any big plans for your bike this winter

looks like its going to be a long cold winter in the south. was out in the garage putting the carbs back on my virago ugh been flurrying all afternoon wich is a pretty sight here in atlanta its brutally cold and windy going into the mid teens tonight with 25-35mph winds.
Was curious if anyone has any big plans for their bikes since its to cold to ride ? . i am planning on getting this virago sold in the next few weeks so i can get started on the maxim again. first priority is getting the new garage installed wired and heated so i can spend alout of time out there, right now i have an oversized 2 car garage has my race car in it bike lift 2 bikes plus all the outside plants wich takes up most of the garage heck cant even get to my work bench driving me nuts

 

i'll be happy just to finish the garage

 

I hope to have a relative paint my eBay tank and full Vetter touring package (Fairing, two lowers, 2x saddle bag panels, 3x trunk panels and maybe the saddle brackets). http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=29153.html

I also have 2x extra carbs. I want to crack one open and start to rebuild it for a swap in the spring. (I have no garage and small shed that has a *full* work bench).

I'd like to rebuild an OEM front MC I got off eBay and have that ready. Money permitting I'd like to do a full front brake rebuild with SS lines and caliper rebuild.

If we have a mild winter (doubtful) I'd pull off various aluminum parts and start to strip the lacquer and brush and/or polish them.

When it gets warm/dry I want to clean up all the extra wires I added with my various LED lights I added.

Time, money and good early spring weather I'd LOVE to get my frame painted and make the engine look prettier.

I don't expect a super shiny rebuild like some of the people do here, but I'd like to be better than it is.

Other than the Tank/Touring repaint my main focus will be safety (ie brakes) and leaky gaskets. (Oh yeah my Valve Cover seeps a little and I need to check shims anyways).

My list is not exactly short or cheap

 

Currently finishing up the speedo/tach restoration and complete overhaul of bulbs to LED's (thanks Metal Bob) made a huge difference. Next, going through the left and right lever switches and then on to replacing all the brake lines with SS braided and overhaul of front and rear master cylinders and calipers. Just got the new tires and will be refinishing the extra set of rims. Lots of stuff to do, going to be a busy winter.

 

Metal_Bob said: My list is not exactly short or cheap

Isn't that the way it always goes, seems the list keeps getting longer as well.

 

sounds like everyone has big plans. got the carbs on the virago major p.i.t.a as usual but swapped out hitachi carbs for mikunis fired it up runs pretty good just ran it a few min with the door open 22 degrees still have to sync them and make a few ajustments. i sure will be glad when its gone its a real nice bike would make a great bobber or custom with the wild paint job it has i have had it 2 years put about 5 miles on it still has original tires next owner can replace them just turned 9k not bad for an 87 put alout of work in it it sat so long all the fuel got hard as a rock just kept having problems with the carbs and petcock put a brand new petcock on it lasted a week must have been on the shelf along time the carbs must have had water in them and had an internal crack because for no reason it would start flooding over after it sat for a few days after having them off 3 or 4 times replaced floats 2 sets of needles and seats kept gettting worse had a friend come by thinking i kept missing things we spent 6 hr setting floats wouldnt work. Got tired of messing with it rebuilt a set of mikunis off a later model replaced the vac petcock with a manual 1 put new intake manifolds even got a tank that had been done and red coated everything worked great. when i got sick in march i couldnt work on it for 4 months the atlanta emmission gas with all the additives plugged the idle jet on 1 carb even turned my new fuel lines black all new now. i said i wasnt going to start on the maxim till it was done look out xj cause here i come. here is the wild paint pics i was talking about . i dont have any pics with the new tins on it yet

 

I'm doing a front caliper rebuild, getting that caliper back in is a bit of a pain but she's in good shape, thank God. Other than that, I'm going to hopefully change the fork seals as they're a bit cracked. Hopefully I won't bite off more than I can chew One thing at a time, that's all I can say. Happy Holidays all!

 

Nice graphics cutlass, are the Mikuni's CV carbs or something else?

 

carbs are 40 mm cv flat slides . the graphics are a bit 2 wild for me the guy i had paint it i told to use his imagination never thought he would go that wild this is what it looked like before

 

thats a nice size garage looks like its mostly done . when my new one gets here after i wire it was thinking of paneling in over the insulation but i am not sure if i want that or drywall it will insulate better and make things quieter

 

I'm planning on going with flatslides myself. Looked good before as well. Have you seen any Virago's turned bobber? I've seen a few, look pretty good.

