what STUPID thing did you do with your yamaha today?

I took it to a mechanic who asked me what a YICS was.

 

wow if they dont know what yics is id get out of there.

 

I mounted an ammo box, outfitted with a back rest, just behind a chopped up drivers seat. Added lately: Vetter Vindicator fairing with almost 4 inches chopped off windshield and removed lowers for added ventilation on hot days, a 100 watt stereo with MP3 input, aux lighting on front forks.

 

ummm, yeah I gotta hear the rest of this story!

 

I would say that unless you find a long time Yamaha mechanic most will not know what it is. Like I believe Fritz said, when you get a 30 year old bike it is mostly DIY.

 

Three things happened at once. Stuck float in the carb we didn't notice, stuck intake valve and using a can of ether to start it.

Gas puddled in the air box, engine shot fire through the stuck intake valve back to the air box, igniting the gas and the ether was the frosting on the cake to add a nice Hollywood effects fireball.

Thankfully it was more fuel than bike that burned, even though the airbox looks a bit warped. One of the wires on the new fuse block I installed burned off.

Another forum poster here has christened the bike "Fireball"

 

Hey, thought the deal was that I'd get creds if that name stuck? :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

 

Yes you get credit. I plead CRS for not mentioning your name.

 

A buddy gave me some fairly cheap grip heaters to test and see if he wanted to bother installing the same on his bike (he and I have inverse amounts of spare cash vs time and ambition)
Wired them in to the ignition relay so I couldn't accidentally leave them on and kill the battery (smart) using a piece of wire I happened to have around that seemed about the right length. Got all the connections soldered and heat shrunk and started tucking and zip tieing and discovered that bit of wire was just BARELY long enough to install the heaters and not tug lock to lock (lucky). Tested to be sure they came on when they were supposed to and didn't when they weren't (switch for heaters AND key on = heat. Key off = no heat) Wrapped one heater element on the bar, used the piece of giant heatshrink that came with, reinstalled rubber grip. Moved on to throttle side. Discovered the elements are just like grips. there is a big one and small one and I'd already put the big one on the small side. Decided to proceed. Heat shrunk it on and while checking for slack to allow twisting discovered it really needed adhesive to keep from spinning when the throttle gets twisted. Managed to slide it off, spray glue and slide back on. Grip on.
Final test fully installed. Key on, switch on... Wait for heat to make it's way through the rubber grip. Nothing. Killed some time by swapping in some LED tail light bulbs I had laying around. Come back, still no heat.
Got to thinking this "deal" on cheapo parts wasn't such a deal (I already had to re-solder the switch that came on them. Started thinking how I was kinda tired and didn't want to take them off but really didn't want to just leave 'em either. About an hour start to finish now, half of that waiting for these things to heat up. In the initial test they came right on and I could feel the elements get warm right away.
Oh what's this? killswitch. a minute or so later they were noticeably on.

sposeda be sunny and warm tomorrow so a real review will have to wait.

 

Nothing yet but the day is still young!!!

 

I was changing the oil getting ready for a 600 mile trip up north. Somehow I punctured a hole in the oil pan when I was wrestling with the drain plug. Now it sprays and I couldn't go on my trip. Haha maybe for the best.

 

Not today but yesterday, got up early to move it out of metered parking, so I wouldn't get a ticket. Moved it to residential area that requires permit, got bigger ticket. On my way to ride it (not knowing I had a ticket waiting for me) gas pipes sticking off of a building knocked my helmet out of my hands. So as I get to bike, angry about scratched up helmet, see ticket, angrier, put helmet on...old guy all the sudden has a camcorder, wants to take video or pictures of my bike, or me, or god knows. I can't hear him, try to play nice and smile for a picture. (he knew I was angry when he came up to me, heard me muttering about murdering meter-maids)

He keeps talking and pointing, like giving directions, I can't hear a thing between helmet, engine, and plug-style ear phones (not for music, that's illegal for hearing protection) Finally, I just say, "sorry, man, gotta go" and ride off. Really, bike is pretty and all, but papparazzi?

 

Stupidity was yesterday remorse is today. Running at 55-60 yesterday a deer jumped off a high bank I'm driving on a freshly chipped road. You can guess the results. Police report said hit dear, slid on gravel, laid bike down This I knew expected damage didn't know semi runs over bike lots more damage. Today looking my girl over all the lights gone, broke the forks, frame, tires, rims and engine case.

 

Count your blessings.
The truck didn't run over you.
You're still alive and able to make this post.
Five years ago, I hit a deer with my Maxim. Spent 6 days in the hospital and then 6 weeks at home. Stupidity? I don't think so, just extreme bad luck.

 

After doing some work on the valve cover, I put the fuel tank back on and tried to fire the engine with only the vacuum hose connected to the petcock...vacuum works allright, I got fuel all over the engine!

 

That will make you find religion quickly. Someone was certainly looking out for you.

 

Didn't ride to work today and it is beautiful outside.

 

Blew my main fuse.

 

Stopped riding, to go into work...

 

Lost my gas cap key :x

 

don't you mean VALVE COVER gasket? if your head gasket is leaking id fix that asap. my valve cover leaks a tiny bit just occasionally leaves oils on engine fins

 

i got a piece of old carpet and laid on the floor to park on so it's tires would be warm and cozy this winter

 

lol... wait, that's pretty smart

 

...park... warm and cozy... WINTER... 8O how dare you say all those nasty things in one post!! lol

 

Dang...........wish I had spotted this forum a couple weeks ago----I was unloading my 700 from the back of the truck. Just as the front of the bike got to the end of the truck bed, I moved the wrong way and bumped the support for the cap door. Now I have a nice white zig-zag scratch all over the otherwise perfect red front fender. Fortunately, I was far enough back that the fender is the only part the got hit. So, during the winter I"ll search out another perfect red fender..................

