Thunder Bay to BC (Canada) and back 75XS

Wow ,
What a project,what a trip ! You are a true adventurer, a person that lives off the thrill of exploring. I am so envious -for many of us dreams are just dreams.
Wishing you "only the best" making your dream come true on your budget bike !

Thank you for all the encouragement I’m 34 and furloughed so I though, when will I ever have time to do a bucket list trip again.

Day 5

Medicine Hat to Fernie BC

Woke up with the sun in Medicine Hat And put the bike back together with the repaired boot and extra wire holding the carb into the holder. I was treated to the 9th green at 9 treatment when the sprinklers came on soaking my tent! The bike fired up cold so I loaded my stuff on and pulled out of the campground as quietly as possible up to the top of the hill. I figured I would tune up the carbs and make it run a little better. Well it wouldn’t start again. I was pretty defeated. It was getting hot already and I was pretty much out of ideas. I had gone as far as checking the valves etc. I checked spark and it looked a bit weak. In desperation I threw some fresh plugs in and the bike fired immediately. I was overjoyed! Also I was a little annoyed I didn’t try that earlier! I guess the plugs got that hot. I mean the wiring loom for the neutral switch was melted to the cases. And the previous day I could see my tracks in the pavement! I had been thinking about who I was going to call to pick me up in Medicine Hat. Anyways off I went to buy four new plugs and some gas and away I went!



I Headed towards Lethbridge and the bike ran great. Stopped there for gas and brunch. It was an exciting day as I started to hit the foothills and could see the mountains in the distance. I took a lot of pictures today!


Headed up the Crowsnest pass stopping at some historical sites - The hilldale mine cemetery and Frank slide where a mountain fell burying an entire valley and the town of Frank in rubble.

I got some more gas and headed up through the pass. This was the first real hills I tested the gearing and power out on. It is acceptable but definitely not awe inspiring. I think it was the best compromise for all the prairie riding I had to do. I crossed the BC border and pulled into the town of Sparwood a mining town which has the worlds largest tandem dump truck.


Left there and Rolled the bike over 16k. As I pulled into Fernie I was stopped in construction and there was a brewery on the highway. I stopped and strapped a 6 pack to the top of the load and headed to the provincial park. Celebrated making the border with a beer and a swim in the ice cold water. Next few days I took it pretty easy enjoying the ride!

Wow - I'm so stoked you've had a good day. After fitting the new plugs, that is. Sounds like your road trip on Day 5 is more like you imagined/hoped it would be!

Raymondo said:

Wow - I'm so stoked you've had a good day. After fitting the new plugs, that is. Sounds like your road trip on Day 5 is more like you imagined/hoped it would be!

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Been watching your journey that old 75's giving you a little grief but its 45 years old
In 2018 / 2019 I took my 75 out to Yellowstone and some of the mountains passes out there, each year I managed to limp it back to MN just didn't run my headlights much
I only had my charging system give me grief both years and had to buy a new battery while I was on the road
Your right about just going for it
If you get the chance just go for it
I'm impressed !!!

Excellent update! Thanks for the nice photos too. That sure is some beautiful country. Keep it up!

Way to go!
Your trip kiinda reminds me of a spring break trip on a 71 XS1B about 45 years ago, spent a lot of time the first day on the side of the road fixing stuff that fell off from the vibration, then with that out of it's system it performed perfectly for the rest of the trip. Hope it turns out that way for you!

Well done Sherpa - you're doing great! I love the pictures - what a place eh?

I have found the same thing - bike gets harder and harder to start - chuck in some new plugs and away she goes. The stock coils aren't too strong it seems and the plugs wear out much more rapidly that one might expect.

Now - about the "vibration" you mentioned Gary - what vibration I ask?? hehehe

Pete

Well I made it to my destination Seymour Arm at 3200km. Last 40k was gravel again. I did a little maintenance and then drove another probably 300km with no troubles. Today I went to a friends house about 5 km. Bike ran good pulled out of his place onto the highway and accelerated to about 60 and the left cylinder went dead. Pulled over and Bike had a bent electrode and no compression. Got it to a buddy’s and had zero Exhaust valve clearance. Pulled the engine and head And the valve is completely pooched. Valve is straight so didn’t tag the piston. Some shrapnel hit the piston top but the jug is still good. The bike ran good on one cylinder still. I’ve ordered a new valve and head gasket. I’m planning to either take this head to the machine shop and get it fixed up. Or optionally I have a basically unknown junkyard 79 motor that did run 10 years ago. I could swap all my gear onto the other motor and try it out. Ideas advice, cause ?

Not an expert and ain't seen this problem before but looks like your exhaust valve just broke. Snapped like a broken tooth. Metal fatigue?

Real shame it happened when you're so far from home.

I would try the spare complete motor swap, especially if it is reasonably clean around the seals and head.

Wow, I was just thinking about your trip and read the latest update. How many of us would attempt this trip in the first place and then get into a full tear down and rebuild so far from home! Fortunately you have the skills to do the work and lucky you were near a friends place when this happened. Two to you and hopefully you’ll be on your way back home soon.

I’ve never seen a valve like that before but agree that it’s most likely metal fatigue.

if the bottom end of the engine is solid I might try to salvage the head. The machine shop should be able to check it out for you. Maybe you should be swapping out the other exhaust valve as well? Maybe not necessary but I’d be concerned the other valve could be on its way out too.

Good luck and keep in touch!

