Picking up 1993 Seca 2, need advice on bringing back to life

HI all,

I’m new to the board and XJ’s, but have been a shadetree mechanic since I was a teenager (I’m 43 now).

My brother-in-law has graciously agreed to gift me his 1993 Seca 2. It has about 5,000 miles on it. The bike is in Columbus, Ohio, I am in St Louis, Missouri. I think it will qualifiy as a “time capsule” bike once I get it cleaned up.

Here it is, more pix can be seen here http://picasaweb.google.com/craigthrasher/Seca2InMikeSGarage#.



I love taking diamond-in-the-rough projects like this back to their full glory. My 911 was similar and is now nearly like new.

As you can see from the pics, it has not been moving much lately, but it was started/run as recently as Spring 2009. The battery is dead now and despite his effort to jump it (as you can see in some of the pix), it would only click the solenoid.

Brakes/fork/tires all appear sound and bike leaks nothing. Unfortunately, fuel (likely unstabilized) was left in tank and carbs since last year.
I actually learned most of what I know about engines on a Honda CT-70 mini-bike I bought for $60 in about 1979 when I was 13. More recently, I owned a ’76 Honda CB-360T an ’86 Honda Nighthawk S and currently a 1984 Porsche 911. I’m the only mechanic either of those ever see/saw. I’ve torn apart carbs on both bikes and I’m pretty familiar with air-cooled engines, but without groups like this, I’d probably never even have tried.

I’m flying up over Labor Day on a cheap SW flight with the intent of pulling the bike out of storage to get it running, then ride it back home (450 miles) – am I crazy? IF I fail, I will rent a vehicle with hitch and use his trailer to bring the bike home, then return the trailer in future – a pain I’d like to avoid. If I get stuck in the middle, I have someone waiting on both ends with a trailer to pick me up and take me back (or home if closer).

Here’s my plan of attack:

• 
  1. drain gas in tank and drain all float bowls.
  2. drain oil (may actually be original – 17 years old!)
  3. pull plugs and inspect
  4. fill with cheap oil (no filter change yet)
  5. spray some oil/lubricant into plug holes
  6. Pressure-lube throttle and choke cables (apparently the choke is not moving easily)
  7. replace battery with new
  8. run starter to roll engine over
  9. replace plugs (I have new, but may wait and see how it runs with old to avoid fouling new)
  10. add (some) new gas to tank
  11. turn petcock to Prime and allow float bowls to fill
  12. attempt to start engine
  13. if running, let it run until warm, maybe test ride
  14. add Seafoam to gas if running
  15. ride bike around rural area to run Seafoam thru and generally test other systems (brakes, suspension, electrical items)
  16. while still warm, drain oil, replace with higher grade and new oil filter
  17. check plugs, if not fouled, put in new plugs.
  18. Pray, pray, pray. :lol:

I will not attempt the ride home if I see tire or brake issues, either.

Once I reach home, I plan to do a full overhaul of carbs and anything else that is not tip-top.

Comments/Suggestions are welcome!

Thanks,

Craig

 

Welcome to the site. Take a trailer, even if you get cranked it could develope probs down the road. Don't want to be far from home and be stranded on the side of the road.

 

+1 on the trailer idea - or rent a large van? I would worry that even if all seemed well, some trouble would likely develop on the way home - maybe fuel related.
My (Earlier) XJ600 stopped after only 3 miles when I bought it - vacuum fuel tap trouble - even though the PO swore it would get me the 60 miles home. I did manage to get it going but I spent the next hour riding along the freeway, wondering when it would break down again!

 

+1 On the Trailer. Until you can go through everything and take several shorter rides it's not worth the risk of geting stranded or having some issue that makes you lay the bike down. Be safe and Welcome to the forum

 

Welcome!

Hate to say it for the sake of new bike excitement but I agree with the others! These Seca 2's, although fun as hell, can be a little temperamental and needy even when properly maintained. To me it wouldn't be worth getting stuck out there and having someone come to get you if you could just get a trailer for the whole trip.

 

These bikes are pretty darn reliable but when you don't know the bike and it's been sitting for as long as this one has... Probably best to bang it on a trailer

 

Thery're right. That's 450 miles. Even if you get everything you said done and she rides good that's a long ride for a bike you're just getting to know.
Is there a way to skip the plane? Rent the trailer or van like mentioned above and drive to his place? That way your return trip is also the return trip for the vehicle you rent.

 

Thrasher:

It's a real nice Bike when you have everything right.

The ABSOLUTE Best piece of advice you will get for finding us and being intelligent enough to embark on the adventure of putting YOUR Brand on that Maching and making it your will be the next sentence you read!

Get for yourself a copy of the OFFICAL WorkShop Manual for 1993 YAMAHA Seca-II.

The Workshop Manual Comprises the OWNERS Manual and the WORKSHOP Manual.

In the front of the Manual are the pages which outline the procedures for scheduled Routine Maintenance and intervals.

Let that be you Guide and Check-off List.
That's what needs to be checked and done.

Read the Manual.
Tune the Bike.
Then adjust every single compoment that is supplied with an adjustment to tailor the bike just for you.

 

I have the opposite sense compared to other fear mongers.
At 5K miles the bike is virtually new. You need confidence in your shadetree mechanics experience. If you get it running so it will take you for a highway ride, it will likely make the trip.
If it breaks down to point of trailer, you will likely be at least ½ way home. And you have a trailer on standby available on both ends.
No brain’r.
Go for it !

 

I would want to ride it back but here's the catch: I don't think there's enough time to work through the whole checklist and run a few test rides before leaving. Well, that's a guess on my part. I don't know your exact schedule. 450 miles is a lot of time in the saddle. Even if you ride a lot of highway miles now it's entirely possible that on this bike your ass will go numb or your arms ache or whatever else at mile 30. That leaves 420 miles of agony. I'm not saying Seca IIs are uncomfortable, but it might be until you're used to it or make adjustments.

Add some rain for even more fun.

 

Thanks for all the good info guys.

I do have both the Haynes and Yamaha factory manuals... bought them in the classifieds on this board and they're already en route to me, should arrive Monday or Tuesday (and I already found PDF's of both and the owner's manual online, so I've been reading already).

I will only embark on the bike ride home if I'm at least 90% confident the bike will make it. Yes, I do have my own trailer/jeep ready to rescue me if I make it halfway, and if I don't even leave, I have a trailer in OH ready (just would need to rent an SUV/pickup/van with hitch).

As far as saddle time, I am an endurance cyclist and ride a hard bicycle saddle 3 times a week for 3-4 hours. I plan to take frequent stops to keep loose. I sold my last motorcycle about 5 years ago, but have ridden others' in the meantime.

I will pack raingear, too. I will take pix and report on the trip when I return.

 

Good luck. Defintely post some pics. I will say I'm slightly jealous. Nothing like a nice long ride.

 

Yeah man keep us posted. Regardless of the out come it's going to be a good story on how you got your bike...
Top luck to you.