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Laid up once again! Done my left knee, left buttock, left foot and the same elbow as last time. 'C'est ne pas possible," you may well scoff. Is the man a total incompetent? Inexperienced? Inattentive?? Physically disadvantaged??? In point of fact, I've been a regular motorcyclist since I...

I know that there is a wealth of discussion on the Forum regarding this topic but, after my last oil change, I find that the oil level reads at the bottom mark following the application of 2.5l of oil. This is the maximum recommended and stamped on the motor. Indeed, this volume appears to only...

I am in the process of repairing the 4th gear friction clip to improve my new starter function. Indeed, I have completed that part of the job successfully thanks to the comprehensive write ups regarding the topic, on this Forum. Whilst replacing my clutch basket, I noticed a section of friction...

I had some difficulty removing the sealing washer from under the Allen key at the bottom of my right hand fork. Foolishly I used heat and a small screwdriver to tap it out, unhappily creating a divot in the surface beneath. I fear this will allow a leak from the bottom of the fork. Should I fill...

Hello Ladies and Gents Trust you're all safe and well. Have been enjoying the "on road" experience on my lovely old XS. She's treating me right but she has developed a leaky fork seal. Today, I stripped the fork down to replace the seal. I have had a little difficulty fitting the front wheel in...

Bike's giving me a great deal pleasure but I am at that tenuous "rebuilt engine" stage of the project, consequently I am all over the old girl after every run. I have noticed what appears to be a leak around each plug. I thought this oil was coming from the cam seals so I replaced them both but...

Three and a half years and about $3000 but she runs like a kitten and passed the MOT with flying colours. I admit to having the final tuning and safety check done but Power Pro here on the Gold Coast but I have no regrets as I managed to get her up running and stopping with functioning electrics...

I have turned my attention away from the charging/one cylinder issue to focus on the front brake. Got the back brake working in 20 mins but the front eludes me. I have spent days dismantling, reassembling, installing rebuild kits, etc and gotten nowhere - doesn't pump fluid. Broke it down again...

Got the SE running but I have a couple of issues of course. The electric start has come good and fires her up almost immediately. She was ticking away when I removed the left plug and found no change in revs - she must have been running on one cylinder. Sounds good like that but I don't think...

Fired my '78 up and she was running OK but I had done this on the spur of the moment and I knew that I needed to check and set the points gap and timing. Excellent articles and videos here for that job and I assumed, with it running so sweetly, it would all be a cinch. Doesn't quite appear to be...

In December 2016 I took delivery of an American import 1978 XS 650 SE. For three and a half years she has had almost my full attention. Sometimes, I bet she wishes she hadn't. Due to the unwavering support of my friends and associates here on this Forum, I have been able to do the unthinkable...

I have read number of threads on this topic but, maybe I'm a slow learner. A quick question before I replace my wiring - stock points and coils so..... 7mm copper cored HT leads, non-resistor NGK plug caps, Champion BP7ES plugs. Does this sound right?

Of all the jobs I've attempted over the last 4 years, bleeding the brakes has proven to be the most frustrating and time consuming. I followed the advice of many of our experienced members and managed to get the rear brakes working without too much grief. The front brakes are proving to be...

Thought I'd send in a few photos to break the boredom. The old SE is starting to look a treat. I am still waiting for the voltage rectifiers I ordered from China before we went into lockdown and the postal services started giving O/S mail a chance to "devirus". The order did say it wasn't...

Pulled the carburetors down, cleaned them up and reassembled with new jets, floats, needle valves and gaskets. I have stuck with the standard size jets even though I am running a 2 into one exhaust. Figure I can fool with jet size when I finally get the old girl running and try to tune her up. I...

OK before I get subjected to possibly warranted abuse I would like to say that I have read the 7 thousand or so threads on this topic but I would still like some advice before I dismantle the MC. Went to bleed the brakes yesterday and everything initially went according to plan. In October last...

My manual and reference to the "torque" threads on the Forum cite 65ft/lb on the long bottom engine mount. That seems very high. As I'm tightening it up, the hair starts standing up on the back of my neck - not much on the top of my head unfortunately, but it feels like she's going to blow. Any...

As promised gents, I am currently engaged in connecting up the headlight wiring on my SE. I have poured over the relevant wiring diagrams and would like to say that they are beginning to make more sense but that would be untrue. The large blocks go together easily and only one way. Pic. 1 shows...

As stupid as it may seem, I can't get the front wheel back into the forks. Rebuilt the steering and the forks, cleaned and bolted everything together. Cleaned up the front wheel, polished the speedo fitting, greased the internals but didn't touch the bearings. Put it all back together this...

Hello folks, Have rebuilt the steering system with All Balls bearings. Tapped the side of the neck to fit a grease nipple. Notched the bottom race seat to allow for easier removal of the bottom race. Tightened the two adjusting nuts down - bottom one firm and then 1/4 turn back, top one down...