So I got a ride to my parents house and got the 79 parts bike engine out. It looks rough. Oil seep at the head gasket and top of the valves are wet. I’m headed back to where my bike is and my valve hasn’t shipped yet. I will probably throw this engine in and try it out while I wait for the parts. See how it runs. I was planning to go to Vancouver island this week so hopefully I can make that work. Im also not sure how to flip pictures on here which is frustrating on my iPhone. Here’s the parts engine. Also I did change one bent exhaust valve on the 75' when I originally got the bike going and had the head touched up as well.

SherpaT said:

So I got a ride to my parents house and got the 79 parts bike engine out. It looks rough. Oil seep at the head gasket and top of the valves are wet. I’m headed back to where my bike is and my valve hasn’t shipped yet. I will probably throw this engine in and try it out while I wait for the parts. See how it runs. I was planning to go to Vancouver island this week so hopefully I can make that work. Im also not sure how to flip pictures on here which is frustrating on my iPhone. Here’s the parts engine. Also I did change one bent exhaust valve when I originally got the bike going and had the head touched up as well View attachment 174903

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I'm amazed and Impressed with your attitude
If all of that happened in my back yard I'd throw half a conniption just because
Were all pullin for you Your only get one time around go for it !

Might as well stick this in here.
A few years ago I bought a box of used XS650 valves, springs, collets, ...etc. Appropriately greasy, gritty, carbonized. Cleaned them up, and saw something on one of the exhaust valves.




Yup, a crack line in an exhaust valve.

So, it *does* happen.
Although rare, close inspection of valves should be included in any engine rebuild...

You are an inspiration-and-a-half.

Quote: "I will probably throw this engine in and try it out while I wait for the parts. See how it runs."

No big deal, tossing in another engine. Makes the tiny little problems I have with my bike look like child's play!

May that crusty old 79 engine run like a dream for you!

What an adventure!!!

I guess 45 years takes a toll on anything, I turn 45 today. And I have a 75' xs also.



Thanks for sharing your experience

So a few updates. I've been busy Riding! I got the two engines on the garage floor and as I didn't have parts for the original engine yet I decided to throw the 79' engine in and see if it ran etc. lifted the spare engine in and decided to drop the oil and check the screens...... And immediately knew the chain guide was shot. black plastic in the side case screen and predictably the sump screen had a huge tear in it...


So out the engine came. and figured since I had a new guide coming for the 75' engine I could use the old guide out of the 75' and put this one back together. And then the Fed Ex guy came with my parts haha! So I bring the head in and get the valve installed and the head touched up. While I'm waiting I throw the 79' back together with new valve seals, head gasket, fix the sump filter with the old JB weld and a piece of sheet aluminum AKA beer can, and a good used cam chain guide.

I pick up the cylinder head for the 75' and decide I'm going to build it back up as I know the bottom end and everything else is pretty reliable on it. Spend all night putting it back together and fire it up around midnight. Its burning a bit of white smoke out the cylinder that was bad but I figure it will clean up after a bit of riding maybe oil in the exhaust etc... Next day runs great but I can't get it to stop smoking. Take it for a good ride and still the same... try re-tourquing the head no dice. When I first started it up the float was stuck until I gave it a rap so figured maybe it overfueled etc. Checked float level both with a ruler and a tube and its good. About to tear my hair out now and the day is gone. So I decide it has to either be the headgasket which was new with sealant or the cylinder was damaged worse than I figured. Pull the 75' engine out. RIP for now. She gave me a honest 3700km or 2300miles.

Change out the accesories (PMA, carb boots etc...) put the 79' back in and get it fired up and both cylinders smoke haha! Wake up in the morning and try to get it timed correctly. Its a tooth out haha struggle with that a bit and get the chain to skip a tooth with the adjustor all the way out. Tension the chain check the valves for the hundredth time and get it timed perfectly with a new set of points too, what the hell! IT RUNS (pretty well). Take it out for a ride and the clutch slips a bit and it smokes a bit but mostly from both sides so figure the rings are just froze up from sitting. Go and buy a compression tester and give it a go and get around 140 out of both sides. I'm committed to this engine now so I have a bit of fine tuning to do including having to pull the clutch and do the starter "spring fix". I can't use the kickstart with my saddlebags on-design flaw. So the electric start is a must have. Get that done and re-tourque the head for good measure and I'm sure a thousand other things I'm forgetting about!

Its now around Thursday at 4pm and I go in the house and regroup and think about what to do and how much more adventure I want! Well have a quick shower load up my bags and head out of Salmon Arm BC, My next destination is Port Renfrew on the west coast of Vancouver Island its about 800km away including an hour and a half ferry ride. I also want to make it there by Friday night to go fishing with my friends on their last few days of vacation. This basically means I have to leave now or not go. Haha always the way. So I get on the bike and go fuel it up. I'm riding along listening to every beat of its engine wondering about what I've forgotten about after 3 days of breathing 650 Yamaha engines. It runs pretty well and its stopped burning oil at least visibly. Its a beautiful night and it feels pretty awesome to be riding through the Okanagan valley again on two wheels. Pull into Kelowna and fill up on gas. Its getting dark and I don't want to ride much longer so start looking for a campsite. Keep heading south stopping for a few pictures along the lake.

Beautiful spot for a picture! I get into Pentiction in full dark and get a site for the night. I set up camp and decide to head downtown for a good meal to celebrate being back on the road! To be continued!

Zen and the art of motorcycles has nothing on you.............

If your still around this time next year i'm nominating your bike for the Calendar..........Go you beauty

What a ride!!! Enjoy all the updates. Even if your not gettin a lot of feedback, I’m sure EVERYONE is reading and following along!