dna9656

As some of you may know my 83.5 (DKC2) has carb issues. The pilot jets are plugged and I'm too nervous about cleaning them. Well I have run lots of Seafoam through them without success, too scare to use the sometimes too hot Berryman's in fear of dissolving the floats. So when I accelerate in 3rd, 4th or 5th gear it sudders like being in a high gear on a hill. The performance suffer a little too. Well last weekend I had the air box off and while there a run a 0.09" guitar string down the large jet you can see on top of the carb. The string went down quite a ways. Then I took one jet out to look through it and re-installed it. I broke the other 3 loose and re-tightened them. The next morning going up the whiz way entrance ramp (about 1/2 a mile form the house) the bike "COMES ON", like I hit a NOX switch or some thing! If you have ever experienced a small block Chevy entering it's "sweet spot" on acceleration you know what I mean. Performance is BETTER but now and then. I don't think that those jets I fiddled with ae the pilot jets, but this is what's going on....performance IS better but I don't think I can light the big cigar yet! Comments please.

I did almost the same thing! I carried a 2 X 4 on a length of weed whacker line and a butt connector in hopes the line would UN twist in the connector (the line had a knot in it) and the other end was tied to the bar for the ugmo bag; but that didn't work out so well. Now I use a beaded chain, THAT never twists up. I also bought another side stand and cut 1.5" from the thick end and had this length added (welded) into the thick section on the stand installed on the bike to replace the hill billy look of the 2 X 4. You also have to put a 1.5" extension on the spring or get a longer spring. I use a piece of 1/8' stainless steel rod bent into an oval to gain the length I needed on the the spring. I think the reason they are there on the Royale is there's no space in the fairing because of the radios/intercom, cassette player and the CLASS. So to give the rider and passenger SOME PLACE to put SOME THINGS they went with the bags.

Your fortunate that you have the skills to do Solid State. I tried tube stuff (Hammond Organs) and ended up buying another amp. I mean what's so hard about replacing ALL the resistors and caps? Well you can't walk away from it and come back 3 weeks later or at least I can't. I don't know programming or have the know how to get a copy of the software from a chip. After spending about $350.00 on the Ignitec, Coil Over Plug coils, and Misc. items I have no worries. I use my bike daily to go to work so I can't have the bike down very long so the Ignitec was the best answer for me. My soldering skills aren't what they used to be...I can't get 4 separate CLASS (air suspension controller) units to work (fixing busted solder joints) and I can't get 2 small wires soldered to the CB of my garage door opener to install a remote switch mounted on the handle bars. I'm afraid of screwing up the mod that turns off the warning lights that appear after installing LED tail,blinker and running lights. I know nobody that can do this kin of work. I know guys at work that are supposed to know how but they never get the idea of what needs to be done regardless of explanation. So I gave that stuff up. I converted the CLASS to manual and wrote of the rest as beyond my abilities.

Solid State electronics; they are EXTREMELY reliable for a time, a LONG time! BUT then they start to decompose, values of the individual components change, resistors (Resistance is futile), increases or decreases, diodes stop functioning, capacitors stop holding a charge, proprietary chips short out, you can't tell by looking. A solid state ignition can't be fixed in most road side scenarios, trust me; it won't quit on you in the driveway just before a road trip. The thing about solid state VS points, a coil and a cam is you can replace points and a coil on the side of the road. I wouldn't care to be doing that with a stock TCI in it's stock location. A lot of guys move them to a more accessible place and that's cool. I'm just saying NEW ones aren't available. The Ignitec Ignition is. I have been on too many dark, cold, snowy/rainy roads in BFE and had the car break down due to old and/or cheap parts. This was back in the day before Cell phones. I learned not to depend on old parts. Ignition modules in cars go bad, you never know when it's going to happen. So a younger part is more reliable than an older one.

Stop counting on 31 year old solid state electronics! Get a Ignitec! They're the BOMB!!!

Harbor Freight has a sonic cleaner, maybe have 2 (small and bigger) models. Most affordable. If there is no store near you it can be ordered from their web site.

Folks; Just keep the oil half way up on the sight glass (with the bike standing up on the center stand) and ride... yep the light comes on when the oil is in the back of the tranny under hard acceleration; cool huh? Maybe slow down a little from now on? Where's the fun in that? Also when checking the oil on the road...let the oil settle back down into the sump before you decide it's low and add oil, most times the level is fine, it's just got to flow back down to the sump before you can check it....

Personally I think it's old age catching up to all of us.....

