance decrease reliability if they were meant to be that size Honda's R&D would have tested them. These bikes aren't designed for power, torque is there thing. Even with my big bore kit on it it still only made 34bhp at the back wheel and look how that ended up ( was fun to ride though ).From satnadard they are around 29BHP. So again all that money for 5 bhp

4: A friend had a Hotcams stage 1 on his XR400 and he had endless problems with it causing starting problems

[phil w]

Hi Phil,

1: Less agressive tyres i don't think will give you any more speed as the bike has the aerodynamics of a house brick you might get marginally better fuel economy due to less drag on the tyres and running higher pressures.

2: Pumper carb a lot of outlay for a small gain, what are they now £600ish i sorted the fueling on mine by playing with the jetting now smooth no flat spots starts first or second time unless it's been on it's side or upside down

3: Personal opinon on big bore kits steer clear. Increase performance decrease reliability if they were meant to be that size Honda's R&D would have tested them. These bikes aren't designed for power, torque is there thing. Even with my big bore kit on it it still only made 34bhp at the back wheel and look how that ended up ( was fun to ride though ).From satnadard they are around 29BHP. So again all that money for 5 bhp

4: A friend had a Hotcams stage 1 on his XR400 and he had endless problems with it causing starting problems

DRZ it is then

[jasonbc]

DRZ it is then

Can sell you one 02 plate that needs a new head and cam

[dazzerrtw]

DRZ it is then

Let me first say I'm not knocking the DRZ.I have lot's of friends that love them.

That said...for me I tried a DRZ400 and FOR ME the only thing it had that was better than the XR400 was the elec start.

Again...lot's of people love them,they are a good bike,But for me The XR400 is better made, and a better Bike.

Phill ....What problem's are you haveing with you XR4 ?

[phil w]

Let me first say I'm not knocking the DRZ.I have lot's of friends that love them.

That said...for me I tried a DRZ400 and FOR ME the only thing it had that was better than the XR400 was the elec start.

Again...lot's of people love them,they are a good bike,But for me The XR400 is better made, and a better Bike.

Phill ....What problem's are you haveing with you XR4 ?

Off road....... zilch.. fabulous bike the most fun Ive ever had
On road.. I keep hearing people say they cruise comfortably at 65 to 70 but using mine at that speed it always sounds stressed. Would love to use it for travelling on... as others say they do but I think if I did a 200 miles trip it would kill it Even would consider doin next years charity run on it if I felt it could do it

[XR Mad]

Put some ear plugs in and ride it Phil
Just looked at the gearing calculator i've got, and 14/42 is the same as 15/45 Phil and your rev's with that gearing in top gear is approx the same x 100 so 60mph is just under 6000rpm (5925) and 70mph is just under 7000rpm(6913). 8000 being max in standard trim but it is much lower with 16/40 sprockets fitted 60mph is about 4897rpm and 70mph is approx 5741rpm so not a stressed speed at 60 only just over half the max rev's even 70 is well away from 8000rpm so i wouldnt worry phil mine will pull 80 with standard gearing and wont pull past 80 with 15/38 i run which is about the same as your 16/40 but will accelerate to 70 and sit there quite easily (providing theres no strong headwind) it also gives me about 57 to the gallon which would probably go up if i could go a bit easier on the throttle.

[phil w]

Put some ear plugs in and ride it Phil
Just looked at the gearing calculator i've got, and 14/42 is the same as 15/45 Phil and your rev's with that gearing in top gear is approx the same x 100 so 60mph is just under 6000rpm (5925) and 70mph is just under 7000rpm(6913). 8000 being max in standard trim but it is much lower with 16/40 sprockets fitted 60mph is about 4897rpm and 70mph is approx 5741rpm so not a stressed speed at 60 only just over half the max rev's even 70 is well away from 8000rpm so i wouldnt worry phil mine will pull 80 with standard gearing and wont pull past 80 with 15/38 i run which is about the same as your 16/40 but will accelerate to 70 and sit there quite easily (providing theres no strong headwind) it also gives me about 57 to the gallon which would probably go up if i could go a bit easier on the throttle.

Hmmm sounds a reasonable way of thinkin Fred. I do sometimes think the vortip is whats putting me off riding at high speed also, as it does get a bit noisy but the standard tail pipe feels so flat although much quieter.