What did you do to your bike today?

[79XS11F]

I also didn't do anything to my bike today. Instead. I spent the day digging up my front lawn to widen my lane way. I added a 8 X 18 areas for additional parking.
Rob

[MaximPhil]

Hi Tex,
Another 1/2 hour job that took all day As usual harder than it looks but you will soon get the hang of it and be painting like a pro
Phil

Well tried my hand at painting my fairing and lowers. Not so good today. First time using compressor that I bought a couple months ago. It came with a sprayer. Lost the manual, or was not able to locate in my garage. So added oil, plugged in and it began to fill however at about 60 psi began to slow down like the piston was stuck. Great I thought. Went online and found out I need to open bleed valve at bottom and let it run without pressure for about 15 mins to get things going. O.K., now compressor is charged up to 125 psi, got output set at 40 psi. Start painting fairing, it seems blotchy so I began to turn the dial on the side and it seems to spread better. However I guess it was too thick so now I have some runs to touch up tomorrow, plus the hose rubbed across a part so need to fix that as well. I did however notice as I was running thinner through it to clean it out I messed with the knob again and seemed to have found a better spray pattern. We'll see what tomorrow brings. Also forgot to add that halfway through the painting I noticed that the pressure was dropping but was not coming back on, I wasn't sure when it was supposed to kick back on, remember I lost the manual, so ran it down to about 30 psi then come to find out I had tripped a breaker. So, it took me 3 hours to do what I am sure most you folks could do in a half hour. Oh well all part of the learning process I recon.

[3Phase]

I bypassed the headlight relay on my bike. The relay itself is okay but the diode in the wiring harness failed again and I don't know that I'm going to replace it and allow it to drive the relay again.

While I figure out a way to hook up a Headlight Failure Indicator failure indicator to tell me when the entire lighting circuit has ceased to function and I'm riding around with no headlight or running lights during the daytime the jumper is staying and the relay is out.

On the bright side, while I was disassembling a few non-working headlight relays in the garage I discovered the main difference between the '78/'79 relay and the '80/'81 relay. The obvious differences are that the pinouts are different, there does not appear to be a latch diode inside the '78/'79 relay and the relay itself is physically larger than the '80/'81 relay. There are a couple of things I need to track down before I can say with 100% assurance how they differ.

[crazy steve]

Interesting what you say about the headlights. We import a lot USA second hand bikes and cars here to New Zealand. All of them have to have the headlights changed.
On high beam yes the light is pointed directly ahead of the vehicle and as close to the horizon as possibile. But on "dip" or lower beam, the USA (left hand drive)headlight throws its light to the right hand side of the vehicle away from oncoming traffic, The Euopean dip (right hand drive) or lower beam, throws its beam to the left side of the road away from oncoming vehicles.To make this change a completely different lense is required...

While what you say about the 'dip' is true for US cars, it's not the case with US bike headlights. Bike headlights here have the optical pattern 'level' on both high and low beam, or at least all of mine do. And the 'dip' can be a combination of both the lens and the lamp or sometimes just how the lamp fits the housing. I noticed on my newer '79-up standard model 'halogen' headlight that it uses a 'standard spec' automotive lamp, but it's mounting hole is rotated slightly to bring the 'dip' level. All US-spec bike headlights are labeled as 'motorcycle' for that reason...

[cywelchjr]

Interesting what you say about the headlights. We import a lot USA second hand bikes and cars here to New Zealand. All of them have to have the headlights changed.
On high beam yes the light is pointed directly ahead of the vehicle and as close to the horizon as possibile. But on "dip" or lower beam, the USA (left hand drive)headlight throws its light to the right hand side of the vehicle away from oncoming traffic, The Euopean dip (right hand drive) or lower beam, throws its beam to the left side of the road away from oncomming vehicles.To make this change a completly different lense is required.
As for the difference sizing of the tail lights and the location of the signal lamps,The size of the tail light must be a min of 175 sq mm after the manufacturing date of 1975 and the signal lamps must be situated no less than 100mm fron the tail lamp.
Those are the EC (European Commonwelth)vehicle regs which differ from the USA regs for new vehicles. So this mean that the configeration of lights will differ here in NZ as we are under the EC rules.
This also brings into question what is a factory origional bike?
Could it only be the bikes sold in the Japaneese Market new?
As all exported bikes were changed to conform with the compliance laws of the country its was sold new in.

I'll have to call incorrect info there. EU specs have nothing to do with it at all. It's the right hand drive vs left hand drive. We drive on the right, and you drive on the left, most of the EU drives on the same side we do, and some of them drive on the same side you do. You are right though, MC specific lights dip on low beam towards the edge of the road, so are specific to the side of the road you drive on.

[cywelchjr]

I changed the battery for a new one from Wally world. Came home from a business trip, and went to ride the bike home from the office at almost 10pm and it went whir, whir whir slower and slower and that was it. Got a ride home and then took the cage to work the next day, and at lunch time went to get a new battery and brought it home and filled it and put it on the charger. When I got home after work I went back to the office and put the battery in. Spun right up and works great. Brought the old battery into the garage and made sure the level was ok and put it on the charger. I gave up after 48 hours and it still was not taking a charge. Don't know how old it was, but it was pretty much at least 46 months old (ok, older) as that's how long I have had the bike, and I'm pretty sure it wasn't new then, and in the first couple of months it was run pretty close to flat about 4 times because of charging system issues. So, I figure I should get at least several years with proper care.

[XSive Okie]

Bought some Meguiar's Clear Plastic Cleaner and buffed some of the finer scratches out of the windshield. Stuff worked decently, except for the heavy scratches. But I can ride at night again without every passing car's headlights "starring out" and temporarily blinding me! So back to riding to work in the mornings, now that the sun doesn't come up before I leave. I will go over it another time or two and possibly save myself $130 for a new windshield.

[subike]

Started reassembling my carbs for my custom. Had plenty of time so just pottered along quietly in the shed enjoying the sunshine pouring in the door. Managed to get three carbs back on the rack before caling it a day.
Also helped a fellow resident in my complex, who had just bought himself an XJ750, he didnt know how to remove the seat or side panels.
It is the first Jap bike he has owned, all his other rides were trumpets. So an upgrade or a back slide lol.
I now need to go and buy some new fuel line before I fit the carbs. the old lines are rather stiff, im thnking they are prone to splitting, so new rubber needed.
If its sunny tomorrow well I will just have to go for a ride, the carbs can wait for the next cloudy cooler day.

[natemoen]

Pulled the carbs and cleaned them cause something isn't running right. Pulled half the exhaust and am cleaning up the headers so I can coat them and patch some holes in the collectors as well as put new exhaust gasket in. Hopefully it will run a little better after I het rid of some exhaust leaks

[Rettic]

Clubbing Seals!!!

Not really. Replaced the seals on my forks last night, trued up the front end.. I think. Tried to use the OEM seals, while trying to hammer them in i tore them on the out side. So I said forget it. I am getting those Leak Proof kind. Got them yesterday, dropped them in with no issues. Got the old girl back together and on both feet. Time to ride to see if my front end wobble is gone.

[subike]

Took my bike in for a road worthy check, rode to my friendly automotive inspector who rides an XS650 and a honda armchair (goldwing), just to find he had taken the day off work, dang, so will have to try again tomorrow.
Well at least I got to go for a ride on a nice warm sunny day

[Poprock]

Did a light check. Tail lights malfunctioning intermittently. Contact cleaner and dielectric grease solved the problem. Cleaned and greased every connector on the bike. Marine grade sealant everywhere it looked like water entry might be possible.
All those members who say "clean all the contacts, fill 'em with dielectric grease" know whereof they speak. Cleanliness is next to running goodness.

[3Phase]

I went for a ride today, everything worked fine, and stopped by Toyota to pick up some parts.

They lost my parts, again; not even in the system this afternoon and the parts guy I worked with wasn't there today. Eventually they found the order but it's not here yet. It's almost as much fnu as working on an XS, but not quite; resumed thumb-twiddling until parts arrive. Need one of those tuneless-whistling smilies here, I think.

[joematbradley]

Bradley Joemat's project

Purchased bike 2010 June 17 - Yamaha XS1100 R4000.00 ($570)


There was problems with the carbs - they were dirty; the tank had rust in it; the brakes were seized; the boot cover was bust; the intake rubbers needed replacing; the battery was flat. BUT i was in LOVE!

2010 June 17 - Paid the outstanding license fees and registered bike to my name. R412.60 ($59)

2010 July 18 - stripped the bike sent the tank to Silverton Radiators for removing rust.


2010 July 18 Started cleaning the carbs.


More on the project later ...cheers

[gui_tarzan]

Tore my front end apart and started on the back end.