Tweak for better power

I began to suspect that the cam timing was out. This was because it was quite gutless and sometimes when idling just after a cold start it sounded as though the valves may just be hitting the piston.
Also, my friend Dave remarked that when a bike seems to run best just as you slightly roll the throttle off, (almost by imagination), that this is indicative of incorrect valve timing. This was the case with the Xt400. i.e., it seemed to run best as you just ever so slowly backed out of the throttle.

So I was visiting my friend Tim one night. Tim is one of the most experienced motorcycle mechanics in New Zealand. I asked him if it was likely that the valve timing was out. He doubted it very much but I rolled the XT into his Shed and he took a look anyway. Amazing what a dozen Becks lager will do some times. (Tim likes Becks).

Tim soon discovered that the valves were indeed just touching on the piston!!
So we ripped into it and shifted the cam chain around 1 tooth on the cam gear.
It looked like the engine had never been "opened" and we suspected that the cam timing was probably set wrong at the factory as it is almost impossible for the cam chain to jump a tooth during use, there just isn't that much room in the casings.

While we were at it we cleaned out the carby's and air filter. We removed the metal mesh screen from the air filter as well.
The bike now went quite a lot better.

Around his time I also bought some Dainese kevlar armoured gloves off TradeMe for $50 + $8 freight.