What did you do with your XS today?

Between my wife and I, we keep losing a battle to gravity. So the last time it was dropped, we lost a mirror, rear turn signals were bent, and the chain be came super sloppy. Mental note, use lower gear when climbing a hill.
So now with new to me turn signals, I had to replace one of the signals, the other just needed to be reset into the grommet. it was easy once I realized what they did. Those crafty Nippers. Now to get a replacement EMGO mirror (rectangle). wheel axle was tightened, to 76 ft lbs torque.
Tobie
 
:yikes: Glad there was no serious damage to an old classic.
Speaking or old classics, what about the old classic's operator(s) - hopefully no damage there, apart, perhaps for pride?
 
Thanks, My wife has owned this bike since 96. I am doing what I can to keep it road worthy. I think the next thing I need to do, it get both of us into the safety class. maybe we will learn something ;)
 
Rinsed off the bike and then watched it roll over 14,000 miles on the odometer on the way back home from work:thumbsup:. Re-synced the carbs. Thinking about customizing the air box setup here this winter. The old air intake joints are starting to shrink from age:thumbsdown:. Already mapped out how I am going to do this. Sourced some ABS pipe, jets, and have a friend with a welder to make a new battery tray (if I remove the whole air box and not just the front part of it.)
 
Took carbs out both bikes. Cleaned them best I could. Couldn't remove valve cover plate as screws rusted on. Even with penetrating oil. Cleaned the floats etc. Bikes both revving way too high. Tampered with sync screw and the white plastic screws too. One bike idles nice at first then revs up to 3500. Other bike starts and stays at 4500.
Any ideas what I should try next?
 
Last edited:
Took carbs out both bikes. Cleaned them best I could. Couldn't remove valve cover paste as screws rusted on. Even with penetrating oil. Cleaned the floats etc. Bikes both revving way too high. Tampered with sync scre and the white plastic screws too. One bike idles nice at first then revs up to 3500. Other bike starts and starts at 4500.
Any ideas what I should try next?

Are you using a manometer to sync your carbs? I found instruction on this forum on how to build a "U" shaped manometer for a good carb sync.
 
With my day-driver car totaled I have been riding bike to work for two days. Love my lil pony! All I did to it - lube-ed the chain, added gas, and put new rear tire! ( New rear tire adds at least 5 hp to the bike, I swear... )
 
Drove bike today, found out two things. One the last time the bike last the battle with gravity, (it fell while trying to go up hill). The reserve straw fell out. Two guesses on how I found that. I had expected the signal to turn on the reserve, and when I turned it on before it started to bog down, It died.

2nd learning moment, the left side spark plug cap was very loose. So my next days of touching up the bike, includes both those, and tightening the chain up.
 
Finally bought a compression tester and retested my XS360.

When I first got the bike a couple years ago it tested under 90psi on both cylinders. Now it's up to 145 left and 140 right. Quite a bit better than I expected without new rings.
 
$50 at a local auto parts store. Canadian Tire has the same one for $59: http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/equus-pro-compression-tester-kit-0251019p.html#srp
They also have a cheaper one for $35.

Easy to use. Screw on the 14mm adapter, remove both spark plugs, screw it in place of one of the plugs. Open the throttle wide and turn the motor over until the pressure stops rising on the gauge. Should just take a few kicks of the kickstart or a couple seconds on the e-start. Release the pressure on the gauge and do the same for the other cylinder.
Over 150psi is ideal.
 
In addition to the above instructions, if the engine has electronic ignition be sure to either disable the ignition or to positively ground the ignition wires. Failure to do so can get expensive quickly.
 
Took her first time out after rebuild, for this years distinguished gentlemans ride :))
14480628_799365503538672_2520162538003415340_o.jpg
 
Gave the maxim a tune up and a bath today. New spark plugs. Checked carb sync. New air filter. New 90 degree shaped fuel filter and new fuel line. Fresh batch of Rotella T6 oil for another 5,000 miles of good riding. I noticed Shell packages the T6 in a newer looking container. I checked the labeling for any differences and noticed a new rating for JASO MA2. JASO MA is still on there as well. The WIX oil filter I got came with the O-ring for the oil filter cover and an O-ring for the oil bypass valve, saving me time of not having to order them separately.:thumbsup:
 
Installed a new rear tire Friday as it was down to the tread wear indicators after 11k km / 6.9k mi and the rainy fall season has begun. Need some tread in the rain! 2 oz of balancing beads and no noticeable vibrations so far. Tweaked the carb settings today in anticipation of cool weather. And stayed in the shop during the torrential rain storms. :eek: After such a dry summer, rain is strange!
 
Installed a new rear tire Friday as it was down to the tread wear indicators after 11k km / 6.9k mi and the rainy fall season has begun. Need some tread in the rain! 2 oz of balancing beads and no noticeable vibrations so far. Tweaked the carb settings today in anticipation of cool weather. And stayed in the shop during the torrential rain storms. :eek: After such a dry summer, rain is strange!

You stick with the kenda 676 tires? My kenda challengers have about 6,000 miles on them and it's time for a new set.
 
Yup. I prefer to keep the tires matched and the front isn't showing any noticeable wear yet. I typically get 2 rear tires for every front. I have no complaints with the tire other than I wish they lasted longer. They do grip though, above my skill level anyways!
 
Back
Top