I think it's time to part with the spec.

[Jimbo11]

Well, I think it is time to make some room in the garage. I have torn feelings about the bike. I bought it a couple of years ago and cleaned it up amd put tires on it and it ran. Had to park it because it would run for about 10 min. Down the road then stop. Like a lack of gas? I would wait about 10 min. And it would ride for a few more min? Second gear slips if you hit it hard.

I have a standard that I will not part with as it is the bike I grew up on behind my Dad. So it ain't goin no where!!

[Yard Dogg]

Well, I think it is time to make some room in the garage. I have torn feelings about the bike. I bought it a couple of years ago and cleaned it up amd put tires on it and it ran. Had to park it because it would run for about 10 min. Down the road then stop. Like a lack of gas? I would wait about 10 min. And it would ride for a few more min? Second gear slips if you hit it hard.

I have a standard that I will not part with as it is the bike I grew up on behind my Dad. So it ain't goin no where!!

Every time I've ever had symptoms like you described on anything car or bike or whatever, the coils were to blame. They heat up, then stop working, they cool down, then it works for a bit. I had a dodge truck that would run great until those coils got hot, then it would pre ignite or die or cut out and not in that order. It had me chasing my tail in circles. Finally I figured it out when it quit totally. A lot of these guys are talking about the grey or orange pick up wires being faulty and causing all sorts of weirdness with the coils. They could be brittle and broken inside the wire sheath.

[Jimbo11]

I may check out the coils and see if that's the fix. Spring is to close and i am getting bike fever...

[Yard Dogg]

My dad has a 59 Panhead that he bought the year I was born and I grew up on that bike just like you said with your dads standard. It's the only Harley I've ever wanted.

[Jimbo11]

Is your panhead running? I would love to spend the time getting pop's running again. He now rides a v-star 1100 he calls the gray ghost.

[Yard Dogg]

Right now it's down. I ran until I was about 9 yrs old, then it started fussing so he tore it down to restore. My mom diverced him and things turned to poop for him, so the bike sat for 20 yrs. In 2005 he paid the final bit of child support for my little sister so I said. Why don't you pull the hog out of storage? He got bike fever again and began the work. It was looking good and running in 2007 but broke again. He doesn't make a lot of money so he was doing things the poor man way. The front piston burned a hole in the top of it. I had bad compression and the carb was probably not jetted right. Right now the barrels and heads are off at a machinist being bored out, and having new valve seats cut and pressed in. When he gets it back, I'm going to help him set up his carb since I'm getting all this fine practice. This is the year.

He's still alive so it's his bike. He has hardened emphysema and will probably only get another 3-5 good years. I already have to help him kick start that stubborn mule cause it wears him out. I bought my xs11 from a junk yard for real cheap so I could have a way to ride with him. I knew nothing about these bikes when I got it, now I realize what find it was, and it was meant to be, I love my xs11.

Even after he passes, it will always feel like dads bike, so it will probably sit covered unless I ride it to keep it cleaned out.

[Yard Dogg]

You know, actually I probably will ride it when he's gone. He's told me he wants me too. Here's a pic of it.

http://c1.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/i...9254cb0a58.jpg

[WMarshy]

Every time I've ever had symptoms like you described on anything car or bike or whatever, the coils were to blame. They heat up, then stop working, they cool down, then it works for a bit. I had a dodge truck that would run great until those coils got hot, then it would pre ignite or die or cut out and not in that order. It had me chasing my tail in circles. Finally I figured it out when it quit totally. A lot of these guys are talking about the grey or orange pick up wires being faulty and causing all sorts of weirdness with the coils. They could be brittle and broken inside the wire sheath.

Might be gas tank vent too... after it dies put your ear down by the cap and listen for any air trying to get sucked in, or put a little amount in the tank and drive it with the cap open. If it dont die its probably just the cap vent... worth a try. GL

[Jimbo11]

That is a great idea to try. That would be great if thats the fix. Thank you for your insight.

now about that hd, man that is one good looking bike. I wish your father all the best health he needs.

My oldest son is 12 and has spent a few rides with me. I know the effect of spending time with my dad on his scooter had on me. I can't wait to get pop's bike running. He gives me a hard time about no one in oklahoma not knowing how to get "his" bike running. I think we sometimes we allow ourselfves to become so busy with work and other things that we choose not to take care of the things that are closest to our hearts. Anyway i hope you keep it in the family if you obtain it later.

[Yard Dogg]

Whats wrong with hisbike?

[Jimbo11]

I BELEAVE THAT IT NEEDS A SET OF RINGS AND A LITTLE CARB WORK. IT REALLY NEEDS MINE TIME AND SO GOOD LOVE'N. IT HAD COMPRESSION WHEN I GOT IT. I'VE TRIED THE MARVEL MYSTERY OIL TO HELP FATEN THE RINGS BACK BUT NO RESPONSE. IT HAS 78K ON IT. MY WIFE AND I CAN DO THE CARB CLEANING NO PROBLEM. I THINK THAT I MIGHT BE A LITTLE INFEAR OF TAKING IT DOWN TO DO THE RING JOB.

[WMarshy]

You wont be able to get stock OEM rings for it from what I read. Your options are limited, get used pistons/rings, big bore kit, or buy the rings for the first over size pistons and file the ends untill you get the correct end gap... How did you come to the conclusion that you need rings?? Whats your compression? How did you check it, WOT with a cold or hot engine? Could it be a bent valve? It might spit sputter and pop if you have only one cylinder with bent valves (I think)...What about your gas lines, are they kinked? You still got a lot of things to check before jumping to ring problems. If you want to try and fix it you might want to make a post in the discussion area where it will get more attention and see if these guys could help you out (I heard some work for food and beer). Some one might send you some spare coils to rule that out... Just some food for thought. GL

[xs11lover]

My 79 special would run nice....for about 10 or 20 miles, then start to miss and sputter until it died.......I'd sit along side the road, or in a parking lot for a while and it would start again. My problem was the pickup coil wires. 2 were broke inside. When the bike heated up they would streach and miss.
Not the coils under the tank, down on the left hand side of the motor at the vacume advance. They were boken right about in the spot that the clip holds them at the pickup coil. I was also pointed to the tank vent, also had my carbs cleaned and synced, lined my tank even. In the end I paid about $5 for a tester and some wires and fixed it in about a 1/2 hour.

[draketrumpet]

If you have the time, you could always truck/trailer it to Meeting of the Minds in Hurst in a couple of weeks.