I think every one here has made great suggestions; more than I could add that's for sure! However I would like to relate my experience with "Mr. Wobble". I had a really weird feeling in my '83.5, It was more of an unsteady feeling that a wobble but I was inexperienced. At first I thought it might have been road imperfections but it happened again on the same ride. The next day it got worse so now I knew it wasn't road conditions. My tires had good tread but were old, no cracking in the side walls but still, they were old. I had been in the front wheel's bearings an had them replaced a couple months before by the $tealer (who had a good rep for mechanical work) so I was confidant with the front end, the fork didn't have any issues I could detect but I learn more about this bike every time I log on. So I got the bike up on my Harbor Freight M/C lift (best $300.00 I ever spent on myself) and got the back wheel off. Cleaned the black moly grease off the drive components and inspected all that, fine and good. I got the wheel on the tire changing thing and got down to the bearings, the outer ones looked old but ok. I was looking at the service manual and found there were more bearings "inside" (roller, needle, and a Yamaha proprietary spacer) behind the BIG seal. I found 4 balls missing from the roller bearing! It was dry, rusty, and pretty FUBAR. So knowing what the $stealer charges for parts I went on Ebay and found a set for the same generation but different year. I contacted the seller and he (of course was of no help) had no idea of how to look at his catalog and see if one set of bearings was used in multiple year applications. So I looked up the Yamaha P/Ns on the year he was selling and the P/Ns on my bike. Gee they were the same. So I ordered it. Started removing the needle bearing. The outer race had become one with the wheel. I had no experience with aluminum wheels and heat. I have successfully removed many wheel/axel bearings from cars and trucks in the past however. I ground the outer race as thin as I dared used a sharp chisel to cut the remains but no joy. Now I have several spare parts for my 83.5 so I grabbed another wheel and took it to the local Triumph/Husky Dealer. He charged me $20.00 to lube and change all the bearings in the wheel. I also had him mount a new tire (I bought on Amazon) for another $20.00. Not just a cool deal but as my brother would say "FREEZIN' MAN!" I was so satisfied that I bought a front tire from him at a good (but not great price) and had him mount it to the front wheel. The Dealership is struggling to stay afloat and he treated me well so I do what I can for him up to a point. If I'm not saving $$$ and getting something done I can't do it's not a good deal. If I can save $$$, get it done, and help him out, what's wrong with that? Oh yeah; he also installed the right angle tire valves for me at the same time. My tire changing ability is still beak breaker, it's kind of a low priority right now because both the bikes that run (the Road Star and Venture) have new tires so I have other things to spend my meager $ on. Considering the age of your bike and the (probably) unknown maintenance record I sure would be looking at those bearings.

I have a destination in the Pacific North West! Right in the Seattle area. I have a '85 (last 4 VIN) 1416. Neener, Neener, Neener! Same Paint job too! She's a parts bike I got for trading I guitar I didn't really like, or pay much for; BUT she doesn't run. I never tried to get her running as my '83.5 was enough at the time. I have since removed a few parts, I have the rear travel bag from the '85 on the '83.5. You have to transplant the rack the trunk (travel bag) is latched to in order to do this. I also have the saddle bags moved (and the ignition, gas door, and locks on the fairing too) over for simplicity's sake of keeping 1 key.

RIGHT ON GUYS. That shop is just like a Holiday Turkey, F O S.

The Ignitec ignition is the bomb. That's the name of the company that makes the ignition Dingy orders for us. I have one and couldn't be happier. Dealers and shops. Those that don't TEST DRIVE the car/bike.computer, stereo, whatever should have their license pulled. Let's go back to the scientific method. You ALWAYS TEST the correction right? The carbs are mechanically actuated but not sync'ed. The mechanic at the place you took your bike to probably has trouble distinguishing body orifices with holes in the ground. He probably grew up with fuel injection, that's a whole new ball game. You need a carb synchronizer to sync the carbs. There is a member here that made one that is 100% digital. look it up; he might be selling them;with that you can do your own syncing. YOu should be getting UP to 50-52 mpg at 55 to 50 mph. I wouldn't pay them any more $$ either. You pay ONCE to fix things, that the shop doesn't test the fix ain't YOUR problem. The customer shouldn't be the road tester, the shop should be.

Yeah I remember something about that clear going flat or "fogging up" as you say. Look a the '83 Ford pickups, the clear peeled right off....

So what was in the syringe?

I think that coating is what is done when "marine grade" (made for wet conditions) boards are desired....Somewhere I have a 8 of those diodes....I should hold on to them for S and Gs.

