Many many thanks to TC and John for their help in my winter project. Bought an xsw1100 midnight last summer and discovered first gear jumped when I tried to jump on it. Then I discovered this list. What a blessing. TC posted the entire fix with color pictures which I copied and then got to work (and I'm no mechanic, just an oil-changer).
I finished up today and EVERYTHING works! Huzzah! I did the dremel fix for a bad skip in first gear. While in there I did second too, even though I've not had problems with it. TC's instructions were perfect and everything went just as he said it would. Though it is still winter here, when I got done, I took my '81 Midnight out into the balmy 32 degree weather and warmed her up for about ten miles, and then I laid that throttle open. No skip. No difficulty shifting all the way through the gears, just screaming fun, with snow flurries flying all around and people gawking at me like I'd lost my mind (the road was dry). Whew that bike can get up and run now. Wonder what it'll be like when it's warm?
And the sound! I have a new used black chrome exhaust to replace the mangled after market job which was on the bike. I didn't know how bad it was until I took it off and saw one header completely destroyed. So I started looking for a different exhaust. And that's when I got to know John Wilmot. John Wilmot kindly offered me his spare stock midnight exhaust when he saw me trying to figure out a different exhaust on the discussion list. I didn't know what it was worth and so offered him $250. He wrote back and said no way, that's too much, how about $150? Then he boxed it and shipped it to me for 150 plus shipping. How do you like that? He bargained me down in price for something that you cannot get anymore and which would go for much more on Ebay. He did it to help me get running. Now his exhaust is on my bike and it looks great. You gotta love that black chrome. And the sound! Wow what a wondrous bike this is. What a great group this is. You guys are the best. I only wish I could reciprocate in some way. If anybody on this list ever needs a pastor, just whistle and I'm there.
To John and TC: Thank you thank you.
Now if only the snow would melt!
I finished up today and EVERYTHING works! Huzzah! I did the dremel fix for a bad skip in first gear. While in there I did second too, even though I've not had problems with it. TC's instructions were perfect and everything went just as he said it would. Though it is still winter here, when I got done, I took my '81 Midnight out into the balmy 32 degree weather and warmed her up for about ten miles, and then I laid that throttle open. No skip. No difficulty shifting all the way through the gears, just screaming fun, with snow flurries flying all around and people gawking at me like I'd lost my mind (the road was dry). Whew that bike can get up and run now. Wonder what it'll be like when it's warm?
And the sound! I have a new used black chrome exhaust to replace the mangled after market job which was on the bike. I didn't know how bad it was until I took it off and saw one header completely destroyed. So I started looking for a different exhaust. And that's when I got to know John Wilmot. John Wilmot kindly offered me his spare stock midnight exhaust when he saw me trying to figure out a different exhaust on the discussion list. I didn't know what it was worth and so offered him $250. He wrote back and said no way, that's too much, how about $150? Then he boxed it and shipped it to me for 150 plus shipping. How do you like that? He bargained me down in price for something that you cannot get anymore and which would go for much more on Ebay. He did it to help me get running. Now his exhaust is on my bike and it looks great. You gotta love that black chrome. And the sound! Wow what a wondrous bike this is. What a great group this is. You guys are the best. I only wish I could reciprocate in some way. If anybody on this list ever needs a pastor, just whistle and I'm there.
To John and TC: Thank you thank you.
Now if only the snow would melt!
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