my bike can not start

"In fact you don't even need to do anything beyond bench syncing them"
some day you'll realize you don't need to bench them if you do a running sync.

"And until it doesn't I'm not going to mess with it."
remember, there's no shame in pushing your motorcycle home.

 

I'll never have to push a motorcycle home. I have a trailer.

 

This thread has gone way off topic here. In terms of helping our fellow to be xj rider get his bike running.

Agree to disagree on maintenence procedures.

Back to Adis, I started where you are man. I picked up this old cheap bike thinking I could do a few quick things to get her running and on the road. While as like you, I quickly learned it wouldn't work like that. A bit of time diagnosing the issues and digging a bit deeper than an oil change and fresh gas you should be set to ride in no time.

Len or "chacal" as he is call here on the forum has everything you will need and trust me when I say his services are faster than any other online source. Not to mention he will make sure it is the correct part for your bike the first time.

Adis, if you aren't comfortable messing with the engine yet, bring her to a shop. Once you get it back, there is plenty you can mess with to "start wrenching" with, as you will see. Speedo may not work, inspecting brakes, etc...

Nobody is saying tear apart the motor, their just saying valves are a common problem and It would be a good place to start if you decide to conquer this task in your own garage.

 

Okay, so itsherbike, if he had a cut finger would you tell him to do the easy thing first, such as get some sleep --- BEFORE applying peroxide, or bandage, or stitches?

Your advice is recockulous. If a person can't handle some (very easy) things on their bike, then they shouldn't mess with any of it before the bike is in perfect condition.

If the tire keeps losing air, and one is afraid to remove and replace, then he should not even bother with looking for a hole or adding fix-a-flat.

Your advice should be "if you can't handle the valves, then keep your hands off the carbs, and go to your local shop for the priority items. THEN, try your hand at something less technical"

 

yeah by all means, bully the guy into screwing up his ride so e more cheap used parts are available.

The knowledge available on this site is awesome, but attitudes suck donkey scrote.

 

I'll be honest in saying that I just glanced through this thread before posting this, so please forgive any apparently ignorant statements I am about to make:

From someone who LEARNED motorcycle repair and maintenance from this site, I can personally vouch for doing your own work. There are many benefits, assuming you have three helpings of patience and know when to walk away and call it a night.

When these bikes (or any bikes, for that matter) are not running we, as owners, end up pulling all of our hair out and end up bald and bitter. While learning to repair them, we get frustrated the first time, rush the job, and then get more frustrated and lose more hair for every additional time we have to take something apart before we learn to do the job right the first time.

The frustration and time spent not riding DO ultimately pay off when, at the end of the day, you spent thousands less than your neighbor who has a bike he took to the shop to get running AND you know what minor adjustments you need to do periodically that your neighbor-friend spends $100+ per season to have performed (for a total of about an hour worth of work, or less). You also can count the absolute awesome performance, sportiness, and comfort combination these bikes offer that is unparalleled by any modern motorcycle under $10,000.

I've successfully rebuild three XJ racks, adjusted carbs and tuning on 4 XJ bikes, two XV Viragos, and am working on an additional XJ and XV solely based off of the principles I learned from this site. Part of that IS regular maintenance. I might overdo it slightly, but generally I change my oil in my bikes twice a year - at the beginning and end of the riding season. I perform valve adjustments and carb vacuum syncs once per year per bike. Every other year I flush and replace my brake fluid on my bikes. I check tire pressures monthly and lights at least as often.

The way I see it, a motorcycle is a form of freedom that is unparalleled. Yes, you can drive a convertible sports car and have freedom and the wind in your face, but that doesn't come close to how a motorcycle feels when you scrape foot pegs in a turn or crack the throttle and take off past all other traffic - while getting nearly 50mpg no less.

The tradeoff is that you have only TWO tires keeping you on the road. You have only two brakes, not the FOUR standard on all automobiles. You are less visible to cagers, and more likely to get seriously injured or killed in a fender bender. Because of all of these reasons you MUST keep your bike in top shape. Nothing is more frightening than not being able to accelerate or brake when you need to - or having a wheel lock up out of nowhere (happened to me on the 550 when I forgot the cotter pin that stabilizes the rear brake drum and the brake shaft wrapped three times around the rear axle shaft). Do you really want to risk putting your life in the hands of someone else who isn't going to do a good job, or would you rather take your life into your own hands and KNOW that the job was done right?

