What did you do to your Yamaha today?

Well it might have been 15mm, not worth measuring, but suprisingly low all the same. Still not happy, if I'm honest, the floats as set are so close to the top of the float chamber I'm afraid it might lead to flooding. Something's not right, but I can't see what it could be. Could be I mixed up the floats between the two sets of mikunis I have,
I'll compare them side by side. Otherwise I can't think of anything.
Just read the clutch 101, good writup and pics, if the seca engine is worth going on with I will have to delve into it soon.

 

Out is indeed out, but 0.01 wide is self-correcting. I thought that was mentioned at some point. Sorry if it wasn't. Just do a re-check in about 2,500 miles instead of 5,000.

 

No issues
I'm really just joking about how I second guess every decision until I get more adjustments and checks under my belt.

Bike ran well on way to work this morning and I guess no lasting issue with that missed shift a few days ago. However in going over the bike last night it looks like one of my front calipers is not moving on the pin so it's time to overhaul and find out where at least one anti-rattle device has gone because the other one lets the pad rattle a little bit too.

I know what I'm doing this weekend....

 

20mm is close to an inch! I believe we may have translation issues here.

 

Nearer 3/4 of an inch, no translation issues....
If you want to call it 15mm, I never actually measured it. Still something wrong somewhere, will re-read the piece about dry setting float levels to see if I'm somewhere near now that the actual fuel levels are close. Doesn't feel right.

 

Got my bike back from the technician and he showed me the bushings to the inside of the forks and they were well worn! Glad I changed them at 73K. I am sure that they are supposed to be changed earlier.
So I took my bike for a ride after I changed out the handle bars and clutch lever bracket.
I have never ridden my bike without the wind screen and Damn it sure is different. So much wind, needless to say I ordered a new wind screen that day LOL.
Also I noticed that I had acquired a nail or something of that sort and I also ordered a new front tire. 2nd one in 6 months . Better safe than sorry
I should have these items this Thursday and have them installed Friday so I can go riding If the planets align for me

 

Changed plugs out experimenting put in Autolite AP63 plugs ...this was THE plug to switch to on my Virago ...seems to run fine so far ....I'm waiting on my newly ordered colortune plug to arrive ,cylinder 2 and 3 are lean backed out mixture screws have to do a plug chop have all 4 set at 3 turns out . Well it is late and going to be hot as the sun tomorrow night try to take it out for a proper run.

 

Better that the cooler touches the fender rather than touching the deer----

 

Xj650rjc is in the barn for a while. New seat cover and strap. Paint on tail is faded new paint is going on nicely, front fender next. Carbs apart for Vapor blasting and newer hats etc. The list is getting longer each time I make 1 thing better makes other thing look bad. Might be on the road by September.

 

Agreed. I'm not opposed to harvesting roadkill, but I'd rather that the roadkill not be me.

 

Drugged up Matti almost went down a dark road here. Not Hangout Lounge, comments redacted.

 

Converted a jetski trailer to moto trailer for my move 7 hours north. That moto chock (cheap H.F.) is awesome for the price ~$50 with coupon. Salvaged some free pallets to build the frame and osb floor. Planning on putting a couple tube type wheel chocks on the sides for towing a couple dirtbikes. Progress on the bike will pick back up after the move.

 

I rode. This is after having replaced a weepy base gasket, and finally eliminating all of the exhaust leaks.
It was a very good day.

 

The osb will be ok til it rains a couple times..... Then it's gonna be a problem pretty quick

 

I hope hes going to strap it down

 

A kid I used to work with made an adapter so he could fit bucket seats into his Chevy Vega.
He made it from OSB.
One day, not long after the installation, he exited the vehicle mid-turn.

 

Yeah it's mainly just being used for a few trips during the move north and is being stored out of the elements. The wheel chock is supported underneath and is bolted down well. The frame is all 2x4s with plenty of cross bars for support. I still have to mount a couple extra tie down loops before the trip but it's definitely getting tied down.. I will have access to a welder at my new place and the frame is going to squared off up front and then going to put a permanent floor on it. Plan is to make it a cargo/camping/moto trailer with removeable sides/top.

 

So I adjusted the valves, rebuilt the carbs, and replaced both coils and plugs on my Virago 1100. Runs like a champ now. I've put about 500km on her including 100 km this Saturday with my wife on the back. She loves the backrest but I hate the bike. I hate my Virago.

So I put another 150 km on my xj700n this morning, again with my wife on the back. I love this bike. I finally have her all dialed in and she's a joy to ride.

