What have you done to your XS today?

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Lake Erie looked cold and angry, like an X's hug at a great aunt's funeral. It was the first weather change of the impending fall season, and the old rider had spent an hour or so that morning, checking over the '76 to chase an illusive harsher than usual tapping.

Haha! I love it! You’re a regular Phillip Marlowe!
“I needed a drink, I needed a lot of life insurance, I needed a vacation, I needed a home in the country. What I had was a coat, a hat and a gun. I put them on and went out of the room.”
Then I hopped on my XS and rode off into the cold dark night.
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Well done Skip - now, how about heading to Stecoah NC for the Vintage Yamaha Rally?

Pete
 
Got 3" long Uni foam filters instead of the 4" long and found a set of BP7ES plugs insteads of the BPR7ES. Finally idling correctly and runs awesome. I had off and on hanging idle and I now know was because of those ding dong filter pods. What a difference!
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Today I wanted to start the spare motor I got in Bracebridge several weeks ago. Using a frame specifically for the purpose of a test bed, I installed it in about half an hour by working horizontal. Works well if the frame is stripped, but if the bike is fully accessorized, this way won't work without damage.
Up on the lift and strapped down, I opened the side filter and found a small amount of alloy chips, nothing I would worry about. Valve covers came off without stripped studs, clearances were a bit loose.
A good start to this job.
 
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Today I wanted to start the spare motor I got in Bracebridge several weeks ago. Using a frame specifically for the purpose of a test bed, I installed it in about half an hour by working horizontal. Works well if the frame is stripped, but if the bike is fully accessorized, this way won't work without damage.
Up on the lift and strapped down, I opened the side filter and found a small amount of alloy chips, nothing I would worry about. Valve covers came off without stripped studs, clearances were a bit loose.
A good start to this job.


G'day Lakeview,

Flash looking handlebars!!!:bike::bike::bike:
 
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Success today! And thanks to XSLeo's several posts about basic electrical wiring to power coils only and kick start.
More detail. Yesterday finished checking clearances etc. and then installed a set of exhaust pipes, carbs, coils. (since it was an 82 frame, I mounted the coils for the points motor on pieces of angle extrusion), then went to a scrap harness to get connectors and even proper colours to wire them up.
Stuck the test tank on and kicked and kicked, eventually getting some weird backfires, so I switched the leads and instant motivation!
Seems like a decent motor so I am pleased.
Couple of notes: I had no toggle switch so I just used a pull apart bullet connector. Fuses on both leads - it's what was handy.
Wooden dowel bars: Nothing worse than working around a machine in a cramped space and regularly goring oneself with ungainly bars. The dowel is sufficient to roll it around the shop, although it does lack leverage for the kick start process.
Rolling test bed has proved itself.
 

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Shop Myths #371:
Just because it sat all night on the centre stand draining oil out into the pan does not mean that when you wheel it away, there will not be a significant series of drips on your concrete drive.
Bonus Question: Can you get it cleaned up before spouse returns from town?
 
XS650 so far.......

new tracker style handle bars, new aluminum motocross type controls, wrapped the exhaust and flowing strait pipe, got her tuned up pretty well.

Next would be the oil filter air cooler retrofit, fork brace, new front tire dunlop K180, and for the rear hopefully a rear enduro type I can find in 16":
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y something that fits 16" rims!
 
LAKEVIEW - WOW - you’re on a roll!!!

Ok so, today for me was getting ready for the big ride - day. I had a lengthy list for Lucille in prep for next weeks expedition with Lakeview to the VYR event in North Carolina and so I went at it yesterday and today (currently at about 320 miles since the rebuild).
  • Change oil & filters (nice and clean);
  • Re-torque heads (minimal amount of new deflection on head nuts);
  • Check timing (no change);
  • Check timing chain (had to increase tension a bit - likely due to new chain);
  • Check valve adjustment (nicely stable - no changes from the previous 0.006 and 0.012”);
  • Check fuel filters;
  • Adjust clutch (all good);
  • Replaced all four instrument bulbs (3 were dead) - I seem to need to do this fairly often;
  • Check alternator brushes (measured 14.05 mm so nearly new);
  • Check drive chain - ok;
  • Check brake fluid - all good;
  • Inspect tires and check air pressure;
  • Re-wire existing Chinoise digital VM / USB charger port unit;
  • Install Gammatronix single led voltmeter - 3-wire version. Cool!
Then, I switched over to Sylvia - the ST1300, because while Lucille is traveling next week, Sylvia and I leave tomorrow afternoon on a trip this week to Quebec and finishing in Niagara Falls on Friday where I have a consulting gig. Fortunately, the ST is a modern bike and so the prep consisted of checking the oil, air and other fluids and loading her panniers.

Cheers,

Pete
 
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Pete, you said:
Check valve adjustment (nicely stable - no changes from the previous 0.006 and 0.012”);

Are you getting a lot of valve clatter? I thought accepted practice was 0.003" and 0.006"

I'm curious as to whether or not I'm remembering this right and what's recommended?
 
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