'80 XS850 Special - Here we go again.....

[kboehringer]

Looking forward to reading more......

XS Friends,
Thanks to being currently unemployed.... I've spent a BUNCH of time with the XS850 this weekend. We did take a nice 230+ mile bike ride on Saturday. Otherwise just playing with the bikes.....

Although the engine is not complete, I was able to get the head installed and torqued down properly. With the head installed, I was able to get the exhaust and the carbs installed.

First, here's the exhaust....
I think it came out PRETTY good. I don't believe any level of additional soaking or scrubbing will get it much better.

This exhaust doesn't look as nice as the pipes on ANY of Mike's XS Triples but it is "Serviceable". I hadn't noticed until I started cleaning that there is a good size scuff mark on the left muffler and a small dent in the center pipe (neither should effect performance as the dent is pretty small.)
I just put a touch of silver VHT on the scuff mark to minimize the effect. Still there, but harder to see it.

The Carbs are on (AND with an air filter assembly thanks to Mike)..
I have absolutely NO instructions on these carbs. There is supplemental information chapter in the Clymer that gives basically nothing for the 80/81 with Hitachi's. I think it shows how to adjust idle speed and that's it. I need to find documentation on these to get them tuned in properly. For now, they should work well enough for the bike the "Start".


The replacement RIGHT side cover is the right color and year but has a little damage that shouldn't be much of a challenge to repair.


As you can see, the engine is still actually in pieces. Although the valve cover is "On" there are no cams installed and the chain halves are held together with a zip tie. Once I have the replacement guide, I can get the cams installed and the chain, etc. done.

Found a location for the upgraded fuse panel.
The "Main" is actually outside the box in the big RED holder. The main on the FJ1200 (where the fuse panel came from) is also outside the box.


There is PLENTY of open space between the existing wiring and the LEFT side cover.


Nancy made me some labels.


Wiring Job Works
The only battery I had available had the positive and negative terminals on the wrong sides (old XJ550 Battery). Had to get a little creative to get something together for testing purposes. I certainly won't leave it like this.


Everything works so the; crimp , then solder, and then double heat shrink of all the wiring was good.


I guess that's it until the cam chain guide arrives in the mail.....


Hope ya'll had a great weekend.

KURT

[kboehringer]

It runs......

Kurt

[Radioguylogs]

Yeah!

We had no doubt you would make it run again.

[kboehringer]

We had no doubt you would make it run again.

Just goes to show if you throw enough new (and used) parts at it you can make anything run!! LOL

• New (Used) COMPLETE Cylinder Head ~$103 (Cost $50 & Shipping $53) - That was a DEAL!!!!
• New (Used) #2 Carb(s) - $20
• Complete Gasket Kit - ~$80
• Carb Kits ~$40
• Ring Sets - ~$40
• OEM Cam Chain Links ~$10
• Cam Chain Guide <$10
• Oil & Filter ~$25
• Labor ~???? FREE ???
• Total for the engine repair $328

Other Expenses to date:

• Replacement Side Cover $30
• Starter Solenoid - FREE (XS11 Spares)
• Throttle Assy. - FREE (XS11 Spares)
• Front Brake Lever - FREE (XS11 Spares)
• Fuse Upgrade - FREE (FJ1200 & Len Spares)
• Air Filter Assy. - Dinner for Mike & Nick at the rally +++

NOW, I really do need to just "putz" around with the bike and set it on the back burner for a while. I KNOW it will run, the sense of urgency is much lower.

As mentioned previously, I'm currently looking for work so spending ANY money on this XS850 isn't a wise move. All the bits & pieces purchased for this ole' gal were ordered and paid for before my employer provided me with notice of plant closure.

There are still things that can be done for FREE (labor is free here) so i have rebuilt the front mast and the rear master using the OEM parts. I believe they will work just fine, it also appears the REAR master was rebuilt at some time in the past as the parts looked really good. It was just dirty as heck and needed to be cleaned.


Unfortunately, the piston in the rear caliper is pitted very badly and is not serviceable. The caliper is the same as the XS11 and I should have another in good-to-go condition. Of course the brake lines are all 42 years old and will need to be replaced before any driving is attempted. The lines really look like poo, absolutely unsafe in this condition.


OFF TOPIC PRODUCT REVIEW.
A year or two back I purchased a ultrasonic wash tank. I bought the biggest one they offered and I believe it was something like $80 on Amazon. This unit has become one of the most valuable and productive tools I own!!!

I've finally figured out how to use it properly with: SIMPLE GREEN and water (~25% / 75%), Temp set at 70c, operating cycle 30 minutes (at full temp). THIS THING DOES A FABULOUS JOB AND WAS WELL WORTH THE PRICE. After several washes I dispose of the used simple green & water mix and replace. Absolutely more enviro. friendly and so much easier than the old-school scrubbing with chemicals/gas/whatever.

I cleaned the pistons, side covers, carbs, brake masters, just about everything during this repair event in the Ultrasonic and the parts came out absolutely beautiful and all I had to do was drop them in the tank and push the buttons!




