What the cat dragged home

Just came back from short ride to gas station and 5 miles down the road and back........gotta get used to turn signals, I'm an arm waver, hand signaler from way back..........got some clutch drag, 10-30 Penzoil in it now......Suggestions for something else??

 

Is that a motorcycle specific oil?

from k-moe's sig http://xjbikes.com/forums/index.php...orrect-oil-for-a-wet-clutch-motorcycle.43702/

 

This is what it looks like now

 

OOOPPPSSS!! It was 5-30 Penzoil and I did not find notation of meets "JASO MA" on the bottle, guess I'm going shopping

 

Rotella T4 for conventional oil or T6 for synthetic are we reviewed oils, but there are many options for oils.

 

Looking for suggestions for tires, the one's on the bike now gotta be 20 years old; don't think it would be wise to keep them. They are Bridgestone's, Battlaxk BT45 front and rear. I know nothing about these, good, bad, ok, is there something better( I know that is very subjective ) wear, stick, ride......educate me.

Thanks

 

If it's clutch drag (difficut shifting) and not slip (RMP climbs with no increase in road speed), then you probably need to adjust (or maybe even replace) the clutch cable.
Adjustment proceure covered within (yes, even for the 550): Reassembly of Clutch Cover - '82 XJ750J Maxim


As for tires, what sort of riding do you do?

 

I did an oil change yesterday to Shell Rotella, much better.

I like to swoop a turn, not a knee drager by any stretch of imagination, if that tells you anything

 

Working on the Silver bike now, changing fluids, filters, grease, rebuild M/C and calipers. Got a question. The silver bike has stock Seca exhaust system; how do you access the middle cavity drain plug and more to the point, how do you screw it back in???? I don't have a lift, so I'm groveling on the floor, almost see where the plug goes, but the exhaust collector is a huge interference! Black bike has 4 into 1 exhaust, no problem. I can see where this cavity might not get drained very often. What is the trick I'm missing??

Thanks

 

you leave it alone many problems if you attempt to remove it.it may strip out the threads

stick with the drain plug on oil pan

 

Sad news is, it's already removed, I just want to put it back where it belongs.............

 

I think you have to drop the exhaust

 

I think you are right..........I am NOT excited.......another mis-print ( not really mis-print, just lack of warning) in the manual about having to drop exhaust system to service bike

 

the FSMs are written for trained mechanics and leave out some of the little details
https://www.xjbikes.com/forums/threads/xj650rj-seca-middle-gear-drain-plug.26012/#post-577891

 

They left that detail right out of the owners manual that came with the bike, they inform you of the drain plug, just not how to get to it.

I hope I can get the collector off without taking the head pipes off..............

 

Took the head pipes and collector off; no issues with the clamps/nuts/studs...Thank you Jesus....drain plug back where it belongs......I don't really mind talking the exhaust off, warning would have been nice, I don't consider that a little detail.

Manuals are written to convey information to do a job; makes little difference if you are a "trained" mechanic or a dedicated hobbyist, lack of information is lack of information.

Just as well I took the pipes off, had to shake Micky's bedding and stored food stuffs out of the collector

 

if the yamaha book was a training manual Yamaha dealerships wouldn't make any money.
I doubt they remove that plug when changing oil

 

tr

So the customer suffers because the technicians are given no or bad information.....to that point, story circulated a local dealer; no longer in business; wrecked a head and barrel on a Verago (sp?) trying to get it apart, but he was a factory tech!!

You are correct, that plug is not removed, that cavity is not drained, you're charged for the service

 

Up date..............
Went out for a ride yesterday, something more than a 1/2 hour trip. Did about 200 miles here in central NY, Finger lakes region. Was a great day for a ride; still very rusty, maybe take a riders course in the spring.
The bike ran great, but it rides like an unsprung buck board!! Expansion joint bumps were/are harsh. Rear shocks set in the middle, I'm 180lbs, I think (there I go trying new things) spring adjustment should have been about right. I even adjusted down one step softer at friend Steve's house, still felt kinda stiff on the ride home from his house, about 40 miles.. Front forks seemed kinda harsh also. Granted I have a set of Progressive springs in the forks (in the bike when I got it) 10w fork oil, I wouldn't think it should make for a punishing ride.
What kind of mileage should I get out of this thing?
It's trying to be a British bike for me!! I have an oil drip in the left side, low about even with the shifter.

 

Jump up to 15 weight fork oil, and drop the preload on the rear shocks to the lowest position. At 180 you are about the correct weight for the spec Yamaha used for the solo rider (rear shocks set to the minimum preload, or one step above minimum). Keep in mind that you have simple damper-rod shocks and forks. The ride quality will not be up to modern standards on anything other than smooth roads. Expansion joints will be very noticeable.

The stock fork springs were progressively wound, so those could be the stock springs still.

 

Last 40 miles of ride, rear springs one step above min, will try fork oil change, fork springs are from Progressive spring/suspension.......all I've ever riden is simple damper-rod shocks and forks, so I have no sense of new/modern suspension......foggy memory says I've riden smoother bikes, the only similar riding experience I remember is the expansion joints of Route 94 E/W in southern California back in 1973, made my kidneys hurt.

 

The rear shocks clould be all worn out.

 

Possibility I suppose, 28,000 miles and 37 years old. Suggestions for replacements IF they be worn out.

Question: earlier you suggested to change fork oil to 15 weight; why go thicker and not thinner?

 

1. Progressive makes a nice set of shocks, so do several others.

2. More dampening reduces the "pogo effect" that's making the expansion joints hit you hard in the rear. Most of us have found that 10 weight fork oil is just a bit too thin, and have settled on 15.