So, the results are??? Well, at first I didn't notice much change. Lever pull seemed about the same as before. Shifting and neutral finding were maybe a little better/easier. But, I did this a couple days ago and it was rather cool out, mid 50s probably. I didn't take much of a test ride, maybe 10 miles or so. The bike didn't get really hot. Yesterday was warmer so I took a longer, maybe 50 mile ride. About half way into it, the clutch pull suddenly got easier, quite noticeably easier. I have no idea why this happened, maybe because everything finally got good and hot. But also, neutral finding at a stop remained easy too, so that's a definite improvement.
Something else I changed while in there was the pushrod. I've been running the long rod from Mike's for several years and about 10K miles. I like it's benefits. I've acquired some original rods now and wanted to try one. I got a used one from an XS1 motor and a N.O.S. one off eBay. I was disappointed with the amount of wear I found on the MikesXS rod. It looks to be at the point of shedding metal bits, especially on the inner end. The used original has only a small dimple .....
The outer worm gear end wasn't worn as bad, but still more than the Yamaha rod. Also, it appears the Yamaha rods are pre-dimpled on the outer end .....
Now, I was hoping the Yamaha rod might be a different steel and expand differently than the Mike's rod, possibly not adding the extra lever freeplay when hot. No such luck I'm afraid. I still get increased lever play when hot, but I think the Yamaha rod is better. Even with that increased play, I can still find neutral pretty easily now when hot.
I will be playing with worm screw adjustments for a while to see if even better results can be had. What I did notice while doing my initial setting was that I can adjust all the freeplay out of the hand lever with the worm adjuster screw. I couldn't do that with the 650 worm. I could get most of the cable freeplay out but had to add some adjusting up at the perch to get it all.
What I may try next is a flattened XS500 worm, with the cable arm sticking straight out the side, not stepped up or down.
Something else I changed while in there was the pushrod. I've been running the long rod from Mike's for several years and about 10K miles. I like it's benefits. I've acquired some original rods now and wanted to try one. I got a used one from an XS1 motor and a N.O.S. one off eBay. I was disappointed with the amount of wear I found on the MikesXS rod. It looks to be at the point of shedding metal bits, especially on the inner end. The used original has only a small dimple .....
The outer worm gear end wasn't worn as bad, but still more than the Yamaha rod. Also, it appears the Yamaha rods are pre-dimpled on the outer end .....
Now, I was hoping the Yamaha rod might be a different steel and expand differently than the Mike's rod, possibly not adding the extra lever freeplay when hot. No such luck I'm afraid. I still get increased lever play when hot, but I think the Yamaha rod is better. Even with that increased play, I can still find neutral pretty easily now when hot.
I will be playing with worm screw adjustments for a while to see if even better results can be had. What I did notice while doing my initial setting was that I can adjust all the freeplay out of the hand lever with the worm adjuster screw. I couldn't do that with the 650 worm. I could get most of the cable freeplay out but had to add some adjusting up at the perch to get it all.
What I may try next is a flattened XS500 worm, with the cable arm sticking straight out the side, not stepped up or down.
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