"Previous Owner" Masterpieces

I've posted this before - the "air filter" is a pair of ladies tights (Pantyhose)!

 

I read a few posts here and it just got too painful to look at the rest. Carry on brave mechanics, and right the wrongs of the past...

 

This thread has made me realize that 1) I'm not as bad about stupid ham fisted bike abuse and redneck engineering as some people 2) A peek into my garage while I'm working on my bike would make you all think I'm a monster.

Things like my dog cocks and rats nest under the seat, the ATX smeared all over my air intake/manifold, sticky brown carbs, sportster windshield strapped on with crude diy brackets, tail light assembly made out of soup cans.... I've already heard gasps and maybe even some pitchforks and torches over my gas filler neck, lol.

I guess you can call me "P.O. Cal" and make all the youngin's look at all the horrible things I do as a warning to keep the purity of restoration sacred.

 

The starter button on my 550 is below my seat and the connections look terrible! I really want to wire it back to the handlebars.

 

All of this makes me realize how lucky I was when I bought my XJ700n. I had no idea what to look for, it just looked good, ran (sort of), and had low miles. Turned out to be bone stock with no PO modifications. Sure made it easier to get in good shape.

 

My 82 Xj750 Seca I recently purchased P.O. had buried master cylinder cover on back wards , the front forks had maybe 2oz in them, he "rewired" fuse block that is on my list to fix right way . I reserviced forks got lucky so far seals are not leaking. Tires were original had good tread, BUT replaced as I value being upright . This is my 6th bike , Last 82 Honda CB750 4500 original miles it was truly mint. 83 XV750 Virago bought 400$ got sorted out sold for 1500$, 2003 Buell Blast (first new bike actually loved my "Thumper" ) Sold to co-worker after showing how to ride a motorcycle , 84 Kawasaki LTD 550 (Shaft drive rare) Miss it still . 96 Seca 2 . Still sorting my Seca so far not too much has been found that P.O. Bodged .

 

Sarah, this has gone far too long neglected! Allow me!

My PO masterpiece of "welding"


Yeah. Got a broken cam cap? While you could replace it for just a couple dollars, what fun is that? Instead, why not try welding in a helicoil? And hey, who cares if you've only got a mig welder and have no idea how to weld aluminum?

No matter how badly it goes, remember, you're a badass biker, don't admit you couldn't fix it, just shove it back into the motor. Nobody will see!

 

Wow....

 

Problem being, cap is not sold separately so not easy to find used ones as they are machined with cylinder head .

 

That cap---which is always the one that breaks or strips out---is not actually a (radial) bearing cap (its inner surface does not serve as a bearing journal, it does not actually contact the camshaft). Its main purpose in life is as a thrust bearing (preventing side-to-side movement of the cam) as well as being a receiver for the valvecover bolt......so it is "safe" to replace it with one off of any other engine. All other cam caps....which actually are radial bearings....are somewhat unique in their size, as they are machined in conjunction with the lower bearing (part of that whole Yamaha "blueprinting" thing) and thus you can possibly run into clearance issues when swapping those cam caps between engines.

 

Good to know, as I just replaced it with one off another engine without a second thought

 

I have a confession to make, as confession is good for the soul.

Several years ago, when I first had fuse issues, I removed the stock fuse box and replaced them with 4 inline blade fuses (all that was available to me at the time). Used 30 amp holders (with proper size fuse per OEM), soldered and heat shrinked each, water proofed holder. It is less obnoxious than this picture, but it is a tangle under the tank. Each fuse holder is labeled with a permanent marker.

I've considered putting in an actual fuse box, but I often attempt a repair of what really isn't a problem, and dork up what was working fine.

Boy, do I feel better getting that off my chest...

 

There's a difference in how you did yours and the PO on mine. As long as you did all that and ensured that the wiring isn't in a position to get damaged (i.e. pinched between seat and frame) then I see no issue. Mine were poorly crimped, some just taped. Had a mix of two different types of holders and wrong fuse values.

 

That is simply PRICELESS! The heat distortion alone would.......well, like I said, priceless!

jeff

 

See? Didn't that feel good cgutz? Always feels good to come clean to the group<LOL>, right?
Heck, at least you did your connections the right way and weren't riding a electrical-time-bomb waiting for a bump or pothole to jostle the wires to short to ground and melt some $$ stuff!

Most of us that have been doing this for 30-40 years have run across some pretty "imaginative" things but there's a big difference between what I'll do just to get home vs how I build. Having that skillset that lets you ALWAYS find a way to "make it work" is a gift from God himself in my mind BUT knowing that you CAN hack to get home doesn't mean that you SHOULD hack just to ride!

jeff

 

To be fair, heat distortion turns out to be not so much of an issue when you simply disintegrate the material you're trying to weld =/ It's like foam.

