XS400 brat build

**bugn8r** · 13th August 2012, 21:24

Hi all, just came back to Christchurch for the weekend from uni for a family thing in Timaru so I thought I'd paint the wheels, I also ordered some fork boots off trademe for $25 so I decided to fit those as well. It is all looking pretty good I reckon. I'm back up to Wellington tomorrow but I reckon I'll pretty much have the bike finished after next holidays in a few weeks time.

Things to do/get:
Speedo, a small one off ebay with idiot lights included
Flat bars
Air filters
Get frame hoop welded up
make seat (all electrics under seat)
buy small battery (will probably leave this till last as quite expensive however I have a very good offer from Edbear)
clean up all electrics up front

I reckon I'll drop the forks about 2" so I don't have to have them popping through the trees. Plus I really want a square XS400 tank, were they ever sold in NZ or did we just get the sloped ones? I tried the CB tank the other day but I decided it's too much effort to get it to fit.

I also really want to do a brake upgrade (more for cosmetics) with a 320mm upfront, I'll probably only do this after I get the bike up and running.

Any ideas on why the indicators aren't flashing? They turn on but just stay a solid amber. They did flash before a started to play around with things

Really am loving the black look, I reckon I'll go black everything except motor and tank. Tank will be cream and not too sure on motor yet.

Anyway here are some pics....

**ducatilover** · 13th August 2012, 21:42

Excellent stuff

Why not make/buy an A123 cell battery? Small, relatively cheap and good.

**bugn8r** · 13th August 2012, 21:51

Yea I have been looking at those as well, found some cheap ones overseas but I was warned on another site that if you don't get good cells they won't last long. Do you run them? Did you make your own? I'd love to make one but I might just end up buying one if I can get it on the cheap. Also are you running electric start? I want to keep both starting options on my bike

**ducatilover** · 13th August 2012, 22:12

I'll be running a 4 cell unit on the GN soon, if it works I'll make an 8 cell for the 600.
You can make a good one for around the $100nz mark from what I can tell, if you're resourceful
I do have a kick start DR250 bottom end I've been thinking about using though

**bugn8r** · 14th August 2012, 02:31

Tell me how it works out for you, could be keen

**neels** · 14th August 2012, 08:41

Originally Posted by bugn8r

Plus I really want a square XS400 tank, were they ever sold in NZ or did we just get the sloped ones?

Yep they do exist, I had a XS360 with a square tank a few years ago, and got some bits for it off an XS400 being wrecked that had the same tank as well. Probably be getting pretty hard to find a good one now, the tank on my bike had a leak that needed sealing, I looked at the one on the other bike but it was worse....

**bugn8r** · 14th August 2012, 10:33

Do you still have any contact details for the parts bike? I could be interested
cheers

**neels** · 14th August 2012, 12:58

No sorry, it was a while back now and that bit of paper has long since been chucked out.

**bugn8r** · 8th September 2012, 01:09

Been a while since an update but I have been back in Christchurch for a week and played around a bit with the bike.
I have now had it running for all of 10 seconds but it seems to be a fuel problem so it shouldn't be too hard to sort out (I haven't really looked into it).

Went into my old school, I still have mates there, and made some handle bars (saves me spending $40 on trademe). What do you guys reckon for the bars? The ones on at the moment are just a straight pipe (they will be bent) but I like the flat 'drag bar' look so just 20 degree bends I reckon. I also bent some pipe for a tail hoop, next job is to go get it welded (might go back to school hah) I also got some ply just to make a seat base.

My main job at the moment is getting a tank sorted, I really didn't like the original and it was proving too hard to get one of the square ones so I bought four tanks off a guy on trademe for $10 each and went to work. My two favourites (photos below) are off a Suzuki A50/100 and a Yamaha RD200. The RD200 tank (orange one) is shaped so nicely but will be a lot more work to mak it fit ( I have already cut big chunks out of the underside of it to get it to sit over the frame (stupid tripple backbone). I also like the Suzuki tank as it is really different to what you normally see.

The RD tank ha given my my colour scheme, I am keeping the bike all black and chrome but the tank/tail/front guard will all be that awesome flaky orange, I do like those original decals as well!

Oh and new headlight, I prefer this one to the old one.

Anyway here are a couple of shots I just took...

**ducatilover** · 8th September 2012, 01:18

Flat bars rock!
That RD tank looks wicked, but so does the Zook one. What were the other two tanks?

**bugn8r** · 14th September 2012, 14:55

Kawasaki A7/A1 and a Suzuki B120, neither come even close to fitting or look that good. I'm still unsure on the RD tank, I think it looks the best but it will be a lot more work to make it fit, the A50 tank on the other hand looks pretty awesome and won't take too much work to make it fit so I think we have a winner, plus it's in really good nick, doesn't even look like there's any rust inside. Plus I love how it comes so far forward around the neck

Here's the pic off trademe...