What did you do with your XS today?

[faze]

Unbolted some crap the original owner installed including mounts for a windshield and rails for a back rest. Looks a lot better now! Still too cold to give her a bath, but boy does she need one!

 

[nickso]

Picked up some sexual powder coated bits and finished off the front wheel.
May attempt to get the 400 engine out of the other bike and maybe put it in the new frame and then fit the forks, swing arm and wheels to make a rolling chassis.....I miss sitting on it and making motorbike noises Running out of time before I go back to jail for a 3 weeks though.

 

[16VGTIDave]

I am trying to connect my new rectifier. The PO had cut the red wire on the old one and coupled it together with the bike, so i figured the easiest was for me to do the same (its easier then re doing the stock connection.

So i bought a coupler and (dumb but) i can't figure out how to get the coupler to stay on the wire...

Its one of these

I stripped my wire, slid it into the coupler and crimped it but it still slides off with any kind of tug. Its coated in a plastic shield so i don't think i can get in there and solider it.

What do you guys do ? Whats the proper way of connecting my red wire to this?

Thanks again!

Are you using a crimping tool? Are you crimping in the narrow section with the metal terminal inside? If the wire is too small, you can strip more wire and fold it back on itself to double the thickness before inserting into the terminal and crimping. I just did about 30 crimp connectors yesterday and had 2 that failed the tug test because I didn't crimp them tight enough. The 10 soldered connections were no problem, I even remembered to slip on the heat shrink before soldering!

 

[levdir]

Today I ordered a crankcase breather to go with the UNI pods and carb jets I ordered yesterday, because I forgot to order one then.

 

[iamunique127]

Degreased my swing arm, swing arm spindle and associated internals, chain guard, rear lower frame and back of the engine. Cleaned the chain, too.

 

[Atomic Wedgie]

Finished wiring up my XS400, only blew three fuses in the process.

 

[Recreateme]

Thanks Dave, i think maybe i bought the wrong size... Well doubt it matters cause it didn't seem to get my lights on :/

Today i re-installed my clean carbs and cleaned the spark plugs and it started right up! But still having electrical issues, so after i change the oil, gaskets, and filters i will probably have to call the shop and pay someone for a fix.. or well.

 

[briansal]

I went to pick up the gaitors at the post office. Then threw them on to see how the painted forks look on the bike. Still waiting for the clip ons to come any day now.

 

[iamunique127]

Re-installed the swing arm.

 

[drewpy]

Thanks Dave, i think maybe i bought the wrong size... Well doubt it matters cause it didn't seem to get my lights on :/

Today i re-installed my clean carbs and cleaned the spark plugs and it started right up! But still having electrical issues, so after i change the oil, gaskets, and filters i will probably have to call the shop and pay someone for a fix.. or well.

please don't use those horrible things.You need proper Japanese 6.3mm spade connectors and the crimping tool. I also tin the ends and solder them up.

 

[bcware]

^^^

This. It's worth the trouble to learn how to solder as well. It will save you a breakdown for sure. I just rode through some giant puddles today. It filled my electric tray with water and.... nothing happened. All that shrink wrap and waterproofing worked a treat!

 

[16VGTIDave]

There are pro's and con's to soldering connections. In some cases, the solder that wicks up the wire can cause a stress point in the wire and it will break, given enough vibration. Properly done crimp connections won't have this problem.

I've been soldering for decades, I've been trained by certified aviation electronics technicians, have a certification myself, and I know my skills are not good enough. Crimp connectors are not as evil as many make them out to be, when done properly.

12V electrical systems are resistant to water induced shorts. The voltage is too low. Long term corrosion, that is another topic...

 

[iamunique127]

Bought my Rotella T Triple

 

[16VGTIDave]

Completed my electrical panel. Just a bit more wiring to do for the rear lights and I can move on to building and mounting a battery box.

 

[Flexeril]

I worked my R leg as I tried like hell to get it to start. Ran for a bit but it died and then it was hell to get it to try to start again.

Are these bikes hard to start in cold/cool weather?

 

[bcware]

It depends on your jetting and setup. On full "choke" without touching the throttle at all I just got my '78 to fire up first kick on old gas. It was about 42 degrees F outside.

More than anything I think a good tune, synch, carb cleaning, valve adjustment, and timing job make all the difference.

 

[levdir]

Finished stripping my carbs down, cleaned out the old gaskets, replaced the float needles and sleeves and their o-rings; got about 75% of the way through changing the fork oil and realized I didn't have a graduated cylinder to measure out the new stuff; replaced the fuel line off the petcock with clear hose and a fuel filter.

 

[iamunique127]

Cleaned up the shocks and hardware. Re-installed the shocks and chain guard. Started cleaning up the drum brake.

 

[xschris]

Finished stripping my carbs down, cleaned out the old gaskets, replaced the float needles and sleeves and their o-rings; got about 75% of the way through changing the fork oil and realized I didn't have a graduated cylinder to measure out the new stuff; replaced the fuel line off the petcock with clear hose and a fuel filter.

I would make sure that clear hose is made for ethanol fuels. The plastic will shrink and crack or deform bad. Unless your using non-ethanol stuff.

 

[levdir]

Thanks, I'll double-check that. I don't think it's possible to get non-ethanol gas at the pump here.