Listen to Fitz and Ecologito

Just removed both wheels from my 1982 XJ650 Maxim. I can only assume that the rear axle bolt was suppose to be tightened to a torque specification. Once I removed the cotter pin I used my fingers to remove it. The front one was very tight. Removed both tires from the rims and both tires have cracks in the sidewalls. Also the rear brakes pads are gone. The front pads look ok, but going to do a complete overhaul on the whole front braking system, will sleep better. Anyway, thanks to a friendly nudge, Ecologito got me worrying about the tires and brakes and it just made me take it apart so I wouldn't ride it until it is either fixed or that everything was good. Thanks for all the tech stuff here..makes tinkering a whole lot easier. thanks again!!!

 

There is no worse feeling than approaching a large immovable object, like a pick-up with a hay hauler spike sticking off the back, and suddenly you can't stop like you should be able to!

 

did it hurt?..glad to see your here... :lol:

 

Yup, you want the brakes to work well, safe, and reliable.

It's not a matter of how fast you can go.....it's a matter of how fast can you stop.

Dave F

 

You don't have to thank me, you are the one who actually went out and found what needed to be done. I'm glad to help out in any way possible. There are a few people (Dave and Fitz among others) that have helped me tremendously in my bikes(s), the least I can do after reading the forum extensively is make sure that we do not make the same mistakes somebody else did.

I am sure you will end up with a reliable and fun ride.

 

Wizard in the making for sure.

Gary

 

It's not speed that kills, it's the deceleration.

 

Agreed

 

Thanks, guys. I love my XJs, and love riding them. I go out in the garage and look at my black bike, and I still can't believe it's mine, even though I've put 10K on it since the recommissioning.

I'm just trying to give back. I've been riding street bikes, and wrenching and learning, (and collecting tools,) for nearly 45 years. Sometimes I feel like one of the last couple dozen guys who know how to work on steam locomotives. I'm one of the "keepers of the flame" the Dragon Warrior and others like him must carry it forward... it does an old guy proud to see people become truly motivated and engaged with this daunting process. It really is worth it but you have to get serious, and a lot of you are. It gives me a warm fuzzy.

I've been called a "Quality Nazi" and a "Safety Nazi." Guilty as charged. But then I'm still alive after nearly a quarter million street miles on two wheels.

Thanks for the support.

 

Hmm. 'Nazi' has too much baggage. Ok so your of German heritage so then I would say you are the ordnungsgemäße quality or safety guru-took one semester of college Deutsch when I was in 7th grade-it was a great excuse to leave my lame middle school and hang out with the 'big' kids. No doubt we are all grateful for your input.

BruceB, no it didn't hurt 'cause thankfully there was a long sloping ditch off right and I low-sided to a stop-but it did take a LONG time to stop my life from 'flasing before my eyes' afterwards.

 

Oh heck, you're neither of those Fitz. You are just a duck in a green hat with a lightning rod sticking out the top! And know a bunch of stuff about XJ's and willingly share with the neophites that show up looking for help and guidance. You're great guy to go to, just like many others that enjoy these bikes and frequent the forum.
.....so is the check in the mail, cause I do take PayPal. :wink: :wink:

 

I do tend to be a bit "over emphatic" at times in regard to brakes; and doing things right the first time. It's just that surviving on a street bike depends on having properly-performing equipment. Riding around on old brakes, with worn out shocks and/or leaky, bouncy front forks is just asking for disaster.

I don't know if you'd call it a "lightning rod" I think it's an antenna of some sort. In my avatar it has a tuning fork emblem in it but it's too small to see:

 

i could find myself staring at your black bike for hours every day . its just that nice . you are blessed . my first seca started out black from the show room . i regret sometimes switching it to the brilliant red color !!

 

Fitz.... thanks to you and rickcomatic, i spent about $1200 i wasn't planning to on my bike. tons of fun working on it too. Glad I spent every penny too... I'm sure Len thanks you more.....

 

I will agree, not to blow too much smoke at him, Fitz has probably saved my butt this season. I was definately the Nieve one that thought that well, my bike has been fine, no need to worry about silly things like the brakes. The PO has taken care of everything. Then the last ride I had was the wake up call. Looking down and finally seeing DOT 10/80 in fading red on the brake line... figureing out that the brake lines were manufactured at the same time that my parents were married... Needless to say, I started paying attention to what Fitz and all the other Wizards on here had been saying. And after taking apart the caliper and MC. The only question that was going through my mind was how did this thing possibly stop? Guess it goes to so the great minds at Yamaha at work keeping their riders safe no matter what. But still, from time to time, we gotta man up and help.

And Fitz, don't ever appologize for being accused of being a "Safety Nazi" I would rather be accused of being the safety nazi then the guy that sat back and said nothing when someone got killed. Being the safety officer at civil war re-enactments has taught me that one. Speak up, or watch someone get killed. Your choice. Living with the latter is a lot harder.

 

AHA!! I see my Avatar being called into this thread

My bike is a functioning machine for the last few years because of info I got here, mostly from Fitz and Rick,

ANd I echo for Fitz not to worry on the safety nazi thing.
You care about XJ's and rider safety, that can't be a bad thing in any way.
And you bikes are testaments to what a good resto can become.

 

Hi all yes I will have to give Fitz the A-OK. I have just refurbished the head and replaced the rings gaskets and every thing for a top end rebuild on my 1980 XJ650 Seca. Had it running better than it has ever run before but noticed a leak that appeared to be coming from the base gasket. Started to panic that I would have to replace it and all the other gaskets again to stop the leak. I then thought that I would check the XJ web site by putting in a search "leaking base gasket". Fitz came up saying that it could be oil coming from the cam chain adjuster gasket and by replacing this gasket it may fix the leak that seemed to be coming from the base gasket. So I replaced the cam chain adjuster gasket and the oil leak has stopped. Thanks to this advice from Fitz I saved hours of my time and many dollars in gasket costs.I have ridden 1800 kilometers now and the leak has never returned. Thanks Fitz.

Bob from Tasmania Australia

 

You are more than welcome.

Truth being, I didn't "think" that up. It happened to me on my '81.

Experience is the best teacher.

 

I've said it before: my now beautiful 84 XJ900 was about to go to the wreckers till I found this site. Didn't know enough to fix it, even with the manual. Now it's close to being the bike I've always dreamed of. But the website is just that: a website. It's the people like bigfitz et al who contribute so selflessly, politely and so knowlegeably that make this website special for owners of near vintage XJs. Big thanks to all, may your karma be all the best.

 

It's not speed that kills, it's the SUDDEN deceleration that does it ...