I'm back - carbs out - humor and a question

[Lbrown311]

Hell with it, lets just put octy's on every bike and then we will send out a survey on who likes and dislikes it....ready....go!

I just love the back and forth that goes on with this site. It's like a bunch of drunk guys standing around at a party and goin toe to toe with each other on what works best and what doesn't. To each their own is what I always say.

I just can't wait to get my bike goin again Get my parts on Monday and just cleaned the calipers tonight. Used the 'ol grease gun trick. Works like a charm if I may say. If I could do one thing different in my life, it would be to have owned one of these 10 years ago. Love workin on 'em...gives me man time in the garage and man knowledge for the streets.

Good luck on mod's and resto's and happy riding!...till the next post

[natemoen]

I just love the back and forth that goes on with this site. It's like a bunch of drunk guys standing around at a party and goin toe to toe with each other on what works best and what doesn't. To each their own is what I always say

Yeah, it really seems to turn into a pissing match at times....

I just can't wait to get my bike goin again Get my parts on Monday and just cleaned the calipers tonight. Used the 'ol grease gun trick. Works like a charm if I may say.

And no, your way sucks! Mine is better!

[xs11lover]

As I mentioned several times, everything worked perfectly, I'm just customizing it to my liking. As far as the oil, it was fresh a year ago when I got it, but I also mentioned that I ended up with gas in the oil when I had to take the carbs apart because of the plugged jets and had to replace it for that reason.

I know, I just feel I have to give you a hard time. Why mess with perfection.
I liked the fork covers, and you know I do the kick starter thing myself. It's your bike, do what you want. Enjoy.
I'm finally back on the road myself. I'll mess with the bike more this winter, for now it's a stock runner.

[jetmechmarty]

Marty, until the octy has left you stranded in the middle of nowhere, you'll never understand.

Phil,

With all due respect, I don't understand how a failed closed "octy" can leave you stranded. Don't I bypass it completely when I rotate the petcock to "PRIME"?

Marty (in New York)

[bikerphil]

Phil,

With all due respect, I don't understand how a failed closed "octy" can leave you stranded. Don't I bypass it completely when I rotate the petcock to "PRIME"?

Marty (in New York)

Marty, you're right, if hooked up correctly, switching to prime should bypass it and kept me running. I must not have had it hooked up properly because I had to remove it from the bike deep in the Everglades. I was a new "Special" owner back then.

[3Phase]

It's like a bunch of drunk guys standing ...

(peering over beer) Who are you insinyul ... assinmil ... ussuma ... oh, heck, does it look like anyone here is standing?!

[Lbrown311]

(peering over beer) Who are you insinyul ... assinmil ... ussuma ... oh, heck, does it look like anyone here is standing?!

Ha, It's probably the reason we work on them so much...either used as an excuse to drink beer....or....there were too many beers drank during repairs/maintenence that we have to correct "some drunk idiot from the night before" mistakes.

Either way Cheers! Can't wait to get back riding.

[3Phase]

I don't actually drink while I'm working on my bike but I have hit a few bottlenecks during my latest project. It takes a lot of time, sometimes days, for some parts to finish de-rusting and nothing can really move forward.

Watching rust being removed by electrolysis is interesting for, oh, maybe ten minutes ... the first time you do it. After that it's really boring except when you have to reposition a part to remove the rust from another side.

I do have to keep checking parts that are soaking in phosphoric acid but even that is usually a lot less entertaining than, for example, watching lawn sprinkler races. Zinc galvanized parts very briefly do some amazing things in phosphoric acid.

DO NOT EVER! use electrolysis , alkaline, or acid on anything with a cadmium coating. Cadmium is deadly and even if you live you won't enjoy it.

Drink the beer after you finish working.

[Lbrown311]

I was thinking about doing my tank. Inside has a bit of rust. What can it all be used on?

[11Rider]

I don't actually drink while I'm working on my bike but I have hit a few bottlenecks during my latest project. It takes a lot of time, sometimes days, for some parts to finish de-rusting and nothing can really move forward.

Watching rust being removed by electrolysis is interesting for, oh, maybe ten minutes ... the first time you do it. After that it's really boring except when you have to reposition a part to remove the rust from another side.

I do have to keep checking parts that are soaking in phosphoric acid but even that is usually a lot less entertaining than, for example, watching lawn sprinkler races. Zinc galvanized parts very briefly do some amazing things in phosphoric acid.

DO NOT EVER! use electrolysis , alkaline, or acid on anything with a cadmium coating. Cadmium is deadly and even if you live you won't enjoy it.

Drink the beer after you finish working.

How would one know if a given part is cadmium or has a cadmium coationg?

[jetmechmarty]

I believe that's cadmium plating on all the nuts and bolts you buy at the hardware store. Sometimes it's gold from iridite finish. A lot of hardware in old cars, like hinges and latches were or maybe still are finished that way.

[CaptonZap]

Marty, you have a set of aeronautical glasses on. Nowdays, about the only place you will find Cad plating is in the aviation arena. Due to the tree huggers, and tort lawyers, Cad plating has become a very expensive thing to do, so most of the commercial makers of bolts have gone to Zinc, either matte or bright. If you want Cad plated hardware, you have to ask for it, and be prepared to pay a premium for it.
Google "Cadmium plated bolts" and this site comes up.
<http://www.finishing.com/136/09.shtml>
Interesting reading. CZ

[jwhughes3]

mercedes lug bolts

old mercedes lug bolts were cadmuim plated - dunno if or when they stopped.

i think i read somewhere they did it to help with keeping bolts from seizing?

john

[jetmechmarty]

I've had several cars from the sixties. They were full of cad plated hardware. Ford in particular.

[3Phase]

How would one know if a given part is cadmium or has a cadmium coationg?

Writing a safe list of XS11 bits and pieces or a how-to for identifying poisonous parts is not something I am going to do over the internet. Basically, if you don't know what type of coating is on a part or what the part itself is made of, don't try to clean it with anything except soap, water, and elbow grease.

Have fun but don't kill yourself!