Patmac6075

As was stated above, it’s all about the lens. You can install a 10x brighter bulb, but if the lens was designed for a dimmer bulb….the lens will still defuse the light in the pattern it was designed for….ie, 10x brighter right in front of you, it won’t reach out further than it was designed for. Not to mention….you’ll blind oncoming traffic as they approach you.

Just getting ready to tackle this job fellas…any sage advice? I wish I’d have taken the extra step and gotten done back when I rebuilt my forks! One quick question, the manual suggests you remove the fairing…I don’t see the need. Please correct me if I’m wrong

I got my new screen off eBay a couple of years ago, want to say it cost about $70 or so.

I cut mine down with a saber saw. I taped up the screen real well with a couple layers of masking tape and I also taped up the base of the saber saw. Beware….it took two people (one to make the cut and one to hold the screen). Go slow and make a good line and follow it. It’s pretty easy to crack the screen so be careful. I set mine up at just about the height of my nose, was easy to see over the top… I used that setup for about 3 years and it was ok….you do get buffeted a bit more. About two years ago I bit the bullet and bought a new taller windscreen…couldn’t be happier! All the wind goes over my head and it’s crystal clear. I was in the same boat….the top of the glass was just in the wrong spot for me.

Just going through one of my tutorials and I noticed the picture are not showing up, perhaps you can help

Kinda my thought too...but the inside of the cylinder looks decently smooth and I’ve never been too aggressive with it. Might just have to source a replacement, hello ebay!

Does anyone have any experience with the All Balls brand Master Cylinder Rebuild Kit? I’m going on my fourth rear master cylinder rebuild and I’ve always used the OEM kit from Partzilla (cost on sale is about $70 on sale and about $90 when it’s not) and they seem to last about 2 seasons. It’s weird, I get two seasons and then over the winter I notice a small puddle and inevitably I’ve have lost 2/3’s of my braking power (I’m still linked). Basically, I’m tired of shelling out $70-$90 every couple years....I do lightly hone the cylinder walls with some 1000 grit nothing major, just a light hone to make certain there’s no ridge. So I came across the All Balls kit which doesn’t come with the piston (but who cares, I’ve two others in pretty good nick), they’re kit (#18-1082) is less than $20 shipped on Amazon....really as I see it, the only thing I really need are the two rubber seals (springs and clips should be fine although they are included) if anyone has experience with this kit, please share....otherwise I’ll be the test platform and report back results. Finally, I’m contemplating the delink.

Although it’s always a good idea to note (and photograph) the order in which things came apart, I’ve found in my experience having the manual or an exploded view is also really helpful. There’s a good chance the guy/guys who’ve worked on your bike before you may have been less skilled than you.

NGK makes a boot, for the life of me I can’t recall the part number...hopefully one of the more organized member will chime in shortly. I changed mine out a couple of years ago and they’re still running strong. I got the at O’REILLY...they were like $5 apiece.

Slight correction....Stainless Steel brake LINES

I’ll do my best here, but I’m sure some of the experts will correct me if I’m wrong, but you can use the R6 calipers on your ‘83. You will in fact need to get 2nd Gen rotors to complete the swap. I will add, upgrading to stainless steel brakes will make a huge improvement especially if your bike is still rocking original 1983 brake lines (Yamaha advised a service interval of 5 years....which nobody adhered to). If you’re going to upgrade your calipers and lines, that leaves you’re master cylinder seals as the next weakest link....as a matter of course, those should also be rebuilt at the same time (image the hydraulic force you’ll be able to exert on those 40 year old seals...not something I’d want to rely on in an emergency situation). Many will also add de-linking your brakes as an upgrade, unfortunately I did not go down that path, so I’ll let them explain the advantages to that mod.

Oh my! Truly one of the most generous people I’ve met. I am saddened deeply. Of all the advise I’ve received on this (or any ) forum...when it came from Prairie Hammer, that was it, it was fact and I didn’t need to hear from anyone else...sage advise, picture, and a screen shot from the manual. I will miss him. Pat

A lot depends on the vaccine, but I’d be coming from Milwaukee....I’d love to make a day trip

I cannot attest to the benefits of linked vs de-linked brakes as I kept my bike’s front brakes linked. But I can tell you that replacing my 30 year old rubber hoses with all stainless steel hoses was a huge improvement! I also replaced my front springs (with Progressive’s), rebuilt all my calipers, rebuilt both masters, and installed EBC HH pads. I went from a dangerously low amount of braking power to a more than adequate (even by today’s standards) amount of braking power and control.

