Joining The Ranks Of Ambitious 1st Gen Restorers

[CaseyJ955]

The R6 calipers I got were from an 99-02 and the rear caliper is the front right off an 03-09 R6S. I tried the linked brakes for awhile and decided that I did not like them at all. If the OEM calipers had not had some pistons hanging up I might have just kept them and put on some decent pads but I think in the long run this is going to be the right answer.

[happypunch]

The R6 calipers I got were from an 99-02 and the rear caliper is the front right off an 03-09 R6S. I tried the linked brakes for awhile and decided that I did not like them at all. If the OEM calipers had not had some pistons hanging up I might have just kept them and put on some decent pads but I think in the long run this is going to be the right answer.

 

So the brake lines that came from the 99-02 r6 fit the venture?

[CaseyJ955]

So the brake lines that came from the 99-02 r6 fit the venture?

 

The lines were aftermarket (I think). They have the heads that can be swiveled around for best fit. They were not a perfect fit but they worked. I used a splitter off a Vmax and made a bracket to mount it.

 

There is a guy in the classefieds that sells a braided line kit with a piece to delink the brakes. I should have bought that, it would have been much easier. The braided stainless steel lines really improve brake feel over the OEM rubber lines.

[BlueSky]

What year R6 calipers did you use?

 

I'm not sure how I feel about the linked brakes. Wasn't it supposed to be an improvement? First few rides had me scratching my head about the crappy front brake and surprisingly strong rear. Then I find out that the front lever only activates 1 side of the front calipers and the rear brake does the other and the back... I bet it would feel a lot better if the front lever actually activated both calipers. As of right now I tend to use both at the same time. Went for a short ride tonight and tried just using the rear brake and it stopped alright, i guess. really have to stomp on the pedal before it starts gripping and I don't like having to think each time I apply the brakes. If I have to think about it every time, I'm going to get confused during a panic stop and mess up. I will probably de-link them so it behaves like every other bike I've ever ridden.

 

Everybody has opinions on linked brakes versus de-linked. Most if not all touring bikes these days have linked brakes as well as ABS on the newer ones because it is a safety feature. I will leave mine linked because in a panic situation, we tend to jam the brake pedal. Years of driving cars have trained us to do this. If you do that with a de-linked system, the rear wheel locks up and you crash. If you are just riding the curves agressively, I'm sure most of us would prefer de-linked brakes but it's those panic stops where we mess up. Like I said, everybody has their own opinion.

[happypunch]

Been busy doing boring chores around the house but have been trying to ride whenever I can. It got wet again, started running like garbage (again) but never would dry out and start working normally again. It's been several days and I'm pretty sure at least cyl #2 isn't firing and probably another if there's 2 coils. My plan is to look into the TCI and reroute it if it hasn't been done yet. I have read that the top of the airbox is a favorite spot. Is the stock location under the battery? I would think it would be fairly protected there but do see a couple wire connectors exposed at the top of the top cover. not sure what that part is really called since it isn't covering a gas tank...

 

Is it just the connectors that are getting wet and causing the grief or does water penetrate the TCI box itself? Would some liberal use of RTV help seal it?

 

Does anyone have a picture of the TCI once it's been relocated? Google has let me down!

 

Anyone have an idea how I can check the oil with a 33 year old and grimy sight glass? Even using a flashlight doesn't help. Don't know if it can be cleaned or replaced. It's sort of important to make sure the oil level is correct...

 

Last question for the day: When changing the oil AND filter, it uses 4 qts? I have good 20w50 that I use on my other bikes (no friction modifiers), will that work fine? There's no way I'm dropping $20/qt for 20w40 yamalube. I have used diesel 15w40 on my xt250 and it seems to work fine, but it doesn't get a lot of riding time.

 

I love doing maintenance because it's a ton easier and cheaper than fixing crap that breaks when people are too lazy to take care of it in the first place. Change the oil? Why would I do that? They put oil in it a few years ago, it's fine... lol. Tire pressure? what's it matter, since it's not flat? I deal with a lot of dummies!

[snyper316]

I am sure I do somewhere....

 

Living life one curve after the other. Vroom scooting, thru the countryside.

[camos]

Anyone have an idea how I can check the oil with a 33 year old and grimy sight glass? Even using a flashlight doesn't help. Don't know if it can be cleaned or replaced. It's sort of important to make sure the oil level is correct...

I had a situation once where the sight glass appeared to be grimy enough to not see the level but it turned out that I had managed to over fill so no level could be seen. Just a possibility eh? The inside should not get grimy and of course the outside can be cleaned. If the inside of the sight glass is actually grimy then the rest of the oil system will also be grimy. Seafoam can be added to the oil and be run for a few minutes until the engine gets up to temp, leave it sit for a while then run it again and drain. That should clean out the oil galleries.

