What have you done to your XS today?

First wash day of the year. Brrrrrrrrrrring!

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Got off work at 4:30,ran up to cycleworld,our main Yamaha dealer ,bought a front tire! Came home ate a bbq sandwich and put it on within an hour! Packed everything with grease before reassembled back on bike! Started a clutch adjustment and repacking worm gear,ball bearing, and push rods with grease,will finish in morning! Think I need to reroute my clutch cable ,just put a new one in and not quite happy with how I have it running down between the carbs! I also sprayed rubber inside my headlight,speedometer,and tachometer bases to prevent rust!
 
Wulfbyte, I just repositioned my clutch cable about 10 minutes ago so it looked nicer. The result was the clutch went from easy to hard yet the extra bend in the cable was not tight. So back it went to the old position. Check the clutch pull before repositioning and again after just in case...
 
Wulfbyte, I just repositioned my clutch cable about 10 minutes ago so it looked nicer. The result was the clutch went from easy to hard yet the extra bend in the cable was not tight. So back it went to the old position. Check the clutch pull before repositioning and again after just in case...

Yup - I concur with Paul. The manual says that the clutch cable should run down between the carbs and that is where is seems to work best (even though it is pretty crowded in there).

Pete
 
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Wired in a relay for 12VDC to the stock coils, still on points.....hope it improves spark a little bit at least.
Try Dyna coils. With the Iridium plugs you get great spark and plugs last for years! They are a bit larger than OEM coils but will fit under the tank after a few clearance dents are applied to the tunnel portion of the tank. A BIG ball-pein hammer is the "special tool" of choice for that mod!!
 
Well, Lucille’s spring refit continues...today I:
  1. Installed a shiny new side-stand spring (photo below) and so now her stand doesn’t flop around like an old man’s....(well, obviously, present company excepted on that score);
  2. Re-torqued the head (that torque wrench was a-clickin’ but it wasn’t turnin’);
  3. Checked the timing chain tension (small adjustment required);
  4. Checked the valve clearances (all within spec - love those elephant’s feet adjusters);
  5. Checked the drive chain tension (minor adjustment);
  6. Checked the clutch adjustment (all good);
  7. Checked the air in the tires (all good, but the rear is getting to be pretty bald);
  8. Fixed the two burnt out tachometer bulbs (replaced with LEDs as recommended by our own DanielBlack);
  9. Greased the swing arm (a couple of squirts and all was well);
  10. General clean-up (Lucille always seems to be a bit....grubby. I think she sneaks out at night for a little extra action).
I didn’t get to the forking around tasks because it occurred to me that when I replaced the fork seals last year, the RH one started leaking almost immediately and that suggested to me that she may need new fork bushings.

At the time I did the seals, I replaced the fork tubes and so they are now smooth and measure well.

Any thoughts on fork bushings folks?

Also - any advice on rear tires? The front seems OK but I may spring for a full set of new skins. All advice welcome.

Tomorrow, I’m heading out at 7:45 AM with some vintage bike lads to the picturesque town of Erieau down on Lake Erie for breakfast @ 9:00 AM. After that, we’re all headed to lovely Sarnia ON for the CVMG Vintage & Fries [no relation] Under the Bridge event.
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Lakeview will join-up with us at Erieau and so perhaps we’ll do a post in the Just Ride thread.

Pete
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Wulfbyte, I just repositioned my clutch cable about 10 minutes ago so it looked nicer. The result was the clutch went from easy to hard yet the extra bend in the cable was not tight. So back it went to the old position. Check the clutch pull before repositioning and again after just in case...
Yep had to reroute it just a bit ,had it binding up in the spot I had it just had to reposition it just a bit! I was getting some clutch slippage I didn’t before the new cable and the shifting of gears seemed a little funky! Took it out to the beach this afternoon and everything seems to be working properly! No slippage and gears just fell into place! The ol’ xs was happily growling and a howling,and turning heads riding down the strip! Beach was packed and it was good to see a lot of riders out!
 