Thanks!

Ha Ha....I wish I knew how to link to it, but I did a write up that got saved into to 1Gen Tech Section. It’s about how to change to a blade style fuse box.....was pretty inexpensive and fairly easy. Also, If I remember correctly, a member Skydoc Kosloske sell a kit. Merry Christmas! Pat

So long ago, and so many small repairs in between...it’s hard to remember. Right away I bought a brand new AGM battery, and I bought a new heavier duty battery cable set up from a former member (Dingy), I think Skydoc sells something similar. I also swapped my old fuse panel out for a blade setup (see my write up in the maintenance section). While I was in there I pulled my carbs and cleaned them and went after my valves...this was all within the first couple of weeks of owning the bike. Not exactly sure which of these helped or whether it was a combination of all of them together.... I can tell you this, my bike doesn’t like temps below 45...normally when it’s above 60 it starts pretty quick, but in cooler temps it takes a little more to fire it up and I need to keep the choke (enrichment circuit) on a bit longer.

Trying to remember when I did my bike...pretty sure every valve shim was out of spec. I was lucky though...I was able to swap around my valves (took forever), but I only ended up needing 3 new shims. Again I’m fortunate to have a bike shop near by that was willing to swap shims at no cost. Im certain my shims had never been done before I did them.

I was pretty active on XJBikes for a while, I had a 550 Seca, a 750 Seca, and a 750 Maxim. I used the same handle over there as I use here...patmac6075. I really enjoyed having a member who stocked and sold just about any wear part you can think of. But just like over there, there are some really knowledgeable people who are always ready to help...I couldn’t have rebuilt my bike without the input of some really good guys! BTW, thanks for joining and welcome aboard.

Glad to see another XJ’r moving up to the XVZ’s! I believe you are on the correct path...get those valves clearenced and your carb sync will go smoother. Just an FYI, it’s not a difficult job (but it’s also a different procedure than the XJ)...the biggest hassle is clearing all plastics out of the way (and putting them back together without breaking all the tabs...ask me how I know). Mom Yam left very little wiggle room in there consequently when I put my valve covers back on, I left a small oil leak in my front gasket (which wasn’t discovered until everything was put back together)...it’s been about 4 years and you’re motivating me to get back in there and fix it! Also, at least for me...clearencing the valves was much easier with the carbs in the way...but then again, I was cleaning my carbs at the time.

I guess I don’t read the watering hole section enough. Imagine my surprise when I tried to run through my daily check of the First Gen Section, only to be greeted by “This Site No Longer Exists”!!!!! Within a few hours I was in a cold sweat, fortunately the boss was able to talk me off the ledge! Glad we’re back up and running! Thanks for all the hard work Don, you deserve better than this bunch of Lop Eared Varmints ( term used without Puc’s permission) Pat

My issue would be safety first. Let me be clear, I have MANY times disregarded my own advise when it comes to safety (i.e., I often ride without a helmet in short sleeves and tennis shoes), but if I'm going to dole out unwanted advise I would alway suggest the safest route. With that being said, why not just use your reserve on the petcock? Your tank has a built in reserve, why not use that? Then I would plan my trip accordingly using the available fuel I have, if I overestimate my range I know I have (I think) a gallon or a gallon and a half available with a twist of the reserve lever. If it were me, and I really wanted to carry additional fuel, I would buy the canned fuel available from most hardware stores or auto parts centers. This fuel won't spoil and it comes in sealed containers. The downside is it expensive! IMHO, no matter how much fuel you carry on a trip...it all comes down to planning your milage...you could pull a 20 gallon tank behind your bike, but if you mismanage your range you could still be left slapping your forehead wishing you'd pulled a 20 1/2 gallon trailer. My $0.02 Pat

Thanks for the responses guys! Upon your suggestion, OEM it is! Thanks Kevin.

As the title suggests, I’m looking at replacing the headset bearings on my ‘84 XVZ1200 VR. Currently, when on the center stand (with the front wheel in the air)...if I move the handlebars from side to side, I can feel a “notch” right in the center. I’d like to replace the ball bearings that are currently in there with roller bearings....does anyone have a part number recommendation? Will I need to replace the races? Thanks in advance. Pat

Pretty easy to open the gauge cluster...when I did mine, I replaced all the bulbs with LED’s. Just make sure you use the correct colors..ie, amber for turn signals, green for neutral and cruise, blue for High beams. I used red for the speedo and tach which I wouldn’t recommend (thought it would look cool). If I were to do it over I’d go with off-white or maybe green.