What did you do to your Yamaha today?

Nothing special today, Just rode to and from work. This weekend polish the aluminum, a definate must on my list.

I found out today that my saddle bags weren't big enough for some of the crap I had to bring home from work. I had to put my jacket on and stuff some things inside it. Wasn't comfortable at all.

 

My bike just sits on the carport under its cover.

It's monsoon season here now.
and I'm too busy to mess with it on short rides now.

Do you hear that?.......................



That would be my bike calling me.

 

Project goes on. Did some more polishing on motor parts. 3 hours work. More to do.

 

Put my ignition back in, pulled the carbs, getting ready to clean them tonight and replace the boots. Hopefully be back on the road tommorow. Oh yeah and i replaced the battery cause i screwed up the last one.

 

i thought i updated my post last night but i dont see it now so here it is again...


heres my bike. is what im doing blasphemous?




david

 

Geeze, Elle-Tee:

You putting it together or taking it apart?
Looks like there's a few parts off getting made pretty!

You hope to be riding before the end of August??

 

I replaced two rusty Carb Hats.
Oiled everything that gets oiled.
Checked the suspension fasteners.
Finished-up installing the saddle bags, nice. Had to add a couple flat washers on the seat locking clips attached to the seat so I don't have to fight getting the seat clipped-in.

 

Well, since you asked. We did 200+ miles round trip to the "Fire and Ice" rally in Gallup, NM. Total Harley fest, got all the looks, only XJ there oh yes!

Harley rally reminds me of a t-shirt I saw, "15 thousand dollars and 15 miles doesn't make you a biker".

 

yes. taking it apart and putting it back together...

it has sat for 13 years and the chrome was all hazy with dirt/dust/whatever...

the aluminum is pretty blah looking from oxidation so im doing some polishing of it with 180 mesh, 400 paper, 800 paper, 1500 paper and then 2000 paper. its tiring...

the clutch cover was broken when i bought it and plugged with JB weld. i knocked it out (14 years ago) and had it welded. well the welder plugged the hole but didnt fill the entire divot so its at work to be FINISH welded then ill file and polish it all up...

the fenders needed to be polished along with the shocks and everything on the bottom side needed to be de-crudded...

August? yeah i would like to be running it by the end of the month but it depends on how busy my daughter keeps me and whether or not i send out the carbs or attempt them myself...

david

 

Changed the oil from the 10W30 automotive oil the PO had in there (yuck and gross) to 15W50. Would have used 20W50, but the mechanic I talked to who deals with a lot of older Yamahas said "oh god your bike needs an oil change right away! 10W30 will destroy your bike!" so I wanted to get it out and changed as soon as humanly possible, and the bike shops around here don't seem to carry 20W50. Wasn't too black coming out, so that's good

Runs a lot nicer now, and the clutch is much grabbier at low speed. Had waaay too much slip before. Tomorrow we go for a quick blast to visit my uncle and aunt who love to ride as well!

Got a quote from the Yamaha dealer for carb work - they said "oh, well, older bike, we might not be able to get parts, blah blah, at least $1000 plus parts to strip, clean, and sync those carbs." Phoned a local guy who specializes in carbs, $400 + parts. I'll be taking it to him next paycheque

Then, roadtrips! 100km for the first one, 250km for the second one, and 1150km for the third if the first two give me no issues. Can't wait!

 

Lefty, still way too much at $400!

There's enough carb clean info on this site for you to read through.
You can strip them down yourself and clean them up, make new float bowl gaskets with some gasket material. Bench syncing the carbs is easy, on bike syncing requires guages.

One step better would be to order new needle and seats, I got mine from the New Zeland ebay seller that's always offering them. New butterfly shaft seals a bit harder to locate but possible. New fuel line o-rings between the carbs available from Yamaha. With this stuff ordered and on hand you could strip the carbs right down to individual bodies and soak in carb cleaner overnight, reassemble and tune them on the bike.

 

I got me a Chrome Front Fender off eBay and slapped that baby right on the Old Girl making her ... look ... FINE!

I'm counting down the minutes. But, right now, the weather ain't being too cooperative for going-out and getting the rear-end tweaked for all-day riding.

Anybody in Vermont?
I'm thinking about going over there and running the Old XJ up the Motor Road to the Summit of Mt. Equinox.

 

I went for a ride with my little girl and stopped at the hardware. I bought a grommet for the right side cover that everyone tends to lose. My old ones were not holding anymore. I put the big one on and bought a smaller one to fit over the upper right side stud. Came home and put the cover on and it is as snug as could be .

 

TODAY i found out i won a set of headpipes on EBAY for $68.00...

will have to pay for them and ill be ready to mount them when i get home from the National Rifle Matches in ohio...

i still need a wrinkle free front fender to make it look better. the ones ive seen for a 650 look an awful lot like they would fit my 550. does anyone have any info on parts compatibility?

david

 

I have the xv920 forks on my xj650 and my fender fit that so you should have no problem putting a 650 fender on a 550

 

Removed the wiring harness and rear mud gard. Looking realy naked now

 

Sold her :-(

 

The Sun came out ...

Rode mine!

 

Had a really nice ride today, 2 up with the wife, went to The Crater of
Diamonds State Park, the only diamond-producing site in the world open to
the public, in Murfreesboro, AR

Jim
1985 XJ700X Maxim X
32000 miles and climbing

 

Rain stopped.
Rode-in to Boston
Kenmore Square
Stuffed the bike in a private lot by scoochin' 'round the gate.
Stood outside Fenway Park and listened to The Police Concert.

Busted-it going home on 93-North
80 MPH Speedo's SUCK