Noticed a little different sound the other day. At frist I though it was because the cover, top (I had to remove the false gas tank cover that covers the air cleaner, battery and fuse panel; it wouldn't stay in position at speeds over 45 MPH) being off so new sounds came through. No that wasn't it. I noticed my right leg feeling more and more heat day after day so I looked real close today and noticed the right rear [h=2]BAND, muffler (26H-14715-00)[/h] 26h-14715-01-00 was loose. I tightened it up and no more leaks. So the moral of the story is be sure to check that part for tightness when you check the side stand bolt and the other things that seem to work loose.

So is there a way to tell if a odometer has been toyed with to lower the indicated mileage? I think that is a requirement in the odometer law? As always you're such an inspiration!

You can "color sand" the clear coat. The color coat is just color, (now this is what I knew/know when I was painting cars in the 80s and 90s, maybe the chemistry has changed) and that means it has no properties other than color/metallics. The part of the paint that stands up to it's environment and provides the gloss is the clear coat. Get some 1000 and 1200 grit wet/or dry sand paper. wrap it around a sponge (some folks use a "block" a semihard chunk of rubber made to sand the paint in a FLAT way....see if sanding with the hand and you sand in the direction the fingers point the paint under the fingers will be sanded to a deeper point because of the pressure applied by the fingers in the surface than the areas (low pressure) between the fingers. You'll never feel it with the hand but after buffing (to polish the clear to get the gloss back) or after applying clear OR paint, the eye will see it... trust me) After you sand the orange peel out STOP there and buff with a electric polisher or by hand. I highly recommend you pay a professional to do this; it's REAL easy to sand through the clear into the color, then you have to worry about burning through the clear to the color maybe through the primer down to the metal. Then you'll feel just like John Hammond....

THIS I KNOW: To bond one surface to another in a fuel-rich environment you gotta use a fuel proof adhesive. Super Glue? Is it fuel proof? I donno, I DO know that you can get a THICK ("gap filling") super glue from hobby suppliers. You can get a Super Glue release agent from hobby suppliers too. Imagine being able to get super glue to give it up.... My aluminum sleeve that connects to the diaphragm and plastic cylinder... they are (the 2 plastic rings, and cylinder, diaphragm, and aluminum cylinder) no longer ONE assembly. How do you fix that?

Meters are plentiful on ebay. You can use a drill motor to adjust the odometer, being as it's exempt from the odometer law....it might take a while though....

Ya know I read the life story of Houdini, I know that's not REALLY his REAL name, I know that he worked for Lock makers and learned all about locks and how to defeat them. I know he hated spiritual frauds, but I didn't know he was available in a can!

I have never used PB Blaster or seen it here in the NW USA. If I see it I will defiantly get some for my arsenal. So far as the Bee's wax sealing the lock, I assumed in my post that if the Bee's wax worked it would have to be removed from the lock, so I described how gently heating the lock to the wax's melting tempurature would allow the wax to run out (due to gravity) of any openings in the lock and protect the plastic components of the lock at the same time. following the heating applying most any penetrating oil (like your PB Blaster) would make short work of the remaining Bee's wax. But I'm theorizing here; I haven't tried this method, just a thought on ways we could get these locks to work for GaryS-NJ.

