Hot time in the old town yesterday!

[Rick G]

I rode down to Bull head to have lunch with an old friend and after much misadventure ( bike vapor locked 4 times , taking up to 45 min. to recover.) I arrived at , new Visionary , Kyle's (kojo) home . We had a great time discussing the Merritt's of the Vision and me holding class, on all the ins and outs of maintaining the Vision. He and His Dad are doing a fine job , of getting it ready to go and he should be on the road soon. He rode out to meet me on his 200 cc Honda and we rode in company until the Vision vapor locked for the last time. It gave us time to BS about Visions , while we waited for it to return to the living. Visions do not like 116 deg. !! :o :o :o :o :o

[funkamongus]

so, in that kind of heat,, to helmet or not to helmet,, that is the question... So far, my thought process says, it only takes once for it to make all the discomfort worth it.. and then,, theres the heat.. oh, the fire and brimstone kinda heat...your thoughts?

[Coil Coyle]

Rick,
I' curious if you have the air baffle plate on your front head? The molded plastic one.

We never hear about the Bakersfield 82's vapor locking and I know they have as hot a weather as you do.

???
Coil

[funkamongus]

do you mean the horn cover?

[Coil Coyle]

Funk,
At Yamaha Parts for the 1982, xz550 in the FRAME breakdown at http://www.yamaha-motor.com/sport/parts/home.aspx
It is part #14   11H-2117F-00-00   COVER

A flat piece that wing nuts to the frame above the front head.

;)Coil

[h2olawyer]

I have the plate in place and experience some vapor locking at temps over about 95 - especially if I'm going less than 35 MPH.  It did it (though less often) before I installed the full fairing . . .  I believe  the thinking of Yamaha & Mikuni engineers to put the fuel bowl recirculation system in the 83s was an effort to combat the issue.  If not for that glitch (plus the desire for a fuel gauge) I would stick with the 82 carbs.

H₂O

[Kojo]

That was an especially warm day, but great to meet you, and thanks for the wealth of information!

[Night Vision]

I know you guys are running in line fuel filters.... are they the little dinky sintered brass ones from DK or JCW?

I have put back on a larger one,  after I saw the gas evaporating out of one of those sm all ones.... just a thought

[funkamongus]

oh, I see it,, ok thanx.. Where have you put the filter guys?? Ive been looking into a 90 degree one,, now the fuel hose is running around town before going in to the carbs...

[Rick G]

Coyle , mine has the baffle.I never lived in the Bakersfield area , but I never heard of it getting to 116. H2, I think the fairing makes it worse. It was doing it at 98.
I'm going to try additional baffles, to channel radiator heat, away from the carbs, also a heat shield to protect the carbs from valve cover /cylinder head radiated heat . Don Minor and I had a conversation about air scoops and flex duct, to better ventilate the area. The heat coming off of the engine ,was so bad  is was burning my thighs, even at speed.  The temp gauge was as low as 1/4 of the scale , never going over 1/2 of the scale.

[motoracer8]

 Rick, I missed you again, I rode through Kingman about 10am on my way to Vegas, not on my Vision, I was comming from Phoenix where it was 113 on Saturday. It was 95 deg when I left at 6am, 110 going across the dam at walking speed, no air flow, 110 in Vegas at noon.

  Ken G.

[Rick G]

One of these days , your going to have to stop and call me! It would be great to meet you in person.