Mad Max-im

Last Ride

2009-10-30T02:12:00.002-04:00

O Michigan! Thou art strange!

Weather was very nice Thursday and so, I took the bike out for a ride. It started beautifully, even after sitting for nearly 3 weeks without being ridden. Idle'd nicely, then I jumped on and headed out on the highway. Excellent throttle response, handling and braking.

I'm going to miss riding my bike this winter. I am pulling the battery this weekend, will have to get it set up on a trickle charger, and set it in the basement.

..sigh..

Cold

2009-10-05T16:52:00.002-04:00

It's definitely Fall, that time of year when leaf colors start changing, brisk winds make riding uncomfortable and the monthly heating bill begins to rise.

In all honesty, I haven't ridden the bike much for the past couple of weeks, mainly Michigan's cold wet weather. As I stated earlier, riding in the cold is not only uncomfortable, but dangerous as well. With temps in the 40's (too soon, in my humble opinion) the car is a much more comfy option.

However, tonight I am riding my bike to work. I miss the old boy, and, since winter is approaching, I really need to take advantage of the occasional warm day. Soon, I'll have to prepare the bike for winter.

I'm already looking forward to next spring...

Riding to the Motor City tomorrow

2009-09-23T19:35:00.003-04:00

I'm attending a stroke conference tomorrow and am taking the bike. It's quite a ride, should take me about an hour and a half to get there. I'm looking forward to the trip, since I haven't taken the bike anywhere for any distance in quite some time.

It's supposed to be a fairly nice day. My only real concern is carrying the jacket around with me all day. It's a bit heavy, but I can't go without it. I wonder if maybe there is somewhere to keep it once I get there.

I'll be taking some pictures and will post them here.

26 Motorcycle Crash

2009-09-19T08:58:00.003-04:00

Terrible news. A group of 26 bikers were involved in a massive motorcycle crash on Friday, September 18. According to the news reporting agency, A group of 26 motorcycles collided with two cars about 2:45 p.m. Friday on northbound I-5 two miles south of Wilsonville, according to Oregon State Police. Read all about it here.

The club is called Brother Speed, although speed doesn't seem to be a factor in the crash. They do many different charity runs including those supporting toys for tots, and have created many bad ass choppers.

That ride must have been a site to behold. Multiple choppers cruising down the highway, the roar of the engines, wind whipping through their hair.

Strength and Honor, fellow bikers. Get well soon.

A Chill in the Air

2009-09-17T04:09:00.002-04:00

Summer is definitely, indubitably, without question, nearly over.

I hate those words. I want the riding season to last forever (although if I lived in Florida, I could ride all year) but even I have to accept that when you freeze nearly to death as the frigid wind whips by your helmet, works its way into and through your heavier riding gear, it's time to consider other modes of transportation.

That's not to say I won't be riding anymore this year, on the contrary, I plan to ride every nice day that's left. The real issue is, how do I feel during and after the ride? Shivering when riding is not very fun, neither is the warming up period after.

Recently, it got pretty cold here, early in the morning. Although the bike started right up, cold weather is a Maxim's nemesis. 49 degrees may not sound too cold but when you factor in the wind chill, your body temp can drop pretty quickly. I checked my body temp when I arrived to the hospital. 96.8. That's a pretty sugnificant drop, and could even be considered dangerous were it to continue. Luckily for me, the weather warmed up later on, but wearing scrubs under my riding jacket is definitely NOT layered clothing. I've considered heated gloves, grips, a vest and chaps (cutting down on wind resistance) but some of that stuff is pretty pricey, and it is dangerous to ride your bike on snow covered roads (though I have seen it done. Someone with a Yamaha last year, in fact. I didn't envy them at all, rather, more like pity).

The occasional sunny day will shine through, allowing me respite from the prison of my 4 wheeled mode of transport, and on those days I'll take advantage of my 2 wheeled friend.

I've made a plan to take a road trip next year, and have started plotting my course on a map. Next year... there's always next year.

Been a while...

2009-09-11T23:33:00.002-04:00

I've been riding my bike out to HGB the last few days, enjoying the morning run. I've met some very cool people whom I never would have guessed rode motorcycles. There was a 70 year old lady who seemed pretty proud of her Harley Davidson Wideglide. I never would have guessed. There was another gentleman who rode a Honda goldwing and was wearing a Blessing of the Bikes tshirt. I plan to attend that next year. They have one in Hell, MI. Being able to discuss things like riding motorcycles with patients is very therapeutic. It puts them at ease, making what I have to do to them that much easier.

I only wish my gas tank were bigger. Having to fill up every hundred miles or so is a real pain. Then again, I suppose I could just run out of gas then push the thing to the gas station.

I think my plans for a road trip are out for this year. Money is a little tight, even though I am picking up extra... grr. Anyhow, nothing to be done about that.

I talked with VK today and he is still having trouble with his virago. I know he'll get it sorted out soon. I am going to help him out with tuning his bike in the next few days, using the color and carb tune.

Good times.

Eyes on the prize

2009-09-06T11:31:00.002-04:00

I've been riding my bike pretty much everywhere, to work, running errands, you name it, I've probably been there on my bike. I ran out to MaxExplosion's home to return his socket I accidentally took home with me, and to check up on him. Although he's been slacking a bit on working on the bike, considering his situation, I suppose I can't blame him. The bike is covered under a tarp, so is at least out of the elements. He plans to get back to work on the bike soon.

I've been riding out old Lansing road rather than taking the highway to Charlotte, just because I'm not so interested in speed on the motorsickle, but rather enjoying the ride and the scenery. There are a few twisties to navigate, as well as 2 different motorcycle shops. I plan to stop in at them this coming week. I plan to ride my bike out to Charlotte as much as the weather will allow.

I took my bike to the movies recently and had to do some adept weaving to avoid people in cars (I refuse to use the word "cagers" in reference to those who drive cars.) to avoid winding up road kill. I am scared when I see the number of people eating, reading, texting and just generally not paying attention. I'm sorry to say it, ladies, but your gender is the most guilty. Stop messing about and pay attention to the road. As a motorcyclist, all of your attention has to be on the road, in front of you, behind, and both sides, as well as angles diagonally from you AT ALL TIMES. My head never stops moving as I look all around me, looking for possible dangers, calculating the angles of escape, the routes to travel if something were to go amiss. Why can't those in cars do the same?

Eyes on the prize, indeed.

2009-09-02T07:46:00.001-04:00

Riding into Charlotte this
morning was a beautiful yet eerie experience. Fog rolled across the tarmac in gossamar strands, giving the illusion of rolling on through the clouds. I am still sitting in wonder at a local McD's reminiscing about that awesome experience. As the sun rises into the sky, the fog
Is slowly dissipating.

I imagine work today will be fraught with excitement and non-stop action as I do my part to save the world from it's own excesses. But a big part of me wishes to be back on the road, the brisk morning air whipping at my jacket, pushing it's way past protective barriers, sneaking in under my helmet. Giving the biker salute to other passing motorcyclists. It's a shame that those riding in square prisons don't give the occasional wave to other inmates, trapped behing glass and steel, moving ever onward to fulfill whatever destinies lie in wait.
Enogh waxing poetic, I suppose. Off to work I go...

Hi-ho.

Cold Weather starting and Viragoking

2009-09-01T12:26:00.002-04:00

I can't tell you how ecstatic I was when my bike started right up these last few nights. The temperature has dropped significantly in the last couple days. With just the slightest nudge of the choke, the bike fires up with a blip of the throttle. It's important to have the setting correct because too much choke and it doesn't start well at all, likewise not enough. I find that setting it to just before the E on the word choke is just right. However, if I run the bike too long with the choke on, the bike will stall out, a frightening occurrence at 70mph. So, once the bike is warm, I make sure the choke is off.

I plan to clean the bike up today, polish the chrome and wax the parts that need waxin'. It's nice out, even if the weather is in the low 70's. Great riding weather (which will come either before the cleaning or after...)

I found a set of coils on ebay for 9.99 recently for my friend Viragoking. He had a bad run in with another so called "bike mechanic" who apparently didn't do all he said he did on VK's bike. Needless to say, the coils fixed the problem, and, according to VK, the bike fires right up. In fact, yesterday he called me from Dimondale on his bike, ecstatic about how his bike was running. I wish him safe running, and look forward to a ride with him soon.

It's nice to be able to help someone out and get their bike running properly. Of course, he did almost all of the work, and I can only imagine the restoration he is going to undertake on his bike. With some polishing and paint, that bike is going to rock.

I'm still wavering on the handlebar idea. I like the look of the one I picked out, but the re-wire has me a bit worried. I'm sure I'll work it out.

If all goes well, I'll have some pics of my trip. I was hoping VK would be able to join me, but alas, I believe he is working today. Speaking of that, I am working tomorrow, and if the weather holds, I'll be riding my bike out to Charlotte again. It only took me about 25 minutes to get out there last time. I need to remember to bring that socket with me so I can return it to MaxExplosion. I haven't heard anything out of him in a while, and even kidded him a bit about buying his bike.

Blame it on the rain...

2009-08-27T12:59:00.004-04:00

I worked in Charlotte today at a Heart Station doing cardiac stress tests, knew rain was coming but took the bike out anyway.

The ride out was good, a little chilly, but since I wore the heavier of my 2 bike jackets (a rugged Teknic jacket, armored elbows, shoulders and back, plus a little butt plate.) which worked flawlessly. No cold at all. Of course, I remembered to close the vents... Leather riding gloves, helmet, and I was all set.

Anyhow, the ride out was great, no rain, roads were fairly clear but I could see storm clouds off in the distance and a reddish cast over the sky. You of course remember the old bike slogan: "Red sky at night, biker's delight, red sky in morning, biker's take warning." I made it out to Charlotte without any problems and stopped in at the local Big Boy restaurant for a quick breakfast. I decided on the buffet because I really didn't have a lot of time, and now in retrospect, I wish I hadn't. Then again, this isn't a food critique, but the food was terrible.

Anyhow... I worked my shift (great folks out there) and hopped on the bike. Overcast, but no rain, yet. Taking off, I jumped on the highway and felt what I thought was a raindrop on my chin. Soon thereafter, the rain starting coming down a little harder, then a little more hard, until finally it felt like tiny bullets hitting my legs (which were not, as you may have guessed, protected by any sort of armor coverage.) My helmet is a simple 3/4 job, face guard in place, chin strap attached, but it does offer adequate airflow, thereby avoiding the problems I had with my last helmet, constant fogging of the glass. However, with the rain coming down, and my hot, steamy breath, I was fogging up my faceplate pretty quickly. Rain covered the front, but by turning my head to either side, the speed I was traveling helped clear away some of the moisture.

The bike itself performed excellently, great throttle response and control, although a couple times it felt as if the bike were floating, which, I suppose, a lightweight bike might be more prone to hydroplaning than a car. The tires did their job, however, and I never lost control once.

Near the Waverly street exit, there was an accident that closed one lane, so as I sat on my bike, in the rain, I became very, very wet. The nice thing about traveling at speed is you still get wet, but I believe it's a bit like a blowdryer, keeping you drier than you would be walking. The bike got a good drenching, but those new coils did their job,the bike never sputtered once.

Yesterday, I repaired the screwed up side cover that I neglected mentioning due to my incompetence. Somehow, during one of my assists with my fellow bikers, a few drops of carb cleaner or carb dip landed on the side cover that covers the tool kit. As you can imagine, it ate through the paint in no time. My friend DW in Pinckney offered to help me repaint, but he's pretty busy getting his own bike up to speed, so I didn't want to be a bother. I applied 3 coats of primer, sanded, then a base coat of gloss black, allowing time in between for each coat to dry. It looked pretty good, until I applied the clear coat. For some reason, whether humidity or inexperience, the clear looked hazy. Applying more clear coat made the problem worse, so I removed all of it by using brake cleaner and wd40 and sand paper, starting over from scratch.

The second time looks much better, though not nearly as glossy as the tank, it looks much better than it did.

In the next week or so, I am going to replace my handlebars. I noticed that while riding, my arms feel cramped, and too close together. I am a bigger guy, so that could be part of the problem, but they also look dated, rust on certain areas that no matter how much attention I pay to it, it remains, scuffed and scratched from years of abuse from the PO. I went to CBS yesterday, and they have a few in stock that might work. My fear is in clearing the tank. Risers don't seem to be available, although I'm sure chacal might have an idea.

Williamston!

2009-08-26T10:19:00.004-04:00

I rode to Williamston yesterday and was surprised at the quaint little town loaded with motorcycles. Lots of parking and lots of things to see, this little burg will be a place to visit again in the near future.

I stopped for lunch in a place called Country Kitchen Restaurant (bringing to mind Country Kitchen Buffet) but the food was anything but mundane. I had to park my bike down the street because there literally was no place to park in front of this restaurant. There was, however, a

great looking Can-am Spider, as well as a few Goldwings and a Harley in attendance. Of course, the ear-splitting rumble made me fear for my hearing.

There are a number of sites to see in Williamston, small shops and restaurants, but a number of empty buildings too. Guess Williamston is like many other small towns, struggling to get along.
The roads were in good repair,and quite a bit of effort has been taken to get the buildings to look "small town/quaint urban". As I mentioned, there were a lot of bikes travelling back and forth, riders in groups of 2 or 3. Primarily Harley's, though I did see a Yamaha.

I really wish I could have taken a pic or two of my bike; I'll have to make that a priority in future posts. The bike ran really well, seeming to enjoy the highway a bit more than in town/25mph cruising. I've noticed that my gas cap leaked a bit of gas after the fill up. Luckily, no damage was done to the tank, but I can't help but wonder about replacing the gasket. I'll have to look into that.

Hittin' the Road

2009-08-24T04:54:00.002-04:00

I took a road trip through Eaton Rapids to Jackson recently, hitting the backroads, (that is, rather than taking 127S.) I'm glad I did. The roads were in good shape, and I saw a few things that will require a repeat trip.

Outside the small burg of Tompkins Township, I found a interesting site. Suspended between 2 posts was an old motorcycle, possibly a Yamaha, just swaying in the breeze. Just beyond that, the motorcycle shop Flywheel. I so wanted to stop and take a picture, but I was past it before I could slow down, and I had no where to turn around, so I decided to take a snappie of it on my way back. It didn't work out that way, as I ended up taking 127N all the way back. I'll definitely make a return trip, however. While the town of Tompkins didn't really have much to offer, the roads were hilly enough to keep it interesting, and the scenery was pleasant. Lots of roadkill, especially raccoons, though deer crossing signs were liberally dotted along the road. There were a number of other bikers out on that same stretch of road so it must be a favorite.

Definitely will be taking another trip soon.

Engine Guards and coil covers

2009-08-18T10:57:00.003-04:00

A while ago, I replaced the failing coils on my bike for brand new dyna coils. Unfortunately, it required removing the chrome covers, leaving a bright green coil that really stood out against the black frame. Using a bit of ingenuity, I finally figured out a way to attach the coil covers back on the bike. I trimmed the edge of the cover to fit around the posts on the coil, then attached them with Velcro! Easy fix! And, it looks great!

I also acquired some engine guards on eBay which I also installed today. They were originally chrome, but pretty rusty. A few coats of rust inhibiting engine paint, and viola! A place to install highway pegs! Oh, and of course they'll also protect my bike if it happens the fall over. :)

So, the bike is coming together. I checked all my plugs today as well, and they all look pretty good. Only one is a little rich, the others are the nice golden brown color, not unlike a well tended marshmallow over a fire.

I've been riding my bike to work, and have been very happy with the way it responds. It fires right up, even when I use too much choke (which I am using with increasing proficiency. Less is more). I plan to take a road trip here very soon, as the riding season is passing by alarmingly fast. The ride that was planned for Bill was canceled after his death, but there has been talk of a memorial ride for safety. If so, I am there.

Viragoking returns! And, gas is right out...

2009-08-15T06:21:00.003-04:00

I stopped over to Viragoking's house today to check in with him about the purchase of the Maxim650. He wanted my opinion about what I thought.

The 650 was in pretty rough shape. It's a 1980 "daily runner" and looks the part. Exhaust will eventually have to be removed and replaced (rust, pitted corrosion and the posts look as if they have no thread, so getting them off is going to be a lot of work), the left rear shock is leaking oil. Carb boots loose (easy fix, but he runs it like that, sucking in dirt and debris, so who knows how the inner carbs look) manifold boots in poor shape, Suzuki headlight, aftermarket plastic mirrors, aftermarket exhaust... the list goes on.