 

that one's 24x24, R3.5 walls and 3.1 ceiling, not much for up here but it'll have to do
luan on the walls and one recycled window
don't forget some 220 plugs and a hole in the wall for AC
do you need to get all the inspections down there ?

 

And a socket for the beer fridge ;o)

 

my bikes getting alot done to it.....

 

Looks like I'm about 30 minutes from ya, Cutlass. Neat.

My bike is the only transportation I've got right now -- so my big plans are to ride it this winter haha. Got all my cold gear sorted out so far. Today it was 24 degrees and I rode comfortably -- the hand warmth could use some improving though.

My girlfriend just bought a 1987 Suzuki LS650, complete with oil leak. Looks like thats going to be the project as of now.

 

Painting my tank, side covers, and some little miscellaneous parts. new blade fuse box is going in not sure what else yet. also doing 2 tanks and a set of side panels for my dads 1980 xs 400

 

If it's in the budget go with drywall. It provides a fire barrier as compared to panneling that will go up like a torch.
A bit more work, but with bikes amd gas and other combustible fluids etc, I'd go drywall.

 

Unless it's fire resistant, standard drywall burns great.

 

my dad went with white tin... I would say for a garage it's alot better... we have alot of parties and whatnot, and it's easy just to power wash and use a semi trailer brush on a stick to get it clean. it looks good, is ALOT easier to install than drywall, dunno about price, and still with insulation in the middle, works great for heat.

 

i plan on cleaning out the tank and rebuilding or replacing the carbs, replacements i've been looking at are keihn's

 

I am hoping to get around having any inspections its portable (Yea right) on skids i cant afford the cement to have a permanent 1 has wood floor supposto be strong enough to drive a car in so it will hold the drive on bike lift with no problem. I will wire it for the most part I worked for Bobs Space Racers for about 6 months between jobs in the late 90s I built and wired all the shoot em up with water pistals arcade games that you see at carnavels and theme parks 10-20 people at a time big ones wack a moles and a bunch of other arcade games so i know wiring i will pay an electrican to wire it from the house to the breaker box.
paneling or drywall wouldnt make much difference work wise the rafters are 8 ft high 6 sheets per side just have to do a few windows and plugs i think the drywall would be better insulator and sound deadener. i am not sure what i am going to do about a ceiling to be honest 1 like rafters gives place to store wood ect plus i would like to hook up a light duty electric winch up there so if i need to lift a motorcycle motor or the back of a bike when its on the lift can do so.
first things first with it i want to polyurathane the floor with grit so if oil or something gets spilled on it can be wiped off. i need to get the bike out of the regular garage even if i cover it up on the lift while i work on the rest of it a little at a time . i have a strong wireless router i am hoping it will work out there it has copies of all the pdf service manuals on it. It should pick up out there. I have a 46 inch hang on the wall tv i can use out there so i have tv and can hook up the computer and use it for a moniter also have a surround sound stereo for it. gotta have your priorites straight . scooter your right thats another reason i want the bike out of the other garage gas and other fumes scare me in the other garage i have a gas water heater gas leaks scare the heck out of me sorry this reply is so long but tried to answer every ones questions.
andrewlong i know you have to do what you have to 24 degrees with the flurries that was going on as well as the 25-30 mph winds is just crazy. its still windy out there now and down to 17 already guess they were not kidding when they said 12 tonight thats way to cold for atlanta this early in the season some of the trees still havent dropped all their leaves yet gonna be a bad winter

 

Hey cutlas, in the short term if you want to save a few bucks on the floor go to walmart, lowes etc and buy a cheapo 10X20 plastic tarp. When ever I have a potential messy job in the garage I lay one of these down, wheel the work onto it and do the job. Oil and other fluids wipe up with a shop rag, they are easy to slide around on when you are on your back and when they do get messed up beyond any more cleaning just roll it up and chuck it. They are only a few bucks and can be used to cover stuff either inside or outside the garage when you are not working on them.
Just my two cents.

 

No big plans, really. The bike needs no mechanical work to speak of, but it could use some cosmetic refreshments to bring back the "like new" lustre it deserves.
The clearcoat on the tank needs to be redone, and the paint on the top end has started to burn off in a few spots, which bugs me more than it probably should, because it's a losing battle with all-black engines.
Other than that, removing a little minor rust from a few of the shiny bits and replacing some of the cruddy fastening hardware is about all I have in mind for the winter.
Still looking for a decent set of hard bags, though. Any help in that area would be greatly appreciated.

