The "Free, Filched, or Fabricated" Build Thread

[DiverRay]

For rubber, I just put Shinko tires on my Quail bike. Look good, but I have not put more than about 400 miles on them. I KNOW they will only last about 5K miles, but that's one or two riding seasons for a lot of people. Avon is another brand a lot of rider like on these machines. They stick well, and last longer than the Shinko.
The BIG thing is remember, this is a HEAVY BIKE, and the tires MUST be able to carry the weight or they WILL go bald QUICKLY. I buy tires from the load capacity as much as a brand name.
Master cylinder is 14mm stock, and I would go to 12mm with stainless steel brake lines to keep the feel. Almost any sportbike MC for 7/8" bars should fit, so look around and have fun!

[MaximPhil]

Hi Javestack,
I have used both Spitfire and 712 both are nice tires and suit our bikes. Shinko have a 230 aswell that some on this site are using.
I do not recall anyone having any thing positive to say about Kenda brand.
Phil

[3Phase]

Hi Javestack,
I have used both Spitfire and 712 both are nice tires and suit our bikes. Shinko have a 230 aswell that some on this site are using.
I do not recall anyone having any thing positive to say about Kenda brand.
Phil

SoccerMike in Sun Diego runs a 16" Kenda on his XJ11 and he likes it. Mike and 'Roo and the crew just rode from Cali to Sturgis and back. Metzeler has supposedly quit making the ME88 130/90-17 so a Kenda 6-ply is going on my '80G when the Metzeler wears out. It'll be fun!

.

[BowlingSS]

What about Dunlop? I bought a new master cylinder for a 1972 CB750 for about $30 on EBay. It came from Hong Kong but it worked very well. You might look here:
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw...inder&_sacat=0

Good luck.
Bill

[JaveStack]

Bought tires

Wow, that's a lot of advice. Thanks guys!

I decided to go with the Shinko 712's. This bike isn't going to be my corner carver (the dual compound Michelins on my Ducati have that covered), and I didn't want to spend too much considering I got the bike for free.

I only had to spend $120 on the Shinko's and I found a shop through a friend that will mount for $25 if I bring in the wheels and tires loose. (I had someone else quote me $40 a tire!)

I will wait for my "fun fund" to come back up enough to buy an MC and SS lines, and I should be good to go.

Oh.... Also... My dog found the box with my new right hand switches... and shredded them... for the second time... That is getting expensive.

[JaveStack]

Wheel Cleaning....

Looking to clean my wheels before they get new wraps...

I have Eagle One Etching MAG wheel cleaner lying around... I believe that will clean very well, but I suppose it would also burn the black coloring off of my wheels as well?

Any suggestions for wheel cleaning methods on a budget that won't hurt the color?

[DiverRay]

Oh.... Also... My dog found the box with my new right hand switches... and shredded them... for the second time... That is getting expensive

Yeah, the dog knows once you start riding the XS, he won't get any time in a car!

[JaveStack]

Yeah, the dog knows once you start riding the XS, he won't get any time in a car!

HE"S SO SMART.....

I'm glad he isn't a cat, or my brake lines may get mysteriously chewed through...

[JaveStack]

Its aliiiveeee!!!!!

So... It started today.

I spent some time staring at the wiring diagram, but couldn't get it to turn over. I knew the battery was good, and that the solenoid was getting 12V, but the blue wire wasn't completing the circuit...

So, knowing that everything was working the way it should, and that I didn't have any safeties in the way, I cracked open the solenoid slightly to take a peek, and found this:



The ground lead to the solenoid had been broken, presumably by someone trying to service it.

I cut back the insulation, inserted some extra wire, soldered it on, heat shrunk it, drilled through the original blue wire solder point, reassembled the solenoid with the new lead sticking through the drilled hole, and soldered it back shut. Results?



Works like a charm!

WIth the starter fixed, I hooked my my newest unchewed kill switch, checked for spark, hooked up a small kart tank, and squeezed the start button. 2 seconds of cranking with choke and she revved right up!

I will need to do some tuning as it won't run off choke (I ran it with bare carbs to see if it would fire), find a version of the velocity stack mod that will work for me, get my exhaust hooked up, etc. But I am ecstatic that she ran! No bad sounds or bad misses, even running on choke. Very happy this afternoon.

I have a full set of caliper rebuild kits coming... Once those are put on with my new rubber, I am gonna be itching to ride...

Nearby motorcycle salvage yard said they should be able to find me a good MC for not too much money.

Oh Yeah! I got the tank unlocked and it looks pretty good inside for sitting for four years:

[JaveStack]

ACCT on the way.

I found the Raptor 3TB-12210-00-00 ACCT on sale with Amazon for $18 (From $75) today!

Needless to say it is on its way to me now.

[JaveStack]

I have all the parts!

So I now have all the parts I need to at least get rolling. Here is what I have to do:

1. mount new rubber
2. rebuild calipers
3. reinstall wheels with new brake pads and lines
4. install ACCT
5. mount exhaust
6. install headlight
7. Go for a ride

I want to get on the road before snow falls, and then I will completely disassemble the bike over the winter to do follow my new vision for the project as built by another XS11 member.

[JaveStack]

Wheel Cleaning

Again, anyone have any tricks to clean these stock 1981 wheels?

[TopCatGr58]

See this tech tip by Crazy Steve, with photos!

http://www.xs11.com/forum/showthread.php?t=39869

T.C.

[JaveStack]

Carbs...

Thanks TC.

Well, whoever said these carbs were gone through was a liar.

I threw them in an ultrasonic bath after dropping the bowls. The bowl gaskets are probably original. Needles look new. Floats are clean. Everything else is filthy.

Buying some bowl gaskets and spending some time with my ultrasonic and air compressor...

[JaveStack]

Great deal on brake lines!

I found the 2-peice Galfer stainless line kit on Ebay brand new for $30!

Snatched that right up. They arrived and look perfect. Going to rebuild my fork this weekend. Tires are coming back from mounting tomorrow.