 

Last question for the day: When changing the oil AND filter, it uses 4 qts? I have good 20w50 that I use on my other bikes (no friction modifiers), will that work fine? There's no way I'm dropping $20/qt for 20w40 yamalube. I have used diesel 15w40 on my xt250 and it seems to work fine, but it doesn't get a lot of riding time.

As you may have seen in other threads, Rotella 15w40 is relatively inexpensive and has been the preferred choice of many folks for years.

[happypunch]

I tried shaking the bike just a little. Didn't want to risk it tipping over on the center stand just so I could see the oil slosh around. I will have to get my wife to watch the sight glass while I give it a good shake. I am worried it is low but will need to change the oil soon anyway. Who can say when the PO changed it, sometimes "oil recently changed" means different things to different people.

 

Picked up some new NGK spark plugs today. I have read some people not liking them but I've always been a fan. I work on a lot of different bikes and often see people using autolites or bottom shelf champions and then I have to change them out because they crap out so fast. Swap in a set of new NGK's and it's surprising the difference it makes, the bike runs so much better. It's raining so will have to wait... Really need to clean out that garage! In the meantime, the xxl cover works well to keep the elements off of it and the rain out of the electronics. At least the hard bags keep everything dry!

[CaseyJ955]

Been using NGK since I've been riding and not one plug failure, ever! I wouldn't put Autolites in a Harley!

 

Ride some air cooled 2 strokes around a bit and it wont take long to figure out which plugs pass muster in our world. We debate tires, even oil, but NGK suitability is something that rarely gets called into question by seasoned motorcyclists.

 

With that wet weather issue it might not be a bad idea to check all the grounds and hit the harness plugs with some dialectric grease to help keep the elements out.

[Flyinfool]

If someone believed the book and put in 4 quarts it IS overfilled and may even be over the top of the sight glass. A normal oil change will be just under 3.5 quarts. The 4 quart number is for a fresh built motor that has never had oil in it. There are a lot of places that do not drain out the drain plug.

I have never seen one of these engines that had any sludge inside.

Try slowly putting the bike on the side stand while someone is watching the sight glass to see if an oil level appears. There have even been people that filled to the center of the sight glass with the bike on the side stand, that would be WAY overfilled.

 

If it is that overfilled check you air cleaner box, it will have a lot of oil in it.

 

As to which oil to use, I aint even getting into that can of worms..............

[snyper316]

One question I have don't mean to open can of worms, but is rotella T5 synthetic ok to use?

 

Living life one curve after the other. Vroom scooting, thru the countryside.

[happypunch]

Awesome, thanks!

 

I didn't have anyone to help me by looking at the sight glass and didn't want to tip the thing onto my head or worse... the other side with nothing to break it's fall! When I track down an oil filter, do they come with the o-rings or do I need to track them down separately?

 

It's so annoying when someone puts in an autolite or champion spark plug and you only have the factory tool kit and the 18mm spark plug remover doesn't fit. I would change them all out just to make sure my emergency tool kit will actually work in an emergency.

 

I still haven't found what is making the rear end feel so squishy. It's not consistent either, happens sometimes when on sharp turns, sometimes not. I'm starting to wonder if I have an inner ear problem and for a split second am losing my sense of balance. I choose to blame the bike.

[Flyinfool]

Usually the 2 O-Rings come with the filter.

Check the box in the store, I have found a couple that were missing one or both o-rings.

[BlueSky]

Been using NGK since I've been riding and not one plug failure, ever! I wouldn't put Autolites in a Harley!

 

Ride some air cooled 2 strokes around a bit and it wont take long to figure out which plugs pass muster in our world. We debate tires, even oil, but NGK suitability is something that rarely gets called into question by seasoned motorcyclists.

.

 

When I bought my 85 Kawasaki ZN700 in 2009, it only had 1,054 miles on it. The owner had died and his nephew had attempted to clean the carbs to get it running correctly and gave up. When I bought it, it was running rough on 3 cylinders. I put a bottle of FI cleaner in the gas and it finished cleaning the carbs and it ran great but only on 3 cylinders. I checked the spark to the spark plugs and they were all getting spark. Turned out the #2 original 24 yr old NGK spark plug was completely dead. I guess it didn't like sleeping all those years in a barn in Wisconsin. That is the only plug I've ever experienced that was completely dead. New spark plugs and the bike ran like a champ. 74hp 4 cyl engine in a 500 lb shaft drive bike and it's a blast to ride around town.

[Karaboo]

Also when you change the filter pay attention to get the spring and washer in the right order. If it isn't right the oil will just bypass the filter.