 

my wireless can't get far enough so i laid 2 cat5 cables in the ditch with the power, one for now and one for a spare
i never realized it got that cold in Georgia

schooter, i haven't been to a party where they needed to scrub the walls down afterward in years

 

Top end rebuild and front brake caliper. That should get me closer to being done. I have a better work place now and a decent machine shop nearby. Hopefully, I won't "go on another extended trip overseas", long enough to get some work done on the bike.

 

haha, no, we wash them for cob webs and dirt and other junk... too many relatives and friends around here that will nark on me for that kind of party

 

thats a good idea but i dont work on anything on the floor those days are over i bought a drive on lift last year work on everything eye level now. but no manner what something always gets dripped on the floor not from the bike dont want to get petrolium products on the wood and stain it.
i might just run a couple of cat 5 cables. the laptop works in the regular garage im hoping it will go the distance. where my router is would have to go all the away around the house thru the wall and halfway back the front of my rec room is under ground keep my fingers crossed. everyone is coming up with great ideas right now i should say after thurs i will have 6 weeks off my feet due to surgery on my ankle not looking forward to having a cast

 

This is the first winter my seca and I have had together, so I plan on putting in a good amount of work. New fork seals are the most pressing issue, as one side was leaking quite bad when I parked it. Valve clearances need to be checked, and I'm also planning on tearing into the carbs. I'd also really like to repaint the gastank, as the PO did quite the "bang up job" when he tried. I made a plastic tank emblem with the prototyper machine at my school that I'd like to put on the tank also. Painting the bottom fork tubes and the exhaust are also goals.

here's my vision:

this is what the tank badge looks like:

 

If all goes well with my money I'll be fixing up and painting a Maxim 750 tank for my 650 (matching side covers of course). I'm thinking a deep black with black metal flake and also black metal flake in the layers of clear coat.

 

Where are OUR plastic badges

 

Well I'm planning on making another for the other side of the tank, so I suppose if anyone wanted one, they cost about $15 to make, send me a PM

 

Well seeing as how I just got my bike in late November and it had sat for years before I picked it up, my list was (and still is) fairly long. Let's start with what I already have done:

New Tires
New Rear Shocks
Added Saddle Bags
Put a Battery in
Put Mirrors on
Fixed the Turn Signals
Installed Heated Glove controller
Adjusted Valve Shims
Completed Two full oil changes (with filters)

And here is the To-Do list remaining:
New Exhaust needed (going with a 4 into 2, as close to stock as possible)
Fork rebuild (happening tonight)
Master Cylinder Rebuild
Caliper Rebuild
New Brake Lines
New Brake Pads
Front Fairings and short (possibly smoked) windshield
Adding a Radio for summer riding (the Midnight Maxim is my ONLY set of wheels)
Complete strip/repainting of frame
Strip peeling black paint off engine
Synching Carbs
Possibly going to LED tail lights/turn signals

I seriously I will get most of this done this winter, so my focus right now is on safety. The Forks are getting rebuilt tonight (new fork oil, dust covers, and gaskets are in) and I'll be doing the brake system in the next month as well. I've already got the Master Cylinder rebuild kit, but I think I'm gonna wait to do that until I get the Caliper Rebuild kit and Brake Hose. I don't want to bleed the brakes 2 or 3 times if I can do it only once. After that I'm probably going to get the fairings and windshield, because even with leathers and heated gear it gets COLD in NJ during these months.

The exhaust is not going to be done until all this snow is finished for the year. I can't justify dropping a few hundred dollars into brand new parts to immediately expose them to salted roads. The holes and rust in the current exhaust are minor enough to get me by for a few more months.

The carbs may also be a wait-until-summer job since I strongly believe the cold is a major factor in my starting problems (once started she runs great).

I'm debating if I want to buy a standard dual-layer seat. I have a sissybar seat on now, but it limits my ability to use my trunk bag, and it means anyone weighing more than around 120lbs is forced to sit in a way that pushes me uncomfortably forward. I'm also debating putting a hitch on the bike and building a SMALL camping/kayak trailer.

 

Not big plans this winter 'cause I already tackled the major ones last year but, I need to put in my new braided brake lines, check the valves and sync the carbs and I'm all set for spring riding.

