HELP!!! I broke it!!! Won't start. Warning LONG!!!

All I have left to to is...............static time and put the tank back on. :) It's raining here in my part of NC and I don't run the bikes in the shop (it's in the basement) BUT......if there's a break in the rain, I'll roll it out and give it a try this afternoon after work. :bike:

Fingers crossed in NC........Gordon
 
Hi Guys,

I was watching from the shadows---the real story here is that the poor XS is ready and willing to go, but the way things are, it is allergic to rain. Yep. Turns the poor thing into a Jawa, and it rolls slowly off, muttering in some Eastern European accent and trying to figure out how in the world a two-stroke got new valves......

At this point, most are never seen again, and only heard in the distance, ringing and dinging in the finest tradition of strokers, and smoking up the countryside.

It's tragic.

:eek:

Fine! I may have stretched the truth a teensie bit.....Gordon builds beautiful bikes, and I bet by the time I get this sorted and posted, the XS will be rumbling and roaring and bounding happily about the local environs. Sportsters all over NC are even now quivering in their lairs.....

(Good luck on the fire-up, Gordon---although luck is something made redundant by skill!)

:thumbsup:
 
Barb wrote "<snip> but the way things are, it is allergic to rain. Yep. Turns the poor thing into a Jawa, and it rolls slowly off, muttering in some Eastern European accent and trying to figure out how in the world a two-stroke got new valves......"


Okay hun.....everybody like a little ass..:)..but nobody likes a smart ass :laugh: :D :laugh:

It's rained for DAYS here and the ground is soaked...for me to get from the shop (in my basement) to the driveway and garage...is next to impossible. I'll just have to wait until it drys out a little. I could just push the bike outside ( I don't run them in the shop) and give it a try....but I KNOW I'll want to ride it :bike:

Here it is again....back together and ready to go. This view is for Fred.....to show him some of the shop clutter. :)



Looking at the forcast....I stand a chance Saturday morning of getting the bike out and up the grade to the driveway....IF and when I do.....a report will follow.

Take care.....Gordon in NC

1975 XS650B....ready and waiting
1975 XS650B pile-o-parts.....stuck pistons still soaking
and a few BSA unit singles
 
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Hi Guys,

Nice, huh? And note all the "clutter"--especially on the work bench behind the XS. Nice frame for another BSA unit single, unless my old eyes betray me....(and they don't....I've built one or two of those myself).

Beautiful job, Gordon. But what's that "Confederate Gray" on the front fender? Oh, right--protective coating. I forgot for a sec....

And btw, that is "intelligent rectum".....:wink2: "Wise ass" is so......mundane. *shakes curls, stamps foot*

Banter aside, she really is a nice bike, and I bet she sounds great!
 
Beautiful bike Gordon. I've got one that looks just like that. :)

I like riding the '75 - it just feels right compared to the others I have ridden. Hope the rain gives you a break soon.

bruce
 
- - - btw, that is "intelligent rectum".....:wink2: "Wise ass" is so......mundane. *shakes curls, stamps foot* - - -

Hi Barb,
us spelling Nazis would insist that an intelligent rectum would be a wise sphincter and that a clever buttock would be a smart arse.
A wise ass is of course a clever donkey.
And that workshop isn't cluttered at all, you can still see the floor fer Chrissake!
 
Yes, plenty of floor space, room for several more bikes, lol. Love all the shelving, it's a "must have" in any shop or garage. I'm amazed at the garages I go to for helping guys with their bikes and they have no shelves, not a one.
 
5twins,

Yes, shelves are important. I installed a bunch of shelves a couple of years ago. Gathered up a bunch of stuff, put them in boxes, put them on the shelves. That was two years ago. That stuff hasn't moved. :doh: You know how it is. It's all good stuff. Parts and parts and parts. Some of them brand new, but there they sit, so now my three work benches are completely covered because I don't have any free shelf space. :banghead:

Years ago I had a system. I put stuff into boxes, sealed the boxes and dated them. If the box wasn't opened again by the next year, I just threw them away, without even looking at what was in the boxes. That worked. Somehow I have weakened since then. :shrug:

Like, now I have four brand new speedo cables that are supposed to fit a CB750, but when I got the first one, it was the wrong one, so I got back to the seller. He said never mind returning it, he would just send me the correct one. The next one was different than the first, but still the wrong part, so we did this back and forth two more times and I never got the correct cable, but because the ones he sent me have the correct part number but are just the wrong part, I do not know what bike they belong to, but I can't bring myself to throw them away. How can you throw brand new parts away? Huh?? :banghead:
 
Never throw parts away Pete. Sure as shit you will need them if you do, lol.
 
...Years ago I had a system. I put stuff into boxes, sealed the boxes and dated them. If the box wasn't opened again by the next year, I just threw them away, without even looking at what was in the boxes...

Oh, crap! My heart stopped on that one!

I have boxes with stuff dating back to 1929.

I'd need a frontal lobotomy (or a bottle in front of me) to pull that off...
 
Well boys I have to confess, I am a bit of a "shelf junkie". I do throw stuff away....but not very often and it has to be REALLY wasted before I do.









