What did you do to your Yamaha today?

You are proly right, I just cant dedicate that much time explaining and all the photos.
But I did find out and photo the differences in the inside the 550 and 600 motors.
Shift drum bolts up different and other things.

 

Nothing. I was going to ride since it's been warm, but I was running late for work.
Good thing too. Winds came up to a steady 40 MPH before noon, and then the range fires started popping up. Several towns were evacuated (including part of the city I live in).
Not a good day for riding after all.

 

Went to harbor freight bought a couple of those cheap -ss buffing wheels to start polishing on the exhaust. Ended up working on the valve cover sprayed another coat of clear coat placed v/cover on mantle to dry.
Worked on making the wet set-set up. Still waiting for the wrist Pins and piston rings. At least by not having the parts that I need I am taking my time with the carbs and various other items that need attention.
Trying to get my air box joints (1) back in a round shape as of now it is slightly out of round.
At least today is my Friday!! got the next couple of days to work on my bike
instead of snowing know it is raining- Have to remember rain keeps everything green and the surrounding lakes full!!!!

 

Yes. Keep remembering that. You do not want to be in that basin when there are forest fires on both sides. It really, really sucks; BTDT.

 

I moved mine today. Finally getting around to finishing my garage (insulation, lights, and drywall) after starting four years ago. Needed some space so the bike and a few other large items got moved. I got all excited today when weather.com said it would be 68 tomorrow, then I realized it was showing weather for Washington DC and not Cleveland. Damn.

 

I just got home from picking up the title ..... The Prodigal has returned

 

Here it is my Saturday, got the normal errands to run haircut, pay a few bills, and school. However I did manage to get two mason jars and a quart of Transmission fluid-going to finish up the vacuum manometer.
Hopefully will be able to do the wet set this afternoon.
Question-
If I set my fuel tank above the carbs so that the carbs are gravity feed. by this I mean turning the fuel petcock to prime.
then what?
will all four of the fuel bowls fill so that I can do the clear hose and check that the fuel level is where it is supposed to be?
I would think that I am going to need to turn off the fuel once the carbs are full.
Ah endless questions-
Think I gonna need to reread a few articles to make sure I didn't miss anything

 

Just got off the phone with Yamaha Parts Monster and they said that I should have my wrist pins and rings by Wednesday of next week!

 

leave the petcock on prime

read this how to


Setting the fuel levels

Mikuni BS33 (all 700-X and 750-X watercooled): -Fuel level measured via the clear-tube gauge: 3mm +/- 1mm (.12 +/- .04 inches)

 

Thanks for the information, I just happened to print it off about an hour ago. Hope things go well for my first attempt. Decided to double check the top half of the carbs and look what I found- Well the pic shows a divot right next to were the rubber (baby bumper) for the slides resides. From what I can see it is even with the rubber seal
Any suggestions on how to fix?
thinking of a very small dab of epoxy or JB weld any thoughts?

 

Valve cover all most done another fine sanding and final coat of clear.

 

if you choose too repair the divot use jb weld gas tank repair epoxy make it smooth and flush
or there is an aluminum kind of glue out there alum fast

nice job on the valve covers

 

Love those valve covers, they look like cassette tapes.

 

I gently touched the clutch side handle bar and turned the front wheel, someone had parked the Leyland too close to her and I was 'squeezing' through to get at stuff (Quonset Tetris doncha know).

No eye contact was made - high of 18F today with no warming trend in the near future, sand still on roads - she (and I ) must wait . . . .

 

Looks awesome

 

Jeezus, @Stumplifter your posts sound like erotic fiction... Fifty Shades of XJ!

 

Thanksfor t

Thanks for the tip about the aluminum JB weld I've got a few errands to run this morning so I will stop by the auto parts store and see what is available.
Painting the engine and the valve cover has been a good learning experience for me, made a few mistakes here and there yet over all I am looking forward to doing the front fender and the rear maybe this year or next.
Trying to focus on the mechanics of the bike-
Things I need to do-after I get here up and running like she deserves to be.
Front fork seals and the head set are next-

 

You gotta understand . . . she isn't like those other bikes.