I'll keep ya'll posted but updates will become few and far between. Unfortunately, there's not a chance this ole' girl will make the Vintage Yamaha Rally this year.... Gotta go get Pensacola ('79 XS1100 Special - CUSTOM) ready for the rally, she should make it.

Thanks for all the help and support so far.

KURT

[bikerphil]

Wow, I would have figured there would be oil splashing everywhere running it with the valve cover off like that.

[kboehringer]

Wow, I would have figured there would be oil splashing everywhere running it with the valve cover off like that.

Yes. Me too! And I'm still a little concerned about that. I had gobs and gobs of assembly lube in there but I was also expecting a good bit of pressure from the pump.

The reason I was running without the cover was to SEE oil hitting the head. I saw very little..... May end-up rebuilding the pump before the next start.

[Radioguylogs]

[*]Air Filter Assy. - Dinner for Mike & Nick at the rally +++

You've already overpaid several times over.

[bikerphil]

May end-up rebuilding the pump before the next start

You could hook up a manual oil pressure gauge and see if the pressure is sufficient. It's possible that the assembly lube is temporarily clogging up the works.

[kboehringer]

WTF - Do the numbers mean? YHA-146?

XS Friends,

Time has been EXTREMELY limited but I try to do something on this bike once in a while..... I'm still on a LIMITED budget as well since I'm trying to concentrate on the Pensacola XS11SF project also.



I was looking at the headlamp bucket all beat up and with a crack on the Left and thought I had one of these that was better. I rummaged through my supplies up in the attic and found a much better (certainly not perfect) YHA -146 bucket and ring that looked nicer. In addition, the spare had the Halogen bulb vs. the sealed beam (rounded front) variety. What a deal I thought and NO $$$$.

Upon pulling the old bucket off the XS850 I realized these IDENTICALLY "MARKED" headlamp buckets are very different. The "Original" has only three(3) holes in the back while the "Replacement" has four(4). In addition, the adjustment tab welded to the bottom is of a different style (slightly but useable).



What the HECK are these numbers for if there is such a variation in the design of the bucket?

Regardless, I mounted the replacement and the mixed/matched the ring, bulb retainer, misc. hardware so I have all the best looking parts on the bike. Obviously, no one else will ever note there is something amiss with this set-up. It does look a lot better and I'm certain the Halogen beam will be more effective than the sealed yellowish bulb.




ADDITIONAL PROJECT COMPLETED:
After receiving the WRONG fork seals with the forks torn to shreds, I purchased the right seals (8/9mm height) and replaced the seals, cleaned the lowers, and refilled with oil. Honestly, although the oil in the forks looked a LITTLE $hitty. This is absolutely the first bike I ever purchased that actually had OIL IN THE FORKS. I measured the old oil and it was very close to the recommended quantity. The PO couldn't apparently do much else but he did keep the fork oil replaced - LOL





OH..... One other thing.... I splurged for my birthday and purchased a new battery for this ole' girl. I purchased a conventional Lead/Acid as I've not seen ANY life expectancy improvement WHATSOEVER with glass matt or gel. So, saved a few bucks and went with original style.

KURT

[cajun31]

WTF - Do the numbers mean? YHA-146?

XS Friends,

Time has been EXTREMELY limited but I try to do something on this bike once in a while..... I'm still on a LIMITED budget as well since I'm trying to concentrate on the Pensacola XS11SF project also.



I was looking at the headlamp bucket all beat up and with a crack on the Left and thought I had one of these that was better. I rummaged through my supplies up in the attic and found a much better (certainly not perfect) YHA -146 bucket and ring that looked nicer. In addition, the spare had the Halogen bulb vs. the sealed beam (rounded front) variety. What a deal I thought and NO $$$$.

Upon pulling the old bucket off the XS850 I realized these IDENTICALLY "MARKED" headlamp buckets are very different. The "Original" has only three(3) holes in the back while the "Replacement" has four(4). In addition, the adjustment tab welded to the bottom is of a different style (slightly but useable).



What the HECK are these numbers for if there is such a variation in the design of the bucket?

Regardless, I mounted the replacement and the mixed/matched the ring, bulb retainer, misc. hardware so I have all the best looking parts on the bike. Obviously, no one else will ever note there is something amiss with this set-up. It does look a lot better and I'm certain the Halogen beam will be more effective than the sealed yellowish bulb.




ADDITIONAL PROJECT COMPLETED:
After receiving the WRONG fork seals with the forks torn to shreds, I purchased the right seals (8/9mm height) and replaced the seals, cleaned the lowers, and refilled with oil. Honestly, although the oil in the forks looked a LITTLE $hitty. This is absolutely the first bike I ever purchased that actually had OIL IN THE FORKS. I measured the old oil and it was very close to the recommended quantity. The PO couldn't apparently do much else but he did keep the fork oil replaced - LOL





OH..... One other thing.... I splurged for my birthday and purchased a new battery for this ole' girl. I purchased a conventional Lead/Acid as I've not seen ANY life expectancy improvement WHATSOEVER with glass matt or gel. So, saved a few bucks and went with original style.

