What did you do to your Yamaha today?

Working on my carb sync after adjusting the floats. The bike will start fine then start idling high up to 3-4K on its own and hang there. Think I'm chasing a vacuum leak, based on all the info I'm seeing in the forums. Pulled the throttle cable off and same problem. Carbs were rebuilt and clean. Can't remember if I bench synced them, but that shouldn't matter for a hanging high idle. Going to push it over to the side of the garage until I have some more time to sort it out. Seems simple enough to sort out, just running out of time today.

 

Picked up a set of carbs for the turbo on e-bay. Pretty rough, but they look to be complete. Need to saw the choke rod into pieces as it is so rusted I can't get the carbs apart.....

 

Put my new grips on to replace the torn and worn cheap foam ones that were on there when I got it. Took me forever to find this style of grips for 7/8 bars. They sent the wrong one s (I had ordered them n black with flat ends) but the vendor gave me $15 off if I was able to use the ones they did send, so I got a partial refund for them. Was willing to make it work for $35 grips. I just wanted them in black, as I'll be blacking out the bars. Might look better anyways with the chrome grips.

Next purchase will likely be an LED headlight assembly.

 

Son was over for Mother's Day so we slid the cylinders over the studs on the X. Gettng the pistons in was another story, with the studs, radiator, frame, assorted other pipes and stuff in the way. Finally was able to set it down on the gasket. Let's see if I can remember where all the other parts go.

 

So, I had purchased a Cheap set of bags and supports on Amazon a while back.
At the time the bags were $30
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01HPLCKA4
Supports were $30
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07K762BRP

They were meant to go on another bike but I went with something else in the end.
I found I could fit onto the XJ so they did not need to go to waste. Just need a way to support the end better. Wire ties there won't hold under weight, they will snap.
Under weight, the supports will rotate. Ether I need to suspend them at the rear end or shim/weld something so that the support can't rotate.

 

I think you are going to want to space the whole bracket out a little bit too. From this image it looks like it is going to interfere with the with the spring. With just a bit of puttering you should have a nice little set up though. 1 extension from the back side of the passenger peg and another from the bolt just peeking out above the turn signal and you will be good to tour! Hey, anybody can just take stuff out a box and bolt it on.

 

Those are some cool grips. But what's even cooler is that black panther/moon rising. That's some cool throwback artwork!

 

Rode to work today (like most days), but a few days ago I put 110+ miles on with some friends for a special mission:
https://www.relive.cc/view/vYvEKBdZzw6

A few weeks ago I put some new highway pegs on, I'll have to post up some pics and a mini review, maybe in my (re)build thread.

 

The mural is only 3 years younger than the bike...dated 1986. The artist is one of the most sought after airbrushbartists in the area, and this was one of his very early pieces. I'm going to be vinyl wrapping the tank later this summer so no further damage to the mural happens. It already has a few bad scratbes thru it.

 

I usually miss these snapshots, but I coincidentally rolled to 39k miles just as I got home from work last night:

 

I'm trying to figure out why my 80 xj650 is only firing the two middle cylinders, got any ideas?

I'm trying to figure out why my 80 xj650 is only firing the two middle cylinders. Got any ideas?

 

Bad coil? Bad wiring to that coil? What have you checked?

 

Today I had a look at the issue with my maxim not starting unless the clutch is held in. A quick check from +12V to the blue wire feeding the relay showed it wasn’t seeing neutral. And what a pig that switch is to get at! Managed to get a screwdriver on it though..

 

Finally got a nice day sunny in the upper 60's and no wind , but only rode 60 miles . Of course hit a large bump and my fairing winshield extension fell off , not real cool . Had to go back trying to find the remains on a very busy road is not fun. Forgot my sunglasses, and usually put a bottle of water in saddle bag forgot that too. Other than the sheild falling off the bike runs so good.

 

solved the cheap Sub $100 bag solution by just strapping to the aluminum bracket. I could stand to put some coroplast on the bottom to hold the shape of the bags next. But now I have some capacity here.

 

Spent three hours trying to sync my carbs yesterday. The #1 carb had some backfiring, and the idle would creep up to about 3k. But I seemed to get closer to a running sync before the idle creep. Color tuned all the plugs and they were a nice blue. But had to take a mental break and will come back and figure out why I've got the backfiring and slow idle creep.

 

Replaced the glass fuses with blades on one of my 900 Secas. Can't believe what previous owner did to make it work..