Okay that's enough time wasted on my sickness......:laugh: back on topic.

It DIDN'T rain all day yesterday but I had to work late and was beat when I got home. This morning I had to go back into work to turn on some lights for the owner....then back home. I took the "low" road and pushed the bike out of the shop and around to the driveway. BUT.....here in NC you are either hauling/cutting/spliting fire wood OR cutting grass. Since it's been raining the past few days I'd let the grass go so I needed to at "least" get the front done before I tried the bike.

Now lets back up a bit....I got the bike and woke it up from a long sleep....you know...carbs, front brakes, fluids and filters, ect....and it started and ran. But I "think" what happened is that some of the junk around the valves finally came loose and lodged on the valve seats and I ended up with no compression at all....and the bike would not start.

Time to go into the top end and while I was at it update the ignition. So....new plugs, HT leads, coils, condensor, and points. Two bent valves replaced ( I think I bent them messing with the timing) and seats cleaned up. New valve stem seals, cam seals and o-rings. Deglazed cylinders and new rings. All new gaskets where needed.

Got the front yard mowed....gota finish the back yard right after I finish this. Pushed the bike out of the garage, turned both petcocks on, turned the key and kill switch on , choked it.....and gave it a kick. Nothing......kicked it again.....nothing...one more time and nothing. I've been around vintage bikes long enough to know....if all's right...it SHOULD start with one kick. Damnit..........:(.......then I smelled it.....gas??????????????
Quick look under the bike and one of the carbs was over flowing....:yikes:. Turned both petcocks off and found something to tap (flame suit on) them with. Turned one on at a time to see which one it was....well, which ever one it was cleared and sealed itself because no more overflow. Key back on, kill switch on, both petcocks on and choke back on....to hell with the kick starter....I pushed the button and it came alive!!!!!!!!!!!! YEE HAW!!!!! (damn that's going to spoil me)

Took it out for a wee bit and back to the garage to check the timing with the light...had to adjust both sets of points but it's spot on now.

No leaks (so far, fingers crossed) No smoke, those cheapo rings ( made in Japan :) ) 5twins mentioned in another thread, bedded in right off the bat!!!!! sweet.

Now I'm letting it cool and as soon as I finish mowing the back yard then go for another short ride. Once it cools off again.....I'll do a re-torque.

I've said it before and I'll say it again....I am NO mechanic, never have been, never will be. I'm ALWAYS amazed when something I've worked on actually runs :). I figure if I can do it......pretty much anybody can.

Thanks for all the help.....it meant more than you'll ever know.

Gordon in NC

1975 XS650B it's a runner again
1975 XS650B pile-o-parts
and a few BSA unit singles
 
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Now the real fun can begin, lol. Not that rebuilding a topend isn't fun, don't get me wrong. As you rack up the miles, I think you're really going to fall in love with the XS. It's just a great all-around bike, a real motorcycle. You'll appreciate the extra HP compared to your singles but still in a small easy to manage package.

A few more tips - your rear tire appears over-sized, probably a 120 or 4.50. When you wear it out, switch back to the stock size, a 4.00 or 110. The bike will steer easier and handle better. Put some Euro bend handlebars on it. They will transform the feel of the bike and are very comfortable. They also give a very nice integrated look to the whole machine .....



I'm also a big fan of fork gaiters. Besides the vintage look, they protect the fork tubes and seals. Inexpensive truck shock boots are easily adapted and very durable, no need for the expensive motorcycle specific ones. I've had these on for nearly 10 years and they show no signs of deteriation .....

ForkGaiters.jpg
 
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Thanks for the kind words fellows. 5twins, yea the tires need replacing and that's next on the list right after a windscreen.

My plan is......the spokes on my parts bike's wheels were shot so I cut them off. I'm going to clean and polish those rims and hubs..re-spoke them with new spokes and add new bearings, and tires. Then when I wear out the ones on the bike now...I'll just swap them out. The wheels/tires/hubs on it now still have PLENTY of grey primer on them and it's just to hard to get to.

I like the look of your Euro bars.....I'll think that one over.

I got a bunch of bikes with gaitors and only two without....I might keep it that way.

Now I'm wondering how much it'd take to get the parts bike back rolling???? :laugh: I'm in the process of building an engine stand and once I do....I'm going inside the parts bike's engine to see what it's like in there.

Yep....it's only the begining :laugh: :bike: :laugh:

Take care fellows.......Gordon in NC

1975 XS650B runner
1975 XS650B pile-o-parts.....hmmmmmm wonder what it's take to get it running????
and a few BSA unit singles
 
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Yes, plenty of floor space, room for several more bikes, lol. Love all the shelving, it's a "must have" in any shop or garage. I'm amazed at the garages I go to for helping guys with their bikes and they have no shelves, not a one.

Hi 5twins,
thing about shelves is; they are junk magnets.
Got tired of tinbashing when I bashed my thumb so I used some leftover rackmount and scrap boards to put up another 12 feet of shelving.
And the shelving immediately filled itself up with stuff.
At least the garage floor tripping hazards are less.
 
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