What did you do to your Yamaha today?

Sounds like it is time for you to get out and ride yourself.

 

Supposed to be like 80 degrees today. So I going for a long ride this afternoon. After I do some chores LOL.
really looking forward to getting the front forks done shoud improve the handling! At least the feel safe for when I going around corners. Sometimes it feels as though the front tire is going to come off the ground when there are little bumps.
Going to be nice to feel safe again or safer. I do ride within my means though.

 

Nice picture of the bike and the sky. Your bike looks great. Oddly I live in Southern Oregon adn I have given it some thought and I haven't seen a bike like yours here at all. Matter of fact I have only seen one other xj700x one time in the last five years. One of the reasons I like my bike cause it is the only one I have seen lol

 

It's actually a 750 Seca

I'll have to look at a 700 if it comes around

 

My sincere condolences... I can't even imagine losing my wife. Hope the healing comes easy, once it's time to do so. Until then, enjoy that bike of yours and do your best to keep your head up.

 

Was able to get front and rear wheels removed and down to the corner tire shop and get some new rubber on the bike yesterday. Tires were VERY old (haven't ridden the bike much in 5 years). Also noticed when reinstalling that the rear brake was dragging a tiny bit so was able to adjust that properly. So looking forward to being able to put some miles in and break in the new rubber soon!

As I'm waiting for some more parts, I've been riding around town a bit to re-establish my comfort with riding, and it's going well so far, and giving me a chance to fix more little things wrong with the bike like my seized mirror locknuts. Got them apart and cleaned up the threads, and now they are smooth as butter.

 

Seasonal maintance is a must yet once it is done everything works fine leading to a wonderful season of riding. Enjoy and be careful

 

Found a great deal on a virago 920 front wheel and tire. It’s a 110/90 but fits nicely on the xj 650 maxim. My old wheel was a bit warped. Pirelli too

 

So it warmed up but not as much as I'd like so decided it was time to tear off front end and do the head bearings . Got a lot removed but lost interest for evening. In morning going to pull wheel and forks . While I was at it I bought 2 650 chrome air box trim pieces finally got around to trying to fit I don't think it looks to bad what do you think?

 

Looks like you have done a great job and those chrome air boxes look great.

 

Finished disassembling front end ....with forks off and handle bars oh boy talk about notchie taking a break got races in the freezer , bearings packed and painting the yolks . Examined old races did no see any gouges but balls although had grease on them slightly rusty . Will see if my slight shimmy goes away upgrading to xj4ever tapered roller bearings is a great upgrade

 

the bearing for the lower tree that slides over the post wants to be heated ,you can chill the post

 

Got all the forks reassembled all the mechanical part back together...now for the headlight electrical to reassemble think I will do that tomorrow....almost had a disaster the lower race did not seat fully when I had steam in it missed the stop ...pulled it back off I had a 35mm socket with a shoulder on the end drive it into stem race bedded in fully put back together..success turns so smooth and no noise when you turn from stop to stop ...used to make a low sounding pop as you got to the stop. Now just want to see how it handles now.

 

Who-hoooo!!

It was actually not snowing or raining today.

Took my maxim out fora 50 mile shakedown run.

Notes:

Slight adjustments needed on carbs. Seems a bit rich.

Forks are a bit soft. Might need to check fork oil height. Or go one weight level heavier.

Small exhaust leak at header pipe to pre- muffler pipes.

Other than the above, it ran really well.

 

Received forks kits after only three days from CHACAL. X is going into the shop next week for the forks to be rebuilt-
Again a shoot out to CHACAL right parts the first time!! and delivered quickly!!

 

Just took bike out for a quick spin ...no more shimmy hit 55 and was smooth just got my steering dampner ...now have to figure out how it mounts

 

Used table lift for the first time and had my 8 year old son help me take the clutch disks out to be replaced

 

when he learns to start the bike you will be seeing him going down the driveway he could be the youngest forum member

 

4/22/18
Took the day to pick-up the Maxim’s sibling. Got to meet @Jim-in-Texas and shoot the breeze. Thank you again Jim.

 

Saturday I rode to a local car show and entered for best bike. I of course lost to a Harley that the owner obviously handed money and got keys in return as it was bone stock. One of the judges was wearing a t-shirt from the local Harley dealer. It was fun, and my kids enjoyed (except they vocally thought I should've won best bike lol), so all was good.

 

Not sure about the youngest I've got my 3 1/2 year old who has figured out how to climb up on my xj700x and start the darn thing laughing all the way

 

You should have won!!!! Looks cool.

 

4/23/18

Have begun Seca diagnosis.

1. Confirm keycode matches ignition --> clean/lube seized ignition
2. Validate functionality --> general electrical, relay, switch, starting circuit. Check.
3. Pull left side engine cover/ignition/timing --> Crank rotates piston 1,2,3,4 however, with a stopping point in both forward and reverse position at approximately the same spot. Definitely hasn't dropped a rod but still fails to make a full 360* rotation.
3a. Forward rotation has quite a bit more stiction to it than does my other 550 (No spark plugs installed on the Seca for rotation VS spark plugs installed on the Maxim)
3b. Reverse rotation has your typical starter drag but more toothy than my other 550
4. Oil cylinder bores


Since we're on the subject of little helpers - mine just turned two and is fully aware of his righty-tighty-lefty-loosey. Decided he wanted to assist in spark plug reinstallation.


Cheers,

 

Woe is me!

Thrilled and elated after my ride home on this beautiful day in sunny Victoria BC, I gave my Maxim a quick walk around to admire what I think is a fine looking motorcycle.

