RPM / Speed / Gear Questions

Really? My tach shows a solid line starting at 9500. So 10000 is completely ok?

 

The 550 motor makes peak HP at 10K. It falls off AFTER that.

 

1982 XJ650R redline is 9,500

 

Hi guys, I have a closely related question for you. I just got this bike a week ago and as it is my 1st bike I am not too knowledgable about motorcycle mechanics or this bike in particular.

I generally ride low in the rpm's as well... (i am a beginner). Today i really opened it up for the first time in 2nd gear and found myself yelling (this is scarrrrrryyyyyy FAST!) inside my helmet. I loved it. I absolutely tore away from traffic till i got to a stop light. Where my bike promptly DIED. and had major trouble starting up again (5min). .... why could this be?

Here is some info about the bike.
-It requires alot of choke to start up.
- Choke was still full on at this point.
- bike had been running nicely for about 10 minutes prior to zooming off
- bike probably needs the carbs cleaned
- I have had to fiddle with the idle screw and choke to get the bike to start and then later after 15 ish minutes of riding i have to turn them both down to so the bike doesn't idle at 3-4000 rpms with the clutch pulled in.

Any help would be hugely appreciated! I love this bike, it just needs to be fixed up a bit to run more smoothly and start more reliably...

is this symptomatic of a dirty carb problem?

Thanks!

 

Alright, I took her to 6k several times on my ride home from work today. I can tell that the bike absolutely loved getting in some extra RPMs! The harmonic, vibe totally smoothed out about 5500. Hit 55mph at 6k in 4th. I have another 2-3k in RPMs and then another whole gear?!?! Jeez, that is pretty intense! Love it!

 

Slomo85, sorry, the 550 Seca redline is set at 10K, that may be because of the cams.

I didn't realize the 550 Max was redlined at 9500. You won't hurt anything running it to 10, but if it redlines at 9500 that should do fine.

I've hit 12K by accident (hey, I was passing some cars) a couple times without any issue; the motor just keeps pulling. NOT something I'd recommend, but it won't cause any damage in a solid mill.

Thanks for pointing that out; it will keep me from sticking my foot in my mouth in the future.

**EDIT** You guys type too fast.

Shah try running it to 7K or 8K; in second and third it will snap right up the range above 6. Six is the beginning of the fun band. Be ready to shift.

 

I just noticed in your sig that you have only seca's! lol, lucky... Yeah, guess that's one more difference.

 

This is curious-the max550 tach does have a solid white line starting at 9500 and going to 12000, but it also has the same solid white line starting at 55mph and going to the limit 85mph.

I can verify that what BF says about his Seca550 is the same with the Max as far as it is still pulling very hard right past 9500-so the question then becomes is this really a 'red-line' or is it more like a white 'hey buddy don't overdo it' suggested line. Because I think in 81, if I have this ancient history right, the speed limit was 55mph (hence the white line starting there), but honestly who really expected everyone to just zoom up to 55 on one of these bikes and then say 'well guess I'm at my limit.'

Every other actual red-line on a tach that I've had 'felt' like a red-line when you reached it, i.e. no more power and engine sounds like it would like to self-destruct. I think the 'true' red-line on the 550's is closer to 10,500 maybe 11k, maybe higher? Of course I don't and wouldn't recommend riding up that high for an extended period (or go above 5k w/o the mill loaded) but it is fun to poke through the stratosphere occasionally.

Over-engineered? Under-speced? Both? Keeping the bean-counters happy like shipping them from the factory slightly lean?

pouncingmailbox you definitely have issues with your carbs, and you don't wan't to ride hard with the enrichment circuit (choke) on. You should only need it for a short time when it's warm (<1 min). Sounds like your idle screw is set too high, and you may be lean otherwise-start reading on here about carbs.

 

Alright! Took the 650 to 6k-7k on the ride in today. WOW! You guys aren't kidding, that is definitely the fun band. She really thanked me for stretching her legs out today! Talk about power. I could get used to this!

On a side note, not sure what it is...maybe the sound of a high revving engine...but I had two rednecks in their bick ol'e pick up trucks try to race me today. Now, I'm not the type that races. Just always seemed silly and wreckless...but I smoked 'em. Nice Silverado, jackass.

 

Those "solid white lines" on your tach and speedo used to be red; they've faded to white.

 

are these lines easily accessible to re-paint them? can this be done with the gauge cluster still mounted? I've read your guide on inspecting the speedometer gauge but that's for a whole different cluster (seca, iirc)

...sorry to hack this thread but I've asked before on another thread and got no response & I'm sure somebody has done this before or is wondering the same thing

 

The cover comes off on the 650's. You could paint them while on the bike. it'd probably be easier with them on a table.

 

The speedo too? How do you take the cover off these? Currently using my iPhone as a speedo, as the needle fell off mine. :lol:

 

Reply to your post "pouncingmailbox".

Your quote - "Today i really opened it up for the first time in 2nd gear and found myself yelling (this is scarrrrrryyyyyy FAST!) inside my helmet. I loved it. I absolutely tore away from traffic till i got to a stop light. Where my bike promptly DIED. and had major trouble starting up again (5min). .... why could this be?

Here is some info about the bike.
-It requires alot of choke to start up.
- Choke was still full on at this point.
- bike had been running nicely for about 10 minutes prior to zooming off"


You should NOT be running up to these revs on choke! The bike should NOT need choke at all after a 10 minute warm up!

Will it not idle without choke after it's warm? No wonder it died wouldn't start again if it was still choked when up to temp.

 

If I'm remembering mine right you remove the nuts on the back to remove the chrome cover then on the inside the guage screws to the cover plate. On my bike it's one cover for both round gauges and the lights in the middle.

 

damn right, i love me some 6-9k pulls. these bikes just never cease to amaze me!

i love being able to hit 60 in 2nd gear before even coming close to redline. effin badass!

 

Wow. I don't think I want to take her that far. LOL :lol:

 

I'll have to give that a try when I get home and test it out.

 

As far as "painting" the lines:

The numbers and the redline are actually done with a see-thru silk screen process, and the black is just that, black, and not see-thru.

Of course, I found this out the hard way.

The only good way to re-do a face gauge is to sand the old off, and apply a new decal to the face.

Problem is, no one makes them for the XJ.

What I did was found a set from an older Yam that wasn't weather-faded and replaced them.

I used XS gauges on my 650 Seca, but I don't know which models will easily interchange with the Maxim.

 

My wife works at a print shop, I could probably make one in PS and have her print some decals.