Topic: What did you do to your bike today ?

[lucky]

Back in the garage to play!

Fit new plug wires. Finished the install of the stainless braided oil lines now that I had both o-rings and new hardware. Installed the battery and turned the key - we have light, horn and turn signals. Rebuilt the rear caliper. Installed a NOS rear master. Installed the rear wheel. Hooked up the brake system.


Let's take a peek at what it's going to look like

Thanks for posting the photos.
That is a very nice job you are doing!!1 WOW!!!

[lucky]

Uh oh.. I was flogging it down a hill and somehow missed between 2nd and 3rd, revved up from redline to over 12k.. Now one cylinder isn't firing. I hope I didn't bend any valves or blow up a spark plug. This just happened about 15 minutes ago so it's still too hot to look into.

Any guesses?

Been there, done that on 1st to 2nd. Floated valve, broke valve, BIG hole in piston, locked up big time, destroyed engine. Hope your's is minor. That is what got me into "fixing" these things  The one of the right just went into it.

Thankfully it's not that severe. Engine still turns and runs. At first I thought it was just a main jet that got clogged up or something, so I took my carbs off and gave it a good cleaning. Went for a test ride and it ran decent (although it was shooting out flames and popping a bit at idle because I went from 45 slows to 38 slows). At some point during the ride, this happened. I don't know when, because I looked down at a stop light and discovered my engine soaked in oil.

I stopped at the local drug store and assessed the situation. Since I was able to get there from that stop light, I assumed I could get home (about three minutes ride), and I did. Thankfully no oil made it on to my rear tire and I didn't eat it.

Looks like I'm down for a few weeks while I get the minimum amount of parts (tappet cover, adjusting screw, and nut), then tear the head apart and go from there...

I thought #40's were the stock slow jet size for your bike?

BTW....Did you notice the tappet cover has broken off threads in the hole?
Thats why oil may be all over the place.
Maybe the engine leaked oil from that cracked tappet cover until it was too low on oil?

[madmtnmotors]

BTW....Did you notice the tappet cover has broken off threads in the hole?
Thats why oil may be all over the place.
Maybe the engine leaked oil from that cracked tappet cover until it was too low on oil?

I think the tappet cover was actually busted out when the tappet adjuster came loose. He didn't have to remove the tappet cover, it was already gone... 

[jessezm]

HAH!  I was wondering if anyone would notice!  They were sharing a carb-dip bath together...   I also disassembled the front master cylinder and cleaned it, and took apart the front caliper.  Since the MC was shot (ever seen a reservoir full of dried crumbly looking stuff?) I had to pump the caliper piston out with a grease gun.  Worked like a charm, and miraculously, the piston itself is near perfect!  I also de-varnished and de-rusted my gas tank, I just didn't have pictures of the rest of it...  I'm trying to put a $300 barn find back on the road on the cheap

Went from this:




To this:

Looks great...but how did you fit the brake caliper B and piston in your carbs? 

[Dimitri13]

Uh oh.. I was flogging it down a hill and somehow missed between 2nd and 3rd, revved up from redline to over 12k.. Now one cylinder isn't firing. I hope I didn't bend any valves or blow up a spark plug. This just happened about 15 minutes ago so it's still too hot to look into.

Any guesses?

Been there, done that on 1st to 2nd. Floated valve, broke valve, BIG hole in piston, locked up big time, destroyed engine. Hope your's is minor. That is what got me into "fixing" these things  The one of the right just went into it.

Thankfully it's not that severe. Engine still turns and runs. At first I thought it was just a main jet that got clogged up or something, so I took my carbs off and gave it a good cleaning. Went for a test ride and it ran decent (although it was shooting out flames and popping a bit at idle because I went from 45 slows to 38 slows). At some point during the ride, this happened. I don't know when, because I looked down at a stop light and discovered my engine soaked in oil.

I stopped at the local drug store and assessed the situation. Since I was able to get there from that stop light, I assumed I could get home (about three minutes ride), and I did. Thankfully no oil made it on to my rear tire and I didn't eat it.

Looks like I'm down for a few weeks while I get the minimum amount of parts (tappet cover, adjusting screw, and nut), then tear the head apart and go from there...

