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Making a commitment to XS East involved getting my valves checked before logging significant miles, and some great XS friends came to the rescue of my 78E.
MaximPhil orchestrated a plan and hosted the event in his garage due to pending rain forecasts. The plan was to get er done on Saturday.
So with a friendly reminder not to be late and delay breakfast (I'm getting a reputation), I header out early for once in my life and arrived about 9:20. We rolled Phil's Bike collection and parts out onto the driveway and made it look like a motorcycle convention.
Since I am petrified of opening up an engine, and Phil was doing all the planning, cooking, and sweeping of oak leaves, etc. we needed a Specialist.
In walked Tinman905 (James) right on cue. After fueling up his belly, he set to work like a surgeon, with us buzzing around him, hunting for parts and handing him tools hoping they were the right ones.
The XS was very stubborn about giving up the old shims with the Motion Pro tool, but eventually she did thanks to James patience and persistence. James stayed quite late, and headed home with orders to close up the patient who lay there splayed wide open. Once he left, the beer had started flowing and it was dark so we covered her up with a sterile white cloth and headed indoors, thinking he wouldn't be the wiser. Phil offered superb accommodations, which was a good thing since my ride was not going anywhere.
I managed to get up in the morning in sufficient time to close the wound (valve cover) in time for James to arrive all the way back to resume the operation. Carbs were balanced in record time with his Carbtune tool, his friends arrived and off he went to try and salvage a few hours of his weekend.
Phil and I set to putting her all back together and it went surprisingly well, with enough time to head out for a ride and grab a burger before going home. The bike runs amazing, I am so happy!
I cannot say enough words to thank Phil and James for all the help and devoting so much to get my 78E ship shape for an extended ride in two weeks.
Some photos of the patient on the table, if you have the stomach for it!
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0Bw...3FWOEpyaWtveHc
MaximPhil orchestrated a plan and hosted the event in his garage due to pending rain forecasts. The plan was to get er done on Saturday.
So with a friendly reminder not to be late and delay breakfast (I'm getting a reputation), I header out early for once in my life and arrived about 9:20. We rolled Phil's Bike collection and parts out onto the driveway and made it look like a motorcycle convention.
Since I am petrified of opening up an engine, and Phil was doing all the planning, cooking, and sweeping of oak leaves, etc. we needed a Specialist.
In walked Tinman905 (James) right on cue. After fueling up his belly, he set to work like a surgeon, with us buzzing around him, hunting for parts and handing him tools hoping they were the right ones.
The XS was very stubborn about giving up the old shims with the Motion Pro tool, but eventually she did thanks to James patience and persistence. James stayed quite late, and headed home with orders to close up the patient who lay there splayed wide open. Once he left, the beer had started flowing and it was dark so we covered her up with a sterile white cloth and headed indoors, thinking he wouldn't be the wiser. Phil offered superb accommodations, which was a good thing since my ride was not going anywhere.
I managed to get up in the morning in sufficient time to close the wound (valve cover) in time for James to arrive all the way back to resume the operation. Carbs were balanced in record time with his Carbtune tool, his friends arrived and off he went to try and salvage a few hours of his weekend.
Phil and I set to putting her all back together and it went surprisingly well, with enough time to head out for a ride and grab a burger before going home. The bike runs amazing, I am so happy!
I cannot say enough words to thank Phil and James for all the help and devoting so much to get my 78E ship shape for an extended ride in two weeks.
Some photos of the patient on the table, if you have the stomach for it!
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0Bw...3FWOEpyaWtveHc
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