1978 XS 750 For Sale

Finally got her all together and looking sharp. I was gonna give her a name as it seems like the thing to do these days, but "Thunder Road Pickle Dog Cat" was already taken (http://dicemagazine.blogspot.com/2011/05/good-times-ahead.html). I would have liked to keep her for a while to rip around the city with, but she needs to go to help pay for bigger bikes. Runs really good (pretty fast too), patented Du Keeps muffler baffles work like a charm. "Bark Bark Bark". Removing the airbox and adding the pod filters probably knocked off 5-10lbs. I also changed the bars to prevent limp wrist syndrome. I'm looking to get around $1200-ish from interested mules or associates. This vid is from pre-cosmetic surgery (just did the exhaust).

original prairie mule

Fork seals for the CT1

Any advice for popping out 40 year old oil seals? Cuz these are REALly in tHeRE!

Old Parts Score:

Rec Supply -20

Proline 0

eGay 1,567 (might soon deserve it's B back)

"Carefully pry out oil seal, using folded rag to protect outer tube." Sounds simple, eh?

Flying the Desert Rose

Yamaha's broken promises

No batteries required

So the CT1, I've discovered, has what'cha call a flywheel magneto. Long & short of it...no battery, no rectifier, still make ring ding. I ran the theory past Gary whom I bought the bike from and he assured me he had the bike running as it sits today. No battery, no rectifier. So long as you don't want to run a bunch of accessories this setup should work fine because of that magnetic personality...sooo why won't it start?

Got inspired...

...by the vintage enduros, Kenos teaser pics, and Du Keeps success with his little Honda. So I bought this today. Gonna need a little work and the Wife has already claimed it.

...and the year before that...and the year before that...and the year before that...

Borrani Yammy Rims

Ever notice how much XS650 rims look like Borrani's?

Borrani

My 650

Yamaha yes yes yes

Here's my ride, 82 maxim 750. Complete with perpetual flashing warning lights and timing chain slap.

Black Sparrow Rebuild 2

Together Again
Stealin' gas at 2am to fire it up.

Must be the muffler bearings.

Black Sparrow Rebuild

What the Fuck is this thing?


The rings literally fell off in two pieces, top and bottom, both cylinders. No wonder I had low compression.

Note the "D" guitar string keeping the cam chain from disappearing.


Pretty smooth rebuild with two buddies in the Tiny Garage Rod Shop. It was my first rebuild of anything and neither of the other guys had ever done rings before. Started at about 8pm with beers and by 2am she was waking neighbors again. I had a pretty serious oil leak from the points case until I figured out that a plug had been put on the wrong way. Luckily it was fixable w/out tearing the head apart. Cereal boxes mixed with gasket maker and away we go. We set the points by eyeballing it and must have had the Buddha of motorcycle maintenance smiling on us, still can't believe it fucking worked. Ran better than ever actually. Cereal boxes mixed with gasket maker and away we go.

Black Sparrow

This was the end product of the Black Sparrow project. A '76 XS360 I bought for $500 in '07. She came to me running, and I rode it all that summer although was admittedly put together with bubblegum and bailing twine. A real rat job. Radio Shack electric start mounted under the tank, glass packs in the pipes (loud MF), electrical system patched and spliced top to bottom. Changed the bars and bought a front fender off ebay. By the end of the summer it ran like Sh*t and had low compression on both sides. I spent the winter months tearing the topend down and replaced the broken rings and honed the cylinders at a friend's garage. Put the old girl back together and she ran like a top. Finished modding with a custom seat with a plywood pan, and smaller signals and taillight. Sold her this Summer. I miss you.