What did you do to your Yamaha today?

interesting - if it turns out functional you should consider posting a little tutorial in the DIY area.

 

That's the plan! It will be a quick post when complete, only a few real "steps" to it if I'm thinking about it right. The thought process right now if to mock it up with plywood scraps laying around and in time for an upcoming motocamping excursion, then get a friend to build the replacement out of 1/8" aluminum

 

Got the swingarm off with my ginormous new 27mm socket, learned that whoever had it off last did a really terrible job.

The adjuster bolt was on the left side (with the locking tabs) and not at all adjusted... And it wasn't adjusted because there was no spacer on that side. So the only thing holding the taper bearing into it's outer race was the oil seal. What a surprise there was so much lateral play... and that the bearings (which are clearly newer replacement bearings) are utterly trashed. Axle stub bolts and ujoint look fine, though, so there's that.

 

Found these in my junk boxes today and they are going to fit my seca. Perfect 30mm od just missing o rings.Lovely gold anodized aluminum
And that terrible weather out east may have my wife stuck in Toronto

 

I just royaly ticked off the wife and ordered the parts needed to get my carbs reassembled to church level.

 

Tell her it's cheaper than therapy or a mistress or drugs or booze..... do this after you cut the lawn and make her breakfast in bed
Then see the look on her face

 

Xj 900 Alert!!
One for sale Bellingham Washington

 

I try to time the delivery of parts for my bike with the delivery of a gift for my wife of equal or better value.

 

I've also royally ticked off my wife, picking up a pair of 82 XJ750's - a Seca and a Maxim - today. She's... well, quiet. Too quiet.

It's good I'm going to have a lot to do working on them out of the house, because I'm kind of fearing for life and limb at the moment.

The Maxim's never going to run again, gonna tear it down for parts for my existing Maxim and the Seca.

The Seca, though... Ahhh, I'm looking forward to her. She's a mostly naked frame right now. But she's going to shine.

Unless my wife kills me first, anyways.

 

Put in my starter... thanks Chacal... get the fuel primed down throught the carbs I just cleaned bowls and jet inlets on... start her up... CRAP, cylinder 2 not firing. Remove the carbs AGAIN... rubber end loose off the needle body. AND, my local Yamaha dealer doesn't have one (He's actually come up with some good stuff to this pont...)

 

Checked valve clearances, built a PVC carb rack, replaced the tach gear seals and started cleaning the carbs. Feels like I should have a longer list, given how much time I spent in the garage.

 

Swapped in the "extra" swingarm, as it already had great bearings in it. I'll rebuild my old one later when I've got a couple bucks to buy a slide hammer and puller to get the races out. Nice clean swing now, no lateral play. Beautiful!

 

Got pictures of the PVC rack? I'm always interested in different people's approaches for this.

 

This is the one l did, I got the instructions around this site somewhere.

 

After cleaning front brake caliper and installing new lines, I am gettting 5 mpg more than last year on my last couple of tanks of gas. Calipers were probably sticking more than I thought: last year I got 37-40 mpg, this year I'm around 44-45 mpg.

 

Now I'm really jealous! My XJ700N is bone stock and I think perfectly set up--perfect light tan plugs-- and I've never gotten better than 43, and I'm a fairly slow rider.

 

Not sure what to suggest except for maybe doing a air fuel mixture check to verify the current settings or a carb sync.
Most of my riding is back and forth to work which is about 15 miles with very few stops.

 

50 mpg all day long

 

Slowley is moving my project

 

Nice, I occasionally think about a smaller bike for the fuel economy then I open mine up and go NAH I'll deal with it LOL

Project looks likes it is coming along nicely

 

I've been wanting to measure my fuel cost at sedate gentle riding instead of hard acceleration and zooming.

I still haven't managed a whole trip of sedate gentle riding. In three months.

 

Little bit chilly this morning on the way to work 4:45 am. Still better then being in a box though.

 

Mine is mostly town driving, and when I do go highway, we have an 80 MPH speed limit, tends to cut down on mileage for both cycle and cars!

I've owned mine since brand new and don't recall ever averaging more than around 45 mpg for mixed driving.

I posted what I did for people struggling with mileage to check their brakes. I was focused on what might be wrong with my carbs/ignition...

