Hello.. I have recently joined the forum. In fact this is the first and only forum I have ever been a member of. I am onto my third bike. 1st bike was a gs500, loved it but got a tad tired of it after my trip from Brisbane to cape tribulation and back again in 2 weeks. So bye bye gs hello xr650r. Now that was a rip snorter of a torque monster. Loved it, nurtured it, then rode the snot out of it. Due to a cock uo by me ended uo rebuilding the top end by candle light in my garage. Went awesome again. Then the best and only bike I thought I would need was stolen. Gone just like that. Some cretinous low life decided to go for a joy ride. Happily insurance paid out, not so happily the lady in my life wanted an upgrade to the bus. So priorities being what they are that of course happened. You may be wondering where I am going with this. So, fast forward to now and l.. finally having scrounged enough change from behind the sofa cushions decided to have another crack. I have bought a 1200 buck heap of an xr400. This all started on Gumtree, as these sad stories are often do. You might ask, what did I see in her? Was it the crappy plastics? The super quiet and lovely engine? or was it the nostalgia of the half dismantled supertrapp hanging off the back? Anyway, long story short, after a long drive up the coast with a mate in a rented ute to an inarticulate man in a shed, I found myself the proud owner of a 1996, xr400. My mate says "there will be a gremlin in there somewhere" Being a perennial optimist, I totally ignore him. So I get the beast home and lo and behold.. rust.. rust.. as far as the eye can see! Obviously took the bash plate off and there is steel leprosy, holes eaten into the frame. To the room: Do I A: Keep, get welded B: Keep, try to find frame C: Part out and sell Additional info..she needs grips, a set of tyres, rear fender, the supertrapps a bit rusty, headlight cowl. Engine, suspenders, wheels, brakes, gear box, clutch are awesome. Only has 10000 kms and has hand new fluids, filters and valves adjusted. Your expert opinions please. If option A, anyone local to me (around Brisbane) who can weld and would be willing to help out for a case of beer or a reasonable sum? You will have a new riding buddy and friend in deed. Cheers
Very best of luck, I had a KTM520 2002 with exact same conundrum. Sold it eventually. Not much help I know. Surely there's a frame somewhere lying in someone's shed?! Happy hunting mate! [emoji482] Sent from my G3221 using Tapatalk
I'm intrigued.... that looks like wear ie from a metal bash plate rubbing thru the frame combined with sand?and water as grinding paste rather than rust.
Welcome to the Ozsylum Donjulio (ummm... you're not related to lentil are you...?) Honest opinion...? The sideplate plastic and front guard look immaculate (so they're not original right?) Otherwise you say that the engine, suspenders, wheels, brakes, gear box, clutch are all in "awesome" condition...? Okay... but those chassis rails... that's not just rust (that has formed those holes) mate... the scrapes and dings and pitting (on the engine cases) - it's been dragged and scraped over logs and rocks and what have you (which is fine - it's a trailbike after all... and a 22 year old one)... but those 10,000 km's are a bit optimistic - either that or they were bloody hard km's. If you think the rest is in good servicable condition, I would look at getting someone to cut and grind out the cancer, run some new steel rod in the chassis tubes and plate it. But to get a decent job of it, you'll need to find someone with a MIG and half a clue what their doing, as well as some decent material. For that you will probably need to part with a bit more than a carton - new forum lifetime riding buddy - or not. Other that that... new oil, airfilter and air in the tires - the XR400R is probably one of the best "bang for buck" all duty trailbikes that have ever graced the Aussie scrub. Enjoy!
Hhahahhahaa joys! Yes indeed, from KTM to Triumphs. Passion takes over rather than logic in my case. Good like ol chap Sent from my G3221 using Tapatalk
It could be. I have seen in my frenzied 'how repair xr400 rust" googlings that it might something to do with badly positioned drain holes.
Not sure who Lentil is mate, but you never know right! Erm, well it could be horse lumps on the kms, but man that engine is sweet. I did speak to a guy who claims he will come to me and pry 220 clams from my fingers and weld sections of pipe in. Hot off the press I just got off facebook from a wreckers who have an entire registerable frame for 405 inc postage. Decisions.. it is pushing the blurry edges of my build budget haha. I found I guy in rocky who has all the stuff I need to restore cosmetics back to stock for 5 hunjy. Or I go acerbis.. Hmm Then tyres.. But then I suppose it becomes a keeper. Tough choices. Or sod it all and part the little pig out and start again. Jeez I need an agony aunt or something. Excuse any typos, hamfisting on the mobile
Oh and apparently it was just sat in someones shed collection for ages. Never been registered as far as PPSR is concerned. But not sure how far back that goes..
I don't really know what to say, other than the xr4 is awesome, and sorry mate but that makes mine look pristine. A good welder can repair some of that, but the other frame could be a good option as well, are there cracks just behind the airbox on the left subframe? They are an great bike, I hope you have fun with it Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk
You've already sampled pig love... Get rid of it and get another XR650R, You know you want to...a 400 just won't cut it.
Yeah, it was an 06 and she stole my heart. Good pointers mate. My days, torque for days. Had a big old acerbis tank and geared nicely.
From the other side. The bit that worries me here is the bodgily welded on stand. Any thoughts om what my friendly neighbourhood mobile roady will think if that? All being equal I get the bottom stuff welded.