Meanwhile I've been trying to get ahold of the guy selling a xj1100. He called me back this afternoon and now I am the proud new owner. It runs like a dream and appears to be all original with the exception of the petcocks which have been replaced with non-vacuum operated ones.

 

That is a clean looking 1100 !

 

So @Paul Howells , what makes you hate the Virago? I had assumed that other than the engine, they'd be pretty similar to xjs.

 

Measured deadtime and got set up to measure delivery rate for the new (to me) four-hole Ford injectors I'm planning to swap for the previous two-hole Hyundai ones.

 

I am so glad you asked @MattiThundrrr . I also assumed that the Virago would similar to an xj.

I like the look of the Virago although I would have preferred a two tone paint job instead of the all black 'Special' I bought.

The seating position is great. It's comfortable for both me and my wife. I'm 5'8" so it is nice to be able to plant both feet firmly on the ground, specially when I have a passenger.

The problem is the engine. I have her all tuned up so she idles great, no flat spots in the acceleration, no hesitation, lots of torque, blah, blah, blah. But the noise and vibration are overwhelming. Unlike the nice 'sewing machine' ticking that you get from a well tune XJ, the Virago is a cocaphony of disturbing engine noises. The vibration at idle is pleasent but if you don't shift gears by 3000 rpm it feels as if the bike is going to shake itself apart. You are only doing 80 kph in 5th gear at 3000 rpm so if you want to keep up with traffic you are going to be cruising at 4 to 5000 rpm. There is so much vibration at 5000 your vision begins to blur.

If you can get cruising at a steady 90 kpm then the ride is enjoyable but only until you have to slow down then start accelerating again.

At first I thought that there must be something wrong with my Virago. Maybe the main bearings is shot or the valves are not seating. It posted in the viragotech forum and combed the internet to find out what could be the problem. What I found is that this is the general experience of Virago owners. The advice I read and received was that it is normal and you just get used to it after awhile. I was even told 'it sounds like you have one of the good ones'!

I took the xj1100 out last night at 9 and was home by 12:30. That bike is everything I hoped the Virago would be. I just need to figure out how to get some bags on it so I can bring my toothbrush and clean underwear.

 

Yeah, if it's the vtwin you don't like, that's not something your're going to be able to fix!

 

I also have a Virago 250 which is a nice ride. I guess it just doesn't scale well to 1100.

I'm currently up to 5 bikes in my driveway. I think I'll keep the xj700 and the xj1100 then sell the rest. I don't want to end up like @Toomanybikes

 

I did the Mororcycle Skills Assessment and my motorcycle safety training on a Virago 250. I loved the drive ability of the bike but it was so small I was cramped on it. I finished the weekend spending as much time sitting on the pinion seat as I could. I don’t think I’ll ever be much of a cruiser guy but I do love my Seca.

 

I think the vibration with your Virago is related to the displacement. I've ridden a 920 extensively and it's plesantly smooth all the way up to redline. It's not XJ smooth, but pretty close. Usually V-Twins smooth out more the higher the revs get.

 

Took the 700 to work today. On the ride home, there was massive traffic due to an accident. As I passed the scene, there was a Jeep Cheroke that was pushed in from behind. Looked to be about half the length it should have been. Ambulances, fire trucks, stretchers, EMT, yada yada yada...

On my detour along a more rural route, I experienced my first true panic brake. Double yellow line, one lane each way, downhill curve to my left. I was moving the speed limit (honestly, I really was) and some dude on my side waiting at a stop sign decided he was going to cross in front of me and join the vehicles in the oncoming lane. I saw him sitting there the whole time. I had so much room in front of me... and behind... I checked! I was dumbfounded how long he took until he decided to make that move... Again, Plenty of room in both directions.

He headed out then slammed on the brakes after entering the lane. I hit the brakes hard too. There was room, first there was the screech of the tires on the pavement, then I felt the rear sliding out from under me... I let off the brakes just a bit so I could continue slowing down.It was enough to get the wheels rolling again and the rear popped back into alignment. I swerved around him and was close enough to see the whites of his beady eyes behind the wheel of his late 90's Chevy lumina. I moved on... No screaming, hand waving or gesturing...

I've only been riding 4 years now. I often wondered how I would handle an emergency situation. I've been fortunate to not have any (till today) as I never ride outside of my skill set, I keep to the speed limit (for the most part), I stay in lane and in general mind my own business.

Today when this happened, I was calm. It was very reflexive. I was traveling the correct speed, I knew that my escape route was clear and when things got a little squirly with the rear tire, the correction wasn't a difficult one.