I'm not one to say no to a good deal, but this guy wanted to trade VK for his 1985 xv700 which just had a lot of work done to it (new starter, jets, carbs rebuilt, new boots, plugs, speedo and more) plus he wanted VK to replace a poor coil. Come on! No way, dude.

He decided instead to keep the virago, and get it running. Good idea. I'll help! There is a set of coils on ebay that I've bid on... I hope I win and that they aren't too expensive...

In other news...

I was riding FauX yesterday, marveling at it's superb handling, it's agile maneuvering and snappy throttle response when suddenly, it started sounding really, really bad. NO matter how much throttle I applied, the bike refused to respond. I checked the odometer and noted 118 miles on the ticker (wow! nearly 47.2mpg!). I'd always wondered how far a full tank of gas would get me. Now I know. I rolled slowly off one side of the road, onto the shoulder.

Brothers, I'd run out of gas. And before you ask, no, for some reason my fuel indicator light did not come on, at least not that I noticed. I tried flipping to reserve, it fired once, then refused to run.

I was about 7 miles from home, no gas stations in sight. Sighing in resignation, I started pushing the bike in the direction I figured a gas station must be hiding. The temperature was in the high 80's, I had full riding gear on (what the heck was I supposed to do with my helmet? I ended up wearing it..) and I was trying to decide if I should park the bike and hoof it, or just keep rolling.

4 different individuals stopped to ask if I needed any help. 2 guys with a truck, and 2 cars. One of the guys with a truck were willing to help me lift it into the back of his pickup and give me a ride to a station (only 2 miles up the road). The other guy was willing to drive up to a station and get some gas for me. (he didn't have a gas can, and would have had to rent one/buy one... I couldn't do that to a kind stranger due to my inattentiveness.) I ended up using his cell phone to call for assistance. I didn't relish the idea of trying to lift the bike into the bed of the first guy's truck, but I was awfully impressed of his generosity.

I counted no less than 5 HD motorcycles that drove by me, 3 sports bikes and one Yammie of some sort. Sadly, none of them even gave me more than a passing glance. I ALWAYS stop and ask a biker if they need help. I think it's the law of the road. "Do unto others cause, brother, eventually it's gonna happen to you."

My assistance finally arrived. It took a fair bit of riding to get the crappy handling/throttle response issues ironed out. Before I got home, however, I was zipping along nicely.

Done and done!

2009-08-13T23:07:00.002-04:00

Received my parts today! Bad news? I didn't take any pics of the oil pan gasket replacement! It wouldn't have been very exciting anyway, just very messy (which is one reason why I didn't take any pics... my hands were covered in oil.)

When we last left the bike, it was sitting with the exhaust on the worktable. I tried cleaning the pipes up a bit but they're pretty badly pitted. Let's just say they look better. I took off all the bolts holding the pan on, then had difficulty removing it from the bike due to a couple of what appear to be grounding connections. I also removed the oil sending unit which was bolted on with two bolts. Apparently you can remove this part without removing the oil pan, but of course I didn't know that at the time. Anyhow, it came off, with some coaxing, and I replaced the o ring.

There's a pretty good chance that the inside of my oil pan hadn't seen the light of day since it was installed. After I cleared away the sediment. it looked brand new. I got intimately familiar with the different parts of the oil motor, not that I'll ever pull the pan off again. Scraping the old gasket off was a bit of a job. Especially upside down, But, I got it done.

I put the new gasket on the pan, after oiling the edge, and slipped it into place. It took a bit of finagling, and through the whole time I kept thinking that the gasket was slipping out of place. However, all was well.

The tough part was getting that exhaust back in place. After prying out the old gaskets (and let me tell you, they were wedged in there tight) I put the new ones in place. Then, trying to line up the exhaust pipes to the header was difficult. They just didn't want to line up with the bolts. I finally had to loosen a few bolts lower down on the pipe, thereby adjusting the upper part of the pipe. I had my son help me put the pipes in place, and finally it was done.

I added oil to the bike, 3 quarts, and readied myself. I slipped some heavyweight paper under the bike, just in case of leaks, and started it up. It started right up, with a bit of choke, of course, and I warmed it up. I noticed a couple of drips, but hoped against hope it wasn't anything serious. It sounded pretty good (except for the squeak toy.. gotta pull those carbs off soon) and the oil continued to drip.

I took it for a quick run around the neighborhood and it ran pretty good, but when I got back, the oil continued to drip. I decided to pull the oil cover off and check to make sure there wasn't a break in the o-ring seal, and lo and behold, I noticed the oil filter was in backwards! Stupid rookie mistake.

It's now several hours later, and the bike still hasn't leaked. I am going to let it set overnight and check it in the morning. I psyched about having a bike again. Looking forward to riding it...

Viragoking is no more!

2009-08-12T04:31:00.004-04:00

Spoke with my friend Viragoking yesterday. Seems like he found a great deal on a 1980 xj650 Maxim and will be trading straight up for his xv700 on Friday. It seemed he was having problem after problem with that virago, had a lot of work done on it, and still needed to do some more before he could get it on the road. We were going to use one of my old coils to replace one of his, but looks like we won't have to do that now. Those Maxim's are a dependable lot.

I keep thinking about my poor bike sitting out in the garage all alone, in pieces, and am eagerly awaiting the arrival of my new parts. I was reading up on chrome polishing and am going to try a few more things to remove some of the corrosion on the pipes before I reinstall. IT's not bad, and certainly not worn through, just not very visually appealing.

I also got an email from DW regarding his progress on his X. It looks even better than before! He's slowly putting it together, and I'm jealous. Beautiful work. I'm eagerly waiting to see the final product. He also offered up the use of his spray gun and the assistance to get my side cover painted (correctly, I might add). All I need to do is pick up some black paint and I'll be ready to rock.

It's hard to believe that Summer is nearly over. Although I often ride until November, it's strange how you can't wait for riding season to arrive, then lament it's passing far too soon.

If all goes well, I'll have my bike back on the road by Friday.

Tear down

2009-08-11T15:52:00.009-04:00

Today's post is pretty pic heavy.

I did it. I pulled the exhaust off my bike, and accessed the oil pan. I was pretty surprised that the bolts came off as easily as they did. I've heard horror stories from other people who have had broken studs and all sorts of problems. Not so with this bike. In fact, the first set of bolts were loose, as in hand loose. Not sure why, but it made it easy to take off the first set. The rest required very little force to remove. Nonetheless, I will be applying a liberal amount of anti seize to those studs.

I ordered 4 replacement gaskets for the exhaust. There was literally no sign of the previous gasket on either the pipes or the manifold. I'm not sure what that means in terms of performance, but when the new set goes on, everything will be torqued to spec.

I hope the reinstall goes as easily.

I also replaced my oil filter bolt as it was pretty stripped. Oil change and filter change as well. Might as well do it all while that stuff is off. I'm going to be replacing pretty much everything that has the potential to leak, considering the stuff is 24 years old. It's held up pretty well.

As you can see from the exhaust collector, there is quite a lot of oil on top. None had dripped on the ground, but I still didn't like it being on there.
Hope this fixes the issue.

2009-08-11T00:37:00.002-04:00

So, doing my daily inspection of my bike, I've noticed oil leaking from somewhere down below, ending up greasing up my chrome pipes. I'm not sure exactly where it's coming from, and there aren't any drips on the ground under the bike, plus my oil level hasn't changed much... But I'm still going to change out the oil sending unit, the gasket, the exhaust seals and shine up the chrome near the manifold. I've been told I can ride the bike as is and wait until winter, but I can't do that. I'm also going to pull off the carbs again and check my manifold boot seals (since I'll have the bike torn down anyway). That squeaking is still with me, like an old friend, once the bike warms up.

Hopefully the guards will arrive in the next few days. I am going to be spending about $25 to fix the oil issues (deargodletitbesimple) and maybe another $50 to get some hiway pegs and I'll be good to go. It sounds like a really involved process pulling everything off but heck if I can do carbs this should be a piece of cake.

Raining like... well, heavy rain.

2009-08-10T10:08:00.002-04:00

Lots of rain the last couple of days, and since I don't like riding in wet weather (not only for safety concerns, but also those wet pants legs drive me nuts) I've kept the bike in the garage. Waiting for my engine guards to arrive, just a bit of repair, and I should be good to start looking for highway pegs. There are lots available, some really expensive, some not so bad. Guess which ones I'm going to get?

Hope to do some riding today, if the weather holds. Kids are here, so I won't be able to go far.

I do want to start up with my Americana rides again, exploring little villes. Lots of little towns around here, and I've found some great twisty roads to ride. Will post pics as soon as I'm back on the road.

Newest Acquisition

2009-08-08T04:01:00.002-04:00

I'm back! King's Island was a hoot! I didnt really go on many rides; my youngest had recently broken his right arm and wasn't allowed to ride, thus, we hung out, did a lot of chatting, munching and got a cool caricature done of the both of us. Very cool moments like that don't come around very often.

Driving through OhiO was an experience. No helmet laws! I saw a lot of guys riding lidless, some without even eye protection, at 70mph. Insane. I can't imagine what it must feel like getting hit in the face by a june bug at 70, or even a rock thrown from a semi. Lots of HD bikes on the road, though I did see some old Yammies. Mostly decked out HD's with so much accoutrements and accessories you could barely see the bike. Lots of HD dealerships down there.

I bought a set of engine guards off eBay. They are a little dinged up, having come off a wrecked Maxim X. One side has a pretty serious dent in it, but I think I'll be able to pound it out or bend it back into shape. The chrome is pretty scuffed, but again, I think I'll paint it glossy black. These things are tough to find.

Off to King's Island!

2009-08-05T06:53:00.002-04:00

I'm taking the kids and the SO to King's Island for the next 2 days, so won't be doing a lot of writing. I've always wanted to go (even though I am not a big roller coaster aficionado).

I did take the bike out for a nice ride last night, zipping down the highway (at posted speed limits) driving a bit around town. The squeak toy is still in the engine somewhere, and I fear a carb removal is in my near future. That's not a big issue, of course, now that I can get them off in a matter of 10 minutes or less. It's just that the bike is running very well... I hate to mess with anything.

I think when I get back I am going to buy those tank and side cover decals, of course, after I repair the damage I did to the one side cover. I've gotten a number of tips from DW, and plan to get that plastic shining like new again.

I do still plan a bike trip sometime this summer... perhaps after this trip. Even $20 in gas can get me places. I get nearly a 100 miles per tank, though whenever I get close to 90 on the odometer, I tend to look for the nearest gas station, and usually the low fuel light hasn't kicked in yet. One of these days, I am going to take it all the way to reserve and get an exact figure in terms of gas mileage. As it stands, I think I get about 42-45mpg.

Wish me well, and I will do the same to all of you. See you when I get back.

A Sad Day

2009-08-04T05:49:00.004-04:00

Though I never met the man in person, William "Bill" Schmitt will be missed. He was involved in a motorcycle crash where someone turned in front of him. Massive head trauma, even though he was wearing a helmet, and another life is snuffed out. This makes me very sad, and a little angry too.

Being an ER nurse, I knew things weren't looking good when he was only breathing 2 times a minute unassisted. That, coupled with other diagnostic signs (rising ICP, decorticate posturing) led me to believe the prognosis was not good. I was going to help out on a XJ relay for this man, riding the leg between Grand Rapids and Metro Detroit. Many people from the xjbikes site were going to do a cross country ride to deliver get well cards and mementos. Now, a memorial ride is being discussed.

I spoke with bill via email through the xj site, him offering information on how to get my bike running better, tips and tricks that helped me get my bike to where it is today. He was kind and compassionate, a friend to motorcyclists everywhere, always quick with a word of advice or just a simple hello to new members.

bill, you will be missed.

In other more positive news, the newsletter is nearly complete! I'll be publishing this September for sure. I plan to offer it through this blog as well as through xjbikes. A few more simple things to do, and it'll be ready to go. This is the front cover. I plan to have a 2 page, back to back news-zine. A couple people have offered their services for writing articles. I plan to have a few beginning to end restoration projects featured.

I love it when a plan comes together.

New Projects

2009-07-31T20:57:00.002-04:00

I've decided to start a little newsletter called "Yama-zine" based on the XJ series of bikes. Here's my pitch to the xjbikes crowd:

Years ago, I wrote, edited, proofread and published a martial arts newsletter called FiST that ended up going to Scotland, Africa and Russia, as well as across the United States. I ended up getting articles from people all over the world. It was pretty successful for a made at home job with a type writer and an exacto knife.

I've been working on a newsletter based on the XJ Series of bikes, specifically 1982-86, called The Yama-zine. Basically, I plan to put to paper all the things I've learned about motorcycles (should take about 3 seconds) as well as hit people up for articles or at least permission to re-print articles found on this site. There are lots of XJ's in my area, and I feel this is a way to reach out to some of them, gives me something to do (besides polish my bike) and maybe help someone who doesn't have access to a computer and are clueless about this website. It's free, will be mailed to whomever wants a copy, and is strictly non-profit. I plan to put it in any business that will have it, free to peruse, and hopefully won't be used to mop up coffee or to kill bugs.

Anyone interested in contributing, I am willing! Obviously, no copywritten material. I'm more interested in the back yard mechanic anyway, plan to have a section based on Mods/Bobbers, a Honored Fallen section, Rubber Side Up (a section focusing on crashes people walked "away" from) and much, much more. Plus riding tips, clinics, get togethers, riding buddies (a kind of personals section for people to get together and ride based on location).

It'll be a simple black and white job, no corporate sponsorship, but possibly cheap ads for interested businesses to cover the cost of paper, supplies, printing and copying. (Looking right at you, XJ4Ever, and you too, MiCarl) I'm fairly handy with Photoshop, so I can whip up something, unless you have something specific you'd like to use.

Again, this is based on my love of bikes in general, but specifically XJ's. Certainly Honda's Kawasaki's and even Harley's are welcome to read it.

Not much reaction from the crowd over there, but then again people are kind of reeling from a recent accident involving one of the members. I've already got the cover page done, and I'm guessing it'll be a 2 page double sided newsletter.

I also went on a short road trip with Nursepadawan, an interesting fellow with a Maxim750. We rode around town, but I had no plan on where to go. Of course, the ride was thrown together at the last minute, but we did manage to cover about 35 miles, I think. If you see a distinctive red Maxim750 with a rider wearing a white helmet with a stormtrooper on the back, that's the guy. We talked about setting up another ride soon, perhaps to Jackson. He seems like a good riding companion, didn't take any risks and stayed the speed limit. I didn't go over 75 myself, staying with the flow of traffic. Nice to know he's not a speed demon.

I'll be posting the newsletter in pdf format as well as paper. If anyone wants a copy, they're free for the taking.

I've been to Hell and back

2009-07-29T21:29:00.003-04:00

Drove out to Pinckney today to check out DW's paint job up close and personal, and pick up my sunglasses I forgot the last time I was out there. Since I had some time to kill, I thought, why not go to hell?

I had lunch at a little place called the Dam Site Inn, more a pub than an Inn, but pretty decent fish and chips. They serve a mean buffalo burger too, I've heard. Apparently, this place is pretty popular with the Harley crowd that comes riding through as a lot of things seemed catered to our 2 wheeled comrades.

Hell doesn't appear to be very big. They did have a pretty cool place called Screams Ice Cream, a specialty shop that uses the town's peculair name in just about everything they say. "Welcome to Hell! Have a hell of a day! See you in Hell!" By the end of the visit, I had come up with a couple of my own interpretations for sayings based on the name, but I doubt they would be delivered with the same friendliness as that exhibited by the shopkeep. I bought a coffee mug there, and perused their t-shirt selection, but couldn't find one I really liked.

I enjoyed this little town. Bikers seemed welcome, and the people very friendly.

I made my way to Pinckney and got to see the excellent paint work done by Mr. DW. Unfortunately, a couple of fluffs/down from a tree had ended up on his tank, but he's pretty sure he can buff most of it out. I still think he did an awesome job. He gave me some ideas of things to do with my bike, as well as tips on how to go about getting it done.

I'm looking forward to seeing it put back together. I know it'll be stunning.

Bike has a new name: FauX

2009-07-29T11:19:00.002-04:00

I decided to christen my bike FauX, after all, it resembles an X, and when I first went out to purchase it, I was told it was an X, but, it is not an X, a fact I will deal with. I considered, briefly, buying an X instrument cluster, a bolt on faux radiator, and 2 of those 5Valve chrome carb covers, but the fact remains, it's not an X.

