saddlebum

Ignition switch is a very common issue with these 2nd gens. It appears the load put upon them is higher than the switch can handle. Sometimes the switch can be taken apart and cleaned up alternative is to replace the switch. In either case the next step is to remove or cut any wires supporting a heavy load (or entire load if you wish) and transferring them to a relay switch (terminal 87), You can even use two relays one for the accessory side and one for the run or ignition side. Next run a wire from terminal(s) 86 0f the relay back to were you removed/cut the wire(s) to the ignition switch. Run a wire from terminal 85 to ground or Bat neg- . Finally run a wire from Bat pos+ to terminal(30) recommend this wire be 12 gauge. This will take the load off the ignition switch while still leaving the Ign switch in control. Load test your battery depending on its age it may be breaking down. As suggested earlier check charging system performance same as you would on a car (results should be no different than a car). At least 13.9 preferably 14.2 as measured at the battery engine at about 1500 rpm. The second gens are also notorious for intermittent issues with the rectifier/regulator it is mounted at the lower front of the bike. Check your wiring connections including grounds. Connections from stater and rectifier are notorious for corrosion.

Normally that only happens if the fuel mixture is so lean that the cylinder will not fire at all the plugs come out wet but clean and is very rare. In most cases a too lean a mixture causes valves to burn and the plugs will be very white. No the feeling. Run into it all the time when customers come in with complaints sometimes more than once and we can't find a single thing wrong. Best one was a customer who claimed his starter was faulty and sometimes the truck would not start usually when he shut down at a border crossing. we went through that truck with a fine tooth comb and found nothing. He had the starter replace in the states 4 times finally he said don't diagnose it just replace everthing, Ign switch, relays, all four batteries and get a new starter not a rebuilt. We even ran a ground from the battaries directly to the starter. He still had the problem. He got so fed up he dealt the truck on a brand new one. On his third border crossing the brand new truck refused to start. You can only imagine his frustration. I actually gave serious thought to gifting the guy with a couple gremlin bells. Then covid happened and my doctor due to my medical history (pneumonia 3 times in a 40 year span for one) called me told me to stop going to work.

Also check your enrichment valves. Make sure they are not stuck open. There is one on each carb. These are controlled by your choke lever.

I once had a carb mounting/induction tube split on my 1975 canam, while riding. When I came off the highway and backed off the throttle the darn bike just kept on rolling. Did not want to hit the kill button and coast around the bend at high speed so I ended using the brakes very carefully to control the bike through the turn while still allowing the rear wheel some thrust to control the bike in the turn. Still I was leaning at a very steep angle hoping the tires would not break loose.

Make sure your oil level is not to high or that the crankcase venting is not plugged before you pull the heads. Most universal compression testers with different spark plug hole adapters will work.

Just don't do it in the kitchen. Don't ask how I know

You got it right. and #85 you simply run to ground or neg side of Battery. #30 is fused power supply from the Battery POS+ and 87 goes to what ever it is you want to power up. Some relays have a fifth terminal marked 87a you can just ignore that one. On those relay's that terminal works opposite 87, in other words one is in the off/NO position when the other is in the on/NC position. When you power up the relay anything connected to 87 will switch on while any thing connected to 87a will switch off. On some rare occasions you will see one with 87b instead of 87a this means that it is normally off/NO same as 87 and both terminals can be used for example one for a right side light and one for a left side light.

I really like that Idea and it looks simple to build. Its much along the lines of something I was thinking about as an alternative to the mini horse trailer idea I was think of a while back with my 1st Airedale Jake before he past away, though the idea I had in mind was not as nice looking as this one. Some tubing a bender a welder and some material to upholster it with and the job is a s good as done. The way the trunk mounts on the first gen it would be easy to make it a convertible set up so you can switch back and forth. Rio is good in a canoe so I have no concerns about his behavior. I must admit going down would be a concern for his safety so that part I would have to think long and hard about.

I have been planning to build a mini replica of a horse trailer to take my Airedale along on trips for some time now.

Here is to the guru of bike camping. Good old Cowpuc.

I remember those. Sadly we don't see as many ventures as we used to. Specially the cream of the crop ahead of its time 1st gens.