 

A lot of custom work for me. Swap out my atari and headlight for round ones. Shortened up the ass end. Need to build a seat pan. Rear fender and new handlebars. Basically just making it "mine"

 

my bike is sooo close to being done, cannot wait... would have been done if i didnt have gas pouring out of my airbox...

 

It must have been apart for a long time you put gas in the tank not the airbox lol only kidding you will get it done in no time

 

No, it's a new operation tip from Yamaha.. pour fuel directly into the airbox to thoroughly 'choke' the engine. I think they used the wrong definition of 'choke' though, or at least the wrong interpretation lol

 

haha ya, since our xj's dont come with a choke i figure i'd rig one up.

 

schooter did you get your carbs done? I had to go to homee depot get some clear hose. I must have2or 3 different size clear hose for doing them now hopefully i got just about every size now. i could have bought adaptors but i can always use the hose. Put k@l kits in it. checked the float level it was hardly to the bottom of the float bowl spent an hour pulling the bowls off on these particular carbs the throttle linkage bolts over the bowls had to pull that off and twisted the heads on 2 of the bolts so i had to chisel them. Will finish them in the am. God i hate these carbs

 

ya my bike runs, im waiting for it to dry off, gonna put everything back together and take some pics for my big unveiling.. should be tonight

 

Is paul sr and jr gonna be there for the unveiling lol

 

wel it's been unveild to the publics eye, they did actually stop by, but i only let mikey in, told discovery channel i wanted to live a drama free life.

 

Parts only took 4 days from Len (XJ4ever) to Ottawa Ontario. Outstanding!

My bike has original brake parts, except perhaps the pads. Ordered kits for the calipers and master cyls. New site glass. Local hydraulic shop making me a set of custom s/s lines. New fork seals, cleaned up anti-dive units.

Once the weather warms I'll install the new rocker cover rubbers, re-install the front end and brakes and all the other odds and ends I just received.

My fuel tank looked fairly rust free, however I thought I'd try the electrolysis method prior to coating with the Caswell sealer. I made up the anode and used a car battery with a 6 amp charger/ washing soda solution. I had to clean the anode (1/4" steel round rod, bent to fit in the tank) four times and drain the solution twice due to the rusty crud that rose to the surface from deep in the bowels of tank. This was after agitating with Acetone and drywall screws so I'm a new fan of the electrolysis method.

I repaired two broken tabs, one on the rear fairing and one on the right air scoop. I make batches of ABS repair goop using Methyl Ethyl Ketone (hard to find here in Canada) and my kids leftover lego blocks. Dissolve the required colour blocks in MEK in a glass jar overnight, adjusting the consistency as required. Makes a repair stronger than new. Smells great too but don't use it near the gas furnace/water heater! I've repaired several Thule ski boxes and a tent trailer using this method with great results.

Dave
83 900

 

Did ya get any pictures of either of these processes? Helps others that are thinking of doing the same thing.

 

This year is the first year that I don't have anything major planned, just a valve adjustment and new valve cover gaskets, along with the usual maintanence of course. Oh yeah I plan on re sincing the carbs. Benched synced them last year and it ran real well, but syining with them on and running will make for a much quicker bike.

 

To Do:

Install the spin-on oil filter adapter kit from Len.
Complete Tear down, paint for everything.
Restore Atari (Paint, rust, LED's, See if i can make the LCD a bit more contrasty)
Overhaul the forks, dust seals, oil seals, etc
Disassemble front brakes and rebuild as necessary.
Need new rubber front and back.
Polish (maybe blackout) the engine.
Repair holes in exhaust (New exhaust if it's unrepairable)
Replace PO Crappy Fuse job with new fuse box from Chacal.

Whatever else i find along the way lol.

 

My winter projects are to include:
Oil adapter (spin-on) by Len
Complete front and rear brake rebuild to include both master cylinders, calipers and all new stainless brake lines
L.E.D. instrument conversion (thanks Metal Bob), this is great
Re-paint and polish the "XJ" side covers
Front fork brace
Chreme and re-paint the tank
All new vacuum and fuel lines
Re-build and re-finish carbs and octy


Once it gets warmer, a 1196 Wiseco kit and anything else that needs to be addressed after it's running. Spring should be a lot of fun!

 

Got a link for that, do they make the spin on for the 750 MaximX?

 

PM sent with link information