Not to mention, changing out the cylinder head would be a LOT of work. :)

So, I'll stick with my little FauX, keep on shining, polishing, tinkering, until I can't do anymore.

Then, I'll do some more. There is one certainty in the universe, one constant that remains above all others: There is ALWAYS something to work on with a bike that is 24+ years old and counting. Cleaning dirt out of the creases. Touching up the minor rust that forms on the bad welds in all the corners, cleaning each indivdual wire from the harness until it gleams and screams new, cleaning all the contacts... you see where I'm going with this.

I plan on taking a ride out to Pinckney today and visit DW and his newly painted X. I plan to bring my camera and take some of my own photos because, frankly, I can't believe his bike parts can look that good. I'm also going to visit Hell, MI, if for no other reason to get one of those t-shirts that proudly proclaim, "I've Been To HELL."

Random Thoughts

2009-07-28T00:38:00.003-04:00

Rode the bike to work tonight, sunny weather, beautiful ride in. Bike fired right up (with minimal choke) and ran pretty well. I think I'll be doing a tune soon, since I know that those carbs could use a but more tweaking. Well I just heard there is the possibility of a severe thunderstorm tomorrow morning. I mentioned a couple of posts back that I was curious to see how the bike handled in the rain. I guess I'm going to find out.

A friend of mine ( the same fellow that helped me with my stuck pilot screws a couple of months back) just painted his tank and fenders. They look absolutely fantastic! I'm so jealous of the job he did. I wish I could have done that with my X so many years ago. His painting looks professionally done. Take a look. Absolutely amazing.

RT's bike is ready for some rehab. His link is here on my page. He's really taking off, though it might be a while before he's able to ride it. It does need new tires. The carb boot fix worked really well on his bike, a bit of tuning and some other tune up stuff and he'll be rolling.

I tried contacting Viragoking, but he's unavailable. I may take a ride out to his house to see what's up. He's the guy with the xv700. Hope everything is okay with him.

Wish me dry skies. I don't mind getting wet but I'm concerned about my tires and traction. I'll just drive slow.

Unrealistic Expectations

2009-07-25T18:18:00.003-04:00

I often peruse the Craigslist ads in my area for motorcycles, not that I'm looking to buy one, but just to see what people have for sale. Of course, I found my current bike while searching the lists, but the fact remains there are a lot of motorcycles out there for sale...

...at unrealistic prices.

Yesterday, I took a quick ride up to a local used/new motorcycle retail business that specializes in Kawasaki's and Honda's, but their used bikes include Yamaha's and Harley's as well. What I find shocking is the price being asked for a used bike.

Example: A Suzuki Intruder 1400 with 46,000 miles, seat is in pretty rough shape, pipes rusty, paint faded and who knows what mysteries await in the engine: $2495.00

Example: A 1987 Honda 250 Rebel, 7017 miles, $1800.00. Granted, there are very few miles on the bike, but still, it is only a 250.

Example: A 2002 Honda 1800 VTX in terrible shape, gas tank will need replacing, was obviously down and down hard (aftermarket accessories are toast) $5995.00

Craigslist isn't much better. There are literally dozens of motorcycles for sale everyday, many of them Harley's but used bikes should not be sold at new, retail prices. I often think that the asking price is a starting point. Now, no one can blame anyone for wanting to get the most money they can for their ride, but there has to be some room for bartering, especially in this economy.

There usually isn't.

People get sentimentally attached to their bikes, and foster unrealistic expectations when it comes time to sell it. Once in a great while you run into a deal, usually someone looking to unload their old bike because they just bought a new one and don't have room for both. It's usually these kinds of bikes that need the most work. Poor maintenance, rust on pipes, fading or scratched paint, dents in the tank. These are all things that can be repaired, but the bike usually ends up nickle and diming the new owner to the poorhouse.

Perfect example, my bike. While it is currently a paragon of what all bikes should aspire to be, it started out as a money pit. I paid 800.00 for it. $150.00 for new coils, throttle cable, screws to replace those that were stripped and accessories (including a YICS tool) 130.00. Pilot jet: $15.00 (that one hurt) spark plugs (6 sets) $66.00 Fuel line $19.00 (a rip off.. don't ever buy the blue inner core fuel line. It disintegrates). Paint and wax/bike cleaner: 45.00.

Total? 1210.00 plus I still need new tires (you should never buy those used.. :) that will run close to $300 when all is said and done. That puts me at 1510.00. Count in all the hours I have worked on this bike, alot has been invested, let me tell you, I wouldn't take less than 1800.00.

Unrealistic? Yes. That's why I never plan to sell this bike. I'll run it until it no longer runs, then part it out, passing on the parts to needy xj700 owners everywhere.

Be on the lookout for good deals.

Caveat emptor.

Questionable squeak

2009-07-24T18:41:00.003-04:00

I posted a question on xjbikes about this squeak that's been plaguing my bike for the past week or so.

If you listen carefully, you can hear the squeak-squeak-squeak slow down as the engine slows down, which leads me to believe it's not the carbs, but then, that's just a guess.

The engine itself sounds terrible this close up... please excuse the grinding of gears. I'm more concerned about that damnable squeak! :)

I must admit, I am completely stumped. I've checked all my screws, they all seem to be tight.

How much is too much?

2009-07-23T18:29:00.003-04:00

Okay... I'm starting to wonder if maybe I'm overdoing it with the polishing. When will enough be enough? I guess when it's done, or I wear a hole in the plastic/aluminum. :) I admit that's not the best pic of me, but it does show, in detail how much work has gone into parts on this bike.

I wonder if I can clean up that hook on the helmet holder?

This side is coming along nicely, although it's not quite the mirror finish I'd like to have, it is much better than it was now that I've gotten the majority of the old clearcoat off.

It's weird, but in pictures, you can really see the spots that you missed. I guess that'll be a job for another time.

Weather is pretty wet today, which negates any riding. I don't like riding when it's wet, though I must admit, I'd like to see how the coils handle being wet. I suppose I could just throw some water on there while it's running...

Some interesting designs on that Yamaha cover...

All Right RT!

2009-07-23T12:35:00.003-04:00

My friend RT got his Maxim running! He re-installed the carbs and fired it up. Other than a few oil issues, it sounds like he's on his way! Congrats!

I made another contact with yet another xj700 owner, this one out of Detroit. Nice fellow, beginner biker but it sounds like he's doing great!

Weird small world we live in. :)

I worked a bit on polishing up my side covers yesterday. Still have a long way to go before I get them mirror smooth, but it's getting there. I'd love for the both of them to match my tank. Also took it for a short ride. Plugs look pretty good! Still a bit lean, but I am supposed to do a color tune. Not sure why I keep putting it off. I'm sure part of it is I am leery of burning my hands again. You need the bike at it's normal operating temperature in order to tune it correctly, and the way the plugs are set up make it difficult to NOT get burned. But, I consider it a necessary sacrifice.

More later.

Is this fair?

2009-07-22T07:03:00.005-04:00

Well, I finally decided to get proper insurance for the bike.

$387.00!!! For one year!

That is completely outrageous! I have a perfect driving record! No tickets in the past 7 years! No accidents in the past 15 years! Yet, because I had a "lapse" in coverage (I sold my Kawasaki Vulcan and was bike-less for a while) they are penalizing me for not being covered during the time I didn't have a bike. My previous insurance was about $230.00.

Does this even make sense? This is wrong, on so many levels.

Yet, what can I do? If I want to ride in MI, I have to pay the price. Believe me, I understand the need for insurance, but this seems a bit excessive to me. Why should I be penalized for not having coverage when I didn't even own a bike during that period?

..sigh.. Rant over. Guess I'll pick up 3 extra days at work to cover it.

The bike is looking better and better. I have to pull the plate behind the gearshift off and get that all buffed up, replace the ignition cover screws and possibly paint the carb hats. I have been considering this because the chrome on my bike isn't looking too good after 24 years.

A glossy black might look good.

Took it out for a ride last night, just around the neighborhood and stopped by a friends vacation house. They asked me if I got a new gas tank! That's a high compliment as far as I'm concerned. The tank is looking very shiny. I've been thinking about blinging it up though. There are lots of very cool graphics that you can apply easily. I was thinking something skull-like. Here are a couple of ideas:

I want to do something different than just flames, or some kitschy design. (tribal art is cool, but just doesn't look right for a bike). This design is from Weston Signs, Inc. right here in MI (Webberville, to be exact). Only $10 with free shipping. I'm also looking for some skull hand levers to match the theme. Something like this:

In other news... Hey Eric! You wrote a comment on my blog a couple of days ago and I sent you an email in response. I'm not sure if you got it or not, but I'd be happy to help you out with your bike (even cleaning and polishing!) or repair. I'm also looking for riding partners. If you're interested, just email me!

Lots of rain expected in the next couple of days. Might put a damper on my riding, but will give me a chance to paint those carb hats. I'll post some pics of the progress.

Talking 'bout bikes...

2009-07-19T11:23:00.003-04:00

Joined another website dedicated to bikers last night, called beginnerbikers.org, lots of members, lots of discussions there. Not that I need another distraction. :). It has all sorts of bikes, not just specifically the xj/xs series.

You never can tell what the weather is going to do here in MI. I swore it was going to rain the past few days, huge thunderheads forming but only a light drizzle of the stuff. Good for riding but tends to make it a little chilly first thing in the morning. I'm still planning a road trip of some sort just not sure where or when. Sometime this week I am going to start hitting small town America (in MI anyway) and snap some pics, maybe try out the local cuisine.

I'm kind of wondering what happened to viragoking. I haven't heard from him in quite a while. I wonder if he ever got that virago up and running right. I know he was having some issues with fouling of plugs, I hope he got it all worked out.

I may take a small ride today before work tonight, if the weather holds. It's easy to put rides off when you think the weather is going to turn bad, then kick yourself when you realize you missed out.

2009-07-19T00:41:00.001-04:00

Amazing! I can now blog on the go from anywhere thanks to the power of the iPhone! Expect to see lots more from me! Soon pictures will be an option too!

Love that bike...

2009-07-19T00:12:00.003-04:00

I love being able to come right out to the bike and hit the starter button and get a response from it. I rode the bike to work tonight and it had cooled off a bit when I was leaving, so I feared the worst (these bikes are known for being cold blooded.) Just to be on the safe side, I eased the choke up just a tad, hit the starter button and VRooooMMM!! The bike took off without me! I chased the sucker all over the garage, but it was sprightly and nimble, and I could hear it laughing as it easily outran me. Sometimes it would slow down and I would get close, but then it would speed right back up again!

I finally shouted MaTTE! (stop in Japanese) And the bike rolled to a stop.

The bike starts up great! Needs just a bit of choke (too much and it stalls out) and I am still learning where to put the lever. I'm still going to carbtune and colortune it here one of these days, but it seems a shame to do that when it is running so well. Why mess with perfection?

Perhaps that attention to detail is what makes the difference. I took the bike on a short ride before work tonight and get this rush of excitement when I roll the throttle and the bike takes off like a rocket. I've read that you should let the bike hit 6-7k rpms because that's where the power band lays. However, I'm not big into speed, but I do like to know if the bike can take off in a hurry if I need it.

I found the ignition decal. 7.95 (plus an exorbitant amount for shipping!) but at least I'll have a brand new sticker to fit on the bike. That guy chacal has everything you need to keep your bike in tip top shape. I'm thinking of buying one of those special screwdrivers too ($20!)

Making progress on the shining of parts. I have considered taking certain parts off the bike to shine them up (mainly the piece where the gear shift is, and both the ignition and oil pump cover) but so far it is looking pretty good. Eventually, I'll get it done.

Helping out a friend...

2009-07-17T16:01:00.007-04:00

Headed back out to RT's today to help get the carbs cleaned and put back together. The clouds kept rearing their ugly heads, but we managed to put the last carb together, and the rain never did fall. His wife made a nice lunch for us.

The carbs were pretty dirty (as I think I mentioned) and we came to the realization that these can't be the original carbs based on the repairs and mistakes made on them by the previous owner. For a bike with only 3900 miles on it, it's hard to believe that someone would replace one jet (a wrong jet, at that) and one of the float posts was broken (but JB welded back together.) RT postulated that perhaps the bike had sat for a long time, and the PO sold the original carbs, then replaced them with this set. Needless to say, the carbs are looking pretty good now.

Next up is the reinstallation (I wish I had stayed a bit longer and at least installed them back on the bike). We'll reinstall the carbs, put the boots on, oil change, new plugs (check the plug caps for resistance) change the final drive oil and put a in-line fuel filter in. Then, fill it up with gas and ... oh yeah, recharge the battery.

Hopefully, with any luck, that wrong jet won't cause too much trouble.

Looks like some work with tin foil and diet coke is in order, RT. Lots of cleaning and polishing ahead, but it sounds like he know's what he's doing.

My bike, on the other hand, ran great all the way out there and back. Great acceleration, nimble and quick. Might be hard to take it on a long distance run though. My knees get cramped up and I think if I had highway pegs on, it might make a difference.

Little things mean a lot...

2009-07-16T20:09:00.003-04:00

So I was doing some cleaning on my bike (surprise surprise) and noticed my ignition sticker is getting pretty beat up. In fact, it's downright rubbed clean, pretty much. So, I started searching for a replacement. Not as easy as it sounds. I looked through 1,347 selections on eBay, and found lots of cool stickers, but none that would work.

A friend from xjbikes said he would send me the link to a guy who makes them, though they sound like they'll be a bit pricey.

Shine on, you crazy diamond...

2009-07-16T13:37:00.004-04:00

I got to work shinin' up the old bike today. Bought a little buffing and polishing kit from HF and used my drill to go to town. Looks pretty good, if I do say so myself. Of course, now that it's shiny, I can see which areas need more work.

I took a short ride today, but my mind was elsewhere, not really the best time to go riding. Someone from the XJ list recently died in a motorcycle crash, which brought home the fact that it can happen to anyone, and does. In this case, he had the right of way and was killed when he hit a car that wasn't paying attention and turned in front of him. The driver was fined $125.00 for failing to yield the right of way.

What's more distressing is that I met this guy at a carb clinic a few years ago. Nice enough fellow, and loved his bike. To see it laying on the ground brought reality crashing home for me.

That's not to say I'll never ride again, but I think of all the close calls I've had, the times people, talking on their cell phones or adjusting their radio's just drifted into my lane, or outright pulled into my lane. People slamming on their brake (luckily I follow the 2 car lengths rule, and not the 2 bike lengths rule.)

I feel bad for his family. Godspeed Thom Stagno.

In other news, RT started his own blog site (an excellent idea, if I do say so myself) and you can find it here: http://maximexplosionblogspotcom.blogspot.com/ He pirated a few of my pics that I took, but no problem. It is his bike after all. ;-) I'm sure he'll be adding more of his own. I've been wanting to call him to see how it's going, but I don't want to disturb him.

I think I'll take a ride here soon...

RT and his Maxim

2009-07-15T17:10:00.008-04:00

Made it out to Charlotte on my bike, heavy side- bag thrown over one shoulder and didn't get rained on. It was a nice ride, and the bike performed really well.

Once I arrived, we got started right away. His bike is a burgundy/red 1985 Maxim. It was missing the carb boots, although the carbs were still on the bike. After wrenching a bit, off they came. (I've had lots of experience removing and replacing carbs...) Taking the wells off proved a little difficult, what with some of the screws pretty stripped. Nonetheless, they all came off, with all but one gasket intact. Those 25+ year old gaskets really stand up to the test of time. The other was a cheap aftermarket job that shredded. The inside of the bowls were pretty dirty, with most of the circuits pretty well fubar'ed. Carb #4 only had 2 screws holding it on.

The next 45 minutes consisted of wrenching screws, until all were finally exposed. Their insides were pretty dirty, and one of the float posts had been JB welded on, a clue that someone had gone before. (and broken something). The floats were pretty dirty, but overall, in decent shape.

What was not in decent shape was that air filter. Mice had made a home in the airbox, and the filter itself was in pretty rough shape.

A number of the pilot jets couldn't be removed without stripping them so we opted to leave those in. The main fuel jets were removed and the emulsion tubes extracted.

It was probably cruel of me to just leave a one armed man alone to clean those carbs all by himself, but I told him I consider it a rite of passage. He didn't see to mind, and has big plans for painting and cleaning getting the bike back up and running.

