pe 400x

[PERM250]

hi can any one tell if this model is a little rare. did they make many ?? thanks ed

[oldfart]

Ed it's the Z that apperars to be rear in Oz , plenty of X still out there mate . Join the Pe site and ask them about numbers built

[frostype400]

ive found the T to be more rare i have a 1980 pe400 of course the pe400z is rarest but all pe's are getting rarer do you have the81 400 were did you get it and for how much the pe forum is the go for finding detailed information thanks Michael.

[LWC82PE]

all the 400's are rare and sought after. i would agree the T is rarer than X. and the Z well, theres probably less than half a dozen in the country. Firko has one and there is rumoured to there possibly beeing another one somewhere in Australia. i havent got any production numbers and i dont know where to find them. maybe Suzuki Australia???

[frostype400]

PERM250 your not talking about the one that was in geelong on ebay a while ago i had a bid on that i was holding for a second but got outbid it didnt worry me though because i have a nice 1980 pe400 and it did need a lot of work and i wasnt sure if the motor was ok in it it was all in peices and might have been good or bad but it would be a good project and whoever got it hasn't done to bad they are a good bike and you can still get motor bits and basic peices easily enough thanks Michael.

[LWC82PE]

you will only run in to hassles/difficulty with

flywheel & stator
original rear fender
original shocks
original lights
original battery carrier/wiring loom/switches etc
Piston and Rods
original handlebars

most other bits dont take too much work to find

[PERM250]

thanks for your input i have had my 400
for 4years and havent done a thing to it yet it rides good and if i start to bling it i wont ride it as much leith i just put rm400t rear shocks on it  great.

[frostype400]

you wouldnt have to much trouble getting rid of it im after something pre75 250 at the moment but im always looking at pe's

[LWC82PE]

you will have to cut sections out the swing arm gussets to use RM 250/400 T shocks. RM 250/400 T shocks are a little too short and also have too much shaft travel. watch for rear tyre hitting fender etc. i would check everything out with springs removed

[PERM250]

leith just had a look they do rub on the arm have you fitted these shocks to your bike?

[LWC82PE]

Yes one of mine had them fitted but not anymore since i changed shocks. Previous owner cut swing arm gussets for clearance.(made a horrible mess of it) The shocks should be 400mm long but a little longer is ok. RM-T 250/400 shocks are a few mm under 400 which makes a difference plus they have too much shaft stroke and that combined with shorter overall length creates problems. The big 5.10 tyres scrub the air box and underside of the rear fender and depending on what size sprocket you got and if you have the original muffler, the sprocket can hit the muffler!

RM 125 T shocks have the longer lower eyes which are ok but the overall length is right on about maximum for these bikes (16.5”)

If I was you I would chop off the stock eyelets, fit some new longer bump stops, perhaps 45mm foam Ohlins bump stops, or at bare minimum some 37-39mm KYB bump stops, thread the shaft to 10 X1.00mm and use longer ohlins alloy eyes, with 22mm OD heim bearings. ( 46.5mm eyes will clear swing arm with a few mm to spare) and then use Ohlins lower spring clips which will work with the RM springs. It should turn out a pretty good job and you don’t have to butcher the original swing arm and worry about clearance problems with too much shaft stroke etc.

And if you want to get rid of those shocks then im interested and need a set of those for a project