 

Technically it was last night. I was finishing up lapping and pulled this leaky valve out and noticed the mating surface had been worn to a groove. I had previously lapped it along with all the others but it still leaked and I was going to hit it again with some 400 grit compound. I hadn't lapped it any more than all the other 19 valves so I don't know what happened, but it looks like I'll be riding the airhead to the carb clinic unless a miracle happens.
This intake valve is one of the end valves, not the middle valve of the three.

 

Got one of my 650rj’s ready for a bike/car show this coming Sunday..... I have my 900 and the 650rj registered, hoping to get one more ready as I have three spaces registered. But I have sciatic issue at the moment so that’s knocking me down pretty good.

 

Well, I ordered a NOS valve and a used valve as a backup, if in good shape. Arriving early next week. I will still have issues with shims now that lapping has occurred and a valve will be replaced. Never ending fun.

 

New to me 82 Maxim 750. Charged the old battery that still has some life, pulled the clogged air filter, vacuumed the remaining seeds from the air box, gave it a blast of starting fluid encouragement and it took right off! Settled down to a nice clean idle with snappy throttle response. Amazing, simply amazing. Even on the old gas.

 

I went through that sciatic BS a couple weeks ago. Broke my moto-commuting streak until I realized staying mobile on the Seca was better for it than sitting still in my truck seat for 45 minutes. Still, blew. Good luck to you (with the back and the bikes/show).

 

I calculated my Xj650 is getting right at 49 mpg on the last two tanks of fuel.

 

That’s dead-on

 

Rode a little over 60 miles today bike ran great , after I went home and bike cooled off pulled all four plugs they all looked good a little lean . So out came my color tune plug , put a half turn on mixture screws and seemed to be better , blue flame . I thought about it last year was last time I pulled the plugs so it was time to check them . On to my 100$ Seca still no luck bleeding brakes , I have three master cylinders tore one down completely EWWW got junk out of it thought this was problem , no luck and tried my mighty vac , no luck , used a syringe fluid does flow through old rubber hoses . My next step is to use my vibrating sander , alreay tried tieing brake lever up and opening bleeder and leaving it over night no help . The calipers and been rebuilt with new seals . I'm about to put this on market place I just don't have a warm fuzzy for this bike .

 

@Jetfixer, are trying to use the stock Seca master cylinder? If so I have nothing. If a more "normal" master have you tried bleeding at the master banjo? I have good luck doing that when all else, like you have done, failed.

 

Took 2 XJ’s to a show today.....

3rd Place Trophy went to xj650rj
1 & 2 went to Harleys

 

@hogfiddles , Congrats! Very cool but you was robbed! How did the 900 do?

 

I won’t complain…….. when I first started showing it, I was just hoping for one trophy. I’ve gotten 10 for it……..no complaints if someone else gets one. The guy who got the firet place trophy hasn’t gotten a trophy in 30 yrs, and just did a top to bottom make over on his bike —did it himself, and today was his first day out at a show with it—Im ok with him getting first…..he’s thrilled.

It sat right next to the RJ and looked pretty…… got a lot of attention, though. It did lead to a very interesting conversation—-I’ll share that with you all once things are finalized……it will give XJ’s a lot of exposure, for sure…….stay tuned

 

@Jetfixer those brakes are a BEAR! You try everything and nothing works and then one day, bam, you have pressure. It's the darndest thing. Good luck. I know when I replaced my lines last year and rebuilt everything, I was glad I was already bald.

 

Replaced the front pads on Friday. Seems to brake better than before. I took the bike for a 139 mile today. Everything worked perfectly. It was also the first time taking it on the interstate. It ran pretty smooth and didn’t complain about the speed.

 

Messed around on my 100$seca , checked compression all 144 to 150 psi , just not sure if I sell this thing , keep it or part it out .

 

Went to my coworkers house and helped get the bike started. Got new sparky boys in, cleaned out the old gas in it, ran some seafoam to help clean the carbs a bit and had it running on cables sadly. But shes getting there.

 

Took off this morning early , rode 409 miles , going down to my parents house was uneventful, exept for all the detours . My left turn signal stopped working , found a wire that came disconnected. Going home that was a true adventure , hit some really rough side roads for detours. My battery bypass failed so battery was displayed on the Atari . But the epic fail , pulled into a gas station and my foot slipped on a crushed can I did not see and layed bike down a couple of guys helped pick it up , a scratch on the crash bars and on the saddle bag was the only damage, but my pride hurt worse. Took off and bike felt funny it was cutting out Atari kept cyling . When bike layed over the ignition switch broke , I had fixed it along time ago with JB weld I had to play with it to get power it would cut out not real good thing especially in traffic and riding with keeping pressure was not cool. I noticed the front fairing was bouncing around , I had metal shims , they fell out so fairing is loose. Finally made it home , I have spare ignition switch so that is a project for Sunday. And of course my arms are sunburnt my own fault .

