Love this - simple and clean. Your seat..?
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What have you done to your XS today?
- Thread starter I am Carbon
- Start date
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- maintenance
Love this - simple and clean. Your seat..?
These Gears bags, any saddle bags really need something to keep the back from sagging in towards the wheel.
Now gotta go, test ride needed, loooong test ride LOL.
Bonus they don't look too bad without the bags on.
Now gotta go, test ride needed, loooong test ride LOL.
Bonus they don't look too bad without the bags on.
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They were from a RoadStar with a bit of Garyizing and tweaking
VERY snazz Gary!
Fiddled a bit with shock spring preload. These Ohlins shocks, made for aircooled "New Bonneville" have snap ring grooves on the shock body, with 4 mm spacing, and also a 3 position preload cam adjustment. The idea is to set base preload with the snap rings, then use the cam adjustment when carrying a passenger, etc. The cam gives 6 or 12 mm extra preload. So I moved the snap rings up 3 grovves, reducing preload by 12 mm, which then can be recovered using the cam adjuster, if needed.
Just getting ready for a test ride now. If it still is too firm, I'll have to get softer springs.
Just getting ready for a test ride now. If it still is too firm, I'll have to get softer springs.
Wulfbyte
XS650 Addict
Waiting on new rotor,should be here between 12:15-4:15! If it looks abnormal I’ll post pics of it! Jim I’m gonna send you my original! It’s holding about 1.5 ohms now! I’ll pm you for info when I’m getting ready to send!
Posted elsewhere Madness' rear disk brake gradually self applied while riding, after stopping the fluid boiled and it went to no pedal, after a few more minutes braking went back to normal for the ride home.
So I did a full strip, clean, reassemble, reservoir to caliper. Used the fill caliper with fluid, assemble, then squeeze piston in, to force fluid up through MC to reservoir method, still needed a bit of bleeding at the caliper bleeder but it didn't take long. From putting bike on the lift to shop cleaned and out for a test ride about 3 hours, All good now. Wasn't horrible inside but glad I opened it.
Kind of a heads up I 'm not sure if it was a plugged port or perhaps the push rod was set a touch long. There is a pedal height stop bolt and lock nut. After setting pedal height the push rod needs to be set for a bit of movement before it starts moving the MC piston. With my long legs I like the pedal set a bit lower so I don't have to lift my foot to put it on the pedal.
She's back on the lift today; need to check (tapered) steering bearings, feeling a light click when front braking, Also got an assortment of cone washers from the plumbing aisle at the big box last night, one foot peg is sitting a bit drooped. And have one fitting on the oil cooler misting on the exhaust.
So I did a full strip, clean, reassemble, reservoir to caliper. Used the fill caliper with fluid, assemble, then squeeze piston in, to force fluid up through MC to reservoir method, still needed a bit of bleeding at the caliper bleeder but it didn't take long. From putting bike on the lift to shop cleaned and out for a test ride about 3 hours, All good now. Wasn't horrible inside but glad I opened it.
Kind of a heads up I 'm not sure if it was a plugged port or perhaps the push rod was set a touch long. There is a pedal height stop bolt and lock nut. After setting pedal height the push rod needs to be set for a bit of movement before it starts moving the MC piston. With my long legs I like the pedal set a bit lower so I don't have to lift my foot to put it on the pedal.
She's back on the lift today; need to check (tapered) steering bearings, feeling a light click when front braking, Also got an assortment of cone washers from the plumbing aisle at the big box last night, one foot peg is sitting a bit drooped. And have one fitting on the oil cooler misting on the exhaust.
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Those cone washers working well for you? I know at some point I’ve seen the thread on replacing the stock rubber bushings. Mine are almost completely gone. Do you have a part # or the store you got them from? 
Those cone washers working well for you? I know at some point I’ve seen the thread on replacing the stock rubber bushings. Mine are almost completely gone. Do you have a part # or the store you got them from?
I'll report when I do it TZ.
