Homebuilt Yamaha XS400 Kart

[iRenaat]

Hello,

I'm Renaat, I'm 18YO, and I live in the worst and smallest country in the world: Belgium.
I love my country, everything feels like it is in your own garden actually

I've built 3 karts (http://www.diygokarts.com/vb/showthread.php?t=4257) and 3 minibikes (http://www.diygokarts.com/vb/showthread.php?t=4256) up to now, starting with my first kart when I was 12, followed by a trike, and when I was 17, I started with the front of my last kart.

Well, this is a compilation of the building of the basic frame:

I had started in the summer of 2007, then took a brake, because I did not find an engine. When I finally got an engine in the spring of 2008, I had to extend the (rusty) 8 months old frame

I was pretty lucky to buy this motorcycle for just 150€ (200$):

It's a 1979 Yamaha XS400; 38hp, 2 mikuni 34mm carbs, 6 gears...
I cleaned the carbs and fitted bigger main jets, mounted some original K&N air filters and I started from nothing with the wiring.

After a few months of finishing some details, my kart looked like this:

I made this 2-in-1 exhaust system for my exhaust:

This is my "pro" dashboard, all selfmade:

My lights (Headlight turns together with the front wheels):

View My Video

To be continued due to pictures limit...

 

[iRenaat]

This is the first start. The engine hadn't been running for like 10 years
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxwUVsETuSw
First, the engine was only running on one cilinder, but after a few mods to the carb, they were both doing it fine...

One of my first rides on the road:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRcgQgI6VfE&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYjRn-JZAME


OVERALL OPINION
Torque: Lots of power for a 230pounds kart 60mph is easy to reach, 80mph is ok too, but 90mph must be about the limit
Gearbox: Shifting up without using the clutch is quite easy and veeeery fast, the needle from the tachometer doesn't even have the time to drop between the gears I gear up between 4000rpm and 8000rpm, depending on my mood I think 7000rpm is the perfect moment to gear up...
Frame: Very rigid frame, You can only lift up one of the front wheels 0,5 inch before the other front wheel comes up too. The frame is definatly strong enough to hold a 120lb engine, and 2 persons (one on the seat, another one one the bars above the engine )
Driving: Fun, but lots of understeer, the front tires are too old and too hard

Now, I want to paint it, color combination will be black and red/orange...

Please leave a comment!!!!

Bye

 

[jorge0136]

Slick looking kart. Very impressed with your craftsmanship. The exhaust looks sweet off the back of the kart. Are you sure those wheels are going to stay on the front attached by cotter pins? Did you do all the metal work yourself? Sounds like it's time for some new front tires so you can get the kart really moving.

The view this way almost looks like an F1 car.

 

[lemegacool]

haaaaaa stop teasing me! i currently have acces to a 650cc 4cyl honda engine for about 200$.... just needs money back from that $@#$@#$

btw extremly sexy kart! (the engine does most of it )

 

[kitcarguy]

great job on this cart.

 

[Rickracer]

NICE JOB!!!! Really psychs me up for getting mine going with the RM 250 motor on it. Motor weighs MAYBE 50 lbs, makes 40 hp, turn 8000 rpms. I like the lights too, really cool for night running,

 

[iRenaat]

Slick looking kart. Very impressed with your craftsmanship. The exhaust looks sweet off the back of the kart. Are you sure those wheels are going to stay on the front attached by cotter pins? Did you do all the metal work yourself? Sounds like it's time for some new front tires so you can get the kart really moving.

The view this way almost looks like an F1 car.

The front wheels attaching is pretty complicated, because I didn't like the common attaching, like you can see from some small karts here.
I've fitted 2 ballbearings (for 20mm shafts) in a steel tube (3inches long). The rest should be explained by this simplystic drawing:

 

[r12]

thanks for the pics. this thread inspires me.

 

[RiderZ]

!!!

That thing is insane. Nice job man.I love the way it sounds as you go through the gears.

 

[mike75925]

i heard you short shifting, have you taken it to ten before shifting? you would probably get 120mph out of her. the short shifting is where power drops off, but it still has speed to give. have you actually clocked her on top end? dualing the exhaust with an x pipe would help open her up!

 

[vandancouver]

looks good man

 

[jorge0136]

I follow now on the wheels. The look of the cotter pins scared me at first is all. Didn't want you losing a wheel, a kart and maybe some limbs in a tragic "cotter pin" incident.

 

[iRenaat]

I follow now on the wheels. The look of the cotter pins scared me at first is all. Didn't want you losing a wheel, a kart and maybe some limbs in a tragic "cotter pin" incident.

The cotter pins are pretty heavy, 3mm thick... Nothing to be scared about I think.

The only thing that scares me are the front wheels that have lots of understeer, and the cable to oil- brake converter.
There's a thick steel cable going from the brake pedal to the pump that's under my seat. With a selfmade system that "might be durable", the pump gets its push when you hit the brake pedal. I'm a bit scared that one day, the system will break... But anyway, gear down to 2nd, and thats a good brake to

 

[Compnerd88]

This is one hell of a project man.......VERY nice design and craftsmanship!!

-Logan