The Vision is off the road.

[Rick G]

Well , the insurance is expired on the V, until I get the top end rebuilt, it will be off the road.
Its been smoking a bit for quite a while , burning oil a a pretty good clip, dirtying the oil very quickly and has fouled the rear spark plug.In spite of this , it has never run better! There is enough compression to run well and friction is low, because nothing is touching anything anymore. The last run I made , on 66 , it hit 180 kph, around 114. It will hit 11,500 with ease, in the first 3 gears, and it never did here in AZ, but then, I just did the carbs, too.
I'm going to pull the engine on the spare bike this winter and see how it looks , it has about 22,000 on it .
Other wise I'll try to track down the outfit in LA, that custom makes rings. TNT here in town went belly up, so I can't get the rings through them. I'll know more when I get the top end off.
YJ and I had a conversation on this subject and he observed that as time goes on more and more will need to find a way to rebuild the top end. I have only standard pistons , so I'll  have to use the best of those, along with new rings and use the heads with the best guides and new stem seals to effect a repair. The guides are not high wear items, so I may be able to use the heads that are on it , they had a valve job in 2005.  Wish me luck.
Mean while I'm riding the VX800 Suzuki. its a very competent bike , but the Vision will eat it alive on a twisty road. While the V runs out of acceleration at 80-85  the VX thunders up to 100 , at which point I gave up !  It has the original Metzler on the front and it leaks a bit , so I'm now ready to see how fast it will go.Book says 125, so high speed sweepers are no problem.

[funkamongus]

Hey Rick, do you ride dirt at all?? My friend Dan and I are coming to Parker finally, next saturday. The plan is to be there until wednesday. We're bringing my Maico and Dans Ktm... gonna do some dirt riding just outside of parker. Theres a couple ghost towns and the Bill Williams area we want to see.

[Rick G]

Actually I have a '77 XL350 Honda. Unfortunately' I can't afford to trailer it down there. Might make it on the VX for a short visit though. but I'll have to squeeze it in between working on Kojo's V and grading home work , for school. Pm me and we will see.

[Night Vision]

Rick, have you seen these?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Yamaha-XZ550-Vision-82-83-piston-RINGS-2nd-OS-New-Nos_W0QQitemZ200384484297QQcmdZViewItemQQptZMotorcycles_Parts_Accessories?hash=item2ea7d893c9

I know where you could get the standard size (not 2nd OS) for about $35 a set..... that seller has one set avaiable, I know where there are 5 sets available.

[Rick G]

That's tricky. With 1st over , I can size them to the bore , to compensate for wear . With std , I don't have that option. I'll know more, when I pull the top end off of the spare bikes engine. If the bore isn't worn too much, They would be the ticket.  I'll bull it from the frame as soon as I can , but I have too many commitments to do it right now. Can you keep an eye on the standard rings , for me ? The 2nd over are out of my price range right now.

[Night Vision]

Can you keep an eye on the standard rings , for me ? The 2nd over are out of my price range right now.

sure, I'll keep an eye out  ;)

[motoracer8]

 Rick, try total seal piston rings, I don't know if there is a app. for the Vision but I run them in several of my old relics. They may not have a spicific app, as they go by bore size and ring width.

  Ken G.

[inanecathode]

Hah, i could have SWORN i smelled oil coming from your bike last summer! Sorry to hear about your oil burning issues, that's a bummer. Hopefully its just rings and you dont have to get it bored.