Got a few problems

[Reddog170]

Well as of yesterday I have had my 83 on the road. I have a few problems that need adressed. The first is the @#$% brakes. They stink. I went through and rebled them and now they are worse. I know I am missing something here but when you cant stop 900 lbs rolling down the road you have a problem. The second is the cooling fan, why does it wait until the gauge is at the red before it will come on? Third is it is running rich, smells like gas when you start it and as long as it idles you can smell it. After you ride for a while it clears up, why? Fourth is there a taller windshield for the early MK1's? The top edge is right at eye level. Other than the brakes these are minor problems. Thank you for all the help. Shaun

[twigg]

Well as of yesterday I have had my 83 on the road. I have a few problems that need adressed. The first is the @#$% brakes. They stink. I went through and rebled them and now they are worse. I know I am missing something here but when you cant stop 900 lbs rolling down the road you have a problem. The second is the cooling fan, why does it wait until the gauge is at the red before it will come on? Third is it is running rich, smells like gas when you start it and as long as it idles you can smell it. After you ride for a while it clears up, why? Fourth is there a taller windshield for the early MK1's? The top edge is right at eye level. Other than the brakes these are minor problems. Thank you for all the help. Shaun

 

Eye level is exactly where I want my screen to end .... Hmmm ... will the screens from the '86 and '83 fit each other?

[Yammer Dan]

Don't understand about brakes. These things have good brakes. Do you have a good firm pedal? The cooling fan is about normal. Some of them kick on a little sooner. Might look at flushing cooling system. Have you synced the carbs yet? There are some taller sheilds someone will know where. I think the stock one is 22 inches high.

[Reddog170]

The pedal still goes all the way down with min pressure. The front lever feels firm but cam be squeezed to the bar. They slow me down, but need a loooong time to stop. Not sure if an 83 and an 86 windshield are interchangeable. Shaun

[ctraylor]

If you put new pads on they may have not seated in yet. Do some panic stops a few times and get them hot. Add some sea foam to the gas tank and ride.

[twigg]

The pedal still goes all the way down with min pressure. The front lever feels firm but cam be squeezed to the bar. They slow me down, but need a loooong time to stop. Not sure if an 83 and an 86 windshield are interchangeable. Shaun

 

Okay .... The rear pedal should be fairly firm, and not actually move very far. The front lever should be the same. You should not be able to pull it back to the bars.

 

Assuming you are not losing fluid, then you are perfectly describing a brake system with lots of air in the lines.

 

The other possibility is master cylinder seals that are leaking and letting fluid back past them when you apply the brakes.

 

Bleed out the air first, if that doesn't fix it you will need two master cylinder repair kits.

[twigg]

The parts fiche has the same part number for all years (not really suprising as I think the front fairings are essentially the same).

 

Can you measure your screen from the very bottom to top in the center, and I can compare it to mine?

[paysaw]

I h ave an 83. I changed all my pads and bled my brakes.The bike stops on a dime. Make sure you have done the bleeding correctly. There is a proceedure if you still have linked brakes.Your rear brakes should not have much play and should stop great.The front brake is extra safety.I can stop my bike just with my front brakes with little effort.Check out the help line on this site.You can PM me if you like and I can tell you what I did. Ray:fingers-crossed-emo

[Reddog170]

Will measure the windshield in a bit. I bypassed the anti-dive valve thing, front brake works great now. Will do the same on the other side of the front. Looks like I will need the block off plates now. Shaun

[frankd]

Shaun,

 

On the MK I's, you have to bleed the left front brake (actuated by rear brake lever) by opening the line junction that is just to the rear of the steering head. It's right against the top frame tube. I think you can get to it if you pull the battery and the battery box. I catch the fluid in a paper towel to avoid it getting on the frame tube paint. That will help the rear & left front feel better. On the MK II's, there is a bleeder in a spot that you can get to with only the tank cover removed.

 

As for the front.....When my 83 got to where you could pull the lever to the handlebars, I replaced the brake lines with steel mesh lines (the old ones expand under pressure when they get old) and I also disconnected the anti dive valves. I have Progressive fork springs installed which are a lot stiffer than stock springs. The bike felt fine without the anti dive. BTW, I did this to BOTH front brakes. If you have Progressive fork springs, consider this, but with the stock springs the forks will probably bottom out when you brake hard without the anti dive system.

 

Frank

[bongobobny]

OK, brakes. Yes, sounds like either air in the line or need of a new master cylinder or rebuild. The MK2 master has a larger bore than the MK1 as the brakes are bigger on a MK2, but they will work on a MK1 so if you can, pick up a MK2 unit to rebuild. That way if you decide to replace your front forks with MK2 forks you will be good to go. The rears are the same for both models. Your proportioning valve for the linked brakes on the rear of the bike most likely needs to be disassembled and cleaned. No idea where to get any replacement seals so be careful not to damage them. All it contains is an oriface and springloaded valve that opens the hydraulic line to the front brake a few milliseconds after pressure builds up (allowing the rear brake to engage just before the front one does) and regulates the amount of force via the oriface (small opening). They are known to plug up. When bleeding the rears, that's why you do the rear before the front. and yes, look for the bleeder on the line coming up to the front, locared just behind the steering head. When bleeding, use a vacuum pump to bleed, it's the best way. Vacuum pumps are available at Auto Zone, Advance, etc for around $30. Don't go to NAPA unless you want the same thing for $15 more...

 

OK cooling fan. The MK1 temp gauges were known for reading high!! It is normal for them to be at or in the red before the fan kicks in. You can always get a gauge from a MK2 and put it in so it reads a little lower, or live with it. There is also an aftermarket cooling fan switch that sometimes comes up on Ebay that will turn the fan on at a lower temperature. They usually go for about $50. Other than that, it may be a good idea to flush your cooling system if you have not already done so, and replace the thermostat.

 

OK third, and this can relate to the cooling system, Carbs. Run a couple of tanks thru with a half can of seafoam each tank, then drive it like ya stole it!! Be prepared to replace spark plugs as this will loosen a lot of built up crap and foul out your plugs from the stuff! After this, sync your carbs!! Carbs out of sync will cause the bike to run hotter! You may find that your fan won't kick on as often! Also, there are little diaphragms in the choke circuit for each carb that, like your main diaphragms, may have pinholes in them. The best cure for that is to completely rebuild your carbs, and I highly recommend watching the Vmax carb rebuild video before you start!!! The DVD is available on Ebay...

 

Last, the windshield. All 1st gens are interchangeable and come in various heights and widths. Watch ebay for listings, or go aftermarket for wider ones from Clearview...