Just some light servicing today. Checked exhaust valve clearances, both were 0.15-0.20 mm, so I left them alone. Since the exhaust valves were good, I just skipped checking the inlet valves, asthat would require removing the carbs to get the covers off. Checked the ignition timing, all ok. Gave the advance mechanism a couple of squirts with WD40, is that good enough? Lubed the chain also. Then I fiddled with my intermittent tail light. It turned out that my new, super bright, nice looking 18$ LED bulb has the pins incorrectly positioned relative to the contact points.......Back to a conventional bulb......Also found that my carbs need a little synching, as the RH idles harder than the LH. Tomorrow, maybe.....
And I did maybe 120km of riding so far today, and worked a couple of hours on my boat as well. Fitted a 1 1/2" vacuum cleaner hose as conduit for the new power cables to the 90hp Merc ELPTO. That outboard has been running sweet, but a Royal PITA to start when cold. Think I'll squeeze in another 50 km after dinner.
And I did maybe 120km of riding so far today, and worked a couple of hours on my boat as well. Fitted a 1 1/2" vacuum cleaner hose as conduit for the new power cables to the 90hp Merc ELPTO. That outboard has been running sweet, but a Royal PITA to start when cold. Think I'll squeeze in another 50 km after dinner.
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Did the footpeg rehab on Madness today they were a bit droopy.
A before
Used these from the plumbing supply tube area at Menards.
a total investment of $5 for all 8 pieces.
4 orange on the inside 4 blacks on the outside. Blacks are a tight fit. I used the nut to force them into place then added the washer and lock washer for final assembly.
Also built up the bottom of the footped where it rests against the bracket with some mig weld and ground it to shape.
Afterwards
a nice improvement.
Time will tell how the rubber pieces I selected will hold up.
A riding season and several thousand miles later all is good I had the pegs off during maintenance and the cones all looked good.
A before
Used these from the plumbing supply tube area at Menards.
4 orange on the inside 4 blacks on the outside. Blacks are a tight fit. I used the nut to force them into place then added the washer and lock washer for final assembly.
Also built up the bottom of the footped where it rests against the bracket with some mig weld and ground it to shape.
Afterwards
a nice improvement.
Time will tell how the rubber pieces I selected will hold up.
A riding season and several thousand miles later all is good I had the pegs off during maintenance and the cones all looked good.
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More on those conical washers...
http://www.xs650.com/threads/footrest-bracket-mounting-rubbers-are-they-gold-plated.36429/
http://www.xs650.com/threads/footrest-bracket-mounting-rubbers-are-they-gold-plated.36429/
Wulfbyte
XS650 Addict
Rain,Rain, and more Rain! Got the new rotor and brushes on, cleaned all terminal connections and di elect greased them! Got everything closed up just in time for a downpour! Unfortunately no garage! But have plans on building a covered area in front of my tool shed! Rain stopped long enough to take it for a test ride, bike ran and sounds good, idled great! Before rotor went I started having a problem keeping the idle right,it would fluctuate between high and low, only after riding for a bit and would do it at stop lights! Is this a sign of a rotor going bad? Didn’t have to adjust it at all on my test ride, it stayed on point! Hopefully rain will let up today so I can take a nice Saturday ride to my favorite fish and shrimp place! Think my next project will be to take the two into one open off and put new two into two pipes/exhausts, will probably go with ‘81 replicas, any recommendations?
Danger! Danger! Hijack imminent ...
Just finished my 1987 Virago XV1000SE this morning.....
Unfortunately I cannot get it road legal until last week of July due to work issues. The paint work had a topcoat of 2k isocyanate lacquer in a rattle can - Pro XL 2K lacquer. Easy to use and the potlife was easily 24 hours, in fact I touched up a spot underneath the tank after 48 hours and it still cured with excellent petrol resistance.
I am Happy!!
Just finished my 1987 Virago XV1000SE this morning.....
Unfortunately I cannot get it road legal until last week of July due to work issues. The paint work had a topcoat of 2k isocyanate lacquer in a rattle can - Pro XL 2K lacquer. Easy to use and the potlife was easily 24 hours, in fact I touched up a spot underneath the tank after 48 hours and it still cured with excellent petrol resistance.
I am Happy!!
Wulfbyte
XS650 Addict
Nice virago!Danger! Danger! Hijack imminent ...
Just finished my 1987 Virago XV1000SE this morning.....
