What did you do to your Yamaha today?

I rode it, and rode it, and rode it....until the wind started gusting to 40MPH. I prefer to save the leaning over for when I'm going around a bend.

 

Amen to that! been blustery here lately too :?

 

Painted the tank.







it still needs to be cleaned up (got some finger prints). Next will be the front fender and cleaning and repainting the engine and headers.

 

Changed oil and oil filter, need to do some cosmetic work on her this year.

 

cleaned and lubed speedo cable. Still have a slight ticking in the speedometer itself. Waxed the tank and side covers and buffed. Went for a nice 20 mile ride

 

Just about to visit the garage and give it a clean, still waiting for new exhaust, but planning a ride tomorrow as no work..! but not supposed to rain. So at least i'll have some fun.

 

30 mile run a polish up a coffee cig then a smile ace.....roll on the summer

 

Last weekend, shoveled in front of the garage for the 4th time this month in hopes it would dry enough to take the bike for a run so I can change the oil. No luck so far, and most snow coming tonight so doesn't look like it will be until May.

This winter was replacing front brake lines with SS, replaced fusebox with new blade styles, new headlamp, misc cleanup and some detail painting.

 

First time I've done anything to the SECA. So I guess, I can mark this date as the official start of the restoration. Will only work on rust removal for now and figure out what can or can't be saved. So just trying some new things for removing rust. Tried using Marvel Mystery Oil and let it soak on the left muffler and shock for a couple of days. Then used a Scotchbrite pad. Worked ok, but had to pull out the drill with the scotchbrite adapter to use on the shock springs. Worked ok I guess. But the cheapest and favorite way to remove rust from parts is to let them soak in white vinegar for a week or so. I'm in no rush, I have pleanty of time. So first sign of progress. But only did the side that is visible when I walk by every day.

Before cleaning:



After cleaning:

 

Pulled carbs and boots one last time (to make & install new paper gaskets for the boots), double-triple checked the float's wet-set again while they were off, still spot on

Installed them and thumbed the starter to discover it starts and runs even better than before.... Amazing, I couldn't detect any leaks anywhere & it was running great already, I only made the gaskets because it's right that way and the difference is noticeable to my ears!!!

So now I get to do my running sync and colourtune again for that perfect touch... and have to replace the fork seals that "were replaced" by the P.O. since the right one is now pissing oil after a ride round the block.

 

I snapped an exhaust stud clean off.. I'm happy

 

Finally, disassembled the whole front brake system, and will be rebuilding it all, with SS lines. Just need to get the caliper piston unstuck, and I have plenty of ideas from the forums here on how to do just that.

Since I was going to have to order a caliper rebuild kit from Chacal, I figured I would do the valve clearance check and order the shims at the same time. This bike has 10k miles on it and I'm sure has never had a clearance check done. All valved but one are tight. Exhaust are all tight by 0.02mm or so, and intake range from 0.01mm to 0.7mm! So, new shims for all.

I've been waiting to do this work for over a year. I ordered the parts for it all, but didn't want to have the bike unusable during the riding season. Got a Suzuku V-Stromg (2011) and that gave me a chance to rip into the xj, but...it got cold, and my garage space is unheated.

Got the bike with 3k, put 7k on it in the last two summers, including a Canada tour -- love it and can't wait to get the front brake rebuilt, which is the last of the safety system to be done (new rear brakes, new shoes, new headset bearings all done already). Once I have the valves in spec, I'm gonna continue down with the rest of a tune-up, and then some cosmetics.

I was contemplating selling it, but it's much more fun to have a bike to work on. I have to at least dip into the dark arts of carb cleaning and syncing. I figure by then I'll be too attached to give it away.

 

Went for a pleasant, if fairly short, ride. First time I've been further than pushing distance from home on the bike & it's pretty darn good. Nice and smooth...

 

Spring is coming achingly slow to New England this year and so I have been afforded several non-riding Saturdays to clean up niggling little problems.

1) Sputtering at take-off led me to look into the carb intake manifolds for a leak. Checked with unlit propane. Yep, well there's yer problem. Boots cracked, fixed with Super Black ATV and silicone tape, made new gaskets (there were none previously!!!), reinstalled carbs, RUNS GREAT!

2) Rechecked the rear brake. Still sound.

3) Fixed dash warning lights for fuel and battery with resistors. Worked. Ha, ha, ha. No more red lights for me!

Hope the weather prediction for this Saturday holds.........65 and sunny!

 

Just reminded me, I've got to "attend to" the red warning light slap bang in the middle of the dash that comes on above 80km/h (about 50mph). Really quite annoying that... :lol:

 

so doing my forks on my YZ250 today, gettin ready for a big ride trip with about 10 other people down in kansas. anyways, took one fork apart and come to find out the compression valve in it had rattled apart so all these pieces were floating around in my forks :lol:

The other valve was intact (thank god) so i pieced the one together by taking apart the intact one, these puppys aint big parts, as you can see with the dial calipers pic. but there is a total of 22 separate pieces making them up. oh and one other small detail, NO manual will have an exploaded view of compression valves, (cant even find one online) its a closely guarded secret so im waitin for thread lock to dry on these then gonna reassemble, oh and one other small detail my dirtbike is a 1997 but has 1998 forks on it :lol: ....through me off.

 

Wow looks a right PITA to assemble from floating bits! 8O

In the middle of second oil change then going to ride a little if the weather holds up

 

Used Scotchbrite and spray bottle magic to shine up the engine cases. Polished the fenders and pipes while I had the gloves on. Hosed it off, and hey, there's a good looking bike under all that winter grime!

70 and sunny - bet your a$$ I'm goin' for a ride!

 

Finished changing oil, went for a nice ride out for an hour and a bit, got back completely buzzing with happiness. Bike feels great, loving it 1000% right now

Be even better when those carbs get properly synced again, that's for Thursday weather permitting.

 

After a long winter of projects, I changed the oil again, did a final assembly, checked everything over again, and RODE IT!!!!!!!!!!! 8O 8) :lol:



It ran like an absolute champ! Couldn't be happier