hoo-rah!

took the seca for a spin today (driveway has turned back into dirt - still pretty lumpy, but no more mud!)

i can't count the number of times i've wanted to put a bullet in this thing, but it sure is nice when you get out on the highway and the bike can actually make you say WOW!

thanks so much to everyone on this forum for helping me out with tips and info.

so far i've removed and cleaned the carbs 3 or 4 times. installed larger main fuel jets (too lean, but better). shimmed my needles (no longer lean, but stumbled at take off), and finally installed larger pilot jets. stumble is gone! the bike used to kinda peter out over 6k RPMs, but not any more!

so far i've had my front brakes apart twice. the haynes manual is certainly correct to say "re-using seals is a false economy"

so far i've rebuilt my petc*ck and had my charging system apart twice, replaced the turn signal flasher, adjusted valve clearances, checked rear brakes for delam, replaced front tire, repaired bad ground on voltage regulator, checked alternator brushes, aligned front forks, cleaned front master cylinder, replaced fuel and vacuum lines, installed fuel filter, replaced ignition coils . . . i'm sure there's more, but that's all i can think of now.

i decided not to get out the colortune today cuz i wan't to spend some time believing that this bike is actually running right before i find out otherwise, but hopefully all i have left to do is colortune and sync the carbs and then i might actually be to the point where i can start improving and fixing the non-"essential" stuff. you know, like, install different handle bars, replace the gauges and headlight, replace the rats nest of electrical tape under the seat with a real fuse box, re-cover or replace the seat, patch or replace exhaust . . .

what i get a real kick out of is that the seca (yes the 29 year old '81 seca) actually starts easier than my '07 KLR650)

so, again, big thanks to everyone and big thanks to chacal for always being on the ready with replacement parts.

 

very cool, well have to drive to the local pastie stand...

 

i was thinkin' da Tourist Trap. I really need a pic of my seca parked next to Ol' Gus.