What did you do to your bike today?

[XJOK2PLAY]

Hey Greg,
Bike sounds good! Looks like you got her running great again.

What exhaust did you finally go with?
For a cell phone vid, sounds good!

Although, I thought after that experience in Colorado, you'd never do an "Okie roll" through another stop sign again?

[BA80]

That cop in Utah was just bored.

It's pretty much open pipes right now. I have a couple of home made muffs with straight through perforated baffles. It runs and sounds great with them but it's loud enough to rival a Harley.

I'm saving my pennies for a new Mac Flare Tip system. The baffles are removable so I can clean or modify them.

[je2wheeler]

Cabin Fever

Had snow and ice for a few days, so did a complete oil and fluid change engine middle and final drive, forks, and breaks.
Started on lubing cables and when I removed the clutch lever the cable sedge pocket on the lever was near worn through. The barrel adjuster was ¾ way out, I had been over the years adjusting the barrel out for minor adjustments. With the rubber cover over it, I did not realize how much.
The local dealer had proper clutch and front break levers in stock.
I had a similar incident happen many years ago that lead to separation of the cable end at the lever.
I and a few of my friends back in ’67 decided to ride up to Hollywood over a weekend. We were at the iconic intersection of Hollywood and Vine waiting on a red light. Someone, could have been me, started revving an engine and we all joined in making quite a hullabaloo. I was in the front, the cross traffic was moderate and just as I hit one of high revs, that last wire of the unknown corroded cable end let go and I went through the intersection on the rear wheel some how missing the traffic. I came to a less than graceful stop on the other side. When the others joined me a celebration went up commending my gutsy and successful stunt.
The rest of the day, when I came to a stop, I shifted to neutral and did a Fred Flintstone start before dropping into first.

[Garagamus]

Update, been a while.

So, after putting mine on the road a year and a half ago, I haven't really been on the site since. Figured its a new year, good to keep contact again. Quit the bodyshop/3M installer job in November and opened my own paint protection and vinyl graphics shop the same month. Been going really well, (for such a crappy Canadian economy), and I haven't looked back. Finally had a slow week and decided to re-paint the "Traumaha" again. Still have to wet sand, but the pics will be up in a few days. For all those that thought the Kodiak Brown scheme "too dull", the new one is a little better...Two years as a stripped down cafe bike and she still brings a huge grin bombing around town. Picked up an '06 KLR as well...not the fastest bike in the stable, but its awesome on the fire roads. Glad to see all the familiar handles.

[nzemke]

Finished rewiring the new Tachometer last night. The Tank is all cleaned up. I dismantled the fuel cap and hit it with steel wool. Tonight I will start polishing the chrome. My new petcock seals will be here tomorrow. All that I'm waiting on now is for the paint guy to finish up the side panels and headlamp cover. I'm ready to get this all put back together so I can go for a ride!

[Garagamus]

As promised, new paint. Can't wait for riding season to begin...although, with the weather we've been having...that could be Friday.

[nzemke]

That's a good looking bike! How much of a pain is it to add the fork boots?

[Garagamus]

Lets just say, if I'd known at the time, I wouldn't have probably done it. Whole front end has gotta be dropped. Luckily it was coming apart anyways.

[MPittma100]

Venturer

Just completed a Venturer. Original 14K mileage bike. I rebuilt/repaired/adjusted the mechanical functions as well as an intense cosmetic cleaning. Original paint, original everything except for replacement of old rubber brake lines with ss lines. Would like to add that aluminum foil and Diet Coke worked wonders for removing rust, especially on the exhaust.

Obtained this one a year ago. Came out of Minnesota. It was complete. Had a few issues, but all are good now. Lot of work. Glad to be done! NEXT!

Will post some pictures when I get her out in the sunshine.

[Radioguylogs]

Mike:

I'm sure lot folks are curious....aluminum foil and diet Coke?