 

I for some reason thought my bike would get closer to fifty for some odd reason.
Guessing that I should be grateful that I am getting 43 mpg.

 

Huh... Maybe mines running rich. Have been too busy with other fires to check, and it feels good with no popping, so it wasn't a priority.

I just get about 34mpg. Mine you... A lot of that is due to how I ride. Could get WAY better fuel economy if I had more that two throttle positions.

 

Absolutely

 

I didn't ride her, because I couldn't start her, because I couldn't remember that I hadn't bought an AGM battery.
Tonight I checked the battery. Electrolyte was low. Topped off with distilled H2O and have it charging on the bench.
Shop smart. Shop S-Mart. (and buy AGM).

 

F**k me I just filled up third tank and after abusing the throttle I just got 37.9 mpg
I did have a huge grin across my face

 

Make and Model:
1985 Yamaha XJ700XN Maxim
Price, suggested retail $3499
Average fuel consumption rate:
44.6 mpg (18.9 km/L)
If this is correct I would think we XJ700x's are doing just fine for MPG, most of the time

 

Hail to the king, baby! Hail to the king.

 

Swapped the original brake lines (dated 10/80) for the black SS replacements from Chacal. Difference is night and day. Highly recommended.
Small zip tie on the hose over the bleeder valve made getting the air out of the lines a lot easier.

 

Gimme some sugar!
Good, bad, I'm the one with the gun.

 

Last night,
Used the CA glue... put carb needle and rack back together, have her all buttoned up but went to bed. Will fill fuel lines and hit the start button tonight...

 

Don't care about gas mileage on bikes, it's better than any other vehicle I've owned. It's about performance. Better mileage than wife's Corvette 4.6 mpg at full throttle. Sons f350 with a v10 6.5 mpg with a camper. Even my XS11 got 36 with fairing, bags and the wife.

One thing that's tough on mileage is tire pressure.

 

when gas is 5/gal, i'll check my mileage

 

Worked on my solo seat with rack project, and came up with some ideas
http://www.xjbikes.com/forums/threads/solo-seat-w-rack-82-xj650-maxim.112661/#post-566124

 

thats what I said about 50 cents a gallon

 

That is exactly how big business gets us, they know we want or actually need it so they just slowly raise the price increasing their profits.

 

Rode to work at 4:45 AM nice 49 degrees now its 74 degrees yet it is supposed to rain for the next three days.
Good time to sync and use my color tune this Friday.

 

Stripped paint off gas tank, tried to get all the blemishes out of it. A few coats of primer, so far so good.

 

I check my mileage all the time, but not to compare to others. I'm looking for clues in order to guide my preventative maintenance.

 

that's what I do as well. Poor gas mileage is a very good indicator to something amiss.

 

Yesterdays tank of fuel-
While slowly cruising the side of the highway looking for my missing carb cover allowed me to get 123.8 miles.
Filled up with 2.6 gallons
got 47.8 mpg
My bike is running better then it has since I bought it four years ago.
Here are a few pics- she needs a bath but she looks good to me
I am running Evans Waterless Coolant as well and am quit pleased with it.

 

Nice X
I too use waterless coolant.

 

Fixed front brake(filled with dot,5 min and was finished.very hepy with that method.

 

Worked on a buddy's YZ450 most of the day... talk about sketchy PO's... 2 of his 4 "torqued" cylinder head bolts came out without even touching my wrench.

Parts started showing up for my bike though. Put the new donuts on the valve cover bolts. And my brand new pistons showed up! Still waiting on rings from my Yammery, a gasket kit from a bike shop on the east coast, and the XJ Gods in Georgia.

 

Put speedometer on 0 and change srews on it becouse was all rusted and damaged.

Ok lets live 100 meters ok,hhehhe.

New bolts.

 

I've checked mileage since I started driving--oh so many years ago--for the same reason. A big change means something is amiss.

 

I got to ride my bike for the first time today. I went around the block a couple times and was going to take it to get it inspected but I noticed something. Around 3400-4000 rpms under load the bike would stop gaining speed, but the engine would rev higher. Sounds like the clutch is slipping right? I knew I should have followed my gut and changed the plates. I appreciate any input.
Cliff

 

Does sound like a slipping clutch.
What oil are you using?
What gear are you in at that rpm, when you experience the lag?
Do you have an airbox?
Valve clearances checked recently?