Near new xz400

[ShaneSpring]

Check out this, it's an 87xz400 and it's only done 4.7km, thats basically brand new  :o

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=51025853&key=41702

Wish i had the spare money at the moment :'(

[Kiwi_XZ]

Have to say I'm tempted, however everyone I've ever spoken to has never had nice things to say about the 400.  Most have indicated that it was badly underpowered.  Having sat for so long (since 1987) you would want to check the bores for corrosion before firing it up and I bet the fuel tank would be in need of a bit of POR.

There is a lot of these on the market here, I see about one a week in various states of repair on TradeMe (aution site like EBay for those outside NZ).  Good thing is that bar some of the motor parts everything else fits the 550.

They were very popular in middle of the North Island, I was offered one for less than $100.00 by TSS Motorcycles in Lower Hutt about a month ago.  I was talking to the owner (of TSS) and he mentioned he had one out the back that the owner had bought in for repair and when advised of the cost had told them they could keep it.  I'm not sure of the problem but we could all hazard a guess.

When I sounded interested he took me out the back to see it and then offered it to me.  Unfortunately I had to decline as another bike in the garage would have caused a marital rift.  I did mention that I was interested in its TCI though, as I didn't have a spare.  The side cover was off and it was dangling loose so he pulled it off and gave it to me FOC.  I definitely be shopping there again!

[Lucky]

. I was talking to the owner (of TSS) and he mentioned he had one out the back that the owner had bought in for repair and when advised of the cost had told them they could keep it. I'm not sure of the problem but we could all hazard a guess.

Starter clutch bolts! lol!!!

[Kiwi_XZ]

Battery not charging?  Maybe the jackpot and it was both!

[Glyn]

I think if they view this site they may have second thoughts!

[Lead_Deficiency]

Even the 400 had dual rotors, what were they thinking with the 550. Is the 400 just a smaller bore?

[XZv2]

No, Lead, the XZ400 has a bore and stroke of 73 mm x 47,6 mm, cubic capacity: 398 cc.
The XZ550 has a bore and stroke of 80 x 55 mm, cubic cap 552 cc. The 400 has 45 horsepower at 10.000 revs, the 550 64,4 at 9.500 revs according to Yamaha figures on brochures (a Euro XZ550 brochure and a Chinese XZ400 brochure) of the time they were sold new.
So the XZ400 has different pistons and a different crankshaft. And there are more differences such as slotted front brake disks for the 400.
But generally speaking, many engine and cycle parts are the same. Both bikes have a dry weight of 189 kg in the brochures mentioned above.
XZv2

[simcha]

Somewhat strange but the 400,s had air forks and rear shock adjustable for damping as well as spring preload. Foot rests, gear lever and rear brake lever are also in nice shiny alloy too. Well at least the pile of parts that was once a 400 in my garage have!

[Kiwi_XZ]

Simcha, you are correct, I have the remains of a XZ400 in my spares collection.  The rear shock has a dampening adjustment, alloy pegs and gear lever.  Most in this country had dual front brakes, same calipers as the 550.  The seat upholstery was different with a grab  strap.  The chassis parts appear to be based around the 82 model much like the 550 sold here in New Zealand.

Having said that the 82 here has the lower handle bar and dual front brakes as well.  We seem to have a bit of a mixture of parts from the 82 & 83.  A lot of these bikes were sold new up until as late as 86/87 so I suspect Yamaha were just dumping the remains on the market here and in Australia.

The XZ400 received some pretty poor reviews here and in Australia when it came out.  Most remarked on the poor engine performance.

Cheers - Shane

[XZv2]

Simcha and Kiwi, the 83 XZ550 has also air forks and damper adjustment of the rear suspension element, similar to the 400. Dual front brakes and low handlebars are standard on all 83 XZ. It seems the 400 differs in the front brake disks: they have small slots. As far as I know no 550 had that ever. Indeed, I can see in the Chinese brochure there is a grab strap on the 400. It has also alloy footrests etc as you say. They must save some weight for the 400. It is strange the 400 and 550 brochures indicate the same weight for both models, in spite of these lighter parts of the 400.
I am collecting data on the different XZ-models to set up a database of the differences on www.xz550.nl.
Thank you both for your help!
I think the XZ400 is a unique bike. Under 400 cc bikes with a shaft drive are very rare: I can only think of the Moto Guzzi V35 350 cc bike in recent times.
Long ago there were the Velocette Valiant and LE 200 cc shaft drivers and the BMW R25, R26 and 27 250 cc.
XZv2
?

[Night Vision]

XZv2: I revisited your site tonight. I went on when you first joined us, and I like the new info, updates etc.

I especially found it interstesting that there was a.......

50hp BEGINNERS MODEL sold in Germany

I was told that there was no such thing as a "special edition extremely rare beginners model"? ;) ;)? (that's an inside joke for me) :D

keep up the good work on the site!!

[XZv2]

Hi, Night Vision,
Thank you for you kind words. The model in Germany is not so rare, there were many sold. Riders who received their drivers' license for two-wheelers were limited for the first years to maximum 37 Kw (= 50 horsepower).
At this moment in Holland there is also a "beginners" limit: 25 Kw, even less. There is a age limit for this and a number of years that you have your driving license.
Because of this, several makes have special models to fulfill the requirements of 25 KW, and in the Eighties for Germany 37 Kw. The XZ550 had a special model to fullfil those requirements and the data are in the Euro XZ550 workshop handbook.

As to the website, I hope to collect more data and make them available to everybody on the website.
XZv2

[Coil Coyle]

Japan had a similar situation that involved insurance brackets in the 80's. That gave the world 400 cc Visions and FJ's. The 400 cc Japan models would have the better suspension and higher revs pieces because the 400 bracket was competitive sales wise over there.

$00.02
coil