 

Seat cover installed.

 

Yeah.... neither do I

 

yup that happens to all of us , driver lost sight of you or thought you were a car at a greater distance this is where swerving from left to right when coming upon cars waiting to pull out from stop signs side roads and drive ways.

 

My other street bike is a Virago 750. It's very different to ride from the Seca, but not unpleasant.

 

But I sold 2 bikes last weekend! A Suzuki and a Kawasaki. $$$ to buy more broken Yamaha’s to fix and part out what is dead.

 

My virago 750 was not bad at all I actually miss it . My Buell Blast 500 thumper now that vibrated and with the Kerker pipe was louder than a HD since it was half an 883 . If I rode any distance had to wear ear plugs .

 

My Rebel drones like an outboard boat motor. It is probably similar in design, with the small displacement and air cooling, along with the 360° crankshaft. My ride home from work took me along the same river that I used to go fishing with my Pake many years ago, and the nostalgia it inspired was not unpleasant.

 

Very good thinking.

 

Got my plates and rode her into work for the first time!

 

Rode home from work last night in my first extreme thunderstorm. The Seca had no problems though I was blind half the time. Power was out and branches were coming down all over so I had to do the scenic route to get home. Took it slow and easy.
I need something brighter for a headlight. Anyone got suggestions?

 

Rebuilt and reinstalled the petcock on the Seca. Holding fuel with no leaks so far and vacuum bench tests are 100%! Though I have a stomach ache from attempting to simulate the suction from #3!

All parts from Len @ XJ4Ever. Thank You Len! Looks great too!

 

Is your bulb reasonably new?

 

Rode to work avoiding the rain showers and installed two new resistor caps on cylinders 2 and 3. I had asked the parts guy to look up the part number I came up with and let me know a price as well as how long they would take to get. That was Wednesday. Today they showed up. Good thing they were cheap. So I figured I may as well put them on.

 

I don't know when it was last replaced. I'm gonna go and see what I can find for a replacement tomorrow. The glass and reflector looks good.

 

Bought new Avon tyres for the maxim (18 inch rear for the gold painted ebay seca wheel), fitted ebay footpegs, gearchange and brake levers, removed the rear wheel (that was easier than I expected), On the seca I refitted the carbs, with boots, checked the air filter (nice and clean), and decided to try soaking the whole clutch with oil to see if that might help it recover (it had been lying on its side with clutch up for ages). Anyway while it was on its side again clutch side down, I had a good look at the underneath.
The wires to the neutral switch and whatever else is on that side looked cooked, but more concerning the sidestand looked like it had been rewelded (pigeon welding), and even worse the frame has a huge rust hole in it. Not suprising I suppose, and I do have the turbo frame to repair it with, just more work to do.
Anyway, it's back on its wheels for now with a cable tie on the clutch lever to see if it frees off, I'll turn the engine over next week to soak the other side.

 

Fitted the drive hub and tyre - the seca tyre is a good 2 inches dia bigger than the maxim, we'll see how it fits.

 

Been out riding again since my little handlebar bender.
First ride was like I had never ridden before-Anxiety from the wreck I suppose .
Still I knew I had to get back on and ride or I would never do it again or at least that was what I was thinking.
By the second and third day I was fine-Still very cautious when following cagers though.
Very thankful I only received a stone bruise on my right hand.
In regards to the bike I replaced the
handle bars
Turn signals, front bracket
wind screen
clutch lever and bracket
my underwear
today 80 tomorrow 100 good times
Be safe my friends

 

Well done!

 

So excited got my new Gunson color tune after first got lost in mail only played with it for about 45 minutes . 3 cylinders were blue/ white . Number one went from blue to yellow , tweaked mixture screws . Only ride 6 miles pulled good, but need to ride some distance to do a plug chop.

 

Swapped to four-hole injectors instead of the two-hole ones I was using. Also swapped in a Golan fuel filter (small, but meant for fuel injection). Did a bit of retuning... just to rough adjust for the new injectors. So far, it seems to be a bit smoother.

 

What ecu are you running sql guy?

 

It's a good thing that you looked. That is the most rust-prone area on an XJ. I repaired my frame in the same spot a few years ago.

 

I"m not sure how up-to-date he has things, but here is a master thread to all of his work for the injected bike.
the-xj750i-is-back.30908

If you're interested, there are a few other injected project threads by other members.


[EDIT] the links in that thread are dead because of the forum software switch a few years ago. I think this will work though.

Look ma: no carbs!