Much to my dismay I noticed that my head gasket is leaking on the front left. I popped her up on the center stand to check the oil and saw that the glass was covered in a creamy mess. I spun off the oil fill cap and confirmed that the oil is mixed with what must be gasoline. I think it smells like gasoline too but I have a poor sense of smell. What else could it be though? There are no other fluids and I have been riding too frequently for any condensation to have built up.


Nuts!

 

Oh no think your float needle has leaked fuel into the oil ..carbs need to be pulled and check tips if it is stiff and vitron tipped or has a groove time to replace. You can take a q tip and a little metal polish and a drill put it down into the seat a couple of pulls on trigger and it will polish it up. Better change the oil asap ...

 

Not necessarily to my yamaha but today was the first day of my MSF course. Next 2 days on the range. Afterwards, did take the Gf's bike to my buddy's to synch the carbs, and made a new clutch cover gasket since I need to put my clutch back together at some point this week.

 

Removed one of my inlet manifolds so I can machine the 600 mikunis to fit. Actually machined two of them, next two tomorrow.
Sprung out the airbox, will keep it as advised, but I really don't want to refit it. Will try pod filters or stacks and pod filters or maybe make up an alumium box with a panel

 

Lets have a look at that! Pictures!

 

I don't know where it came from, but that absolutely looks like water, not fuel.....

Came through gas tank??? You recently pour in a can that's been sitting in the shed or anything like that?

 

Which bit? Not made the airbox yet, might never.
Wheel came today

 

If this the air cooled version than the only fluid is gasoline.
Just a suggestion -
Pull carbs and clean-
check for gasoline leaks and change oil.

 

degreased engine cases, need to decide - silver or black? need to powder coat triple tree b4 taper rollers can install, fork rebuild next

 

Finished the basic rider course this afternoon. Both the GF and myself passed with 0 points off our exam. Boy those street 500's left much to be desired. Had issues with more than 2 bikes in 2 days and it had nothing to do with being dropped or anything. Which one rider did do, twice, and somehow still passed even though he put a foot down during one of the exams. Oh well, got my paperwork, going to the dmv tomorrow, then after work it will hopefully be colortune, synch, and ride! I will say I definitely see why it's recommended that everyone take one of those courses. It wasn't the cheapest option for getting the M endorsement, but I'm glad we went that route.

 

Tried to start only firing on cylinders 2 & 4!! Help ?

 

move spark plugs to different cylinders see if the problem follows plugs.
trim spark plug wires back on 2 and 4 because coilpack is 1&4 and 2 and 3, so your coils are good
ohm out the spark plug caps when you unscrew them to trim wires .
if it is not your ignition it could be carb related

 

I am doing all of that except I had brand new plugs

I have done all that already except I have brand new plugs and all the carbs I had justI had just been gone through by myself and everything was replaced with stock but the carb was disgusting

 

When your having a bad day already. You should leave your bike alone .

 

I replaced the missing horn button. Had to solder the wire back on, now it beeps again. And I gave the Mac headers a fresh coat of paint as they were looking rough.

 

What does this go to?

 

Cam chain tensioner

 

Oh no yeah that is not good . Chacal can help you out .sorry for misfortune ....

 

I don't know what that is but damn that sucks!

 

Today I had the bike running

It took a few hours doing a rough carb clean(taking out all the jets and soaking in carb cleaner, cleaning all the ports ) and going through all the contacts and cleaning the contacts with contact cleaner.

Before attempting to start, I took the plugs out, pulled the rocker cover off, put into 5th gear and turned it over with the back wheel.
Everything was moving free so I was happy to attempt the start.

The bike had been sat for 15 years and not started for at least 10...... The Japanese really know how to make engines!

Something interesting too, because the bike has pods I was expecting it too have larger jets however except for 1 they were standard. The #120 Jet was #118 instead.

Any of the gurus know what the logic behind this would be?

 

The worst logic possible: it is far easier not to do a job at all than to do it properly.
Aka PO logic

 

With pods you have to experiment with jets go to large it will run rich and might bog when opening throttle or go to down it will run lean high speed is also effected as is idle and it may run great one day but the next run poorly . Sorry to say no fan of pods with CV carbs if these were flat slides easy to set up .

 

4/28/18

-Replaced a faulty kill switch on the Maxim
-Pressure washed/scrubbed the S out of the Seca
-Prepped the Seca tank for tumbling + electrolysis
-Drained Seca Oil + pulled clutch cover + inspected friction/drive plates
-Inspected stator/alternator, brushes
-Inspected starter, circuit, clutch

Seca motor still reaching a mechanical stopping point in its rotation.

Tomorrows inspection will be: valve clearance, cam chain tensioner, and timing.

 

So nice day but temp only in low 50's . Cut my yard and pulled out my 71 VW oh how I missed driving it , forgot how quick it really is it ain't stock ...went to Sears hardware bought some hardware for my xj and when I got home at least rode around neighbor hood still a little brisk . This week supposed to warm up might get to ride a little fingers crossed.

 

Rode it from Colorado Springs to Victor and back through Cripple Creek. Was a bit cold up there and a bit windy, but still a nice day for a ride. Victor and Cripple Creek are old mining towns up around 10000 feet elevation. Thought maybe about adding a bit of air to the forks... but that's as close as I actually got to doing anything more than riding.

 

That sticky video about CV carbs and pods was a good watch. Of course, he mostly says you need a dyno, an EGA, and a decent amount of time to spend on jetting, and re-jetting, and adjusting clips, and... But his tip about the vent line being best left open was interesting.

 

removed bearings, took wheels for powder coating, engine cases paint has dried - flat matt black, considered leaving them, but wouldn't match satin black frame........any opinions?