KURT

Good to see you back at it Kurt. I have been using chargers with the high frequency desulphation capability for the past few years. They seem to extend the life of the batteries. I bought the Chinese made ones from Nothern Tool. Battery Minder brand. Cheap enough and seem to do a good job and the reviews on them are for the most part very favorable.

[jetmechmarty]

I have a gas tank for that bike. I'd rather send it to you than throw it away. It's rusty, but probably OK otherwise.

[kboehringer]

Marty,
Thank you. That would be nice to have a spare as I have a spare (or two) for most of my machines. The current tank is very nice INSIDE but (now in the Georgia Sunlight) I see the exterior is substandard. The current tank will absolutely need a re-paint. Hopefully, I can do as good a job on this one as I THINK I did on the SR500 which is certainly my best repaint so far. I certainly plan to pay for all postage and offer you something for the tank itself.

I also recently followed your advice and made a switch to PartsShack for a recent order. Nancy and I compared Partzilla & PartShack side-by-side and I paid about ~$35 less for my recent order of FZR1000 parts from PartShack. In addition, unlike Partzilla, I received an e-mail from "Mike" at PartShack indicating one of my gaskets for the oil pump was going to be delayed 2-3 weeks. I asked if he could ship the other stuff without that and he did so at no extra cost. Partzilla would never do that!!!!

I did find there is a MINOR difference with PartShack. They will not ship chemicals of any kind. I've fallen in LOVE with YamaLube Precision parts cleaner (shown in photo with the driveway cleaner you also recommended), the local dealer doesn't offer it so I have to drive down to Extreme Powersports in Columbus to get it. I just ordered new FJR brake pads from Partzilla and added a few cans of this cleaner as the brake pads from Partzilla vs. PartShack was negligable.




Here's a current update on the 850.

I completed a carb sync, colortune, and then re-sync check on the machine last weekend. Only took a few minutes to accomplish.





NOTE: I saw some guy on FaKeBook telling folks that "Colortune" is a waste of money for our bikes (meaning the XS11 actually). I beg to differ. This tuning tool is extremely valuable and easy. I've tried the "Lean Drop" method and honestly struggle to make the bikes run nearly as well as I can with the colortune device.

The bike runs fantastic and starts right up with a flick of the wrist and tap of the starter.


Unfortunately, I have made no progress on the brakes (no time & no parts) so I can't take the bike even down the street 1/2 a block. I'd prefer not to depend on the "Sneaker Stopping Method" with a big bike like this! I've been there, done that, LEARNED MY LESSON!



PIRELLI ROUTE 66 WOES! - 130/90-16 DISCONTINUED

As ya'll may have seen earlier in the thread, I replaced the front tire out of dire necessity to enable me to move the bike. The budget was tight so I only purchased the front tire that I HAD TO HAVE to roll the thing.

Now, I have a few dollars available and TRIED to buy the rear. Unfortunately, the rear tire size has been discontinued. Now, I have two choices, replace BOTH with something else or see if a 140/90-16 (not discontinued) will fit the rear???? It's only 10mm difference but that 5mm per side looks a little tight on the drive shaft. Anyone got one of those running on the rear? This will be applicable to all of my vintage bikes as all the XS11's, SECA, Maxim, SR, are ALL running Pirelli Route tires (I think the SECA is actually a taller tire 17").

I'm hunting to see if anyone has a "leftover" on the shelf but have not yet found a 130mm. Hopefully one of you guys is running a 140mm without an issue. This is basically in most ways a bike that shares a ton of the XS11's parts (except cylinder #4 - LOL) and I'm sure it would work on the XS850 if it does on the XS11.

Thoughts on the 140/90-16???

KURT

[Radioguylogs]

There was a tire fitment chart posted on the Triple forum before it went belly up. It showed which tire sizes could be fitted to each Triple model...and it had some detail about various brands of tires.

I'm sad I didn't save a copy.

I think it showed 130 will always fit but only a couple of brands had 140 that worked. My memory may not be correct because it was about 7-8 years ago since I saw it.

[jetmechmarty]

There was a tire fitment chart posted on the Triple forum before it went belly up. It showed which tire sizes could be fitted to each Triple model...and it had some detail about various brands of tires.

I'm sad I didn't save a copy.

I think it showed 130 will always fit but only a couple of brands had 140 that worked. My memory may not be correct because it was about 7-8 years ago since I saw it.

True, the width measurement is inconsistent. I can't say whether a Pirelli 140/90-16 will fit. I just ordered four tires for two bikes. 100/90-19 and 130/90-16. I went with Dunlop D404. I hope I like them. The Bridgestone S11 Spitfire appears to be discontinued as well. I'm not going to search eBay for discontinued tires. D404 it is.

The 850 is looking good!

I assume you're getting parts at PartShark. Yes, I'm having good luck with them. I buy usually source tires from Rocky Mountain ATV. They sell all those Yamalube products. I order some when I buy tires, so I get the stuff without paying for shipping.

I'll send the tank along at my convenience. It's something else I don't need that can go away.

[Radioguylogs]

Is mixing the brands front/back really out of the question?

That's what I would do in your situation. I've never noticed anything deleterious when I mixed brands before. Of course I am not the most demanding rider either.