 

I'm thoroughly enjoying his vids. Now and then he'll leave me scratching my head. There's a vid where he waits till the end to check the air filter. Turns out it was saturated with dirt. Other than that, hats off to mr max storey

 

Haha that's what I was thinking when I stripped one of the five bolts on the pressure plate of the clutch basket. At first I had visions of getting the broken bolt out, but then just closed that bitch up with only 4 bolts. Clutch is working fine so far

 

' So far.........'

I'm not even sure where to begin.

 

No worry. It's not going to stay like that. It's my learning bike not my registered on the road bike.

 

Ok----(for now.......)

 

When I first bought my Seca, I had a load of problems to sort, some I still haven't. I don't have picture, but the original fuse box had melted and been glued repeatedly. Someone installed a car stereo head unit and wired everything backwards. I haven't even looked at the cigarette lighter yet. The heated handlebar wires were pinched and shorting out. I love the bike, but it takes quite a bit of love.

 

Cigarette lighter?! We're going to need pictures!

 

My Seca had a cigarette lighter in its fairing, too. Always thought that was hilarious.

 

I've installed a few over the years on different bikes. Not for lighting cigs but plugging in accessories.

 

Mine wasnt just the 12v socket, it actually had a cigarette lighter. Looked stock, too, though I'm not positive. Super professional job, done back when the bike was new, if it was custom.

 

A number of fairings came that way.... seen many on Vetters---

 

I'm working on my To Do/Shopping List for this year's Central NY Carb Clinic. While working out my plan with Len, I shared this pic of my current master cylinder issue with him. He requested that I post it here in this thread. Yes, I have ridden over 8000 miles with it like this. She still stops!

I think a fair amount of effort can be found here!

Over the next month or two, I will rebuild my spare set of calipers and spare MC... and while my XJ has stainless steel lines already, she's slotted to get the new Stainless lines that Len offers. I saw them on @TheCrazyGnat 's bike. Have to have them!

It all should come together at the CNYCC 2018.

 

...but how? I mean, I get how it doesn't leak, but... Wtf? I'm so curious as to what sequence of events happened to result in that. Wow.

 

oh, god, that poor thing.

 

That WAS a #40 pilot jet...thanks po.

 

I was wondering when my time would come to post upon this fine thread. Behold my first submission to Previous Owner Masterpieces.

While removing the front wheel in preparation for new tires I encountered something rather pointy. This is the front axle "cotter pin". Some form of stainless steel scribe/pick/clothespin. Lucky for me it was bent inward facing and not able to impale my legs.

Point to point comparison with a Craftsman pick.

What are the POs thinking?

 

They aren't, that's the whole problem............

 

Cotter pins are a pet peeve of mine. They're dirt cheap, you can buy a bag of dozens for a dollar in Home Depot.

Drives me nuts that people either don't use them where they should, or endlessly reuse them. They're cheap, readily available, and important.

 

save a nickle lose a tire

 

personally i use nails

 

MattiThunder & Stumplifter suggested I add this to the gallery...

Started a full rebuild of the carburetors on my '82 Maxim 750. And, boy, was I glad to see no brass caps over the air/fuel mixture screws. Less work!

but, in this case, "less work" meant the PO had been in there. Turned out like finding a pile of Coors cans and dirty diapers in once-pristine woods. Who decided to just ram this back in there when done??

There's your public shaming, previous owner somewhere in Mesa, AZ. :0)

 

Cannot tell if either really terrible dremel job - or if bench grinder and a literal/legally blind PO. Como que emory cloth?

 

Time to dig this thread up! Was working on the KZ tonight. The brake light didn’t work with the front lever when I bought it. I saw the wrong lever that never depressed the switch so I figured it was just disconnected in the headlight bucket. WRONG. Somebody actually took the time to cut the wire, heat shrink the individual wires and then heat shrink over the whole thing. I almost didn’t catch it.

 

Of course. Because why not?

Lol

 

I think it's time for a law that states, upon sale of a classic motorcycle, the Seller is immediately incarcerated and executed before sunrise for crimes against humanity.

 

This 81 seca I traded for had a toggle switch under the seat which I quickly mounted for tests, and throttle was broken all to hell from POF laying the bike down, so I thumb thottled from an 86 Honda trx200sx for testing. Fit so good I kept it on there and she is a beautiful work of assembly from any parts that I had laying around cheers