Dave F

 

Seriously.

Even in stinky ol' PA it's still summer until the 22nd; and the leaves haven't even turned yet. You do still have a few trees if I remember correctly.

I don't know about you, but I LOVE "color touring" when the trees are bursting with color and the air is cool and clear and the bike just loves to RUN. No oppressive summer heat and humidity, just the snap of fall in the air and some clear blue skies to split.

I'll probably do more miles in the next month and a half than I have all summer. It's nowhere near as much fun riding in full gear when it feels like a dryer blowing on you.

 

Stupid?
Hah!
I was riding with a buddy of mine and his brake light was stuck on. Was gonna fix it this weekend for him. Just didnt have tools on my bike yesterday
Well I was listening to his engine to hear when he was slowing down, shifting, etc.
Hes leading us out of a city Ive never been before
Accelerates, grabs another gear, starts to rev up then BVVVV, revs down and downshifts. He had realized at the last second he needed to make a right hand turn. No brake light, no indicator
Well my butt had already grabbed 4th gear and revvin up to catch his 900 like always cause he rides hard. 7k rpm 55mph (at least)

Pulled in the clutch SLAMMED the brakes slid sideways (flat-tracked) for 20 ft downshifted twice feathered the clutch and throttle and effortlessly made the turn. Didnt. Miss. A. Beat.
Dirtbiking made this possible. I wasnt even scared. Adreneline was pumping hard though. I slide all the time in the mud and just KNOW what to do.
Thank goodness he was aware of me from the squalling tires and didnt finish his right hand turn. He would have creamed us both from the left. Most fun Ive had on a street bike in a while though ha!!

Stupid cause I was following too close.
But man what a rush

-Chris

 

I DIDN'T ride today.....

 

Ding Ding Ding......and we have a Win-nuh!!!!! ......didn't ride today-----that's REALLY stupid. LOL :lol:

Oh.....wait--neither did I. Now THAT was really stupid.

 

Great day here in Wellington NZ and I didnt go for a ride!!

 

Just dropped my xj while trying to put it on center stand with bad knees broke windshield deviated

 

Any one know how to get a new one

 

Chacal.

 

A month ago pulled bike out of garage side stand down...or so I thought down she goes...boy am I glad I bought the crash bars only damage a scrape mark on rear turn signal, and the clutch lever had a scrape on it. Spilled a bit of gas out to. Needless to say I double check it alot closer.

 

got everything laid out (tools petcock fuses(going to put inline blade fuses in for now since i had a few laying around.)) skip to last friday, 15mins before work ends...slice left index finger open... stitches come out friday....

 

So this happened in February...bike put away for winter got in 40's ..try to start bike no go ..spray a little carb cleaner in airbox..starts and dies ...I then spray ether into airbox starts up next thing is a fire under bike..grab fire extingshiser ( big mess) the ether had leaked on to exhaust and a back fire through airbox..instant flame..still cleaning out the extingshier crap. Lesson learned ...don't use starting fluid..and have water standing by instead. At least I did not burn bike and house down ..

 

You were right to use the extinguisher. Water would have caused more problems. Ether (what starting fluid is mainly composed of) fires do not extinuish with water; they spread and get bigger.

 

I got one for you. I went to check the oil level before leaving for work unscrewed the oil cap and set it on top of the clutch cover. Added oil as needed. Went to work and then back home 72 kilometers and pulled into the garage to look down and see that the oil cap was not in it's place. Be leave it or not the cap was still sitting on top of the clutch cover. Got lucky.

 

I let mine sit in the garage all day.

 

I can not believe I did not get oil all my right leg.

 

The clutch cover is well baffled.

 

Ran out of gas in the middle of rush out traffic and had to push the bike uphill to get to the shoulder. What a work out.
Thought the reserve tank had a little more storage capacity... Lesson learned

 

Co 2 only

 

Smooth ride

 

Went for ride to see an old pal. Got there and back 65 miles then stalled on my doorstep . Total electrical failure . WTF. check fuses, ignition connections headlight bowl apart etc.. etc.. all good check volts at fuse box good. Decide its the starter relay and take it off to examine. Break it taking it apart ! Next day decide to check starter motor and discover loose battery connection . Get on ebay and buy new starter relay..

 

Got a great one for 6 buck's on ebay from China but it works well

 

Not really me, but....for the second time in a week, started it up in the morning to see puffs of fiberglass insulation squirting out of the pipes. F@#$ing mice! This is on top of the nest they made in my toolbox AND under the cowl of my 9.9 Evinrude. WAR is ON.

 

Checked my valves. All were in spec. Put the valve cover back on torque all the bolts down and snap on the last one.

 

I can beat that, just spent almost a week rebuilding in-line 4 carb ( I mean every nook ,cranny and jet) finally putting an awsome clean carb back together and was not paying enough attention when I dropped the needle assembly down the shaft . Well the needle(s), "yes all 4" stopped on the edge of the main jet nossel so I just cranked down the new stainless bolts ( just for looks) and then looked to see if the plunger was going to slide nice and free like a brand new carb should. To my shook, I had bent all 4 needle points into a perfect 90 degree angle LOL, maybe not so much ! So tomarro it's off to the Yamaha shop to buy new needle valves. Yuck it up everybody, I'm a dumb ass !