What did you do to your bike today?

[Aches n Pains]

Any chance your starter is stuck and just pulling all sorts of juice trying to move it?

[je2wheeler]

You either have a bad battery or a bad battery connection. Possibly the ground wire from the frame to the engine. That should be from the frame by the battery on the left side to the engine attached to one of the middle drive bolts.

Thanks for the comeback. I eyeballed that ground earlier, I just now broke both connections, wire brushed them and reassembled them. No joy, still the same problem.

[BA80]

Check your positive connections too. It really sounds like a bad connection somewhere. Fuse connections also.

[je2wheeler]

Any chance your starter is stuck and just pulling all sorts of juice trying to move it?

Earlier, I put the DVM across the battery when I pushed the starter and the meter didn’t twitch. I also replaced the starter with my spare out of desperation and that didn’t help.

[Rasputin]

Earlier, I put the DVM across the battery when I pushed the starter and the meter didn’t twitch. I also replaced the starter with my spare out of desperation and that didn’t help.

Try jumping the posts on the starter solenoid. If it cranks doing that then you narrow down the possibilities. If it does not crank then we have another area to persue.

[je2wheeler]

HELP!! part 2

Chased an electrical ground problem – for two days now and no joy. I turn on the main switch and everything looks good until I hit the starter button, the starter relay clicks but the starter does nothing and the neutral and oil lights go very dim. The lights stay dim after I let go the button for a short while and brighten back up. The battery stays around 12.75 – 13.5 volts. I have pulled and cleaned every connection and ground. I have collected lots of spare parts over the years and have swapped out the starter, relay, volt regulator, igniter and metered the alternator. Makes no difference.
Any ideas from the XS11 masters?
Thanks.

Found it! The connection from the battery to the starter relay looks good and I had cleaned both connections - what I didn't know and could not see was the cable had corroded inside the insulation. I found it when again I had disconnected the battery and one end of the cable just fell out of the insulation. Dang – what a relief.
Now the rest of the story, thank God for kick starters. The problem started when I was 80 miles from home, I had stopped for gas and she would not start. As I explained before of the lights dimming and coming back – when the lights came back, I dug out the kicker and she fired right up. Apparently there was enough juice making it across the corrosion to keep her going ‘til I got back home.
Thanks for everyone who got back to me – what an awesome membership in the super best forum going!!!!!!!!

[nzemke]

After to many hours of trying to get the broken carb body to function in an acceptable way, I went through and slopped the new carb body together and just quickly tuned it before I put it on. Well at that point it didn't sound right. So I took it apart again and this time spent the entire afternoon going through and bench syncing the float heights. Then I went through and measured and set all the flaps. I also finally went through and replaced the jet needles. And found that not to any surprise, that they were not all set at the same heights. Then went through the pilot screws, and set them all out to 3 turns. Also found that I missed moving the pilot air jets in the swap to the bare carbs. I can't remember a time where this thing sounded this good

I took the video right after starting it...this is my starting point before syncing

My Bike Sounding so much sweeter

This just leaves finishing the rear fender and the new seat pan next week!

[DiverRay]

Today, I RODE the MNS for the first time in about three months! I just have the BMW for commute, and don't take the MNS out unless there is a GOOD reason. Had a GREAT ride with Ed and Mike today! Good news, bike will not need much before May 15, and the "ride" the day before the "Quail Gathering".

[alaskey2]

Got all the SS brake lines in, the blue I accidentally ordered doesn't look half bad next to Macho Maroon. The front was still very spongy after a full bleed, so I tied it overnight and it's rock hard today, so thats awesome!

Have to pull apart the rear master cylinder again to clean out the spooge hole, brakes are dragging after the bleed. Then I'll be ready for spring... if it ever come to Chicago..

[IanDMacDonald]

Oh yeah! It'll eventually stick around, and it'll be nice. Just hopefully not a repeat of last Summer!

[Rettic]

Spring Overhaul

Spent the last few weeks getting Serenity tuned up and ready for a week trip to New Orleans over Easter. Valve shims, fork oil, carb sync, new rear tire, clutch adjustment, full fluid change, new gas lines and filters, and a guardian bell to keep those gremlins at bay. Also did almost the same to the wife's bike. Busy spring maintaining 2 bikes.

[Crusty Snippets]

Yami

I pulled the middle drive gear case from the spare 81 MNS and put it in my 79 Special. Filled with oil and changed the rear end oil.
Motivated I decided to change the engine oil and filter. New six sided 12 mm socket on bolt and it turned, but the bolt did not. The bolt wins round one.

Unkle Crusty*

[Orange4]

There is a really good rounded bolt head socket out there that actually works. I was very surprised because so many of these gadgets don't. There may be a better version out now (these might not last under heavy use) but for the odd time you need one... Wait for a sale if you can. I think I paid $15 for mine.

http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/gr...l#.VRhPhEsYstw

[BA80]

These work great on lots of stuff on the bike that gets stripped. Especially those #%*@%& oil filter bolts.

http://www.irwin.com/uploads/product...on-set-808.jpg

Rode out 50 miles and back on old Route 66 with Doc today. Okie performed flawlessly.

[3Phase]

Got a 'tuit

Jwh stopped by for a visit yesterday (thanks, John!) and we looked at the XSive piles of parts in the garage. I haven't been motivated to do much of anything lately: go out; look at stuff; turn around and go right back upstairs.

I felt guilty this morning so I went out to the garage and started measuring the two '79 cylinder heads to see if I can use one of them without chimping out... maybe.

.