Well, Lucille’s spring refit continues...today I:
  1. Installed a shiny new side-stand spring (photo below) and so now her stand doesn’t flop around like an old man’s....(well, obviously, present company excepted on that score);
  2. Re-torqued the head (that torque wrench was a-clickin’ but it wasn’t turnin’);
  3. Checked the timing chain tension (small adjustment required);
  4. Checked the valve clearances (all within spec - love those elephant’s feet adjusters);
  5. Checked the drive chain tension (minor adjustment);
  6. Checked the clutch adjustment (all good);
  7. Checked the air in the tires (all good, but the rear is getting to be pretty bald);
  8. Fixed the two burnt out tachometer bulbs (replaced with LEDs as recommended by our own DanielBlack);
  9. Greased the swing arm (a couple of squirts and all was well);
  10. General clean-up (Lucille always seems to be a bit....grubby. I think she sneaks out at night for a little extra action).
I didn’t get to the forking around tasks because it occurred to me that when I replaced the fork seals last year, the RH one started leaking almost immediately and that suggested to me that she may need new fork bushings.

At the time I did the seals, I replaced the fork tubes and so they are now smooth and measure well.

Any thoughts on fork bushings folks?

Also - any advice on rear tires? The front seems OK but I may spring for a full set of new skins. All advice welcome.

Tomorrow, I’m heading out at 7:45 AM with some vintage bike lads to the picturesque town of Erieau down on Lake Erie for breakfast @ 9:00 AM. After that, we’re all headed to lovely Sarnia ON for the CVMG Vintage & Fries [no relation] Under the Bridge event.
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Lakeview will join-up with us at Erieau and so perhaps we’ll do a post in the Just Ride thread.

Pete
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Nice Pete! I hope you enjoy the rally tomorrow! Re: tires, Daniel B. and Gary and my 77D. Are all running Michelin Pilot Active tires, they have a nice modern tread design and they handle really nice.
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Nice Pete! I hope you enjoy the rally tomorrow! Re: tires, Daniel B. and Gary and my 77D. Are all running Michelin Pilot Active tires, they have a nice modern tread design and they handle really nice.
It would be beneficial to other members to have size comparisons on the Michelins.
I personally am holding off on ordering tires until I gather more info.
Front, 3.25×19 or maybe 100/90-19?
Rear, 4.0×18 or then there are the metrics.
110/90-18, 120/90-18?
I am favoring 3.25x19 front & 4.0x18 rear so far ? I am really interested in "inflated" measurements.
Thanks -RT
 
Or you could put a set of hipster knobbys and brown grips on there! :D
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I’m def a fan of brown grips :D.
Yup - I concur with Paul. The manual says that the clutch cable should run down between the carbs and that is where is seems to work best (even though it is pretty crowded in there).

Pete
I finally got around to getting my LH cover off, and re-routed my clutch cable properly through the middle of the carbs. While I had it off I polished the case and re tightened the front sprocket which was loose from the last time I tightened it since I installed the nut on backwards.
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I also zip tied some of the wires and cables together nice which I should have done in the first place. Now the RH case needs polished.
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My chain is waaaay too loose. It’s hanging and the wheel is as far back in the adjusters as it will go. I’m thinking I can get away with just cutting one more link out of the chain before having to throw down for another. This one only lasted about 4 thousand miles. I never used my new sprockets, so I think when I do buy another, I’m going to get a good quality O ring or X ring chain.
 
I just picked up stock SR500 handlebars.
These seem to be just a little lower than Stock XS Standard bars. They were hard to find and Im anxious to fit test em.
Now I have 3 SR500 rotors, extra SR500 front caliper too.
Extra stuff for now as my double disc bolt on of Yamaha components inventory is improving.
Still able to find used parts for cheap but it is getting difficult ! The hunt is fun as well as meeting other Yamaha fans.
SR500 guy was one of us still at all this.
-RT
 
Well, I actually started my XS for the first time since 2012........New "Commando" mufflers (the earlier good type with a M10 cap screw in the center of the baffle), 1 1/2" single wall pipes, Mikuni RS/TM 34 linked pumper flatslides with oval tapered K&N filters. Started third kick :) and now it sounds FANTASTIC! A few more bits and bobs to sort out, and we are on the road!
 
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