XJ700 Comment on carbs and question

So, the wife wanted a bike to try. I paid $400 for a 1986 XJ700 complete, great condition, but not running. The guy said he rode it quite a bit, parked in the yard for the winter and it would not start the next spring. After spending a few hours looking through this site for advice and tutorials, I tore down the carbs, worshipped in the house of clean, put it all back together, did the basic maintenance stuff - fired right up and it runs like raped ape. My comment: you guys have put together an excellent source of information! My highest compliments on a no-BS, good, sound technical site. Now, my question: any advice on how to disable a carb or two so I can keep up with my wife on my Harley?

 

No need to mess with the carbs, just tell her your going to take her shopping and she'll follow you! ;-) ;-)

 

Ahah, now that's a good one!

 

Welcome.
$400 sounds like a pretty good deal. Have you gone over the front brake system?
As far as keeping up with your wife, try shoving a potato in one of the exhaust pipes. Or better yet, ditch the H-D and get an XJ.

 

The brakes seems pretty good. In general, the bike seemed well maintained. whoever worked on the carbs was not very good, several stripped screws. But the owner always had "some guy" work on it. I need to put some gentle miles on it, but in Montana we still have some winter left.

I will keep the potato in mind. Can't give up the HD, it fits me too well. Besides, I promised to get milk whenever we needed it...