I opened up his crank case and peered inside. It looks as if it just rolled off the showroom floor, it's so clean.

In a couple of days, I'll go back and see the progress he's made.

Rain rain go away...

2009-07-15T07:55:00.008-04:00

Well, I was all set to head out to Charlotte to help out RT this morning when I checked the weather report. Thanks Michigan. Heavy thunderstorms expected. The storm looks to be short-lived, but funny how the best laid plans go awry.

I did some painting last night, and I like the way it turned out. I painted my "chrome" hand levers a glossy black. I also painted the green coils a glossy black and entertained the idea of painting my entire engine black, but of course, that's a bit more than I want to get into right now.

Eventually, I plan on replacing the hand levers with chrome jobs, but for now, it makes the bike look more sleek.

The bike fired right up this morning... a taunt, perhaps? I don't know. My bike is behaving so well, I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop.

I don't have a whole lot of space in my garage, but everything is within easy reach. I have a lot of organizing to do, lots of boxes to move, stuff to get out of the way. Here's a pic of my workspace. Not the cleanest of environments, but it suits my needs for now.

As cheap as the stuff from Harbor freight is, it works for me. A lot of my tools came from HF, and there are still a few more I would like to get.

I've always wanted to try welding something...

New Friends

2009-07-14T01:45:00.004-04:00

So I was perusing Craigslist for motorcycles (not to buy, but you never know what you're going to find) and I came across a request for help. Here's what it said:

I have a 1985 Yamaha Maxim XJ700X with 3,900 actual miles. The person I got the bike from had the carbs rebuilt but when he put them back in he didn't have them hooked up right. I am hoping for someone who has a manual for this bike to PLEASE send me a diagram of the fuel and vacuum system. I dont have much money cause I am curently disabled and diability hasn't kicked in yet. If you can help me, great. If you can come hook them up for me would be even better. I have a few things I can give you for your time.

Being the nice guy that I am, and wanting play forward some of the help I've received, I wrote him an email and offered to help him out. Come to find out, it's not actually an X, but an xj700. The exact same bike I have, albeit different color and missing a few pieces. Here are some pics of the bike as it stands right now:

It's in excellent shape, although it's missing the carb boots (the fix for which is easy). With 3900 miles on it, she still has many years ahead of her.

The first thing, of course, will be to take the carbs off again and see what's going on in there. It's amazing the things PO's usually say they do to prepare their bikes for sale, but in reality, rarely is it true. The bike obviously hasn't been ridden much and appears to have an aftermarket paint job (the original xj700's only came in black and red... this almost appears orange, although that could be a trick of the light. Also, the Ignition cover appears to have come off an X (similar in style to that type of bike).

I'm looking forward to seeing what this bike can do. The guy sounds like a nice fellow.

He's in Charlotte... a bit of a ride, but I was just complaining not too long ago about not having any place to go. Now I do.

I'll post more pics once I get there and we start the tear down. With any luck, it'll be a difficult fix. :) I just hope not as difficult as mine turned out to be.

In other news, my bike is still running great! I noticed a bit of a drop in power, but I am sure it has to do with the tuning issue. My plan this week is to tune it 100%. I'm not sure why I always forget to use the YICS tool. It's running great without using it, I can't wait to see what happens when I actually employ it.

Not a lot new to report...

2009-07-12T17:01:00.002-04:00

I've taken the bike to work every night so far, and I have to say I am very happy with the way it's performing. I still think I need to do one more carb tune, just to flush out any remaining gremlins, but overall, the bike fires up with nary a touch of the starter button, very little choke. I was showing my bike off to one of my fellow workers (who also happens to ride, I think a Kawi ninja) who was impressed with how the bike looked. He especially liked the shininess of the tank, asking me, "How many times did you wax that thing??" The bike started right up and he watched me ride away, giving me a thumbs up. Pretty cool.

I'm still considering a road trip here very soon. I haven't been to Canada since 2006, maybe I'll look up old Hap and see what he's up to.

Beautiful weather today. Sometimes, working nights is a pain because you miss out on great riding weather. Oh, I could ride all day, but then staying awake at night would be a trial.

I need to figure out a way to fashion some saddlebag brackets. I have a set of cloth saddlebags that fit under the back seat, but I fear they will rub against the tire. I know I've seen the directions for making your own. Maybe on Hap's site.

http://www.maxim-x.com/saddlebag_retainer.html

Yep, that's the ticket.

In other news, I've lost a bit of weight recently, which is only mention worthy because I've noticed riding the bike is more fun (and I don't have to stop as often for gas) and my jacket is a bit looser. I've lost almost 20#! Yay me!

I'll be riding more this week. If Michigan's weather holds up. :)

Front forks DONE!

2009-07-09T10:54:00.005-04:00

Well, I finally removed the 24+ years of accumulated grime/yellowed clear coat from the front forks. It was fairly easy and best of all, I didn't have to remove the front tire to do it. I've seen forks that shined like chrome, and I may do that at some point, but for now, it looks much better.

I need new tires. I keep saying that, but to slap down $200 for new tires is a bit hard right now.

So my next order of business will be the tires, and I might as well replace the wheel bearings too.

So much to do, so little time.

Where to go...

2009-07-08T21:04:00.002-04:00

I was tooling around on my bike today and stopped into this little coffee shop called Coffee & Chocolate. Great coffee, but I've always wondered why coffee has to be so darned expensive. It can't be for the witty conversationalists behind the counter, although she was nice, she seemed more interested in flirting with this college frat boy than getting me my chocolate mocha espresso. However, good stuff.

I like just riding around, seeing the sights, but sometimes feel that I have nowhere to go. Jump on the bike and just ride. I really need to have a destination, someplace to go each time I ride so I don't feel like I am just riding around, going nowhere.

Well, as my requests for a riding partner have failed, I think I am going to start riding to different cities in Michigan. There are lots of little burgs, hamlets, villages, whatever you want to call them that deserve some attention. So, I'll have to come up with some witty by-line detailing this little pits of Americana.

Stay tuned...

Took a little trip

2009-07-07T20:29:00.003-04:00

I took the bike out for an extended ride today, to Portland, MI. Great looking little town with a real small town appeal. The streets had plenty of space for parking (no meters!) lots of interesting shops. I wanted to pull over and take some pics but there honestly was no place to do so. Of course, I was in the downtown area right at lunch time, so that may have had something to do with it.

I also found a cool little shop called 4 Seasons Yamaha that had several Yammies (1985 and newer) parked in the window. Lots of accessories, but alas, no engine guards for my bike. The shop owner was a nice fella (didn't get his name because he was busy) but he did say I have a nice looking bike. There were several Maxim's, a Seca or two and several others I didn't recognize. Ill be going back there at some point and will get some pics.

I also stopped into a little Chinese food place for lunch (so much for my diet) with a nice couple of owners who were very attentive. Lunch was cheap too!

The bike ran great! Nice acceleration, nice handling, but I do really need to get tires soon. I am picking up some extra shifts this week so I should be able to get them. The power boost (or Max Factor, as I like to call it) seemed more powerful at higher RPMs (over 6k) but pulled well through all gears and allowed accel up to 85 easily at one point to get around a truck that was kicking stones at me. Of course, the truck had to be doing at least 75 itself.

Saw several other bikes on the road, all very friendly. It's nice to wave and be waved at by complete strangers. I don't see many people in cars doing that.

More riding tomorrow!

Bike's running Great!

2009-07-06T13:57:00.002-04:00

I know it's not nearly as exciting or dramatic, but the bike is running pretty well. I need to turn in the settings a bit since I am running a bit rich. The plugs aren't nearly as sooty as they once were, and one side of the plug isn't sooty at all. Not sure what that means, exactly, but as a wise man once said, "better rich than lean." The bike is looking pretty good, but I am eager to get started on the front forks to see if I can shine them up. I am wondering if I can do it without taking the wheel off. Might be risky, but with taping things off, it might be possible.

Beautiful weather today, but I am only going ot be able to ride my bike to work. Working nights definitely puts a crimp on the old riding plans, but I have the next 4 days off so I may take a road trip up north. I've been wanting to see Traverse City and Elk Rapids and I think with the stretch of nice weather over the next couple of days might make the trip worthwhile. I'll be sure to take lots of pics.

It's about a 2 hour ride, definitely a beautiful trip.

Hope my ass is up to it. It's been a while since I've ridden that far.

Happy Independence Day!

2009-07-04T18:01:00.003-04:00

It's the 4th of July! Fireworks galore!

I'll tell you what really bugs me. I don't mind if people light off fireworks, if the make a constant nuisance of themselves for a couple days, but I do mind the piles of burned out fireworks husks left behind in the street when they are finished. Pick up your garbage, people!

I took the bike out for a run today. Very happy with the way it's running. I do still need to tweak the settings a bit because I am still running lean, even after turning them out a 1/2 turn. I'm out to 3 now, and think if I take it to 3.5 that should do it.

I've decided that tires will be my next big expenditure for this bike. The front tire is from 2002 (if the date is correct) and the back tire is from before that (possibly 1997). A 12 year old tire just will not do. The scary thing is, the treads are still good on them, and no sign of cracks, but somehow riding on tires that are that old is nerve-wracking.

I also plan to start putting the shine on the front forks. Viragoking has done his, and in keeping up with the Jones's, I must also shine mine to a mirror like finish. I've heard you can use aircraft stripper to start, then polish to finish them up.

I'll post pics as I go. Taking the tires off might be a good time to do it.

2009-07-03T16:05:00.003-04:00

It's been a long time since I had a good running bike. I've worked for hours and hours tearing the carbs apart, checking valve clearances, oil changes, adjustments here, tweaks there. Finally, the bike is complete.

At least as far as the carbs are concerned. Roll Tape!

The pilot jet arrived today (pretty quick shipping if I do say so myself). and I quickly installed it. Due to previous injuries to my hands, it took me a little longer to get the boots installed, but I finally got everything hooked up and tank put back on.

It runs like a completely different bike. I took it out on the highway and quickly zipped to 70mph. Handles well, accelerates like it should, I did have to adjust the idle screw because after running for a bit, it was idling at about 3000rpms, but that was an easy fix. I have a little more tweaking to do, it seems I am running a bit lean. That, my friends, will be cake compared to what I've dealt with the last couple of weeks.

Now, new tires are in order, as well as possibly replacing the back brake. I am going to pull the tires off myself once I've saved enough cash.

Shouldn't take me too long.

I'm very happy with the way things turned out.

Sometimes, it's the little things.

2009-07-01T16:23:00.005-04:00

I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Why, you ask?

Well, I stripped out one of my pilot fuel jets. Normally, doing such a thing would really send me over the edge. Do you know how hard (and expensive) finding a replacement is?

Let me start at the beginning.

After stripping said pilot jet, I jumped online, seeking a replacement. After getting a response from one of the fellows over at xjbikes, I found that the order of my mains and pilot fuel jets were all out of whack. The pilots were in place of the mains, and the mains were in place of the pilots. (The schnozzberries taste like schnozzberries, as my sons would say). THIS is the reason I could not, for the life of me, get my bike tuned, no matter how much I cranked out my pilot screws. Only one of the carbs were tuned, and wouldn't you know, it just happened to be the one who's spark plugs were the least fouled, and whose pilot to main configuration was correct.

I never, in a million years, would have thought to look at the little tiny numbers, so carefully etched, on top of these jets. I assumed the PO and all those who came before would never have touched these holy of holys.

Never assume anything when it comes to the mighty Maxim. That it ran at all was amazing.

Now, after spending nearly $15 on one tiny, little, insignificant, minuscule brass screw I am hopeful that this will be it. This will restore my bike to it's former glory, to it's mind numbingly fast state.

Waiting on the postman...

Making Progress

2009-06-30T10:08:00.002-04:00

It's been a rough couple of days for the old bike. I finally removed all the pilot screws and cleaned out the passages (some black gunk bubbled out... carbon?) and now only 2 of the 4 plugs are fouling, and even one of those 2 that are fouling don't look as bad as before.

Results:

Cylinder #4 is near perfect, if not a bit lean. Cylinder #3- worst of the 4. Heavy carbon build up Cylinder #2 cinnamon brown Cylinder #1 still a bit sooty, but not as bad as before.

I'm getting closer. I checked my fuel levels in the bowls (on the bike... not nearly as easy as it sounds) and they all appear within spec, but then my eye isn't nearly as skilled as someone who has done it before.

It's been a few days of frustration. The bike has poor throttle response, fouls quickly, and isn't much fun to ride. I know sooner or later I'll get everything set right, but it's a shame to miss out on this nice riding weather.

I've been pouring over the manuals, and I have a few more things I will need to do soon. Brake lines are original. I need to replace those soon. Rear brake probably needs to be changed soon, although the tang on the rear drum still has some room to move.

Oh yeah, also need to replace the tires soon. While I still have decent tread left, the tires are old... I know there is a way to tell how old. I'll have to look that up. I am going to remove the front and rear tires myself and take them in. It's cheaper than taking the whole bike in. The user manual shows you how to take them both off. While that's being done, I'm also going to change the wheel bearings.

I hope to have this bike done before the end of the riding season!

Joy!

2009-06-27T19:59:00.006-04:00

So my friend Viragoking came over today, hauling his 1985 Yamaha Virago xv700. We knew there would be some carb work to do, since gasoline would pour out one of the carbs after shutting it off. Also, when the bike was running, fuel was shooting out the exhaust (never a good sign) He had "hired" someone to clean his carbs for him, but shortly after he got it back, it started developing problems again.

Cosmetically, the bike is in pretty good shape, a few dings in the tank, the fork seals need to be replaced, oil change, air filter, the basics... He's got a new seat on order, and is expecting it soon

Prepare yourself...

We pulled the carbs off the bike. Let me just say that I thought the xj700 carb set up was confusing at first, though with repeated removals, the job got easier. The xv700 has hoses and tubes running every which way.. but that wasn't the big issue.

Let me just say that the greenish looking diaphragm you see to your right was actually the better looking of the two. Yes, there are only 2 carbs on this bike. Viragoking thought the parts were supposed to be green ("I thought they were pretty green plastic"), but with a bit of 1000 grit sandpaper, some wd40, they cleaned right up.

This was supposedly after the bike had been cleaned for $100 by a professional. Not very professional if you ask me. The guy obviously didn't pull the diaphragms, nor anything else except the owner's leg telling him things were done. The crud in the bottom of the fuel well was years old, and it looked as if someone had taken a screwdriver and tried scraping the gunk out.

Now, the odd thing was, this bike was firing on only one cylinder, but ran pretty well, to hear Viragoking tell it.

The pilot jet was clogged with debris. (Actually, there wasn't anything that wasn't) Luckily, he had ordered a carb rebuild kit for 32.00 (total for both) that included absolutely everything we needed.

What amazed me most was that the bike was still running, even after we discovered a few surprises left by a previous someone. We don't know who, but there was a small cap bolt (the kind that usually is decorative that fits over the end of a bolt) left inside one of the vacuum tubes. It was obviously placed with malice because it took some doing to pry the little sucker out. If this was an attempt to toss the proverbial monkeywrench into the machinery by the same aforementioned loser who did such a great job cleaning the carbs the first time, I hope karma punches him in the nads.

Finally, this...

Friends, if this isn't a reason to always do the work yourself, I don't know what is. It's obvious by the condition of the emulsion tube that it has never seen the light of day outside the factory. That's a whole lot of crap on that tube. The emulsion tube had to be forced out of it's seating with a screwdriver.

The carbs were carb-dipped and lovingly attended to by Viragoking, using a toothbrush and sandpaper and carb cleaner to get every last bit of gunk. The looked spotless on the inside when he was done.

Rudely, I started working on the carb hat, showing a bit of shinyness with some sandpaper and WD40 and sweat to expose the aluminum underneath. I say rudely because I started the job... Now it's up to Viragoking to finish it. Knowing his attention to detail, I'm sure that won't be a problem.

While the carbs were taking a bath, we took a closer look at his spark plug boots. One of them was completely useless, no resistance noted with the multimeter (oddly, the same one that wasn't firing) so I pulled an extra boot out of my collection and hooked it up. The other cap and the new one read between 5.69-5.80. Primary coils and secondary coil checks were within spec (although I'll have to check with my online buddies... the readings seemed awfully high 26.9)

We finally got everything put back together (man, that was a lot of work to do in a small space!). The carbs were reattached to the bike, the boots held in place with new clamps, his intake boots... well, that's going to take a bit more work. Pouring over the schematics, I can't find the gaskets that should be between the manifold intake boots and the manifold. Perhaps there isn't one? From the looks of the boot, however, there was something there at one time that appeared to be a gasket, but I can't find it. Pilot screws were set to 2.5 turns out.

