Newbie in Alberta

Hey all - I just bought an 83 XJ1100 Maxim and I know I'll be looking for advice on it in the future. I'm not really a newbie to motorcycles, or even Yamahas, since I also own a '79 XS650-2F0 that really needs to come apart and get the frame done this year. Not to mention a couple engine problems that I have to solve.

I've been on the XS650USA Garage forum for years and they even made me an admin over there - same name as here....

But this is a new bike (at least to me) - new features and I've got a lot to learn about it. What a heck of a change from the XS - I can actually see stuff in the mirrors! And I can tell what they are! 8O No more calls from Sherwin-Williams when their paint-shaker breaks! :lol: (well - at least till I get the XS fixed!)

I do know that I have some issues with the carbs - They've been synched (apparently), but the bike still bogs down really bad just off idle - my little 650 is LOTS faster - and it shouldn't be. So I expect that there's some carb tuning in the near future.... I've seen the YICS eliminator (on ebay and a couple other places) and it makes me wonder if they knew they had to use something similar when they synched them.

 

Welcome to the Forum!
You will find many carb related posts, some with excellent photos and great advice. If you don't know when the carbs were "done", then they need to be "done". Don't forget to check the valve clearances at the same time.


Dave (in Ottawa)

83 XJ900

 

Welcome ShakerNorm. Great site. Helped me a lot. Just got done checking my valves & re-jetting carbs. Will finish this bike tomorrow as I need my stress reliever back.

 

support!

 

WELCOME from TN!!!

skillet

 

Thanks, all! Good to see the support out there!

I know the PO had the carbs overhauled, and balanced (as well as plugs and oil change) just last week, but I don't think that the shop did any real "tuning" of them. I also know that the PO wasn't mechanically inclined, so he farmed out all the work to a local shop.

I know the mechs there are good, but only up to the point where the $$$$ stop.... And fine tuning carbs takes time. Right now, this things bogs down pretty bad whenever I twist the grip - probably a needle adjustment is all they need.

I'm a little familiar with the BS34 carbs (same ones on the later XS650's), but my older XS has BS38's, so most of my knowledge of the 34's is second-hand. I have read the XS650 Carb Guide from front to back several times, and tuning them will be much the same process as the BS38's - different parts, but same basic principles.

If you haven't read the Carb Guide - it's almost the Bible for Mikuni roundslide carbs - XS650 Garage Carb Guide. A bunch of guys who know a lot about these carbs all got together and put it together - lots of good info on the BS34's and 38's. Hopefully there might be some info that people here can use, too.