View attachment 142453
Unfortunately I cannot get it road legal until last week of July due to work issues. The paint work had a topcoat of 2k isocyanate lacquer in a rattle can - Pro XL 2K lacquer. Easy to use and the potlife was easily 24 hours, in fact I touched up a spot underneath the tank after 48 hours and it still cured with excellent petrol resistance.
I am Happy!!
Danger! Danger! Hijack imminent ...
Just finished my 1987 Virago XV1000SE this morning.....
View attachment 142453
Unfortunately I cannot get it road legal until last week of July due to work issues. The paint work had a topcoat of 2k isocyanate lacquer in a rattle can - Pro XL 2K lacquer. Easy to use and the potlife was easily 24 hours, in fact I touched up a spot underneath the tank after 48 hours and it still cured with excellent petrol resistance.
I am Happy!!
Hey look at that old throwback beauty. I remember when they first came out, I was smitten with the looks , always thought I’d own one.
Looks great Paul!
Very nice Paul!!
I decided to try out a few of XS John's mods for cooling the top end. I eventually want to do an oil cooler but in the meantime,
I made a set of John's air diverters to mount on each side and also a baffle for under the triple tree. Mine are curved because I
made them from an old screen I had lying around.
I made a set of John's air diverters to mount on each side and also a baffle for under the triple tree. Mine are curved because I
made them from an old screen I had lying around.
Well, I had another motorcycle milestone today. Laid the bike down. I am thankful to have gotten this one out of the way and walk away almost completely unscathed.
I was following my girlfriend in her car down a residential street about half a block behind her at around 25. I watched in slow motion as a big black and white dog ran out from between a house and right in front of her car. She didn't see it until it was right in front of her and hit it but it kept on running. I am still not sure what happened, but I stopped and I think there was sand on the road. The bike slid to the right and fell on its right side. I went to the ground and scuffed my achilles tendon, probably lucky not to have broken it. I will NEVER ride without gloves again. My hands are fine, but my gloves took a beating. We looked for the dog along with a homeowner who witnessed the event but couldn't find it so it must have been fine enough. I am VERY relieved to report the bike suffered minimal damage. I can actually hardly believe it. I broke two of the new turn signals I just installed, but they were 35.00 for all four, so I’m actually relieved they were so cheap. The clamp on footrest attached to the crash bar flipped in towards the engine and scuffed my new oil cooler, but it’s just cosmetic, and not too noticeable. Unbelievably no paint or chrome was even scratched. I can’t even see any obvious bends in my new buckhorns, which probably saved said chrome and paint. My old higher bars would not have protected my tank from the fall. The corner of my aftermarket metal master cylinder got a few mils ground off, but amazingly is otherwise fine. I was able to pick up the bike, collect myself, and ride on. My crash bar has a few scuffs now as well. I will NEVER be taking it off again. This was about as good and as minimal a crash as you could ask for. New signals will cost another 35.00. New gloves about the same. The experience- priceless.
I was following my girlfriend in her car down a residential street about half a block behind her at around 25. I watched in slow motion as a big black and white dog ran out from between a house and right in front of her car. She didn't see it until it was right in front of her and hit it but it kept on running. I am still not sure what happened, but I stopped and I think there was sand on the road. The bike slid to the right and fell on its right side. I went to the ground and scuffed my achilles tendon, probably lucky not to have broken it. I will NEVER ride without gloves again. My hands are fine, but my gloves took a beating. We looked for the dog along with a homeowner who witnessed the event but couldn't find it so it must have been fine enough. I am VERY relieved to report the bike suffered minimal damage. I can actually hardly believe it. I broke two of the new turn signals I just installed, but they were 35.00 for all four, so I’m actually relieved they were so cheap. The clamp on footrest attached to the crash bar flipped in towards the engine and scuffed my new oil cooler, but it’s just cosmetic, and not too noticeable. Unbelievably no paint or chrome was even scratched. I can’t even see any obvious bends in my new buckhorns, which probably saved said chrome and paint. My old higher bars would not have protected my tank from the fall. The corner of my aftermarket metal master cylinder got a few mils ground off, but amazingly is otherwise fine. I was able to pick up the bike, collect myself, and ride on. My crash bar has a few scuffs now as well. I will NEVER be taking it off again. This was about as good and as minimal a crash as you could ask for. New signals will cost another 35.00. New gloves about the same. The experience- priceless.
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