Viragoking had forgotten his key at home, so had to run and get it. While he was gone, I gapped his new plugs and changed them out, changed his gear shaft oil (it looked bad) and turned the bike around to ready it for it's first ride.

Not ten minutes later Viragoking was back with key in hand. Setting the petcock on prime, we waited a few moments before slipping the key in...

It started! A little rough at first, but that worked itself out. I jumped on my xj700 and away we went. We took a short run down the street and at the first corner, I asked him how it felt. With a gleam in his eye, he said something, but due to the decibel level of his pipes, I could barely hear a word. He had this crazy look on his face...

We took off around the corner and he kept up pretty well until the next light. Then, like a jerk, I took off while he stayed behind.

Not sure what was happening, I turned around to see what had happened. He was still at the corner so I pulled up and we pulled onto the motorcycle runway (the sidewalk) to find his bike was acting dodgy. Poor throttle response and needed choke to keep running. He pushed it back to my house (I wasn't going to push it!) and of course once we got there, it started up again. The next time we went out, his bike took off like a rocket. (kinda sounded like one too).

The bike has some tuning issues to figure out, and front fork seals to replace, possibly a new starter, but it's running really well, considering what it had just been through. Viragoking is a pretty cool guy whom I look forward to riding with in the future.

Major Improvements and a new friend

2009-06-26T09:10:00.006-04:00

So after many adjustments to the pilot screws, changing out spark plugs, adjusting this, tinkering with that, I'm almost to the point of being happy with my bike. Pretty decent throttle response (though still hangs a bit in first... not sure why that is) and the Max Factor (hey, the X has the X factor, why can't we have a Max Factor? Copyright infringement notwithstanding...).

Here's a video of my bike start up after a short run with the new adjustments. Frankly, after trying several combinations, I set everything to 2 out, and will adjust accordingly based on further plug evaluation.

The bike is running much better now, but I know there is still some room for improvement. And... though I hate to put it in writing, I may need new piston rings at some point. I noticed an oily residue on one of my plugs. When I adjusted the pilot screw, that oily residue disappeared, so I'm not sure what that means.

I also met up with Viragoking (not his real name, but I created an email account for him under that pseudonym so we can join virago mailing lists and get his bike running.) He owns a 1985? xv700 Yamaha Virago. It needs some carb repair, and I offered to help him out. I am no expert, but I'm willing to help a fellow biker who may turn out to be a riding brother. Here are some pics of his bike:

He's a good guy who works hard doing landscaping. Considering how hot it has been, I feel for him! The towel you see tucked in under the engine is to catch the steady drip of gasoline that runs freely from his carbs. He's ordered carb kits for his bike, and we are going to do our best to fix them up this weekend. Like I say, I'm no expert, but all carbs are basically the same, so here's to hoping.

I took my bike over to his house yesterday and it ran pretty well. I could tell the plugs were fouling, however, on my way back the bike didn't have the same response as before. Luckily, the extra plugs I had brought with me weren't needed.

So, basically, the bike is getting there. I still have a bit more tuning to do, but at this point, I am happy with the way things are progressing.

At least until I have to tear my engine apart again...

Holy Mackeral!!

2009-06-24T20:06:00.001-04:00

Okay, I was getting pretty disheartened with the way the bike was going. It seemed like every thing I fixed ended up messing something else up. It was a vicious cycle of repair and try, repair and try.

Until today.

I had a feeling my throttle/butterfly valves weren't working correctly. The bike was having... breathing issues. Well, after a frustrating couple of hours working on the bike, changing plugs, hooking up the carb tune, color tune etcetera ad infinitum, I finally got frustrated beyond the point of reason. I twisted all the idle screws all willy nilly... and heard a remarkable change in how the engine sounded. It sounded... better.

Hooking the carb tune up once again, I noted some movement in the rods that hadn't been there before. Excited, but keeping my emotions so under control I am now an honorary member of the Vulcan High Command, I turned the screws a bit more, trying to bring the rods in line.

Slowly, things started shaping up. Throttle response was better, there wasn't a hang at 2000rpms and above, better yet, the engine didn't sound rough.

The true test, however, was hooking the gas tank back up and taking it out for a ride.

Since I bought the bike, it hasn't responded this well! Acceleration was pretty incredible and the bike idled right where it was supposed to idle.

Now, realistically, I realize that I still have work to do. I still need to figure out why the plugs are fouling and adjust it with the color tuner. There was some mild hesitancy at certain points, but over all a definitive step to wahoooo riding.

All the hard work is starting to pay off... however, I may still need to pull the carbs to do a throttle seal replacement. I think that may have something to do with the problem, but for now, I'm happy.

More tomorrow.

Frustration Mounting..

2009-06-24T10:02:00.001-04:00

Okay, I've done just about everything imaginable to this bike. Here's a recap:

* Dyna coil and wire installation
* New plug caps
* Air filter
* Oil Changes (x3)
* Valve clearance
* Carb cleaning (x4)
* Carb boot mod and install
* Inline fuel filter
* Bench sync
* Gear oil change
* Valve cover paint
* Contact cleaner and dielectric grease on every conceivable connection
* Brush check and generator cleanout
* Manifold intake gasket replacement
* Throttle cable replacement
* Pilot screw replacement and re-seat
* Wax and polish and clean, clean, clean
* Morgan carb and color tune.

So here's my problem. Fouling plugs. No matter which way I adjust the pilot screw, I can't get the pretty bunsen burner blue we all know and love. I'm starting to run out of options of things to repair to get it running right.

Not to mention, I am having trouble with the idle now. Adjusting the idle screw has little to no effect on the idle. I'm wondering if maybe I can add a couple of washers to kind of move the spring forward that will allow more contact with the idle bar.

That is something I am going to look into today.

Anyhow, here are some pics of the fabrication of the carb boots.

First pic is of one of the old boots. Dimpled, hard in spots and difficult to get a good seal to the carb. Brand new, this little item costs 19.99, $11.00 for the bracket, and if I'm not mistaken, at least a buck or two for the screw. No one expects them to last forever, which is why, when I found the fab of the carb boots, and the fact they were only $3.87 + tax, it couldn't be beat.

Here it is, same size both in length and diameter (although, truth be told, the shiny metallic clamp came with the item) and nearly the same material. I suppose it doesn't matter which brand you use. Someone mentioned American Valve, another brand, but in this case, it's the size that's important.

The lip is a bit different, not that it matters, because it butts up to the edge of the airbox anyway. You'll want to remove one clamp.

There it is... the ominous black hole. I pulled the old boot off without removing the carbs. Call me a radical.

Here it is, the last hold out. I saved this one for last because I paid cash money to have it shipped to me. But, off it came, and on went the new boot.

A little WD40 on one end...

And here they are, 4 little ducks, all in a row. Has to be the easiest install of anything I've done on this bike.

For some weird reason, I thought once I got the boots replaced, the bike would run like a dream. Well, that's not true, at least so far.

I'm going to check in at xjbikes... hopefully someone will have an idea.

Hot stuff

2009-06-23T22:37:00.001-04:00

Took the bike out for a ride tonight... yes, on the highway. Still lacking in throttle response, and can't get a lot over 70, but I did hit 70mph. That is a triumph, considering what this bike has been through. Still popping a bit, which usually means running lean, but some of the plugs are still fouling. I'm going to carbtune tomorrow, and quite possibly replace all of the carb boots with a nifty new fab from a flexible coupler from Home Depot. I had been running with one of the boots not making a very good seal (obviously a problem) and had read on xjbikes about a fab using a vinyl/rubber coupler that fits the carbs perfectly between airbox and carbs. All I did was remove the c clamps, remove the old worn out boot, fit this one in it's place (didn't even have to take the carbs off). Had to use a bit of wd40 to slip it into position, but wow, what a difference.

What I really need to do is try and stop burning myself. I burned my forearm today on the exhaust, then again tonight after I got back from the ride, touched my calf against it as well.

I tried colortuning one of the cylinders that keeps fouling, but even though I moved the screw all the way out then all the way back in again, I couldn't find the sweet spot. I'll keep trying. It's got to be there somewhere. I'll carb tune tomorrow as well.

It's a good thing my significant other is so understanding...

Stuff

2009-06-23T11:55:00.000-04:00

So, the bike is running, although now I notice another of my carb boots needs replacement. I've been tooling around with only 3 carb boots fully attached! I'm surprised it runs at all.

Tried doing a carb tune on the bike this morning, but pretty poor response, what with that boot issue. Also did an oil change, changing out that oil filter that was soaked in gasoline.

I'm not going to be working on the bike for a few days, due to a personal issue (I prefer not to go into here). Suffice it to say, once I get that boot in place, I'll be back at it!

Talkin' 'bout my generator...

2009-06-22T11:44:00.001-04:00

So, here's the inside of my generator cover. Those little posts are the "brushes" though why the designers didn't just call them posts is beyond me since I tried brushing my hair with them and got nowhere. Actually, it looks as if they are still in pretty good shape.

I keep learning little bits about the bike.

Things like, "Hey! Maybe you should be more careful with that gasket!: or "Hey, maybe you should change those tires!"

It's odd, but in reality, the cover and innards looked pretty darned clean. In the photos, however, I can see all the areas I should have cleaned a bit better.

Did some cleaning...

2009-06-21T11:51:00.001-04:00

With the carbs off until I receive those manifold gaskets, the bike sure isn't going anywhere. So, I hauled it's carcass out of the garage and started doing some cleaning of the engine. Even though it looks better, I still have a long way to go. I kind of like the look of the silver against the black, so I am torn as to whether or not I should paint the engine.

I took the generator cover off just to have a look at the insides, but had no idea what I was looking at. The screws came out pretty easy; knock on wood. I know at some point I am going to have to get in there and do some tinkering, but for now, I think I'll just leave it well enough alone.

Come on Monday...

The XJCD

2009-06-20T06:57:00.000-04:00

I received my XJCD yesterday. This is the one thing I have been waiting for so I can really start fine tuning the work on my bike. While I've learned a lot from xjbikes, this cd collection contains a lot of information, as well as some fun stuff. Advertisements for my XJ700 from the mid 80's, articles, facts, specs, photos upon photos... it's a bike man's dream.

I'm going to start putting a lot of stuff together that I've pulled off xjbikes and add it to the cd. Bench syncing, carb cleaning, fork seal replacement, general how-to's on a variety of different topics.

The cd does seem to be a few years behind. I attended the 2006 SOCC but those pics aren't on there. I have my own set of pics, of course, but I think some updating is necessary.

The bike still sits in the garage. I've been avoiding going out to look at it, mostly because I feel ashamed that the bike is just sitting there, carbs off, awaiting gaskets so I can put it back together. I suppose I could be out there polishing it, although I did get some nice comments from folks on how shiny it looks. But, I still have a long way to go. I want to paint the engine at some point (all black with chrome highlights?). I need new tires both front and back, and of course, the carb tuning. I'll get there. I've picked up some great polishing tricks on the xj site, and am eager to dig in.

The dirty hands thing though... when you are a nurse starting an IV, the last thing you want is someone with oil and dirt stained fingers jabbing you with sharp objects, let's just say that that's not something you want to see.

I have my son's graduation party today, luckily I got off work so I can attend. I still want to take the bike on a long trip somewhere... where, however, is the question.

Gasket!

2009-06-18T15:30:00.001-04:00

Yeah, it looks pretty bad. The bike is definitely out of commission until I get some new manifold boot gaskets.

The bike has been running pretty badly. I took it out for a test drive today (after doing a colortune... guess what? I have to do it again now!) and the throttle response was pretty poor. Couldn't get much above 65mph (not that I would mind you, Mr. Law Enforcement officer/speed trap demon) and I know the bike has potential. Way back when I first bought it, it ran pretty good! But then, of course, the PO hadn't changed the oil, air filter or plugs for I don't know how long.

Needless to say, I ordered gaskets and O rings from chacal today, and hope to have them by early next week. I sanded down the surfaces of boot the boots and the manifold, so when I do get them, they should just fit flush.

I did take a few snaps of the bike prior to tearing it down again.

That side cover sure turned out shiny. That's hours of sanding, my friends, and look! There's me, taking a photo! Is my hair out of place?

The bike looks pretty good when it's all together.

I also tried fabricating a piece to fit over the coils, using the old coil covers. It may work, I just need to find some sort of bracket to hold them in place.

I also bench sync'd my carbs, and will NOT mess with those adjustment screws again until everything is running smoothly. Which means, of course, I'll have to readjust the pilot screws...

Definitely a labor of love, and as much as I complain about how bad off the bike is running, I do like working on it.

So what did I do?

2009-06-17T22:21:00.000-04:00

I got quite a bit done today. Valve cover reinstalled, oil added, put the bike all back together and started it up.

Did it run? Yep, though now it really needs a carb tune. I tried doing a compression test, but I think there is something wrong with the cheap piece of crap I bought off ebay. I got numbers ranging from 75-155, all on one cylinder! Just goes to show you get what you pay for. I did hook the colortune up to a couple of the cylinders just to see where I was at in the grand scheme of things. Based on a couple of the plugs, I knew I was running rich, but the first one I did turned out nearly perfect, that being cylinder #4. Check out the video.

Of course, the other cylinder I checked was #1, and take a look at how badly out of settings this one is.

I knew it was going to be work... but that first cylinder gave me hope.

I did take it for a short ride, and there were some hesitancy issues, I'm sure those will work themselves out with a proper color tune. Once I get it sync'd, I'll be golden!

Then what? I'm not sure, but I think this will become my main form of transportation for the summer and early fall. I'd like to plan a trip somewhere (Hell is nice this time of year :) I do need to ride out to Pinckney and show off my bike to DW.

Plus, I've never been to Hell, and it's about time I made a visit.

Big list today

2009-06-17T06:54:00.000-04:00

I have lots of things planned today.

* Reinstall the valve cover
- High tack and silicone grease from HF
* Oil change (with new oil filter)
* Pull carbs
- Bench sync
- Fuel level check in wells
* Compression test
* Get it RUNNING!!

I know, quite a list of things to do, but since it's raining, things should go rather smoothly. (crosses fingers). I'd like for this to be the last time I tear those blasted carbs off the bike. Likewise, if I never remove the gasket cover again, it'll be too soon. It's not that anything was particularly difficult, I just want to ride the thing.

I've done a lot the last few days, more than I've ever done before. If someone told me I would be checking valve clearances and pulling the carbs off my bike 4 times, I'd think they were crazy.

I'll be posting pics later today.

An Obsession

2009-06-16T15:23:00.000-04:00

Lots done today! Painting, polishing (a mistake, more on that in a bit) valve clearances checked, shims pulled... I am a machine! First, the painting.

Things went fairly well with the painting. Here's a couple of before and mid and after shots: The finished product didn't turn out as nicely as I wanted, and part of me wants to restrip it and do it again. But in retrospect, it's been through enough. It's passable, all things considered.

I kind of wish the YICS portion was a bit more shiny, but when I was wet sanding with MeTaL GloSS, it messed up the paint. Yeah, Ishould have waited a few days to let it cure, but all things considered, I think it turned out all right. I still need to pick up some gasket sealant, but I am going to be waiting a few days before I reinstall it anyway. I am trying to figure out if I need new shims. I think I do... I am starting to think that maybe I didn't do the clearance test correctly.
Yet the majority were in spec, so I'm just not sure.

I currently have one shim pulled awaiting instruction from some of the fine folks at xjbikes.
It doesn't seem to make any sense to reinstall shims you are going to replace. Once I figured out the trick, it was pretty simple to do. Perhaps I should reinstall them and see if I get a different number.

I've had a lot of fun today. Learned quite a bit, and learned you can do a lot more with a zip tie than previously thought.

More later.

Gettin' er done...

2009-06-15T20:52:00.000-04:00

I'm not a big fan of the redneck fellas, but that particular phrase fits tonight. I've gotten the ingnition cover off, stripped the valve cover, bought all my supplies (including a wicked powerful impact wrench for $40 from HF)

First things first. I removed probably 95% of the paint from my valve cover, the rest I'll remove while sanding it down getting it ready for primer and painting. There are some great guides on xjbikes on how to do this. I used aircraft stripper (a super powerful paint remover that will literally eat the skin off your hands. Use with caution) The crevices were the hardest, and a couple spots were just immune to the paint strippers strength, but my guess is, it won't hold up to some coarse grit sandpaper. I bought heat resistant primer (up to 1200F) and gloss enamel rated to 500F. If it gets much hotter than that, I should probably shut the bike off.