 

So, original poster. How are you coming along now?

 

Hey Adis I'm in the same club as my bike won't start either. I must have 5 cans of carb cleaner laying around. I took the carbs apart but did't break the rack. I have 4 containers I put all the part in. I took the top cover off number 4, the diaphram with needle and the fuel bowl and placed them into the number 4 container. I did this for the other carbs. I must have used two cans alone on the fuel bowls as they have a retarded jet in them. All four fuel bowls have carb cleaner shooting out of them 20 feet. I have carb cleaner coming from front and back. When I put the carbs back on no start. Sorry Special_edy THE YAMAHA XJ 650 IS NOT A HIGH PERFORMANCE ENGINE AT ALL. This bike is the most poorly designed bike I have ever seen in my 45 years. Oil filter that won't come off. Backwards petcock. Never had one that operated off vacuum. YICS. Carbs that are worthless. If your starter clutch goes out you have to tear the engine apart. Don't get the mileage quoted in this post. Once put 2 gallons of ethanol free gas in bike. Drove into country to get bike inspected. Almost got home when bike started sputter. I just made it home. Tank was empty. I drove 22 miles on two gallons of gas. This was before the bike decided not to start.

 

altlandf - - Your rant is not helping much . . .

 

lol I just got on him on another thread where a guy was trying to get a bike going and he chimed in with how worthless they are. If he starts advocating Harleys we will know he is trying to bolster their market share where they are once again falling out of favor depending mainly on brand not quality to justify a high price.

 

The best thing we can do is ignore any hecklers and focus on the topics at hand. If we reply to someone trying to tear things apart, they win. If we keep steady and ignore the BS then everyone wins (except the heckler, of course).

 

Any repair manual you get they have a chapter on the basics in what is needed to get a bike running. Air, fuel, spark and compression. I have all of these and I still have a bike that doesn't run. These bikes simply defy the laws of physics. You apply the basics to any other bike out there and you have a running bike. Not for the XJ motorcycles. I can't believe that one person would even hint these motors are high performance and would compaire them to a Chevy engine.

 

Over designed is the term you are looking for.

 

Amen. We already know that altlandf is not mechanically inclined; and doesn't share our enthusiasm for these bikes. The rant is getting tired already.

 

Everyone is entitled to their opinions but this site is supposed to be for xj enthusiasts not haters. I just bought my first ever street bike (85 xj700n) it had been setting since 2006. First thing I did was buy a battery change the oil and hook up a gas line from an iv bottle bike fired almost as soon as I hit the starter button. It ran pretty rough but some tlc and advice and how to forums I found on here I've got it safe and running like a dream. I'm not sure if you negative guys just got screwed by your bikes po or you just like being negative. If you don't like these bikes that's great but get off the site and find one for the bike you like best. There are people on here who do love their xj's and people who want to learn (including myself) and you guys are certainly not helping. Have a great day!

 

At 70 Horsepower from 40 Cubic Inches, the 650 Maxim APPROACHES the magical "2 HP/CI" level of a RACE engine. and matches a fuel-injected FJR.

A "pre-emission" Chevy 350 "SS" motor made 370 HP at the crank.

The Chevy would need to make 612 Horsepower to hold it's own.
"NASCAR" engines don't meet emissions, don't idle in traffic, and need 3 mechanics to cold-start.
(sorry for OT)

 

I don't like Harleys, but I have never had the stupid idea of becoming a member of a Harley forum where I could pi$$ on them.

I feel better if I simply don't read or write or speak about Harleys.

Get it?

 

That sounds about right for a guy that can't snake a drain without breaking the snake. It seems as if you have a long history of not being able to do things right, and blaming the manufacturers and designers for the problem.


http://www.youtube.com/user/altlandf/feed

I can't believe that you actually asked if you can use a Holly 2 barrel on a 650cc motorcycle

 

Wow! That is crazy! If I was that non mechanical I wouldn't even try! I'm not a rocket scientist by no means but I do know the difference between a wrench and a screwdriver! Lmao

 

It takes all kinds of people to make a world.

Let it go. This foo' has proven repeatedly that he doesn't warrant a response. Don't give him the attention that he's fishing for.

We got old motorcycles to fix. Let's be about it.