 

Glad you’re ok..... sounds like everything is fixable, and it sounds like most of the fixable stuff is quick repairs that re-broke. That’s why I try to always replace a broken part with a good part rather than a quick-fix..... quick/temporary-fixes tend to end up being “permanent” cuz “hey, if it works why ness with it ..... and you end up forgetting about it “ until the break again at an in opportune time.

Glad you got home. Sounds like it’s good mechanically though!

slipping on a can....... things happen.

 

I too, am glad you okay. Zero speed fall overs are distressing but so much better than at speed crashes.
Evaluating the condition of a master cylinder today. I think it is going to need more cleaning & work.

 

You think?

 

A little fresh fluid and it’ll be fine

 

Spent yesterday fixing the things from my 400 mile trip . Pulled the ignition switch , I have another switch , but if I would not have the same key as the seat lock and gas cap. So took the broke switch apart and transferred the guts out , and swapped into the "new" body and it works like it should . Looking into the front fairing found the problem , the shims I had put between the frame and the bracket had fell out but was laying down behind braket. So off came the bracket and and this time I welded the shim onto the bracket. In the process of this found the bracket for the shimmy dampner was not bolted to the frame properly ( can't blame PO oh wait that is me) so got a few other things to fix but it is almost ready for another long ride.

 

Yep, you can replace the switch guts as long as you have the correct style key core. There are a few different kinds, so it doesn’t ALWAYS work that way...... but if you have the right ones, yes . Glad you did

 

My 100$ Seca has been dripping oil finally got a chance to look , when I replaced the neutral switch, I did not put any sealant or teflon tape on the threads. Out came the tool I got from xj4ever and out the switch came , put teflon tape on the threads and reinstalled. I did not have to drain oil as most had dripped out. Filled oil and started it up so far so good going to recheck in the morning . The special tool makes changing the switch easy with the engine in the frame ,thanks xj4ever

 

Just finished valve clearances. I was able to swap around some and replace a few from my stock, surprising after the valve lapping and the replacement of one with a new OEM valve. If I can finagle a way to work in it all day tomorrow, I could probably have it ready for the Friday ride to the clinic, but that is probably not going to happen. Needs carbs back on, exhaust back on, coils, horn, tank reinstalled. Needs carbs re-balanced, color tuned if I can get it to work right. After that and a ride, compression check and leak down test. Then...clean up of the winter dust, etc.

 

I rode it 250 miles, 2 fill ups. Ran flawless.

 

Well, marathon bike assembly today, new coolant, oil and filter too. This AM the valve cover wasn't even on. Now the bike is running. Tomorrow I replace the trim stuff, check tire pressure, get it inspected, pack my stuff and head to the clinic.

 

The front brakes I rebuilt last fall failed on me last night - luckily in a parking lot. Will update my build thread when I have a chance to dig into it in a few days, but my leading guesses on failure are the piston return spring, and/or the honing job I did on my old cylinder. Do not see fluid loss anywhere (res. is topped up, no light, and no leakage at junctions/banjos/bleed screws. Thought the cable to the remote res. snapped, but it's intact and getting a full range of motion.

Might just be pestering Hogfiddles or Chacal for a known good body. SO frustrated and, honestly, depressed about this. I've got thousands of miles on it since the rebuild.

In brighter news, I did get to ride it to the first local cruise night on Wednesday - the motivation for me getting it back on the road last Fall. Win some, lose some.

Oh well. could have been much worse. Be safe out there.

 

Let me know what to look for....

 

Will do. It'll be Sunday at the earliest before I get into it. Do I remember that the carb clinic is this weekend? Hope it goes well!

 

Yepper!

 

Got to do a brake lock-up test when some dunce started to turn in front of me at an intersection. Luckily I was putting along ~25mph through an area filled with pedestrians and shops so was able to maintain full control, and the dunce was kind enough to stop once he looked up and saw me coming. Amazing how even with a bright ass yellow helmet you're still invisible when you're riding.

 

New LED headlamp for Luna. Much thanks to a friend of mine that gifted it to me.