I bought an impact wrench to remove the stubborn screws in the ignition cover. Let's just say it works amazingly well. Removed every trace that a notched screw head was there. (although, in truth, they were slightly stripped to begin with. Thanks PO.) I ended up pounding a notch in the screw so that a flat head would fit, and it slipped right out. I'll have to clean it up a bit or at the very least order a new one from chacal. The cover came off easily.
I'll have to take care when reinstalling.

The important thing is, it's off! I bought a feeler gauge set (for $2.99.. sorry chacal), making sure the sizes fit the specs of my bike. I'm going to read up some more before I just start poking around. I also bought some zip ties for shim removal, a super colossal screwdriver set that fits the impact wrench, so I should have everything I need.

Needless to say, I'm a little nervous about putting it all back together. But, I have nothing but time. I am going to contact Steve tomorrow and see if he is interested in coming over and checking it out. I think I could use an extra set of hands. :)

Off to xj! Then to work. :-p

Step One

2009-06-15T14:19:00.000-04:00

I know, this is an important part of the bike, so what is it doing removed? I decided to jump in with my next project, checking valve clearances! Yay! I have no idea what I'm doing.

The gasket that sits underneath looks and feels practically brand new, which makes me wonder is the valve clearances were checked as the PO said. Also, although the screws were on tight, they weren't so tight as to make me think they have been on there forever. I plan to strip this top piece and repaint, then sand the silver (now corroded with crud) part clean. Should be very nice when it's all done.

I figure since the bike isn't running really well right now anyway, why not get into something over my head?

Note the little X on the right side between the two bolts? More proof that someone was in there doing something. Adding to this difficulty is getting the ignition cover off. The bolts/screw heads are already slightly mangled (why do engine designers use lead for screws???) and I fear that without the proper torque, I will do them a grave injustice.

There's the little X on the other side. Not sure what that means, but I am sure someone on xjbikes may know.

I checked my manifold intakes, and they were all pretty tight, except for #2 (smack forehead) although by tightening it, it doesn't appear to have made any difference in the way it is running. I have a feeling the sync is way out of sync, and may require a pull and readjust. The tank is off... why not? The bike isn't going anywhere anytime soon.

Tomorrow I'll strip the valve cover. Get it repainted. Then I am going up to a little screw and bolt place not too far from here and see if they carry the carb hat screws I am looking for. Chacal says he carries them, so that'll be my next option if this place is too expensive. It pays to shop around.

China Freight carries a set of feeler gauges. May go up there and pick a set up, if I want to do the valve clearance check. May look into an impact wrench too...

Man, the money I am spending on this bike! I could take a nice vacation...

More soon....

New Day

2009-06-14T09:14:00.000-04:00

It's supposed to be beautiful today. Great riding weather...

Looks like I may be pulling my carbs again. (grr)

However, this time it's not to pull the carbs apart, but to re bench sync them and check that silly intake manifold on #2. It's a lot of work, but I should be able to have it done in a couple of hours.

I'm going to replace the throttle cable (19.00) and the carb hat screws. Some of them are pretty mangled, and that was before I got my paws on them. I didn't know that there were 3 different sized screws that fit. (short medium and long) There is a bolt and screw place not too far from here. I am going to see if they have anything comparable ($1.40 for the ones from chacal x 16 =22.40). I'm also going to China Freight to see if I can get my hands on a feeler gauge set. Online it looks like the one they have in stock will work. Truth is, I'm a little worried about doing this job. But, it can't be any worse than the carbs, right? :)

I know I'll get this bike up to 100% soon. I just have little issues to work out. More pics later today.

Tuning in the stratosphere

2009-06-14T00:04:00.001-04:00

Tuning is way out of sync. I tried to ride my bike to work tonight, but no go. I got maybe half a mile before the I realized I wasn't going to make it. The bike accelerated poorly in 1st, but seemed okay in 2nd. Once I downshifted, rpms dropped below 1000 and the bike died. It started right away, but there is obviously some issues there.

Part of the problem I am having is getting the idle correct (which you think would be an easy thing to do) so that I can sync it correctly. There has got to be a leak somewhere, even though I took my time putting everything back on, tightening everything correctly. Someone mentioned they thought it was a vacuum leak on one of the carbs, that maybe I was getting too much air. That makes sense, considering the way it's acting.

Tomorrow, I am going to buy some RTV and seal up the manifold intake boot on cylinder three and see if that makes any difference. I hope it does. The way it is, I can't really drive it anywhere. It starts up right away with minimal choke, hangs a bit at 2-3000 rpms, but I know I can get that ironed out.

I'd like to get together with someone who has had experience with the Morgan, and see if we can't get it 100%. I've heard Hitachi carbs are very finicky... guess I'm learning that the hard way.

More tomorrow.

2009-06-12T18:38:00.000-04:00

Hooked up the carb sync... this is what resulted. I am not sure why I have such poor response on #2, but it is keeping me from synching the rest of the carbs. It doesn't make much sense to colortune either, until I have this issue worked out. The video states #3, but it is actually #2. But, the carbs are numbered 4,3,2,1 whereas the intake is numbered 1,2,3,4. Not sure why those crazy Japanese engineers designed it that way, but it sure does lead to some confusion.

I don't know that it's not the valves, but considering it was running pretty good before I got my hands on it (including changing the oil sodden, dirt encrusted air filter, plugs from the late 80's, drive shaft oil, coils, plug caps, new fuel filter, dielectrifying every accessible contact, and tons of dirt and much removed from the carbs x4!!!!) you'd think it would be happy now.

I'll keep hacking away at these issues as they arise.

If I never have to pull carbs again...

2009-06-12T14:31:00.000-04:00

That was the most intensive 2 weeks I have ever experienced with a bike. Not that I've had that much experience, truly, but holy Hannah! A lot of work went into those weeks, including repetitive boring tasks better left for once in a great while. I must say, I have gotten quite adept at pulling the carbs, as well as learning a few tricks for reinstallation.

To the bike...

I put the carbs back on, cut my new fuel line to length (a POX on you, Autozone!) and gave the bike a few minutes to fill with fuel. Then, the big moment arrived. Would it start?

Success! The bike started with minimal choke (in fact, I wonder now if it would have started without the choke... I'll have to test that) and ran like a champ. Then I messed it up good by trying to sync it. I don't know whatt the issue was, but I couldn't get the carbs to sync very well. As soon as I adjusted one, the other would go out, that and a variable idle made for a very difficult sync. I still have to colortune it, but for now, the plugs are brown, maybe just a wee bit on the rich side.

The bike looks clean, (it should after spending all morning polishing it getting the layer of dust off!) and is running pretty well. Honestly, I am just going to ride it for a while. I plan to ride out to DW's house and pick up my sunglasses at some point, and maybe do a carb tune.

I feel pretty good right now, the fact that I fixed this non-running bike all by muself with my own 2 hands makes me feel pretty damn good.

2009-06-11T20:50:00.000-04:00

So, following one of the esteemed members of the xjbikes forum, I drained my fuel bowls, thinking that maybe, just maybe, there might not be any fuel in them, indicating a blockage of some sort.

This what I found. I don't know what it is... some sort of amoeba, I think, plus, it has the ability to replicate itself, and then rejoin together.

I boiled my carb bowls in lemon juice yesterday (per suggestions on aforementioned forum) and rinsed them out well with carb cleaner and compressed air. This little splooge was hiding somewhere, though I can't imagine where. I don't know if this is the cause of the "not starting" issue, but it certainly couldn't be helping things.

I also pulled apart all the connections on the TCI box, some of those plugs were a real pain to pull apart. However, I was successful, sanded down all the connections I could reach and dabbed a bit of dielectric grease on the contacts. I can't imagine they have seen the light of day before now, considering the greenish/grey gunk all over them. It didn't help the starting issue at all, but it couldn't hurt, either.

I was able to pull those carbs off in under 10 minutes. Familiarity, however, does not make the heart grow fonder. I was calling them all sorts of names. I found that it is easier to heat up the boots with my trusty heat gun (on the lowest setting, of course, don't want to melt 'em) and then push the boots down and out, at least the two inner boots.

Be sure to keep track of which way the clamp screws are pointing. The clamps are setup to be accessed from the bottom (bunch of screws in the way up top), so be sure said screws are pointing out.

I'm soaking the carb bowls overnight in carb cleaner, as well as the brass fittings, emulsion tubes and washers. I removed the little screen portion. I can't imagine that cleaner is any good for that screen. (Then again, they are awash with gasoline all day. What gives?)

More tomorrow.

Nearing defeat...

2009-06-11T14:52:00.000-04:00

Okay, so the bike is all put back together. Fuel tank hooked up, carbs sparkling, new plugs. Should fire right up, right?

WRoNG!!

I don't know what it could be at this point. I am ready to call a motorcycle mechanic to come over and help me out because I am at a complete loss.

I cranked the bike, used starter spray, used the choke, and nothing. It just cranks and cranks and cranks until the battery dies. I have it on a charger right now, but I can't imagine recharging your battery is doing it any favors (and certainly diminishing the life of it).

I'm thinking of just putting it away for a while and rethink things... I'm NOT tearing those damned carbs off again. If one more person tells me "Your carbs need cleaning" I am going to go crazy.

The only other thing I can think of is maybe the float level is off... would that affect the start? I don't know. Guess I'll have to do some more research.

I would like to ride it some time this summer. There is a guy I work with who works on small engines. Maybe he has an idea. Every time I see a bike roll past, I feel angst... and it makes me a little sad too.

The only suggestions I am getting from the majority of people on the xjbikes list is "clean your carbs".

Ready to hit it again...

2009-06-11T11:38:00.001-04:00

In just a few minutes, I am going out to the garage and put the bike back together.

A good thing to remember when you are reinstalling the carbs and throttle cable, make sure the intake hose clamps are not in your way (don't as me how I know that, x2) or else you will have to loosen the clamps again, move the carbs around, and reset. If you are finding that your throttle arm is stuck, or there is no free play when you twist the throttle, this is most likely the culprit.

I'll post some pics and commentary when I all finished.

Really getting frustrated

2009-06-10T22:51:00.000-04:00

Now I'm frustrated. I'm not sure what is going on with the bike, but it seems to be one thing after another. First it was the coils, then it was the carbs, then it was the carbs, now it's the carbs!!!

I'm nearing the point of just giving up. No matter what I do, I keep ending up back at the same place I started. I am currently installing the carbs for the third time after cleaning them again. I bought some shitty fuel line (though it was damned expensive) with a light blue coating on the inside. It's done nothing but flake away (leading to messed up carbs again and again.) Of course, I didn't know that was the problem at the time. Thanks a lot, Autozone. Way to go.

I had to stop the re-installation because it was getting to dark out to see. Tomorrow I'll be at it again. Of course, the burn on my hand isn't helping things either. HUGE blister on the palm of my right hand. Two of them, in fact.

I really hope this does it for the bike. I actually got it running this morning. Rode it up and bought some gas, but same issue (although to be honest, the pick up was scary fast) it started acting screwy and when Igot home, the bike wouldn't start again. Fouled plugs. I am going to turn the screws out to 4 and see what happens.

I really just want to ride. That's all. Is it too much to ask? Maybe I should talk with Tex from work. He fixes small engines. Maybe he'd have some ideas.

Argh!

2009-06-09T22:09:00.001-04:00

Man, I am such an idiot!

Okay, well, I didn't do it intentionally.

I've been struggling for the past couple of days trying to get the bike to run normally. You know, put the key in, turn it on, maybe a little choke, and vrooom! But no. I had to go and do something completely stupid it defies explanation.

The last time I took the carbs apart, I neglected to tighten the bolt that holds the emulsion tube in place. Not only that, but I also neglected to tighten it's neighbor on the adjacent post. So, when I pulled the carb bowl off, I found the 2 bolts and a copper washer just sitting in the bowl, doing nothing.

Oh yeah... because of this, I emptied my gas tank into my crank case, prompting an oil change. I'll need to pick up a new filter tomorrow. Luckily they are pretty cheap.

It is my hope that this is it for carb tear offs. I was able to replace that boot that was in bad shape. I'm awaiting my other set of boots that should be here in a couple of days, but I am not going to wait until they arrive to ride the bike. I'm half tempted to go out there tonight and finish it. But, best to wait til it's light out.

More tomorrow...

Killing me...

2009-06-07T20:01:00.000-04:00

I don't know if it's just my imagination or what, but there seems to be a lot of bikes on the road, more than in days past. Or, maybe it's because mine is still sitting in the garage awaiting the final screw and boot to make it road worthy.

Well, that and the carb tune, which REALLY needs to be done. That shoud arrive tomorrow (10days+ since I ordered it, and Morgan is known for their expediency in shipping those things.

Needless to say, the next week is going to be a busy one.

If:

* I get all parts and supplies for the bike, I could have it on the road by late Tuesday.
* I don't run into any problems getting it all tuned up. That valve clearance issue is starting to worry me...
* Should have checked float levels (may still do that) and bench synched the bike (not looking forward to pulling carbs off again, but will if I have to)

It's beautiful weather today, and is supposed to rain a lot in the coming week... which I suppose will give me ample time to get the bike up to throttle zipping standards.

Polished the side covers again. Very shiny.

Ran the bike for a bit. The plugs are still fouling pretty badly, but considering how far out of synch everything has to be, I guess I am not surprised. I have a new set of plugs ready to slap in, once I have everything in hand.

Ha! I won set of carb boots on ebay for about $20. About the same I paid for one carb boot from chacal. Of course, these are used, and it doesn't appear that there are any clamps that come with them. If nothing else, I can sell these on ebay myself.

Come on, Monday.

iT LiVeS!!

2009-06-05T21:19:00.001-04:00

Well, the bike is running, albeit without the pilot screw and the carbtuning. That's a necessity, and I think once that's done, I can start riding it all the time. I have to add all the little accessories to it (the chrome airbox covers, the trim pieces for the carbs) and then it'll be 100%.

I should be getting the carb tune any day now, and I haven't heard back from chacal regarding that pilot screw, so that may not be until late next week. I also ordered another boot because one of them was pretty hard.

You know, as I sat staring at the frame of my bike today, I thought, "There's no reason why I can't put the carbs back on." So I did just that. Of course, once I did that, I needed to put the tank back on. Things just kind of fell into place after that. I knew that starting it up would be rough, especially since the willy-nilly nature of the twisting of the screws. I'm going to do some more research tonight on float levels, maybe installing some louder horns, perhaps change out some lights. Little things. I think my days of tearing the bike down are over.

At least for this week.

FiNaLLY!!!

2009-06-04T22:01:00.001-04:00

Got it out!

Yes, that little brass bastard didn't stand a chance against a man determined and power tools.

However, it is unfortunate that I broke the screw and will now have to wait to get a replacement. But, that will allow me to do some other things to the bike I have been putting off.

When I arrived at DW's house, I was surprised to find an entertainment center, TV and nice stereo with surround sound speakers in his workshop! Very nice. He also has a pretty nice Maxim X with something like 5500 miles on the ticker. 5500 miles! A 1985! Absolutely awesome. It needs a little cosmetic work, but boy, when he fired it up (and it did fire up almost right away, after having sat for a couple days) it sounded fantastic. He installed some aftermarket horns that will certainly get someone's attention (it sure got mine. I think I peed myself).

We got started on the carbs pretty much right away. When it was determined that we weren't going to remove the carbs by brute strength alone (and we had shaved off what was left of the screw head) we decided to drill a small hole, per xjbikes great how to guide, and use a screw extractor to get it out. However, I didn't have a screw extractor, and neither did he. So, it was off to a hardware store we went. Luckily, they stocked the sizes we needed, allowing us to get right back to it.

We tried using a a regular drill, but the top of the screw was so mangled, we couldn't hit the exact center. We ended up using a drill press, which was exactly what was needed. Using a steady hand, DW drilled into the head.

It took a couple of whacks with the ball peen hammer, but we finally got the screw extractor seated, and slowly twisted the screw out. It was hard, no question about it. We used PB Blaster and 3-in-1 oil to finally get it out.

The other three weren't as difficult, but it was still fraught with peril. Nerve-wracking. I was afraid of breaking something beyond repair. But, it all worked out in the end.