Coke has lots of phosphoric acid, and phosphoric acid is good for removing rust. That makes sense. The phosphor might even be good for making a protective barrier?

Never heard about aluminum foil- do you just wad it up and dip it in Coke, and get rubbing?

After seeing your red Special XSSE last fall, I'm dying to see pictures of the Venture(r?). I think you stole that Special off the cover of the Clymer's manual.

[MPittma100]

Phosphoric Acid

Yes, the foil is used as a scrubber used along with the Diet Coke. You would be surprised at how effective this method is. I did the entire exhaust on the Venturer - it looked like new. Will post some before and after pix after upload to Photobucket.

I fold the foil to about 4-6 layers thick into a small pad, dip in the coke and have at it. It will not scratch the chrome, but will remove the rust.

Thanks for the compliment on the red SF. I think the Venturer will be quite close to the SF in appearance even with no repainting.

There is a Yamaha Venture, but the 1981 XS1100 Standard was named Venturer. It had rear bags, fairing, and luggage rack from the factory - not from the dealer. Yamaha used the Special exhaust on it. It had a one gallon
(6.3) bigger tank and was one color only (dark metallic blue). No one is sure of how many were made.

Mike:

I'm sure lot folks are curious....aluminum foil and diet Coke?

Coke has lots of phosphoric acid, and phosphoric acid is good for removing rust. That makes sense. The phosphor might even be good for making a protective barrier?

Never heard about aluminum foil- do you just wad it up and dip it in Coke, and get rubbing?

After seeing your red Special XSSE last fall, I'm dying to see pictures of the Venture(r?). I think you stole that Special off the cover of the Clymer's manual.

[2manybikes]

I spent about 7 hard hours yesterday polishing 20 years of road gunk off one of the head pipes on a 96 Guzzi I bought last summer. My right arm, shoulder and fingers were killing me, so I decided to let the remainder of that project sit for a while. I did spray the last couple inches of it with cold oven cleaner. I doubt it will do squat, but there is always a slim chance my cynical opinion will be disproved. I have been using 0000 steel wool and Mothers Mag and Aluminum polish on it, and have been quite impressed with the results. If they ever stop making it, I may as well sell my bikes. That is the single best product I have ever used. A friend of mine (almost 50 years) turned me on to "Evaporust". Good stuff, and environmentally friendly. A pleasant surprise. Got a tub of miscellaneous stuff soaking so I stirred that up and took an old toothbrush to some of the nastiest pieces, and dropped them back in. Then I shot an eclectic pile of scooter parts with some rust encapsulating undercoating I got from Eastwood. I have never been disappointed with anything I purchased from them, and this was not an exception. I will need to do a few more coats, but this stuff is easy to use. Then I perused a 79 F parts bike I got a few days ago to see what I would be able to use. I then spent a few hours on the Guzzis's left front fork with Mothers, and decided I had had enough for one day. Now it's time to sip some of Tennessee's finest, look for more parts, and research some of the questions I thought of while I spent 13 hours in what my fiancee refers to as the "chrome zone". I did finally get lucky and find someone who understands!

[nzemke]

Trying to finish up the repaint of the emblems. Our hastings finally restocked their model car paint...so no time like the present! Just a little more touch up and I should be good to go!

[Prisoner6]

Just completed a Venturer. Original 14K mileage bike. I rebuilt/repaired/adjusted the mechanical functions as well as an intense cosmetic cleaning. Original paint, original everything except for replacement of old rubber brake lines with ss lines. Would like to add that aluminum foil and Diet Coke worked wonders for removing rust, especially on the exhaust.

Obtained this one a year ago. Came out of Minnesota. It was complete. Had a few issues, but all are good now. Lot of work. Glad to be done! NEXT!

Will post some pictures when I get her out in the sunshine.

Mike,

Can't wait to see the pics of your completed Venturer ... your work always yields stellar results!

[Garagamus]

Did up some fancy new old-school decals, pinstriped, and re-cleared everything...she's gonna be awesome this year.