If this is who I think it is I can't believe he is still hanging on to his grudge. He used to be a member here and I met him in person once while out on a ride and boy did he rant me an ear full when he noticed the venture rider sticker on my windshield. I could not get out of that doughnut shop fast enough. That had to be 10 or 15 years ago when membership was free and Don had requested a membership fee to help offset costs. I am sure he has brainwashed a few people into his way of thinking he sure tried it on me. I simply told him think what you will But that I was sure there were costs involved in running the site not to mention Don's Time and commitment to keeping the site in top shape. PG clean and slander free. Also told him if the rest of us are willing to pay a tiny annual fee for such a great forum that probably paid us back tenfold in savings and shared knowledge that's our free choice no one is forcing us and not for him to judge or criticize. Then I got out real quick before he could respond with more of his rhetoric. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK DON. and get better we still need you. P/S if some one wants to accuse me of drinking the lemonade, all I can say is its the best darned tasting lemonade around! Refill please

I like that conversion plus you get to see were your fluid level is at.

Not sure why this did not post last night but I will re post. The sensor sits in one of the fill hole caps and serves to indicate Electrolyte level. It simply tells you that the water level in that cell is getting low assuming that if it is low the other cells probably are too and that you need to add water to the battery. It does not indicate overall battery condition or voltage. When you install a sealed battery or GSM you have two options (1) ride with the light on or (2) do a cheat by pass. Here is the link to doing the bypass.

As stated in an earlier post this bikes do not run well with the air box off if at all. but if it runs at 5,000 rpm once you put the air box on you may want to check the idle speed screw setting its on the left side of the carbs and it has knob on it so you can turn it with your fingers, it could be screwed in too far. Throttle cables may also be adjusted too tight or may even be seized or binding. Balance screws may be way out of adjustment as well.

Very well put but I did have to go refill my coffee.

Due to covid I have not done any recently but over the years it has been my go to means of traveling on the Motorcycle and will probably continue to be. I just love sleeping outdoors. Used to even sleep outdoors at home but increased night time traffic noise has ruined that for me.

Very sorry to hear about your relapse Don. Will send a prayer for you and hope things work out. Regarding the site I for one will continue to be a member and hopefully as we deal with and hopefully defeat this covid issue things will slowly return to normal. Last of all I for one appreciate the time and effort you have given to maintain this site and feel it is one of the best run sites on the web. Regarding face book I have no interest in face book at all and have never ever signed up for it.

Another beauty of this site. You get more than one option/suggestion as to how best to deal with an issue, including the pro's and con's of doing certain tasks certain ways. BTW those proportioning valves I mentioned in my earlier post are notorious for building up crud in them.

Sometimes the easiest solution is just to dig in and do a complete overhaul rather than nit pick at things trying to find the cause. Since for the most part this is the off season for riding, remove overhaul or replace calipers and master cylinders and any other valves ( rebuild kits are usually not bad to acquire but clean and inspect the parts you intend to overhaul before you order kits ). Replace the hydraulic lines with stainless lines (you may even want to go the de-link route while your at it), not only does this give you independent front and rear wheel braking but it also eliminates the proportioning valve ). Note: some who de-link their brakes block one port on the proportioning valve, I prefer to remove it completely and connect the line from the rear caliper directly to the master. By biting the bullet and just digging right in and doing thorough overhaul of the brake system you will save yourself a lot of headaches down the road. Skydoc here on the site is a good source of parts for de-linking the brakes as he sells a complete kit which I believe includes cover plates to eliminate the anti-dive valves on the front forks (if do the elimination of the anti-dive valves I suggest replaceing the stock fork springs with progressive springs (if they have not already been replaced by a previous owner ) as this was a very common upgrade on these bikes. All very worth while in doing.

If it is one of the two tubes at the bottom of the rad. They are soldered in. You will have to remove the rad and unless you are really good at soldering ( rads can be tricky since not enough heat will give a poor joint and too much can cause other areas to de-solder ), you will have to take it to rad shop to repair. Other option is to find another rad.

What mess? Looks normal to me

Based on what your saying I would say after applying the brakes a few times they did not release properly due to blocked return passage add to that calipers which may already be pretty much seized. As a result the added friction likely causing rotors and pads to overheat. Combining several factors hot expanding rotors overheating metallic pads and even the fluid if it gets hot enough could expand all contributing to a lock up situation. I have even seen Metalic pads get hot enough to actually partially weld them selves to the rotors. Signs of this may show on the rotors themselves as rough or blue spots.