I thought #40's were the stock slow jet size for your bike?

BTW....Did you notice the tappet cover has broken off threads in the hole?
Thats why oil may be all over the place.
Maybe the engine leaked oil from that cracked tappet cover until it was too low on oil?

I thought they were too, which is why I bought a set of 42s from Jets R Us -.- Hopefully I can exchange them for 40s when they get here.

The tappet cover busted off at some point during that ride, and it was spitting oil all over the place.

[jessezm]

I had one experience shortly after rebuilding my 400f where I got higher than I intended to in the revs and found all of my tappets had backed themselves out a significant amount.  It sounds like that's what happened to you--at least one of your tappets got loose and backed out so far it pounded into your access cover.  In that picture had you removed the tappet yourself or did it come all the way off and fly around inside the cam cover?  Either way, it does sound like you're in for some close inspection and rebuilding...  Dang!

Uh oh.. I was flogging it down a hill and somehow missed between 2nd and 3rd, revved up from redline to over 12k.. Now one cylinder isn't firing. I hope I didn't bend any valves or blow up a spark plug. This just happened about 15 minutes ago so it's still too hot to look into.

Any guesses?

Been there, done that on 1st to 2nd. Floated valve, broke valve, BIG hole in piston, locked up big time, destroyed engine. Hope your's is minor. That is what got me into "fixing" these things  The one of the right just went into it.

Thankfully it's not that severe. Engine still turns and runs. At first I thought it was just a main jet that got clogged up or something, so I took my carbs off and gave it a good cleaning. Went for a test ride and it ran decent (although it was shooting out flames and popping a bit at idle because I went from 45 slows to 38 slows). At some point during the ride, this happened. I don't know when, because I looked down at a stop light and discovered my engine soaked in oil.

I stopped at the local drug store and assessed the situation. Since I was able to get there from that stop light, I assumed I could get home (about three minutes ride), and I did. Thankfully no oil made it on to my rear tire and I didn't eat it.

Looks like I'm down for a few weeks while I get the minimum amount of parts (tappet cover, adjusting screw, and nut), then tear the head apart and go from there...

I thought #40's were the stock slow jet size for your bike?

BTW....Did you notice the tappet cover has broken off threads in the hole?
Thats why oil may be all over the place.
Maybe the engine leaked oil from that cracked tappet cover until it was too low on oil?

I thought they were too, which is why I bought a set of 42s from Jets R Us -.- Hopefully I can exchange them for 40s when they get here.

The tappet cover busted off at some point during that ride, and it was spitting oil all over the place.

[lucky]

Uh oh.. I was flogging it down a hill and somehow missed between 2nd and 3rd, revved up from redline to over 12k.. Now one cylinder isn't firing. I hope I didn't bend any valves or blow up a spark plug. This just happened about 15 minutes ago so it's still too hot to look into.

Any guesses?

Been there, done that on 1st to 2nd. Floated valve, broke valve, BIG hole in piston, locked up big time, destroyed engine. Hope your's is minor. That is what got me into "fixing" these things  The one of the right just went into it.

Thankfully it's not that severe. Engine still turns and runs. At first I thought it was just a main jet that got clogged up or something, so I took my carbs off and gave it a good cleaning. Went for a test ride and it ran decent (although it was shooting out flames and popping a bit at idle because I went from 45 slows to 38 slows). At some point during the ride, this happened. I don't know when, because I looked down at a stop light and discovered my engine soaked in oil.

I stopped at the local drug store and assessed the situation. Since I was able to get there from that stop light, I assumed I could get home (about three minutes ride), and I did. Thankfully no oil made it on to my rear tire and I didn't eat it.

Looks like I'm down for a few weeks while I get the minimum amount of parts (tappet cover, adjusting screw, and nut), then tear the head apart and go from there...

I thought #40's were the stock slow jet size for your bike?

BTW....Did you notice the tappet cover has broken off threads in the hole?
Thats why oil may be all over the place.
Maybe the engine leaked oil from that cracked tappet cover until it was too low on oil?

I thought they were too, which is why I bought a set of 42s from Jets R Us -.- Hopefully I can exchange them for 40s when they get here.