I dripped some carb dip into those holes and let it sit a few minutes. I then blasted it with some carb cleaner, and compressed air to really get 'em clean

Tomorrow, I am going to replace the two good screws back into their respective holes, and hold off on the third because the top is a little mangled. Why set myself up for trouble later? Once I get those replacements, my Morgan should have arrived and I'll be able to do a proper tuning.

On another note, I had noticed before that something had dripped on one of the side covers, kind of eating into the plastic. I sanded it down nice and smooth and waxed it... and waxed it, and waxed it. I think there must be about 8 layers of wax on there. I'd like them to be like mirrors. The tank looks awesome. At some point, I am going to paint the engine cover. I really liked the way DW's X turned out, and he rattle canned it!

Thanks again DW. I couldn't have done it without your help.

Carb Redux

2009-06-04T09:04:00.000-04:00

So, new coils installed, battery fully charged, carbs recently cleaned. Boy, was I ready for a ride! I fired the bike up (first time since coil install) and blammo! Instant start! NO hesitation whatsoever! I took a short ride up to the gas station (since I had my tank hooked up as an auxilliary tank and the tubing came off, gas all over ((but not too much, thank goodness)) and acceleration was awesome! Response, handling, everything was looking good and I was ready to get back to cleaning and polishing.

Then, I shut it off at the gas station to fill up the tank. Restarting, once the tank was full, was difficult. I started to sweat a little, but it started and I drove it straight home.

At home, I shut the bike off and after that it wouldn't start. Plugs completely fouled up. Sooty black. So, it's running rich. Too rich. Maybe it could take some of that rich problem and translate it into cash and fill my wallet back up. Thank goodness I'm independently wealthy.

Oh, wait a minute. I'm not.

Anyhow, I called this local mechanic who "specialized" in vintage bikes and had him come over to take a look. He pulls in, and steps out of his car wearing sweat pants, a wife beater and flip flops. Weighed nearly more than my motorcycle. He looked it over and then said, "It's a problem with your carbs. I'll clean 'em up for you for a couple hunnert bucks." My jaw dropped. Of course, I sent him on his way (after paying him for his time, of course... a complete rip-off/waste of time/whatwasIthinking???) and took the carbs off the bike again.

Now, the second time around was much easier than the first. Loosened the clamps, pulled the boots back disconnected the throttle and associated linkage and set up a little table, (muffin tins!) The carbs were still clean on the inside, but I did find one little thing that is worrisome. One of the pilot jets under the diaphragm (I think that's what it is) had some little "bits" of debris stuck in the channel, although the brass fittings themselves seemed to be in good shape. There were a few that I was unable to remove, and the PO apparently tried to do the same because a couple of the brass fittings seemed a little mangled. Not sure if that is a bad thing... if what I found is any indication, then I honestly don't know.

You know, I have been corresponding with this fellow from Pinckney and he's agreed to help me extract my pilot screws (the lil bastards) and look over my carbs. It's amazing they type of people you meet that go out of their way to help a fellow biker out. So, a big thank you to you, DW.

I'll post a follow up tomorrow on our progress tonight.

What a day!

2009-06-03T07:14:00.000-04:00

Finally. I did it. I installed the fabled dyna coils on my XJ. It was a trial, to be sure.

Buying the right tools for the job was the first difficulty. I went to my local hometown big box retailer and bought angled aluminum (about 4' long, 1"x1"x1/8") for the brackets, as well as a hacksaw, some decent metal drilling bits, and a little "mini-hack" that was supposed to cut through metal like butter.

I also stopped in at Harbor Freight and picked up a heat gun (more on that in a minute), some bolts, a bench vise, some specialized screwdrivers and some other odds and ends. Note: Harbor Freight is truly a low end merchandiser. Most of their stuff comes from China (hence, my nickname "China Freight"). Unless you're buying bolts, tape, garden gloves or a carabiner, you're better off visiting your local hardware store (not that there are many small town hardware stores left).

I bought the heat gun with the intention of heating up the piece of aluminum I had on hand (a flat piece of door sill that should have worked, but didn't), and then bending it into the shape I wanted. Apparently the metallic properties of aluminum are such that you aren't allowed to do that. The metal cracked, then broke. Well, it was worth a try.

I removed the old coils from the bike. Actually very easy to do considering their placement on the XJ. Coil covers came off, coil wires removed from plugs and set aside. I had received instructions downloaded from the XJCD from a fellow in Pinckney that made the job much easier. Thanks, fella. He owns an X andd we have been corresponding back and forth on a variety of Yama-topics and plan to get together at some point and fine tune our bikes.

I placed the angled aluminum I had purchased in my new vise and got to work hacking away. 10 minutes later, I was halfway through. Butter?! More like angled aluminum! And I had 4 of these to make. I decided to use my trusty dremmel tool. Now that cut through like butter. Of course, I broke about 12 of the little cutting wheels, but all told, a very clean job when said and done. Hack sawing through them would have been ugly in many ways, not the least of which includes my daft handling of said tool.

When I had all 4 of the little brackets, I was pretty proud of myself. There is an old carpentry rule that should be followed to the letter: Measure twice, cut once. The pieces were all the right size, but figuring where to drill the holes was difficult. I only had 2 hands, and fitting everything together, holding it and making a mark on the metal proved to be very difficult. At first, I guesstimated. No matter how strongly you want to do it this way, I must advise against it. The holes are very particular in their placement, and if you willy-nilly start drilling holes, you'll end up making more brackets. In fact, you may want to just cut out 8 of the little brackets right at the beginning to save yourself hassles later. I ended up wasting 3 of them.

What I finally ended up doing was applying some black spray paint as a marking point on the coil mounting posts and holding the brackets, with new coils held in place, pressing the brackets up against the post. This gave me a good idea where to drill. Holes drilled, ViOLa! Success! I applied crush washers and bolts in place and mocked up the placement.

Of vital importance is filing down the burrs on the aluminum. I rounded off all corners, filed down the holes a bit to make them nice and smooth.

Once that was done, I cut off the old coil wires (shedding a tear as I did so... goodbye old coil. I knew you well) from both coils and set them aside. Following the instructions from the Dynacoil worksheet (definitely not layman's language) I crimped the coil wires. In retrospect, I should have used solder, but my gun was out of commision. I used the vise to to "crimp" the wires together and it worked beautifully. I had a crimping tool from my previous install, but it just wasn't doing the job. The trick here is to crimp tightly, but not so much that you damage the threads of the inner plug wire.

It's also important that those wires you just so painstakingly installed do not touch the conductive posts or brackets you just fabricated. Make sure you have enough clearance. This took some finagling on my part, but once done, looked something like this:

Make sure everything is nice and tight (but not too tight... no torque wrench needed, but if you ever need to remove these coils, no sense in making it difficult on yourself.)

Don't forget the grounding wire! I had everything installed, then noticed a tiny, almost invisible ring connector just hanging out, waiting to cause mischief. This would have haunted me for days, but it attaches on the bottom coil post.

One final word on installation. You might find it easier on yourself to mark the brackets with their location (TL for top left, BR for bottom right.) I had to take a bracket off, set it down amongst a few of my previous failures, then spent 15 minutes playing "Will the correct bracket please stand up" as I fit 3 different brackets with different holes in place, trying to make it work.

Finally, the end was in sight. I wired all the coils, measuring them for distance to the plugs then made the cut. (Be generous, you can always cut more later) I discarded the dyna coil plug caps. I preferred the stock caps that came with my bike. I cut these off, applied dielectric grease to the connect points, then screwed them on. Make sure your wires are seated deeply enough! And be sure to slide the coil rubber caps in place BEFORE you slip the end of the wire inside the coil. I don't know how difficult it would be to pull those wires out, but from what I've read, it would be nearly impossible. Once you've trimmed your opposite end of the wire, apply the connector, crimp and insert! Easy cheesy!

Or maybe not. The moment of truth had arrived. Triple checking all my connections, hoping for the best (but preparing for the worst) I turned the bike on. So far, so good. All lights lit up like they were supposed to. Giving it a bit of choke, I tenatively depressed the starter button. The bike turned over, but... what's that?! A backfire? Well, I had just recently cleaned the carbs. Let me give it another ... a hiss, a puff of white smoke and another backfire! CRaP!

Folks, this is what happens when you connect the wrong wires to the plugs. I had followed a diagram to the letter, triple checking the connections... however, my mistake was in installing the primary coil in the secondary coils spot, then wiring them. You can't do that! After a quick check with fellow members of the XJ owners group, I had indeed gotten my wires crossed Unfortunately, I couldn't just re-wire the coils to the plugs. That's right, I had to remove both brackets again, switch them to the opposite sides, and rewire.

Finally, success!! The bike fired right up! Sounds a bit choppy, but I know a carb tune is due. Once Morgan arrives...

All in all, I enjoyed doing this project. I have never been real handy, nor much of a mechanic, but in the last week, I have torn apart my carbs, re-wired my coils. Who knew? A true sense of fulfillment rests upon me.

Much like the aluminum dust and grease, dirt and accumulated grime only a 24 year old bike can share.

Success!

2009-06-01T11:29:00.000-04:00

The bike is running!

I hooked everything up, checked the spark plugs, and fired it up! It started fairly easily, but it's still running rich. Not much I can do about that until I get that carb tune done.

My hands are really sore. I know the next few days are going to be difficult, but I'll make it through.

The toughest part of this carb tear down was the reinstall. Those boots gave me lots of trouble getting the lips lined back up on the airbox correctly. I may have to replace one, but they are fairly inexpensive. Of bigger concern are those pilot screws. Getting those out is proving to be very difficult. I put a little PB blaster penetrating oil on them, I am goiong to go back out after this post and see if they will let loose. If they don't... well, I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.

I could tear these carbs down again, if I had to, and I know the second time wouldn't be as bad. Patience is definitely a virtue. Chacal from xj4ever has been a huge help. Plus, a great source for parts!

The dynacoil installation is going to be a lengthy process too, but I know I'll prevail. As hard as it is sometimes working on this bike, I am really enjoying myself.

Keeping my hands clean... well, that is hardest of all.

I jumped right in...

2009-05-31T20:36:00.000-04:00

Did the complete carb tear down today.

That's right. Tore those suckers out expecting to find something horrible, but it really wasn't that bad. Some of the parts were a little tarnished, but I cleaned things up and put it all back together.

The hardest part was the actual pulling out and putting in of the carbs. I'm still having a problem with the last boot, and I may have to end up ordering another one, but at least they are available.

I'm waiting patiently for that morgan carbtune and the dyna coils... looks like I won't be riding the bike anytime soon. But that's all right. Once the bike is actually running, it's going to be awesome!

More to come...

Fixed, sort of...

2009-05-31T00:17:00.000-04:00

Well, I sort of got it working. I finished my clunk test, reinstalled everything and the idle was back down to an acceptable 1050rpms... that is, until I took it out for a test ride. When I got back and shut it off, I tried starting it again, and it wouldn't turn over. I pulled one of the plugs and it was sooty as a chimney. I pulled all the plugs, cleaned them up and reinstalled them (I probably wouldn't recommend doing this, but no one had the BP8ES plugs I needed!) It started up again, only to foul the plugs horribly. Later in the day, I messed a bit with the pilot screws, but until I get the Morgan Carb tune and colortune, I am just guessing. My ear is not tuned enough to tell when it's running clean.

I did get my YICS tool today. I am thinking of maybe pulling the carbs off the bike and taking a good look at everything. The funny thing is, it was running pretty good until I started messing with it!

I also ordered the Dyna coils and wires for the bike. The PO cut one of the wires pretty short, which could explain why sometimes the bike has a hard time starting. Man, I am spending waaay too much on this bike. I am not going to spend any more though. I am tapped out.

I did fashion a temporary fuel source using some fuel line and the gas tank. Works pretty well.

Come on, Morgan!

May have messed something up...

2009-05-29T21:58:00.000-04:00

So, I drove the bike up to FTMS today, looking to get some new carb boots. The ones I bought from the guy online still fit the old style plugs and not the big resistor type plug I need. However, FTMS did not have them. So, I came back outside and hopped on the bike to ride home. It wouldn't start. I tried and tried and nearly drained the battery. It finally started, so I drove home.

When I got home, I pulled into the garage and decided, since the bike was running so terribly, I would take a look under the carbs. What mysteries would they hold? Well, honestly, they were in pretty good shape. I tore them all down and cleaned them as best I could. Put everything back together and when I fired it back up, the rpms hit about 7000. I quickly shut it off, started it up again and WHaMMO! 7000 rpms again! Finally, I took the tank back off, checked the linkage to the throttle to make sure it wasn't jammed up, and took one of the carbs apart again (to make sure it clunked via the clunk test).

I have 3 more to do tomorrow... it was just getting too dark tonight. I should probably pull them off completely and do a proper clean, but I need the experience.

I also ordered... DYNACOILS!! They should be here in a couple days, as well as my YICS tool. This bike is going to be running great!!

If I can get that carb thing fixed.

I'll post pics of the entire procedure. Apparently there are guys online that think you can't do it with dynacoils. I'll show them.

Tires, coils and polish, oh my!

2009-05-28T12:08:00.001-04:00

I checked my tire psi today and was shocked to see it at only 25psi for the front, and 29psi for the back. I corrected this. Could explain the cruddy gas mileage (as good an excuse as any). The bike fired right up this morning, (using the choke, of course) I let it warm up for a while. I'm liking this bike more and more every day.

I also checked the secondary resistance on my bike.

Coils 1&4: 13.78
Coils 2&3: 13.08-09

Well within acceptable limits (which happen to be 9.6-14.4ohms) I clipped off about a 1/4 inch from the end of my coil wires, applied dielectric grease and tightened them up. Looking good so far. Next I'm going to check primary resistance,, but will wait until I get the new plug caps. I'm just waiting for the arrival of the new caps (which, I was told, were shipped out on Tuesday). I'm not sure if that will have any effect, but at least I'll be able to put new plugs in. That resistor tip on the new plug doesn't fit my caps.

Hallelujah! My horns work! I tore down the handlebar assembly for the left hand controls, cleaned the moving parts again (with wd40 this time) and viola! The poor jeep-jeep sound now emanates from those stock horns. I wish it were louder, but at least they work. I just don't think they are going to get anyone's attention. I still need to adjust the little screw, but thank goodness they work.

One other issue that has come up (and I am sure it relates to the carbs) is the poor throttle response *sometimes* in first gear. It doesn't always happen, but sometimes when I am sitting at a stop light and the light turns green, I have to be careful that it doesn't stall out. Accelerating sometimes there is a hesitation. Again, once I sync my carbs, I am hoping this issue will work itself out. I posted a short video of the carbs and bike at idle.

Off to order my YICS tool.

Battery insight...

2009-05-27T22:28:00.000-04:00

So I followed a do it yourself list on how to see if your battery is any good. While I know it's a brand new battery, I wanted to see where, after a full charge and several days of use, I actually stood.

Apparently, on shaky ground. While off, the bike battery should ready 12.8 volts. Mine reads 11.82V That's less than 25% charged! Zoikes! So, right now, my battery is on a trickle charger, and there it shall remain until it charges to at least 12.8%.
Truth be told, I hooked it up to a regular battery charger and it charged 100% the day I got the new battery, or so I thought. (note to self: avoid Harbor Freight in the future)

Here are some other readings:
Off: 11.82v
Engine on, starter depressed, but not running: 9.8 (this is actually good)
Running at 2500rpms: 13.62-65 (should be 14.2-14.8)

I took this opportunity to dielectricize the electrical connections I could reach around the battery. Some of them were pretty corroded, yet everything works still. Go figure!

I'll be testing primary and secondary coils here soon to see if they are up to snuff. I also wrote the guy I bought spark plug caps from to see if they have shipped. I have to snip about a 1/2 inch from the current cables to the plugs and rethread them, at least until I buy the new coils.

The spiffing up of the engine is coming along nicely. I could actually see myself in the reflection.
I'll be doing a lot of things in the next couple of days. Changing the gear oil tomorrow, buying a new oil filter bolt, and more cleaning of course.

Cleaning cleaning...

2009-05-26T18:31:00.000-04:00

Got lots done on the bike today, including slowly rubbing away the gunk/varnish on the engine. I found that using a little handheld sander has made the job easier. Now, to just get into those little nooks and crannies.

Drove up to FTMS today to buy some things, including an oil filter, new spark plugs and a cleaning solvent that was supposed to work magic on the varnish. Nope. No rabbits here.

Oddly, the spark plugs on my bike are stock, but the caps aren't. Or the plugs aren't stock, and the caps are. BP8ES is the plug on my bike, but the top of the plug has a threaded contact, not the blunt resistor. My guess is, the caps were switched out for these. I just ordered a new set that should be here in a few days, then, it's switch up time. I also found a great deal on a gauge that tests compression, though I have no idea how to use it, yet. No pics today, perhaps tomorrow. I waxed the tank again, and the side covers and fenders, and man, are they shiny.

2009-05-24T22:28:00.000-04:00

Just a few more pics of the bike before that dreaded windscreen was removed. I'll be posting more tomorrow with updated pics, and extra shiny goodness.

Holy Hannah! I'm back!

2009-05-24T21:48:00.000-04:00

It's been a mighty long time. Here it is, ladies and gents, my 1985 Yamaha Maxim XJ700. It's not an X, but it's pretty darned close.

I bought this bike from a fellow in Frankenmuth, MI, home of Bronner's Christmas Store and a bunch of German folks. You can call 1-800-fun-town and learn all about it. (Seriously. 1-800-fun-town.) The bike was pretty dirty when I first went to see it, and it had a lot of similarities to the X. In fact, when he first posted the bike on Craigslist, I thought for sure it WAS an X! I jumped on it right away. A friend of mine drove me to Frankenberry so that I could drive the bike back home.

When I arrived, the bike was on a charger. Not the best image to be presented with, to be sure, but I thought, "Okay, a new battery, not a big deal." The bike obviously sat in his garage over the winter, and hadn't seen the clean side of a sponge in I don't know how long. And what the hell? A HD windscreen jerry-rigged to the handlebars! ON a Yamaha! The nerve!

On closer inspection, I noticed the 5Valve chrome covers were gone, there was no radiator, no temp gauge... hey! This isn't an X! Plus, the biggest giveaway of all... YICS. So, I resigned myself to pass on this little bike. The guy wanted $900 for it. He claimed that the bike was serviced every spring, the head gasket had recently been changed, and the carbs recently cleaned. I offered him $700. Where's the pride in ownership? Couldn't you have at least cleaned the dead bugs off the windscreen? He countered with $800 and I said, "Sold."

I took it for a quick test ride. I had to keep the bike running, because once off, the bike needed a jump to start again. Acceleration was whoooeeee! Brakes worked fine, all lights, yadda yadda... yes, TCLOCS was observed.

So, handing over my hard earned cash, I jumped on the bike (after attaching my bike plate) and rode off into the sunset. The bike had a full tank of gas (probably low octane, but I'll give him the benefit of the doubt). My back up driver pulled out, and I followed close behind. We had set up a complex system of hand signals (mainly, my waving like a madman if I needed him to pull over, as well as frantically switching my hi-lo beams in a random fashion) and he promised to monitor me closely.

We made it 72 miles before the old red-eye started glowing, so I waved to my friend, and we took the next exit. I knew I had to shut off the bike to open the tank, but my trusty friend was there with jumper cables to give me a boost. It took several attempts, but finally we were on the road again.

I made it home with little trouble, and by then, it was getting dark... but not so dark I couldn't ogle the bike for a while. I started cleaning it right away (picture above is post clean).

The engine is going to take a while to get shiny, as I am experimenting with the best solvents to use (a combo of low grit sandpaper, degreaser and rubbing compound) which is taking FoReVeR.
But, it's coming along nicely. The dirt has been removed, and the bike is almost to my standards of clean. Oh, I took that Harley Windscreen off and cleaned up the handlebars. If you're in the market for a used windscreen, check your local landfill. That's where HD accessories hastily rigged to a Yamaha belong.

The next day, I removed the air filter (looked like the original) and replaced it with a leftover from my X. The battery was bought, filled and installed, then tested. You'll be happy to know, the bike started pretty much right away. I cleaned out the dead bugs in the battery box... who knew it was an insect mauseleum? Wiped everything down so if the clean police show up and demand to check under my seat, I'll have nothing to worry about.

The bike came with the original Yamaha tool set! Yay! I used these to remove the spark plugs. They look a little lean, but nothing a carb tune can't fix. I plan to do that soon. Just as soon as I replace the caps and boots for the plugs. I think the resistance is high. I need a YICS tool. The plans to build one are on the net. I just need to download it and get to buildin'. I'm also ordering the newest XJCD set.

Here's a short video of the bike shortly after the battery installation. Adjusted the accelerator
so it's idling at 1050rpms (app.) More stuff to come.

Oh yeah. That damned windscreen is still attached. I removed it shortly after this video was taken.

Nice Ride

2007-10-15T07:11:00.000-04:00

If only the weather were more agreeable. The Maxim is running well, although I feel a spark plug change coming up soon. I think the gap might be off a bit, and since one center is broken, it's time to get new one's. Not much time left to ride, although I am going to stretch out the season as long as possible.

The paint on the tank is holding well, nothing marring it's surface as of yet. (knock on wood) Not much more to be done with the bike mechanically at this point, although I think a shim job might be in order next season. I am going to change the oil (possibly today) and change the plugs.

Good times.

Bike is running well...

2007-09-12T08:11:00.000-04:00

Well, I'm pretty happy with the bike at this point. Although I think it can still use a tune up with a colortune, it's running well. I think it's about time for an oil change. It's odd. Seems like only yesterday it was the beginning of the summer with all the time in the world to ride. Now it's the second week of September and time is running out.

Tuning the MadMaxim

2007-09-07T17:22:00.000-04:00

I received my carb tuner from z1 yesterday, the compact Sync Pro. Very similar in design to the Morgan Carb tune, however, they use a mysterious blue colored fluid as the level indicator, rather than smooth metal bolts as in the Morgan. As you can see from this pic, my bike, having been adequately warmed up, is showing a bit out of sync.

A few simple adjustments on the bike, and viola! Easy cheesey. But now for the real test. Taking it around the block, what a difference! Even having the bike a bit out of synch seriously affects performance. I could probably adjust the settings a bit more and have it perfectly aligned, but until I obtain a colortune, I think I'm happy with it's performance.

Calibration of the product is necessary before use is required, but it's simple. The instructions supplied can be a bit confusing (don't stuff all of the rubber vacuum caps into the bottom of the carb sync tool. You'll need one for the calibration tool, and they are a bee-eye-tee-see-hach to get back out once inserted.

One downside to the product is the rubber tubing holding the bluish colored fluid (puree'd smurf, I think) just sits in a channel, and tend to bow out a bit while in use. I'm sure a piece of tape would probably fix this issue, (or a bit of rubber cement) but I'll post about that later.

I'm pretty happy with the way things turned out, and for 84 bucks and some change, it's a nice tool.

Seafoam

2007-08-23T11:05:00.000-04:00

I had added a can of seafoam to my tank post re-paint with less than reserve in fuel. Big mistake. The bike ran horribly, and I am quite surprised I made it up to the gas station. Poor response overall, and it wasn't until after I had added midgrade to the tank that things started to get better. Slowly, throttle response increased, pick up "picked up" and the bike started running like a dream.

Once I had arrived at work, the bike was running like it should. The ride home was even better. I think the bike could benefit from a tune up, however, just to make sure that everything is as it should be.

Looking forward to some fine riding, now that all issues are taken care of... so far. :)

Painted

2007-08-21T22:52:00.000-04:00

Finally, the bike is done. I am giving it a couple of days to cure before I really start riding it, but I have to say, it looks pretty awesome. The dents in the tank, while not 100% invisible, are definitely better than that mutilated mess that was on there. I was going to paint it just glossy black, but decided to go with the two-tone again. It looks sharp. I am going to get in the habit of not overfilling the tank, bringing a rag with me just in case, and being extra careful at the pump.

Now, the bike is 99% complete. I just need to get the horns working and give it a good going over with a cleaning rag, wax the tank about 10 more times, and shine it up. I have an issue with the tank sticking to the seat where the 2 connect. I'm not sure what's to be done about that. I've cleaned the seat, made sure it was dry before reapplying it, and even added a thin coat of lubricant to put some sort of spacing between the 2. Nothing works. Well, if the tank gets ruined again, that's it for this year. With the bike running so well (took it for a short spin again today, but the weather has been sucking big time) I don't want it off the road for that long again.

Seafoam is in the tank. I am going to buy one of those carb tuners from z1 and hook it up, although the bike seems to be running excellently. I'm going to ride it to work tomorrow...

Need to fill the tank... *gulp*

Coil project

2007-08-19T23:31:00.000-04:00

Well, I went ahead and did it myself. Installed the coils! A few snaggles here and there, but overall the procedure went surprisingly well. I'd say it took me about 3 hours all told to get them the old coils off, the new coils configured with the wiring and then installed. I accidentally mis-wired a couple of coils, but once I figured out the problem, it ran like gangbusters! I didn't get to ride it far, basically around the block, but it gave me a pretty good idea what I'm in for, speed. :)

I still need to do a seafoam treatment, put the horns back on, and re-paint my gas tank... yes, again. Gas leaked out during the coil installation and ruined the paint job on the tank. I'm hoping I can get that done tomorrow... or Tuesday, if it's nice.

I'll definitely be posting pics.

New coil, ready to roll

2007-08-16T16:57:00.000-04:00

I received the good coil in the mail yesterday, and am ready to get the darned thing installed. Question is, do I try it myself? Or wait and take a road trip to Canada? I'm thinking of just waiting, especially since I really don't know what I'm doing, and I could use a nice road trip. I plan on going in September. I think if I did do it myself, the bike would be off the road for a while. I'm afraid that once I got started, it might become to technically difficult... bla bla bla... I should just do it and get it over with. :)

April? That was my last post? Crikey!

2007-08-13T08:54:00.000-04:00

Well, a lot has happened since my last post. I'm a nurse! Passed the NCLEX with 118 questions. Working in the ER here in Lansing, and that is a bit trying at times. But, I love it.

And the money is great too.

The bike is doing pretty well. I repainted the MaximX an iridescent blue/red, which truthfully looks more purple, but it is a nice effect. The side covers look awesome, but that tank, that gasoline... same old story. I called a guy who does bike repainting and he said it would be about $600 if I took the tank, fenders and side covers off myself and stripped them, prepping them for paint. That's a lot of cash. I'll just keep doing it myself. Sooner or later I'll get the mix right.

I'm thinking of just going glossy black with the whole thing. I bought this paint that is gas and oil resistant. In truth, it is an engine paint, but it looks great on the fenders, so I'm hoping the same will be said for the tank. I also have some small repairs to make on the tank itself (nothing a little bondo won't cure) before it's perfect.

I've been riding quite a bit. I had planned to go to Canada this past weekend to have the dyna coils I bought installed at Hap's place, but low and behold, one of them, after testing, was found to be completely dead! Good thing I tested first before going. That wold have been a major screw up of mythic proportions. I ordered a new one to replace the damaged one and it only set me back about $60.00. I'm planning on going to Canada at the end of August. I'll be sure to get lots of pics. By then I also hope to have the bike repainted (the tank, at least).

The Kawasaki is also running well, if not a bit hot. I don't know if that's normal for this bike or not, but things seem to be working well, even though I don't think Dan is ever going to ride it. I just don't think it's his bag. That's all right, of course. Just one more bike for me to ride.

I'll be posting a bit more soon. With pics.

It's been such a long time...

2007-04-29T08:06:00.000-04:00

I realize it's been a while, but things are cooking here, both in the motorcycle world and real life. I'm almost done with school, only 2 more weeks. Most of the hard stuff is out of the way; all that remains is minor stuff. Then the NCLEX, of course.

As far as the bikes go, now that the weather has shaped up, I've been riding them quite a bit. I was finally able to take the Vulcan out for a serious ride on the highway. Wow. For a 500, it really has some get up and go. In fact, when I pulled off the highway, the engine was racing, and needed some readjustment when I got it back home. (Idle adjustment, that is). I'm proud of the fact that I got this bike running so well, now it's a matter of cosmetic issues, things that I will pick away at as I'm able.

I'm not sure what happened to the Maxim X. It's been running great lately. Whenever I pull the plugs, they are a nice color (tan) though occasionally, one is a bit darker than the others. It rides well, great acceleration and pick up. Lately, I haven't had to use starter spray to get it running, which is a plus. Pulling the seat off isn't that tough, but it can be a pain when you just want to get riding (after safety checks, that is).

The Vulcan's tire pressure was pretty low, which could explain the some of the sluggishness I was experiencing. I filled them up, although soon they are going to have to be changed. Still need a front tire for the maxim too.

It's always something, isn't it?

I don't want Dan riding the Vulcan until I have it 100%, although I am getting very close to that point now. I have a few more things to adjust (like figuring out why the speedo isn't working) and the turn signals. Other than that, it's running great!

More soon...

Plugs

2007-03-13T07:00:00.000-04:00

I played quite a bit with the bikes yesterday, including the Kawasaki. I think I have the throttle issues taken care of, but it's going to take a bit more tweaking. The vulcan (I have nicknamed Spock) is poorly lacking in power, and I don't know if it's something I've done or if that's just the way it's supposed to run. Of course, I'm comparing it to the Maxim which has a 700cc displacement, where the vulcan only has 500. I need to get together with someone that knows.

The plugs on the Maxim are getting me all twitterpated. Three of the plugs (from # 2, 3, and 4) were very lean... almost white. Plug #1 was covered in soot... the carbon kind. Not sure why that is, and why sometimes all the plugs are fouled. I'll keep working on it though.

Supposed to be beautiful weather today, highs in the 50's. Sounds like a good day for a ride. Of course, any day sounds like a good day for a ride. :)

I do have to buy another iridium plug to replace the one that got damaged when I tried adjusting the gap. WARNING! Don't use a gapper on those plugs. The iridium points are much too fragile. Instead, use a pair of needlenose pliers to adjust the metal overhang.

The Maxim X Ride

2007-03-11T04:24:00.000-04:00

I've taken the plugs out of the bike, cleaned them thouroughly and placed them carefully back in their respective slots. I noticed that the plugs are still fouling a bit, but until I get someone who knows what they are doing, that's just something I am going to have to put up with.

The bike took off like an absolute rocket. Scary, even. I also recently purchased a set of dyna coils to put on the Maxim X in hopes of fixing the poor starting issues I have been having. Tomorrow, I am going to pull the tank, pull the plugs and take a look to see if there is any carbon buildup on the points. I hope not. I pulled one plug today and it was that lovely cinnamon color that it's supposed to be, but I have a feeling the rest of the plugs are not as well colored. The bike is acting a little funny, so I know it's running rich. Either that or the carbs need adjusting, as in air fuel mixture.

It was fun taking the bike out for a run. I took it to work today, and it started up pretty well after sitting all day. The pick up on it is a lot of fun.

Do I really want to sell it?

Kawabunga!

2007-02-04T12:26:00.000-05:00

Well, here it is, Dan's bike. It's a 1992 Kawasaki Vulcan 500AE, a decent little scooter with a bit of pick-up to get you where you want to go. I've been working on this bike on and off next to the Maxim in the small garage, but it has been really cold lately. It's still very much a work in progress, but it's slowly getting there. Here's what I've done so far:

Replaced the wiring harness
Replaced the petcock (or fuel tap)
new plugs
new oil
new air filter element
disassembled the carbs 2x
cleaned carbs
cleaned from top to bottom
new turn signal relay module
scratched up the gas tank pretty good...

Yeah, that last thing was unintentional. I was working on the carbs when the stand I had the tank leaning against slipped and the tank tumbled to the ground, scratching up the shiny side. Just like toat, it always lands on the side you're hoping it won't.

I'd love to test ride the bike, but the snow just keeps coming down. I have a feeling I am going to pull the carbs one more time because I think an o-ring is missing from the carbs (since it's laying on my table). I guessed on the number of turns the pilot screw went in anyway, so I know there will be more adjustment. I'll post some pics of that when I get to it... or as soon as the weather is a bit more temperature friendly.

Documentation fee's?

2007-01-11T04:17:00.000-05:00

So I call this local dealer selling the bike and lo and behold, the $600 bike is now $730.00. They claim documentation fee's and tax. ??? I can understand the tax ($45.00 app.), but documentation fee? Sounds like a way to increase the profit on the bike. They are selling it title only... I don't know what I am going to do now. I want it, but not really sure I want to pay that much. To get the bike delivered, the only way possible for me to get it home, will cost an additional $50.00.

Hmm.. what to do.