Brought bike home today

[dpj]

I drug home a project bike today. It might be more project than bike.Found a 1100SF sitting in a garage that I could get cheap, so now it's sitting in my garage. It had been there for several years. Don't know what it needs yet,but looking it over before I bought it, I'll have to do the tank, clean the carbs ,and free up the calipers.
It's filthy from sitting so long
I'd love to get started on it tomorrow, but I gotta put up hay this week if the weather's good. Will take pics before I do anything to it . Any advice on where to start working on this thing will be welcomed.

Dave

[prometheus578]

Hey Dave,
(It's 2:30 in the morn and I'm too tired to write a long-winded response)
Luckily fer yea, there's been a rash of people that have written in about finding "Sleeping Giants" in the past two weeks, requesting tips on how to awaken them. Search back a coupl'a pages... plenty of recent long-winded tips to be found.
Congratulations on your find!

[prometheus578]

"Still not tired, so shall write."

(Did a quick search for other newbie posts, but they're pretty scattered about)
Pull the plugs and see if the engine cranks over and is not seized.
Clean the carbs you already know. Get the dead mice out of the air filter box, too.
Flush the brake systems, but if they're hangin', you may need to disassemble and clean.
Change all fluids.
After you get it runnin', you should check the valve clearances. No tellin' when they were checked last.
New tires would be a good investment, too. The ones presently on the bike could be quite old.
Carbs, oils, lubes and fluids, battery, a little spit and polish and you should be all set.
We can trouble shoot problems as you come across them.

[dpj]

Thanks for the tips guys. So far I've pulled the old battery and the gas tank (what a stink).No air box for the mice , it had unifilters on it. Looks like the rubber boots the carbs are mounted to are starting to crack. Also it doesn't want to go into nuetral. Gonna order a Clymers for it ASAP.Will spend tonight looking at Tech Tips and other newbie questions
Thanks again ,Dave.

[TopCatGr58]

Hey there DPJ,

Congrats on finding a great machine(Special ) instead of that crappy ole 78E you were looking at earlier!!

The carb boots commonly crack, but may not need replacing. They are actually double layered, and so the INNER layer may be still in perfect condition. You can use HIGH TEMP BLACK RTV to seal up the outer layer to make them more presentable and more support to prevent further spreading of the cracks.

The gears don't like to shift while the engine or rear wheel are NOT spinning.

Do you have any more history on it, like WHY it was parked, how many miles are on it. Symptoms like shifting trouble or not wanting to stay in gear could mean the need for the 2nd gear fix!

Good luck, keep us posted on your progress!
T.C.

[dpj]

TC

Fella said his wife made him park it because it scared her. He says it was running good when he put it in the back of his garage. He thinks that was 7 or 8 yrs. ago. It's showing 7098 miles and he says that is actual. Guess he never even wiped her off. There was about a 1/4 inch of dust on it when I looked at it. The trailer ride
home blew alot of it off,but she's still filthy. Can't even tell if there are any leaks.

When I pull the carbs , I'll check the inside of the boots. Don't want to try to do much to it til I can get a clymers or hanes manual.

By the way, how was the Memorial Day rally? Couldn't find any one to feed the horses. If I get this dirty old lady running, maybe I can make the next one.

[dpj]

a quick update

So far I've got the tank cleaned and lined. Cleaned and remounted the front calipers.Dismantled and cleaned the front M/C. I might put it back together tonight.Why did someone put a spoonfull of blackberry preserves in the M/C?

Got most of the grime cleaned off her. A few good surprises there. Most of the chrome is in pretty good shape, the frame doesn't appear to be hurt, and I found the original tool kit (unused) and the kick starter was mounted under where the seat should have been.

I think I'll do the rear brakes next. I'm still hesitant about the carbs, but they gotta be done. The search feature on this sight is great. No way could I have even gotten the M/C off the bike and dismantled (or what to clean) without it. I,ll update when I get more done. Thanks

[Stralya]

Congrats on finding a great machine(Special ) instead of that crappy ole 78E you were looking at earlier!!



How do I get out of this chicken outfit!!!!

[John]

Originally posted by Stralya
Congrats on finding a great machine(Special ) instead of that crappy ole 78E you were looking at earlier!!



How do I get out of this chicken outfit!!!!

You can try jumping into a pot of boiling water. That makes plucking the pin feathers much easier.

[Stralya]

Yeah well I'll keep my newly boiled arse on my '78

[DiverRay]

Those of us with the '78 are rare, and don't need boiling. Just remember Stralya, you have the FIRST of the line, everyone else is a sloppy second.
Ray

[Stralya]

Yeah, what Ray said.

I was actually having a sideways dig at TC, see, it was he who said something about the 'crappy' '78. I already knew he was kidding.

The only things my '78 wont do is make beer and keep the indicators going at idle!

Dan (My name)

[Pat Kelly]

I've got best of both flavors. A 78, first run of the XSs and an LG, first of the Midnight Specials.
Swapped out the buckhorns per personal preferance but have all parts to go back to original. Same with the E, I can go back to stock (appearance). There are internal upgrades.

[Stralya]

Mine's stock as a rock, apart from the goldwing handlebars and the krauser hard panniers and just a wrong top box, but I still have the original handlebars.