turned 70,000 miles

[STEPPENWOLF]

I turned 70,000 miles on my bike this past fall,original owner,well maintained bike.I am not concerend about the engine,still strong,burns some oil,re did steering head bearings a few years ago,suspension,brakes and the normal wear items have been gone over,turn signals only work when there is a lot of vibration,high beam,low beam switch just broke and the starter button fell off..so I cut the end off of a bic pen cap and stuck it in there with some electrical tape and it works...My question being...is there items that I should be looking after for my own saftey,swing arm bearings,wheel bearings......just looking for any suggestions on what I might look for as I plan on riding this bike for another ten years.
Thanks...a newbie here..........still can't get over the number of members here...guess we all have great bikes..........
Bill

[mro]

70 big ones!...(on a Magic carpet ride?)

Might check brake lines. Yama recomends replace exery four years. Mid and final drives, how long since oil changed. Would not enjoy a "lock up" at speed. Pretty sure wheel bearings would be worn with that many miles. Not much experience with swing arm. Suppose to check/clean/repack every 8K miles.

Good reg maintenance as in the book should see you thru a few more seasons

mro
btw, horn button same as start, cheep at mikesXS

[STEPPENWOLF]

Thanks, the brake lines still look good,orginal,replaced rear naster cyl a few years ago.When redoing the front springs,went ahead and did the steering head bearings and when updating the rear shocks the swing arm felt tight,never been apart. Yes I have kept the middle and final gear oil changed. Other than the turn signals not working at low rpm and the cam chain adjuster leaking a little oil while on the main stand it has been a fun ride.

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Bill,

Have you read thru some of the tech tips, FROM THE MAIN FORUM PAGE, not just the Yellow Column? You mentioned cam chain tensioner leaking. Been posts about fixing the plug on the end, but also can be the Oring beneath the locking nut/bolt combo, as well as just the base gasket. You might want to do the Cam Chain tension adjustment, then pull the adjuster, and check for how much adjustment you have left. If it's almost to the end of it's travel, then your cam chain may be stretched to the limit, and may need to plan for a replacement so you don't run a loose chain and hop teeth and smash valves?

Aside from the final drive oil, you may want to pull the final drive from the swing arm to grease the shaft splines in there, that grease fitting does essentially NOTHING, again posts have been made, good photos of area in Final Drive MOD tip!

OEM brake lines swell and stretch with age. Would be good to look into getting some Stainless Steel lines to replace them, you'll be amazed at the difference in the response and feel, like getting new brakes!!!

Pull ALL connectors and clean/dielectric grease, clean ALL contacts from battery, alternator, engine to frame ground strap, etc., pull voltage reg/rect OFF of frame, clean contacts and bolts cause it grounds to frame. Check grounds for turn signals, specially the rear ones, they get rusted being inside the fender, but corrosion also can form inside the signal housings and the sockets themselves. If you are still running the GLASS fuses, you might want to look into doing the Fuse Block replacement, again in the tech tips!

Hey, it's winter, you've got lots of time!!
T.C.

[mro]

Hey, it's winter, you've got lots of time!!

Brrrrrr..........
It was at least 60 something here today
Had to wear my heavy cotton shirt over my reg. shirt riding today just to keep warm


mro

[oseaghdha]

Re: Hey, it's winter, you've got lots of time!!

Originally posted by mro
Brrrrrr..........
It was at least 60 something here today
Had to wear my heavy cotton shirt over my reg. shirt riding today just to keep warm


mro

AWWWW, piss off!
Its been 30 something and raining all week here.

[John]

Dan

You forgot the ice that we had last weekend. I had to spend a good part of the workday outdoors that weekend. Rain, sleet, snow and freezing rain. What idiot said " What winter in Texas"? All of our ground equipment was left out in the ice storm, so you can guess what it was like trying to load airplaces with frozen equipment. Throttle and brake cables frozen. Control panels/switches with a 1/4 inch of ice on them. What a "fluster cluck'.
And I thought I moved down here to get away from that crap.

[Pat Kelly]

Blame global warming

[STEPPENWOLF]

Dang TC,
Didn't think I had any worries:-)I have done a lot of reading on this site, a truely dedicated and helpful site. Lots of good info with out all the bickering.
I did do some reading about the cam chain adjuster leaking,but so far as seeing how much adjustment I have left I will need to look at my shop manuel.I am not a mechanic,what I don't know won't hurt me right:-)I can usually follow the shop manuel and get things done,I am just a little slow.
Yuppers, I need to look at the Final Drive MOD tip. I always greased as per manuel and never had a problem yet.
Changing brake lines, mmm, didn't know that would make much difference, the front brake does need a lot of pressure and doesn't stop me as much as I would like,since that is at least 75% of your braking,will look into that also.
So pull the voltage reg and rectifier completly off to clean,ok and clean all other contacts sounds like a good plan of action. Well I did relocate the rear turn signals to the license plate/ stop light assembly.
Still running the fuses that came with the bike, it's not broke and I am not going to fix it:-)

It may be winter but I ride year round,short rides, but if there is no salt,sand or ice on the road and is above 15 degees or so you might see me out there shrivering.
Thanks TC,I am new here but have been trying to read a lot of the excellent info from other owners.

Bill

[desert1]

Carbs

Hi Steppenwolf.
Dont forget the fuel system, from the fueltank filter to the intake filter screens on each carb to the float valves, emulsion tubes, jets and needles; good cleaning never hurt, someone just came out with a thread on boiling your carbs in a solution of lime juice and water; maybe a little Vodka thrown in as well!!LOL
Bruce
78XS1100 Alpha
79XS1100 special' parts only

[HobbyMan]

If you decide to pull the reg/rect, you might decide to check the diodes too. if one is bad, you won't be charging fully, they can be intermittant too.

[Kurt]

brrrr

I would kill to have it that "cold" here!!!!!!!!!!!!
It hasn't broken 20 in two weeks and there has been so much snow and ice on the ground that I can't even get the bike out at all. The last time I got to take her out was the second week in December. Even when I could get out I had to wear a hoody and a full set of leathers just to keep from shiverring off the seat. Gives the term blueballs a whole new meaning

Anyway. I'm done complaining.

Please don't take the ability to get out and enjoy your bike for granted. It is the best thing you can do on two wheels.

[HobbyMan]

Believe me. theres no taking it for granted. I just recovered from being really sick and stuck inside for a week

[Kurt]

Glad to hear your better. Go out again for me.

[STEPPENWOLF]

Ok then,kinda followed some of the recommendations on here,cleaned the fuel screens several times over the years, always changed rear and middle gear oil around 5-6 thousand miles(just got and e mail from a friend who has a very high mileage bike and his rear end locked up at 65,leathers,helmet and fairing saved his butt)longest I went was 9 thousand. A can of seafoam in the tank once in awhile helped the carbs which have never been touched.SS brakelines will be ordered tomorrow,
plan on doing a few other things on the drive and calipers...doing a search is a wonderful thing,now I worry about everything:-) that could go wrong:-)
Cleaned up the wiring on the turn signals and the right works great but left is still iffy at slow speeds. Don't tell me about diodes!!! sounds like a std...:-)I can do the more basic things but I am not good with electrial stuff.
Thanks all,old thread I know.................