What did you do to your Yamaha today?

Not so much to, as for...



It didn't all get done today either. I have around 20 hours of labor and think-time into the project so far. I figure on another 10 to 15 until it is finished and road-ready. My one self-imposed constraint was to use scrap wherever I could. There's no sense in stockpiling it forever, and I need to make room for an old lathe.

 

Installed a used, stock fleaBay exhaust system that the seller insisted came off an XJ750. HA!!! Should have known better.

The headers were fine but the center collector mount bolt was 1/2" too far forward and the can mounts were 3/4" too far back. I removed the center mount hardware, left the rubber, and fitted a big washer on top, a new bolt from the bottom, and double nuts to lock it in place. Then I drilled new holes in the can mounts and threw in the stock bolts. Sounds nice and I swear it runs better.

 

It's going to rain today so it's steering head bearing day. Yay!

If all goes well, maybe I'll do both bikes......

 

Bought a can of carb cleaner and parts are getting dipped for a good cleaning on the 550 seca.

 

Rode to work. After working I rode home...varoom, varoom!

Gary H.

 

I made the mistake of stopping at a dealership today. The Super Tenere' fits me pretty well, and they have a 2013 for $4000 off MSRP. Luckily I'm in Ohio or I'd have written a check already.
So today was another for instead of a to.
I bought a set of soft tiedown loops, and did not buy a new motorcycle.

 

Great fortitude and control! I, too, loved the Super Tenere' and I rode one. Maybe when I'm done bashing the XJ through the New England woods......

Did the steering head bearings in both XJs and took the dirt conversion out for a test ride. Holy crap! What a difference! No shake at any speed. Look, ma, no hands! Tightened it a bit after a good 200 mile slog in the mountains.

 

Walked past the fleet on way to big invitational ball tournament .... Ok maybe next weekend ...sigh
But we are in finals tomorrow beer garden, ladies with short shorts and oh yea did I mention BEER !
And more BEER
And if we win we get a cheesy trophy and we win BEER
Ps the waiting list to get into the tournament is about 5 years

 

"My drinking team has a baseball problem."

 

Yes we do to but it's not really about ball it more seeing old friends and having a good time
A bunch just went home we play early tomorrow ( it's a holiday weekend) we have played 4 games already and we hurting minimum 2 games possibly 5 if we go all the way!!
But our team does party year round
How does that new song go ....
It's all about the beer bout the beer bout the beer!

 

Fixed the oil leak on the oil filter cover. Ruddy FRAM gaskets are too small now. Fortunately, the local hardware store "has a whole drawer of o-rings just for that purpose." Bought two and put in a K&N filter. Next up: carb sync check and steering head bearings.

 

Drove it to work.

Just put replacement OEM type grips on it last week. Much nicer than the crumbling foam grips I had on it since 1985. 83 XJ550 Maxim.

 

Took apart, cleaned, dielectricked and put back together left hand switches and ignition switch. Cleaned a bunch of electrical connectors. I have 1.5V voltage drop on the Br wire (the main bus, basically). Trying to go around the loop and get that to well under 1V. The drop between the battery, the two connectors, the main fuse, and the main R wire was 0.5V or so, so cleaning those points brought it down to 0.1V in that section. Hopefully I can repeat that throughout the harness and get better electric performance.

Yesterday was the starter and alternator cleaning and checking of brushes etc.

Tomorrow?

 

Swapped out ignition switch that was damaged and swapped wafers in key so they all still match

 

oooooo, pretty! Mine's got all the writing scrubbed off

 

The original was bare of writing and steel cap and trap door where gone

 

Went on a 360 mile Little ride Seca 750 really wanted to roll

 

CHecked the fuel levels in bowl #4 for the 6-7 th time, still correct and stable. New seat and new needle did the job. NOw ready to put the carb rack back in the boots. I hope I'll have a few days of good weather to ride the bike before CHristmas...

 

Had to take last six weeks off due to broken foot . Going through withdrawals but my 82 xj 650 ran like crap . I guess she didn't like being ignored for 6 weeks . Any suggestions ran great when parked now stalls at idol and runs rough.

 

Sorry about spelling (long day).