The tappet cover busted off at some point during that ride, and it was spitting oil all over the place.

You may need those #42's.

Can you give me the run down on your bike?

Year and size?
Air intake system?
Exhaust system?-muffler?
Idle jet?
Mainjet?
needle clip position?
Mixture screw position?

[Greggo]

Bought a sweet flat tracker seat/light from a local CL guy.  Got an O.G. Clymer manual, and a master cylinder to rebuild...

[fire113]

...K0 speedo came today  sometimes I hate ebay  It's not working.

[Statenheimer]

Bought a sweet flat tracker seat/light from a local CL guy.  Got an O.G. Clymer manual, and a master cylinder to rebuild...

That flat tracker seat is AWESOME!  Nice find. 

[Greggo]

Bought a sweet flat tracker seat/light from a local CL guy.  Got an O.G. Clymer manual, and a master cylinder to rebuild...

That flat tracker seat is AWESOME!  Nice find. 

Thanks!  Mocked it up on the 500/4 it will end up on... 




Can't wait to lose the fender on this bike.

[Roach Carver]

Dimitri. I may have missed something but I did that once. It backed an adjuster out. I limped home and set valves. No problem since. Looks like your adjuster backed out and broke the tappet cover.

[Greggo]

I need to stop finding ridiculous deals on parts...$60 shipped for used S&W shocks   

[Tews19]

Drove my 550F 49.9 miles, had to plug in the rear brake light as it unplugged when I installed the seat..... PLayed with the idle screw a bunch of times and still need to sort out the idle.... Hopefully will change out the main jets this weekend to 100's....

Got a few goodies in the mail for the 550- new jets from Jets R US
rear turn signals for my 71 750...

[Hasenkopf]

I wanted to post a pic of my subaru oil temp gage installation, but keep getting a message "connection to server was reset"......

[the technological J]

Damn Jerry  That sh1t looks HOT!  I like those rear spoked F wheels.  I see BOTM in your future

got my vote!

[turbo_nine]

Replaced the megaphone-style exhaust on my 400F with a David Silver piece last night. 

The DS piece looks great though fitment wasn't perfect and I've got to figure out a kickstand stop since mine was probably discarded by the PO.

Outgoing muffler wasn't bad.  Not real high-quality, but sounded decent for its additional noise.  Might polish it up and offer it for sale if there is interest.

[flybox1]

Installed my new front SS brake line from Slingshot Cycles.
Ordered last Wednesday. Got it yesterday. 
Great work Shaun!

[strynboen]

 glued the old coils, hvere the new kabels vas fit,hope it works ...we have some rainy days from now...so get it testet at first trip

[CBNJ74]

Tank and sidecovers came back from paint this week. Started putting the old girl back together.

The paint looks great!

Mark Byrd did it.  mark8149@yahoo.com

The pictures do not do it justice.

[Dimitri13]

Year and size?
Air intake system?
Exhaust system?-muffler?
Idle jet?
Mainjet?
needle clip position?
Mixture screw position?

74 550
Stacks
MAC 4-1 headers, shorty straight pipe
Idle was 45 (way too much), went down to 38 until I get a different one
Main is 120. I got 110 and 115 coming.
Stock position (4 from the top)
Stock position (1-1/2 - 1-3/4)

[gnarlycharlie4u]

Tank and sidecovers came back from paint this week. Started putting the old girl back together.

that looks spectacular.

What did I do to my bike today?
got drunk and took my life into my own hands:


http://gnarlywrench.blogspot.com/2012/05/shock-disassembly.html

[CrankyOldGuy]

I bought a motorcycle jack (lift).  At least the 750K1 now has a set of wheels 

Harry O.

[70CB750]

Tank and sidecovers came back from paint this week. Started putting the old girl back together.

that looks spectacular.

What did I do to my bike today?
got drunk and took my life into my own hands:


http://gnarlywrench.blogspot.com/2012/05/shock-disassembly.html

I used tipsy wrench with various luck over the time.  This is pretty smart, reminds me of your center stand spring and pennies.

[HonderCB]

went on a joy ride after work and did the ton... that never gets old.

then when i got home i decided it was lookin too good to not snap a pic with my phone: