What did you do to your bike today?

[fredintoon]

Launched the Pumpkin

My son was coming over to work on his XS650 sidecar install that's all over my garage floor but phoned to say that as the weather was so nice he was going riding on his '04 Triumph instead.
This inspired me to dig out the Pumpkin from under it's winter covers and see if it would start after a winter's hibernation.
All but 15psi of last year's air had leaked out of the rear tire but that's an easy fix.
Unhooked the battery from it's 1 hour a day timer & 1 amp charger.
Still wet inside, still reads 12Volts, drop it in and hook it up.
Will it start or is it carb teardown time?
Crank, crank, crank, fires on one. Fires on 2. Lumpy full-choke idle for a half-minute then 3 & 4 kick in. Vroom vroom!
What next to do? Thread the mirrors back on! Forgot to do that last year until I tried to look behind me at a major intersection. Scary moment, that.
Trial ride around the block, everything seems to be running OK.
Lucky me.

[CatatonicBug]

This last weekend anyway

It wasn't today, but this last weekend, I managed to get my new personalized plate installed!



I also replaced the final drive boot, since the old one was shredded. That gave me a chance to look at the 850FD mod, to see how it was holding up. I must say, I was thoroughly impressed, as it looked like I had just installed it the day before. Very grease-covered, but absolutely no visible wear. Thankfully, re-installing the drive shaft went a LOT easier than it did the first time.

[fredintoon]

It wasn't today, but this last weekend, I managed to get my new personalized plate installed! - - -

Hi 'Bug,
welcome to the XS-themed vanity plate club. If you look at all the States, all the Provinces and all the plate variations, there can't be more than a thousand of us?
How exclusive can you get?
As well as the vanity plate the photo also shows that your rear signals are buried in the hard bags so they can't be seen from the side.
As protective as us old folks are, that worries me.
If they ain't there already, put some repeater flashers on the hard bags sides so the cell-phone yabbling soccer moms running the stop signs can see that you are turning, eh?

[XJkid]

A few good scratches on the hiway pegs, a broken turn signal lens, and a bruised ego. Good things, the hiway pegs. If not for them, I don't know if I could pick the bike up. They prop it up about 2 inches, which seems to make up the difference I need. I couldn't do it before.

[BA80]

Hi 'Bug,
welcome to the XS-themed vanity plate club. If you look at all the States, all the Provinces and all the plate variations, there can't be more than a thousand of us?
How exclusive can you get?
As well as the vanity plate the photo also shows that your rear signals are buried in the hard bags so they can't be seen from the side.
As protective as us old folks are, that worries me.
If they ain't there already, put some repeater flashers on the hard bags sides so the cell-phone yabbling soccer moms running the stop signs can see that you are turning, eh?

Fred, that thing has more rear lights on it than an 18 wheeler with a 52' trailer. It's gotta light the road up for at least 30' behind.

A few good scratches on the hiway pegs, a broken turn signal lens, and a bruised ego. Good things, the hiway pegs. If not for them, I don't know if I could pick the bike up. They prop it up about 2 inches, which seems to make up the difference I need. I couldn't do it before.

There are 2 kinds of bikers kid, those that have been down and those that will be.

Well, maybe 3. I forgot about trbig.

[XJkid]

Painted the headers with VHT Flameproof ceramic. Nice matte finish, smooth and even if you apply it and cure it as directed. Also, if it gets scratched you just sand a little and re-spray(with a little masking) without taking them off. It also does not discolor. I put 200 miles on since and they look like I just did them.[IMG][/IMG]

Also had the pan off to check the oil pick up screen, so I could not resist polishing it up. A dirty, grimy, gritty pan is a pet peeve of mine. Found the screen half plugged with some kind of fibers. Disintegrating filter perhaps?[IMG][/IMG]

Polished the filter canister too. I know they are practically invisible, but it is like new underwear- no one knows but it still feels good. Polishing also makes it easier to clean. [IMG][/IMG]

[ddragon63]

There are 2 kinds of bikers kid, those that have been down and those that will be.

Well, maybe 3. I forgot about trbig.

I've always said its not if but when...

[ddragon63]

Re Sync'd and tuned the carbs on Old Man, then road tested. Him's happy again!

[cywelchjr]

Hi 'Bug,
welcome to the XS-themed vanity plate club. If you look at all the States, all the Provinces and all the plate variations, there can't be more than a thousand of us?
How exclusive can you get?
As well as the vanity plate the photo also shows that your rear signals are buried in the hard bags so they can't be seen from the side.
As protective as us old folks are, that worries me.
If they ain't there already, put some repeater flashers on the hard bags sides so the cell-phone yabbling soccer moms running the stop signs can see that you are turning, eh?

Fred, those bags are not hard mounted, they pop off with the key in about 15 seconds or so each, adding the repeater light would make them a permanent mount that couldn't be removed as designed anymore. If their far enough to the side to not see the rear signals, they can see the front signals on the Windjammer IV fairing on the front which has pretty good visibility to the side.

I changed out the 4 round lights on the trunk you see in his picture for two oval LED units that are significantly brighter on mine. IIRC side repeaters for turn signals on the rear aren't allowed in the U.S. anyways, only on the front.

[planedick]

Final

I had to remove the 750/850 final today as it was making a clunking noise. I put the stock unit back on.

I saw the pic of catonicbug's vanity plate and I would love to have a set of bags like that again. I had a set on the '79 like that but they went with it.

[CaptonZap]

I had to remove the 750/850 final today as it was making a clunking noise. I put the stock unit back on.

.

Will you be doing any exploratory dismantling on it? There are a bunch of us that would be interested in what you find. Thanks for sharing. CZ

[tcoop]

On my wife's XJ1100 I Rebuilt the Rear MC, blead the brakes, mounted the front tire. I then took it out for a test ride and forgot that the back tire had gotten some oil on it. Luckely it only drifted for a split second and I was able to contol it. #2 pipe was not getting hot while it was just idleing but you sure could fill it kick in when the main jets where getting used. Looks like I will need to pull the carbs and do some cleaning.

Tommorrow I will take it down to the DMV and get it inspected and registered.

I told her I was going to ride her bike while I took my venture apart to fix a nasty oil leak...that didn't go over well. She started complaning that she never gets to ride her bike's, someone else is alway on them (she has two xj750 and xj1100). We lent the 750 to our daughter so that she and her husband can get to work. Oh well that's what I get for getting her into bikes.

[XJfan1]

new paint

I finally got her back together after some much needed body work and a dark blue metallic paint job. I redid my emblems and reversed the colors black letters and gold background. Nice suttle change I kinda like it. It will be one of the things where they know somthing is different but not sure what. Unless your a purist then I commited a sin. I spent about two hours looking for my gas cap that I happened to find in the top of my toolbox. I looked through there three times before I found it. The paint was a little more than I expected its kind of purple in the shade blue in the sunlight and sparkly like a old 70s bowling ball. Looks good much better than the rose red that it was. I thing I found the original color it looked like a really dark maroon color. But I guess that's it.

[cywelchjr]

Replaced the wiring plug on my tailtrunk with a new 4 wire locking unit that hard mounts into the trunk and looks better than factory, got tired of the one that I had on there disconnecting with every touch and bump . Looks nice and works nice.

[tinman905]

Fixed second gear and covered the engine with some VHT paint . Carbs are get the once over and headers on the way for some black ceramic