77D assessment.

Wingedwheel

If it wasn’t broke before, let me try it…
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I picked this up last year off FBMP and as any “Barn finds” there was no title. Price was right and the bike was 100% there but had suffered from sitting in a damp shed of all places. 00463F52-8045-429F-9112-C3FFC15B234B.jpegI hadn’t done anything yet because of ongoing projects and other commitments but yesterday I had to pick up tags at Sec of State so I took in the paperwork and walked out with a title. I had considered several options but hadn’t really looked it over. Having it titled made looking into it a little more tempting. I know it needs a good going over before I even try and fire it up. I put in my test battery and tested the lights and switches. I see no on/off for the headlight and it was on with the key. Normal? Ok circuits work so pull the plugs and check for spark. Huge juicy blue flame on the left, try the right and get one tiny spark then nothing. That should be easy enough to track down and while the plugs were out I squirted some oil into the cylinders for a compression check tomorrow. The bike had a tag on it with a 2003 sticker which if this bike was run that year it was on 23 yo tires at that time according to the manufacture date. Fuel lines and breather hose all look to be factory and this engine had almost zero oil or grime on it just rusty, rusty. 5D09EDF0-CD5A-4460-A60D-3D51089A232D.jpeg89943894-DC90-4730-B314-1B793889A4FC.jpeg027F0298-48AA-4C41-AD42-30EA1E729278.jpeg1A77261C-1421-424F-85E5-08703021A3E8.jpegCEDF0A10-7712-4AE5-BAD3-5AE89F489088.jpegSlides are stuck in the carbs so those will come off for a good cleaning. I’ll lube the cablesI see that the front master cylinder, lines and caliper were changed that year along with the tubes. There is also a plastic cap on the hub by the speedo gear.CF2D34DE-9AD5-4ED5-8BD4-97E8E62C052E.jpeg622A3F14-FD40-4731-A80A-9AEE7DB7A9B5.jpeg The gauges are great and I see that signal canceling was added this year. Very nice as that always gets me on my 76.13519AF9-0548-4CD4-81C3-C1A2B29FA4C9.jpegthe throttle side looks like the MC puked on it during its sleep so that’s not pretty.EE93C061-8138-4A6B-9C41-B1C37877FC11.jpeg Paint is actually decent for the lack of proper storage, sides are nice just some patina on the top of the tank.4D52C987-E396-4D9B-8E6C-2684231BEEF0.jpeg The oil in the engine was super clean and it feels like it has great compression, we’ll find out soon enough.25DB3C70-1DD0-4A2B-89FC-EE3869898825.jpeg
 

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It has some very appealing features. I like the beefier front end with much more simplicity on the brake lines. CF0D5B3F-4986-4FEF-805B-DDB15C13706F.jpegThe rear rack is nice(sans the rust) and it works with the frame lifting loop which I understand could be a problem with some racks.5345DD6D-4A04-48B5-A58E-B30C340033C3.jpeg0969602B-D9D9-4502-8208-1FF62DA81A47.jpeg Even though the seat is fugly the cover is actually pretty decent material, even the hole to catch your farts……D7BE5B99-2298-4936-91C1-2F312E4E9EB7.jpeg
 
:agree:
Looks like great start for a resto mod since the chrome mostly needs to be changed out (or painted) Ala @Kevin Werner 's special.
:popcorn:
I keep a stock of stainless dome nuts and washers cuz as basic maint is done, getting rid of rusty nuts, sanding, touching up the black paint, and buffing aluminum changes the whole look.
 
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I like it. Very much similar to my 77 when I found it. Mine has a lot of the same characteristics as yours and is morphing into a more stripped down basic bike. almost scrambler look with aggressive tires and taller Koni shocks and gauges removed.
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Chasing an issue on a different bike I finally got to checking compression. Without checking valves, timing or cam chain adjustment both sides bump around 120 each. That’s sure to come up with a little more tweaking. I do think at this point I will put the tins back on and put it back in its correct place in line. I need to start working on another bike right now…NOT!
 
Looks like the crankcase venting made this mess. Funny how the outside of the carb are pristine as far as grime or oil. Sprayed a little lube on the slides and they moved no issues. I put the bike away for the time being but I may just have to clean these carbs on a rainy spring day, replace the foam on the air filters and maybe shoot a little paint on the Airboxes. This is how it always starts. Something can be made “ just a little bit better” or “ while it’s off I’ll just do this “one little thing”.6AC05169-8C26-4962-A7C6-3D4A8F501ADF.jpeg489944FE-74B0-4283-AD9D-298E3F1F4420.jpegB9BC83FD-82EA-4C33-A39F-91009B8730BD.jpeg
 
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Went ahead and cleaned these today since it was raining(better than snowing) and realized I had no fuel line as I used what I had on the problem child. Amazon is my friend and it will be here tomorrow.B0714016-4A4F-423F-8269-6887C3F17E35.jpeg Of course there was a tablespoon of old gas in the right carb. Stunk……
 
Although I’m not really working on this bike(seriously) I did a few checks relating to the non-spark on the right side. Checked the resistance on the cap and got around 11K and when I swapped the plugs over the plug from the right cylinder had no spark on either side so I’m assuming the plug is bad. I’m out if plugs too lol so I reordered from a supplier that 5T turned me onto. Takes a couple of weeks but can’t seem to find the non-resistors anymore locally. I better order some caps too……

https://www.ebay.com/itm/184196530532
 
Had a nice day and finished up a tach install so I figured, “why not”. Pulled the bike in, installed the cleaned carbs and lubed the throttle cable. Thing was so dry I’m surprised it moved at all albeit sluggishly. 70423796757__6E05ECCD-39B2-4BCE-8FDB-0637313136FC.jpegI’m waiting for some plug caps to show so I figured what’s one more thing right? Started working on getting the MC screws off. I had to dig the rust out of the screw heads with a razor knife and still couldn’t get a good grip. I got one loose by hand, two loose tapping on an impact driver with a small hammer and the fourth of course I had to drill the head and use an extractor but I got them.IMG_6139.jpeg No surprise what I found…IMG_6142.jpeg
 
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Got back at things today and now after changing the caps and plugs I had a good spark on the R however It seems intermittent on the L. I checked timing and verified the point gap was good and they were firing it just wasn’t getting past the coils. I checked my voltage at the coils and WTH, 10.4V dropping to 8.9 with the starter button. Sprayed a little starter fluid in the carbs as a test and gave it a good kick. Second one she fired and ran for a second. OK so now I just have to track down what’s causing the voltage drop. One suspect may be inside the R controls seeing as how I think brake fluid possibly leaked.IMG_6155.jpeg A while back I had also picked up a front fender because the one on the bike looked like someone vomited rust on it and I wanted to change it. Whilst looking at the front wheel I found evidence of a PO. the axle nut was loose behind the cotter pin and the speedo drive was off the spline so I took care of that as well. IMG_6156.jpeg
 
I like it. Very much similar to my 77 when I found it. Mine has a lot of the same characteristics as yours and is morphing into a more stripped down basic bike. almost scrambler look with aggressive tires and taller Koni shocks and gauges removed.
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What exhaust is on your bike??
 
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