I’d owned the XS400 Special for five years. Rumour was that it had started out as a 250, but both models were basically similar, sharing most chassis parts and the same OHC twin cylinder design.
It was still a neat looking bike but the clock read 63000 miles, about half of that under my own hands. At this point in the bike's life I decided it was an ideal hack on which to tour Britain for a month or so, a tent strapped on the back and a song in my heart. I wasn't to know it at the time, but this was going to be the XS400‘s final journey.
The little Yam had proved a worthy rather than remarkable motorcycle. Mild use, which included cruising at 70mph. gave 65 to 70mpg, even thrashing the thing turned in 60mpg from an engine that'd been rebuilt just before I bought it. The previous (and first) owner had gone on at length about the modified electrics non-standard coils and leads, and some still sticky black gunge over every exposed bit of electrical hardware. All, apparently, necessary to ensure consistent starting.
As usual. that early June morning the motor chuffed into life the first kick with its distinctive off-beat note only marginally muted by the 2-1. It was a nice friendly noise that became a hard snarl at 6500rpm, the point where the power flowed in. Reports have accused the XS400 of being gutless, and it's true at lower revs there’s not a lot at torque, but the engine was clean running and quite capable of keeping ahead of the cages without entering the power band (worth doing for the 70mpg economy).
The motor will rev to ten grand but I usually changed up at around 9000rpm, when power in the taller gears was beginning to tail off and there were a few safe revs in hand for when the gearbox found a false neutral... the box had worn as the miles piled up and only an experienced foot could control it.
Roadrunner tyres and tightened up suspension, along with a complete new set of chassis bearings at 48000 miles, kept the Yamaha in shape on both fast main roads and down the back lanes. Weighing only 375lbs meant it was easy to control. Worn tyres, bearings or suspension could make it flap around a bit and I even had the odd tank-slapper, which was mind blowing the first time it happened. It made sure I kept the bike up to scratch.
With lots of camping gear compressing the rear shocks, the bars felt loose in my hands as I pushed the XS up to an 80mph cruising speed. I used to happily cane her along at 90mph but age, vibration and a slight loss of high rev power precluded such excess. I could take it to the ton when necessary for overtaking, an engine in excellent fettle capable of pushing her to 110mph. This loss of top end go wasn't the end of the world, the riding position was mildly cruiser and the motor offered a relaxed feel at 80mph. It wasn’t one of those engines that insisted you cane it to death.
A 200 mile drone up the M1 came and went, with just a quick stop for fuel. Every gas stop I had a quick glance at the oil, the motor had always gulped it down and could half empty a sump in 500 miles of hard riding. Leaks, except when the gearbox seals went (every 8 to 10,000 miles), were marginal smears on some gasket surfaces, so it must've been burnt off, although the exhaust was never overwhelmed with black smoke, the odd putt on the overrun the only evidence that the valves were maybe on the way out.
The XS250/400 engine was a relatively simple design, lacking the balancers of either the GS450 or CB400N. Having owned an ancient Superdream I cant say that this was any great loss. patches of vibes afflicting the XS but not to the same extent as a CB400N with a worn balancer chain (which given the poor tensioner design was pretty much every one on the market). Even when the bars or pegs thrummed away it wasn't too intense and I very rarely ended up with dead feet or hands even after a 500 mile jaunt.
l was a bit surprised, therefore, after taking the A-road to York after getting off the motorway near Doncaster, to find the pegs trying to come undone at 7000 to 8000 revs. It seemed like a good time to head for the camping site, about a mile east of York. I checked the valves over, the exhausts a little too tight, and balanced the carbs. The vibes hadn’t gone away, but the XS got me into York for a drinking session with some mates suddenly made at the camping site (they were on 350LC’s and spent more time on one wheel than two).
I made it back to the camping site without falling off, but then the front light blew. Dip beam still worked, so I reckoned it was the vibes and made a mental note to buy a spare bulb the next day I wasn‘t too popular, some jerks had erected a similar tent on the other side of the bike. In my drunken state I wandered in there, Iet out a massive fart just before leaping on to the sleeping bag. This contained a young couple who were suitably enraged at this apparent attack but my mates came over and explained that I was a mental retard and a bout of fisticuffs was avoided. They gave me some nasty looks in the morning, though.
Naturally, that trauma had put the light incident right out of my mind as I set off for Teesside, where I knew someone who'd put me up for the night. The vibration gradually spread right through the rev range until only 55mph in top represented a region of relative calmness. It was the longest 50 miles of my life, as the route seemed blocked up with caravans, weaving across the road at about 25mph.
Once installed in my friend's house, I gave some thought to the engine's imminent demise over a couple of cans of Newcastle Brown, In the middle of Coronation Street it suddenly dawned on me that I should check the engine mounting bolts. Aha! One was completely missing, the others were loose.
My friend had a shed full of bits and we soon found a bolt of the required length albeit of a smaller diameter “Torque it down with this," my friend suggested. handing me a yard long bar to put over the end of the wrench.
The next morning I was much relieved to find that the vibration had diminished to a tolerable level, although it wasn't as smooth as it’d been at the beginning of the trip. I was hoping to do the 200 miles along the east coast to Scotland in one go. A rather fierce gale howled in off the sea, leaving me banked into the wind at an extreme angle. It didn‘t seem safe to do more than 30mph and the strain on my arms began to tell. I was pretty relieved to hide out in Alnwick for a couple of hours until the wind died down, Even with the increased speed allowed by the diminution of the gale, I still didn’t make it to Edinburgh before darkness fell.
That was when I recalled that the main bulb had blown and the vibes decided to come back. At the best of times the XS doesn‘t have brilliant lights with dip only safe for 35mph cruising on unlit roads. Even then it’s a great strain on the eyes for more than ten minutes. Three hours later I gave up, pulled off the road and slept rough for the night.
My problems didn’t end there. Fuel was flowing through the engine at a staggering 45mpg, which meant I ran dry way before I expected and ended up pushing the hack for three miles. The single front disc dragged all the way (it’d always needed too much attention for my liking) and l was tempted several times to dump the heap and hitch-hike for the rest of the holiday, but the thought of carrying all my gear dissuaded me.
Fuelled up, vibrating like a pile-driver, we headed the remaining 30 miles to Edinburoh. where I decided that I needed a proper bed for the night. I'd tightened up the engine bolts again, but came to the conclusion that they were coming undone because of the vibes. rather than the buzzes being caused by their Iooseness.
By the time we entered the great city of Edinburgh, the engine knocked away furiously and smoke poured out of the silencer. It was quite embarrassing to stop at junctions, the peds not sure if they should cover their ears or nose! With a sudden shudder and clanging noise they were spared the choice, the motor died a death and a ghastly silence ensued.
That was the end of the XS400. I sold the seized bike to a Scottish breaker for eighty quid. Despite this pathetic ending, I think the Yamaha was a good bike. Were new or new-ish ones available then I would be very happy to buy one. The old ones available now are too worn.
Eddie Jones