She is more than shiny chrome and spinning wheels. She comforts me and understands my needs when I twist her throttle. We move as one as we lean into the turns, again I slowly, almost in a calibrated manner continue to roll her throttle through the turn, we lean more, we grab and start to straighten out of the turn, both of us feeling the straight away calling our names then we get barbaric and hit that power band range, hanging on, breath gasping, flashing forward, grinning and laughing together as kindred spirits. Our connection isn't like Owner's - oh no we go beyond that we are Rider and Ride; Mechanic and Steel Steed; we are like bacon wrapped in bacon, our cups overfloweth with joy (but not our carb bowls)!

Yes she moves me and I in turn care for her with loving attention to her needs and occasionally fart on her seat.




Where is Spring? This winter seems never ending . . . .

 

riding is on the erotic side... dressed in leather you gently choke........ she sparks to life as you gently press her button and twist.......

bringing her to close to redline her exhaust screams as you squeeze the clutch shift gears

 

The two shall become one--I now pronounce you 'Man and .........

 

Absolutely- spring hopefully is just around the corner just as daylight savings time comes this Sunday.
Be not judge mental the riders of thy steel horse for those who have never embraced thy steel horse shall always be wanting behind their vocalized connotation of the steel horse.

 

sounds to me like some of you guys need a cold shower

 

Freak in beautiful day outside- nice and sunny and dry temp is 60 F and climbing-
What am I doing reading on how to properly set my float levels. This is a good thing although for some reason I feel as though I am dragging my feet.
Kinda off topic-
Going to go with my grand kids to Ashland Oregon to play with all 6 of them. This by far is more important!!
I really want to build a bond between myself and them.
Well crud I got dissed for their little friends- soon the will want to borrow my car or bike LOL
Happening faster then I thought
Oh well guess it is on to setting the wet set for the carbs
Or let me think about this- I haven't been at home alone in the last four years but twice- oddly quit here NICE I get what my father had told me about enjoying the piece and quite-enjoy while you can.
The sun is high in the sky !

 

All I really need is a good gully washer rain storm to clear the sand off the roads and then temperatures to rise to at least the 40's. Vrooom vroom!

 

I just ran across the original spark plugs that I took out when my bike had its mechanical break down. Surprising clean they look any thoughts about how the bike was running prior?
Also thought I would upload a few pics of my exhaust -this is going to take some elbow grease !
Two weeks left of the winter term then one week off and Spring term begins

 

The prodigal bike is now home......Picked her up in a blazing snowstorm this morning------

What she used to look like:



What she looks like at the moment before pushing her onto the truck:


I think I heard her say, "I'll be bock"

 

Amazing what can happen with just a few owner changes.
Still has the potential to be in its original glory.
Nice

 

Little tramp left home, stripped down and put on red lipstick. Now she's come back home! Treat her right and she'll be a good girl from now on.

 

Oh yeah....

( for Matti's sake)

I rolled her over, pushed her into the bed, and strapped her down tight. She couldn't move at all for the rest of the way.

 

Anyone here seen Black Snake Moan starring Christina Ricci and Samuel l Jackson?
Dave's post is wandering into familiar territory.

 

worked on polishing the exhaust before work. Started to take one exhaust pipe off at a time and polish with Mothers Mag Polish.
Also ran across this article at maximum maxim.com web site. Interesting to read.

The X kicks so hard above seven five its midrange feels wimpy by comparison. From 7500, it will rev quickly past its 10000 rpm redline - quickly enough to lighten its front end exiting corners and trigger its 12000 rpm electronic rev limiter if you're not careful. Those who aren't careful may find reason to be - the Maxim continues to make serious power deep into the red zone and will pull to redline in top gear at 129mph.
Just read this and was surprised to see that there is a rev limiter at 12,000 RPM.

 

Did we ever tell you that you basically own an FZR700?

Also, it's http://www.maxim-x.com , though I did appreciate the VW bus article, and the bathing suited women.