Well said!!! I haven't ridden with other riders very much, I have ridden in a Patriot Rider event when 6 Veterans' remains were taken to the local National Cemetery. I was never so worn out from riding in my life! Anyway....I have seen bad behavior in bike riders, USUALLY on those Crotch-rocket style bikes ridden by the younger set, I hate to stereotype but this is what I saw. Most of the V-Twin crowd are well behaved, those bikes don't handle so well; I know I have a Yamaha Road Star V-Twin, (for those of you that may not know it's a Harley knock off) so the potential for swerving through traffic at high speeds is reduced somewhat. I listen to 4 wheel (not 4 X 4 but cars & trucks) drivers and seldom do they complain about the 2 wheel drivers except when the crotch rocket crowd fly through traffic. What 4 wheel folks don't know is often those fast movers aren't showing off, they are staying out of the position (we 2 wheel people perceive) as in the blind spot(s) of cars and trucks. Sometimes I think this blind spot is cultural more than actual, 4 wheel people aren't looking for us; or maybe they are and we are the enemy! 2 days ago a fast mover 4 wheel car flew by me on the 2 lane limited access state highway I drive daily twice a day; 26 miles each way. Of course the traffic ahead was too thick for them to pass though so they slammed on the brakes and got into the right lane where traffic was moving faster than the left lane; then it slowed down and they were "Trapped" by other vehicles now passing in the left lane (I was now in the left lane) and they could not get out, as I passed this car the moment I was JUST even with the driver (probably in one of the dreaded blind spots) they came over into the left lane right beside me, they were going to push me off the road or knock me over at better than 60 MPH. By instinct I sped up, I really didn't see what was happening until it was in my right mirror; THEN I noticed what was happening. I was terrified. I got out of there (that's why I drive a Venture and not a V-Twin) in a hurry then slowed as there were cars in front of me. Of course our hero was right on my travel trunk. He starts flashing the bright lights at me. He had those too bright lights installed, be they LEDs or what ever the other ones are called; in any event IMHO they are too much light for the public road. So now I got his "aircraft landing lights" in my mirrors and I can't see a thing. Now I'm slowing down more and I have a few epithets and colorful metaphors on my mind. I'm thinking of the questionable parentage of this person as well. So I slow HIM down a little. So now we're down to 60 mph and this guy looks like a stock car driver swerving from lane to lane trying to get around me and everybody else. A 50 MPH zone is right ahead so what's the rush right? The state police are frequently here running the radar as this section of road is fast approaching a junction to another route. I get over to the right and this guy blasts by me. Yeah same to you too buddy! He continues to swerve from lane to lane blowing everybody off. We have a law here where I live that says you can't change lanes more than (3?) times per mile. It was enacted after the Dot Com bust in California and we had a whole LOT of California plates (cars and trucks) up here driving like Californians, (sorry to you from the Great State of California; I know all of you don't drive like this (I lived in San Fran for a year) but if the shoe fits...) flying through traffic on I-5 in and around Seattle. I-5 is very scary in a car and even more so on a bike. there are 5 and 6 lanes on parts of I-5 and many junctions. Anyway I digress. Our hero is now in a 50 MPH zone (2 lane) for the next 3 miles or so; it has 3 entrances, then it blends into one lane then another junction with vehicles coming on to the route from the right forming 2 lanes once again, a series of (50 mph) S turns, a 40 MPH long, slow left turn (3 lanes through a business district) zone of about 1/2 mile and exit on the right then the left then back to 2 lanes and returning to 60 MPH. Up a hill, then down, and he gets off at the exit at the bottom of the hill. Passing all that he can all this time. That he nearly KILLED me so he could get to his destination sooner has made NO difference to how he behaved after the near miss (he nearly got ME!) he caused. TOTALLY OBLIVIOUS to what his actions could have caused. The windows on this car were darkened so I don't know what the sex of the driver was. That makes no difference anyway; bad driving is not unique to any sex. What is unique to bad driving is USUALLY the bad driver is either alone (male or female) or with HIS friends (male). Bottom line: we all better watch our asses, be good drivers, be predictable, using the turn signals well before changing lanes so everyone has a chance to see what we are about to do. Have PLENTY of great lighting on the bike so there is no using the excuse of "I didn't see the bike rider"; that way our heirs can sue the butts off our killers. But we're just a s dead, a smear on the roadway. Drive defensively and watch out for the other (4 wheels) guy. Don't be DEAD RIGHT. Anybody remember those words from their youth?

Excellent response Dave, yeah maybe the door/lock is under tension and needs to be "over closed" or even pulled apart to remove or lessen the torque or tenstion affecting the lock. There could be a burr on the bolt of the lock too. It surprises me that BOTH bags are affected.

FIRST: Are you SURE you have the correct key? I am assuming the key fits all the way into the lock. Does it look like the bag has been damaged in anyway that might knock the lock out of alignment? Go on the Internet and research how to pick a tumbler style lock. Try that. Failing that you may be able to remove the hinges on the bottom of the case, obtaining the fancy chrome-plated rivets to re-install the hinges might be tough though; check that fancy hardware catalogs.... I would try the Bee's wax trick before I got my drill out though. I like Bee's wax for rusted nut, bolts, etc. I don't know how cooled Bee's wax will perform or affect the performance of the locks after it's congealed in the lock, but it does remain lubricious (lubricating) like most waxes but I would use a small amount. Bees wax is available at most hardware stores; just ask. Melt a small amount it in an appropriate (thimble size?) sized cup and slowly pour it into the locks. Bees wax makes an incredible penetrant. If the bee's wax works you could remove the locks and place them on a metal tray and in a oven at or just a little above the melting temp of the wax. The lock will have to be positioned in such a way as to allow the wax to flow out of the lock as it melts. That way you could get MOST all of the wax out of the locks if they make the lock hard to turn. I would suspect this to be true under cooler temperatures.