[mcompton1973]

I have an '83 standard that I was keeping for parts. My new bike is an '86 Venture and the plastic is all great, so I would sell my fairing or whatever else you might need. Its is white...and needs repainted probably anyways...No hard sell, just let me know if you have an interest.

 

As for the rest. Have fun. I am pretty new myself...and I love this bike (although the riding position is a change for me...)

[snyper316]

I have an '83 standard that I was keeping for parts. My new bike is an '86 Venture and the plastic is all great, so I would sell my fairing or whatever else you might need. Its is white...and needs repainted probably anyways...No hard sell, just let me know if you have an interest.

 

As for the rest. Have fun. I am pretty new myself...and I love this bike (although the riding position is a change for me...)

 

The 83 was white? How is the lower parts of the fairings?

[BlueSky]

Awesome, thanks!

 

I didn't have anyone to help me by looking at the sight glass and didn't want to tip the thing onto my head or worse... the other side with nothing to break it's fall! When I track down an oil filter, do they come with the o-rings or do I need to track them down separately?

 

It's so annoying when someone puts in an autolite or champion spark plug and you only have the factory tool kit and the 18mm spark plug remover doesn't fit. I would change them all out just to make sure my emergency tool kit will actually work in an emergency.

 

I still haven't found what is making the rear end feel so squishy. It's not consistent either, happens sometimes when on sharp turns, sometimes not. I'm starting to wonder if I have an inner ear problem and for a split second am losing my sense of balance. I choose to blame the bike.

 

I just had a thought. With the bike on the centerstand, look at the oil sight glass and start the engine and see if the level drops below the top of the glass.

[happypunch]

I have been sick and not wanting to do much but got real tired of the gross looking speaker covers. It probably would have been easy to remove them but I just taped up the bike and sprayed them with primer and silver paint. I wanted gold or glittery purple, you know... and obnoxious color! But my wife talked sense into me. I didnt want black because I would have to paint everything to match the shade. Here are some before and after pics. It made a big difference, the old covers were just so ugly!

[CaseyJ955]

Thats a huge improvement. Honestly the metal flake fucia or purple would have been much better, this is why we should never listen to anyone that tries to talk sense into us, now that its boring silver where will the Hello Kitty stickers go? Ill bet she didnt think of that!

[happypunch]

I was thinking that something gaudy would distract from the steaming pile the rest of the bike is. Don't get me wrong, I love it, but it's going to take a lot of work to make it pretty. Right now I'm in the "polishing a turd" phase and hope to soon get it up to "tired and seen some miles" one day it might get all the way up to "decent." The more I look, the more broken tabs and missing fasteners I find... Still not sure how it stays together on the freeway, someone must have used good bubble gum and bailing wire.

 

Looking at the mirror and windshield, can someone tell me which part is supposed to be on top? Can't tell if the black or the blue goes on top since it was broken and glued together and it looks like it might be incorrect.

[CaseyJ955]

The black piece and blue piece are in the correct order. There is a black rubber strip that goes along the bottom of the windshield, it holds on by buttons that slip into holes in the windshield, looks like it felldown at the end there. Mind did the same. I sorted it out when I had the glass off it.

 

Thats a healthy crack on the fairing. Im not skilled in plastic repair but maybe a replacement would be in order.

 

Now ya gotts get some SS screws for the master cyl lids, that would look slick. Also 3M makes a wonderful carnuba based Turd Polish, not sure you can just get it anywhere but I know HD dealers carry it.

[CaseyJ955]

If you can gently pull the black plastic and blue fairing piece together the screw holes should line up if the fairing isnt to distorted. My bike is in very good cosmetic condition and it still has the broken hole on the black plastic you have there. I think its common. The bike I looked at this morning has both sides broken too.

[snyper316]

I know the feeling of polishing a turd it sucks but the after makes you feel alot better.

 

"Never ride faster then your guardian angel can fly."

[camos]

If you can gently pull the black plastic and blue fairing piece together the screw holes should line up if the fairing isnt to distorted. My bike is in very good cosmetic condition and it still has the broken hole on the black plastic you have there. I think its common. The bike I looked at this morning has both sides broken too.

If the side dash holes line up they are easy to repair using a homemade ABS/MEK putty. First cover the metal hole tab with cellophane tape, align the panel, squirt some MEK solvent on the area to be repaired then push the putty into place and tamp down to level with the back end of a drill bit that is large enough to fill the depression. It should setup in an hour or two but it won't be cured to full strength for close to a week. Once cured, drill the hole to match the tab hole. Start with a small diameter so you can correct any misalignment. I you miss by too much that small hole can be re-filled for another try.

 

While filling the broken part the putty can be formed to match the edge of the panel. Preferably a bit proud so it can be trimmed with a sharp knife or chisel.