 

No, not that I can recall- but I sure am glad that I got this bike!!!!!!!!!!!
Funny when I was looking for a bike I just posted an ad on Craigslist looking for a bike and 1300.00 to spend. With in an hour a got a post from a guy in Grants Pass Oregon four hours later I was sitting in front of his house installing a battery and off I went for my first ever ride on my own XJ700X.
I really just lucky with fate ! Since this was my first bike I was really just hoping not to get screwed and boy I didn't- I scored!!!!!

 

Yup.... You found 'the X-factor'...... You don't even get into the power band until you hit about 6500 and even as it rolls into it, once you hit that.....hang-on because, as you found out, she'll turn into a screaming banshee.

The other reality is, that ALL of the XJ's do that......it's the X that does it waaaay more. Now, if you REALLY wanna feel something unwind, take a spin on a 900rk!!

 

Would love to!
As you have asked before yes the X has glued my butt checks to the seat, thankfully the seat has a lot of cushion.
My friends always seem to give a hard time about it looking a bit grandpaish until they pull up beside me at a stop light and I promptly blow there doors off!!
Followed by their SILENCE

 

Egg-zack-ly

 

Yesterday evening when I got home form work I read a post that said that I could check my valve clearances while the head is on the bench-so I started to do that. Got the exhaust side done and today after work I will complete the intake side. Going to check them twice just to make sure that my measurements are good.
Getting closer by the day to complete reassembly of said engine.

 

1030 pm on the west coast- realized that when I first painted my valve cover I accidently or inadvertently painted the end pieces all black as well. Only noticed when I was looking or admiring xj700x owners bikes that their valve cover was shiny on the ends. Thus the process of taping off what I don't want to remove has begun, followed by sanding with 1,000 to 2000 grit sand paper to get the proper shine. This may require polishing as well with another three coats of clear gloss.
Also picked up some buffing wheels various sizes to do the exhaust. Tomorrows my Friday so I will have the following two days to get some polishing and painting done.
Along with the honey due list-LOL
still waiting for the wrist pins and piston rings.
This rebuild was started on Jan.17th 2016 and continues on. Boy sure does take along time waiting for parts and such-
Still a very informative learning experience.
Cheers

 

She is aged a bit, but lost some weight on her backside....

Looking good!

 

Since I got off of work I have been polishing up the ends of my valve cover. Trying to get them to shine so I could shave by them LOL I am not that much of a restorer YET-
Probably be nice If I had another though to do all the pretty up on. For me getting back X into reliable running condition is foremost. Nothing worse then letting a bike sit around collecting dust-
Every bike should be ridden as much as possible- My goal this year is ride so much that my scion battery dies from lack of use. Well realistically probably not gonna happen have to many g babies that I enjoy spending time with-which requires a more conservative transportation option.

 

Today?.... I looked at it longingly... 30 degrees this morning. Dreaming of my new(to me) pipes that will arrive next Thursday.

 

gazing across the garage looking at my bike, accepting that it is going to be another week for my parts to get here. Mentally making a list of things that need to be done- finish the pretty up of the valve cover, exhaust pipes and a few other pieces like the TCI cover and the other lower engine cover.
Do a pre layout of the items that need to be reassembled in order, verifying that I have everything and not misplaced anything. That should be easy being as I labeled and bagged everything bolts and components'.
Just realized that I am missing the top cover piece for the original air cleaner- and that little down tube-
Overcast day-40 degrees as of now.

 

I know I'm a little late to the game here with this comment but... What the Hell? Lol!

 

I think the majority of us have a kind of cabin fever-as we long to ride

 

And perhaps a little bit more love for xjs than is healthy.

 

I have always had clothes on when I am near my motorcycle. Just sayin' . . .

 

at least a towel over the seat..................

 

I'm about to make new top mounts for my rear shocks, ready to move them forward a bit, then cut the frame from just in front of the old mounts.

 

be ready for the shock springs to be softer, you're giving the swingarm more leverage

 

Nice day today so adjusted valves and cam chain, checked everything over and went for short ride.

Lots of sand on the street and I injured my tailbone 3 weeks ago, so it was a short ride.