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New Project

Started by artbone, July 25, 2017, 10:12:07 PM

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artbone

I've been thinking about doing a little cosmetic restoration of my '83 for a while. It was perfect until I moved to Mexico and the jerk that moved it for me presented it to me with numerous scratches and several dents. Thirteen years later, the scratches and dents haven't healed themselves so the plan was to do a major tune-up (carbs cleaned in my new ultrasonic machine, valves adjusted for the first time in, what, 30 years, oil and filter change) then send the body work to my execllente painter, Adrian, to get everything looking good. I even thought about changing the color scheme to a Canadian one I saw on FaceBook.
I put the bike on the lift last night and, with my assistant Mario, got the valve covers off and started to adjust the valves. I've been doing this stuff for a long time but I don't know how anyone can do an accurate job of adjusting these valves with the engine in the frame. At that point I thought, why not drop the front of the engine (removing exhaust pipes, etc.) but then the thought occurred that, why not just disassemble the bike, clean the carbs, adjust the valves with the engine out of the frame, do all the cosmetic stuff and put it all back together and it should be perfect, or as perfect as am 83 Vision can get.
Anyway, that's where it stands. I've included some pictures and I'm going to try to do as excellent a job as POD did with his race bike/hot rod project.  I hope to have it done before Barbers. If this works out the Isle of Man Vision is next. I go to Barbers Oct 6, 7, and 8th for Vintage Days and my buddy Dave is bringing my IOM Vision to Barbers then another friend, Gene, is bringing it to McAllen TX, where I'll get a customs importer to import it to Mexico for me. Of course, none of this cost anything. I think I can claim the most expensive XZ550 in existence,
Here are some pictures of the Vision, my Triumph T160 that's just about done, my buddy Charlie's KLR, and Mario's 550 Seca

Well, it looks like I can't post but one picture right now. Don't know what the problem is. I'll post the rest in another post..
Art Bone

'83 Yamaha Vision in the Classic Black and Gold  Running
'82 Yamaha Vision Running
'74 Norton Fastback - Colorado Norton Works #26  Running
'73 Norton Interstate  Running
'75 Triumph T 160  Running
'62 Harley Davidson Vintage Racer
'61 Sears Puch  Running
'15 Triumph Scrambler
'17 Honda Africa Twin
94 Kawasaki KLR 650

artbone

I don't know how to downsize pictures.
Art Bone

'83 Yamaha Vision in the Classic Black and Gold  Running
'82 Yamaha Vision Running
'74 Norton Fastback - Colorado Norton Works #26  Running
'73 Norton Interstate  Running
'75 Triumph T 160  Running
'62 Harley Davidson Vintage Racer
'61 Sears Puch  Running
'15 Triumph Scrambler
'17 Honda Africa Twin
94 Kawasaki KLR 650

artbone

It seems I was too impatient and didn't let the pics download. Anyway, I'm on the case and we'll get this Vision back on the road and looking great before Barbers.

Speaking of Barbers, I wish all my Moto friends could join me there. It's one of the most impressive motorcyle events I've ever been to.
Art Bone

'83 Yamaha Vision in the Classic Black and Gold  Running
'82 Yamaha Vision Running
'74 Norton Fastback - Colorado Norton Works #26  Running
'73 Norton Interstate  Running
'75 Triumph T 160  Running
'62 Harley Davidson Vintage Racer
'61 Sears Puch  Running
'15 Triumph Scrambler
'17 Honda Africa Twin
94 Kawasaki KLR 650

fret not

Art, you have some serious shop equipment there.  Looks to me like you are a fabricator with some experience.

That Barber thing, some day.
Retired, on the downhill slide. . . . . . . . still feels like going uphill!

artbone

#4
Well, I found part of my starting problems. Two of my valves won't accept a .0015 (inch) feeler gauge. The clearance is less than .0381 MM, the smallest gauge I've got. That could explain a lot.
Also, I ordered the Dyna Mini Coils someone mentioned. I've already got the Iridiam plugs ordered and I've got some good wire to replace the starter cables. When I put this back together it should crank.
Art Bone

'83 Yamaha Vision in the Classic Black and Gold  Running
'82 Yamaha Vision Running
'74 Norton Fastback - Colorado Norton Works #26  Running
'73 Norton Interstate  Running
'75 Triumph T 160  Running
'62 Harley Davidson Vintage Racer
'61 Sears Puch  Running
'15 Triumph Scrambler
'17 Honda Africa Twin
94 Kawasaki KLR 650

artbone

These things come into a LOT of pieces. I'm used to old Brit bikes with a couple of coils, a rectifier, and a zenor diode. At least it's got plugs that match to the components instead of individual wires.  I've got the motor on the bench, as you can see, and I'll try to get something done about the valve clearance today if I feel better later. I've caught a cold and been hacking and coughing all night.

I've been trying to put the nuts and bolts for the different components in baggies and marking them while it's still fresh in my memory. I've always found the most time consuming part of jobs like this is finding that special screw that holds some widget to another gadget. Also, you don't realize how dirty a bike is until you take it apart. There are so many little crevices that oil and dirt lurk in that you cant see on a bike with a full fairing.

If my cold isn't better tonight I may have to take the tequila cure.
Art Bone

'83 Yamaha Vision in the Classic Black and Gold  Running
'82 Yamaha Vision Running
'74 Norton Fastback - Colorado Norton Works #26  Running
'73 Norton Interstate  Running
'75 Triumph T 160  Running
'62 Harley Davidson Vintage Racer
'61 Sears Puch  Running
'15 Triumph Scrambler
'17 Honda Africa Twin
94 Kawasaki KLR 650

The Prophet of Doom

Quote from: artbone on July 29, 2017, 09:28:57 AM
If my cold isn't better tonight I may have to take the tequila cure.
Agave Health Drink

fret not

I took the Tequila cure a couple times, and didn't even have a cold.  But the next day beware that things might seem "different".

Art, drink hot chicken soup, and lots of it.  It should help with a cold.  If it is something other than a cold then good luck with the cure.  Wishing you well and healthy because the Barber Vintage Festival is sooner than it seems.
Retired, on the downhill slide. . . . . . . . still feels like going uphill!

artbone

Quote from: fret not on July 29, 2017, 07:37:22 PM
I took the Tequila cure a couple times, and didn't even have a cold.  But the next day beware that things might seem "different".

Art, drink hot chicken soup, and lots of it.  It should help with a cold.  If it is something other than a cold then good luck with the cure.  Wishing you well and healthy because the Barber Vintage Festival is sooner than it seems.
No Barber's in not sooner than it seems but the Isle of Man Manx GP and Classic TT in the last week of August. Gotta be well for that.
Art Bone

'83 Yamaha Vision in the Classic Black and Gold  Running
'82 Yamaha Vision Running
'74 Norton Fastback - Colorado Norton Works #26  Running
'73 Norton Interstate  Running
'75 Triumph T 160  Running
'62 Harley Davidson Vintage Racer
'61 Sears Puch  Running
'15 Triumph Scrambler
'17 Honda Africa Twin
94 Kawasaki KLR 650

fret not

Then good luck with your recovery and Travels.
Retired, on the downhill slide. . . . . . . . still feels like going uphill!

artbone

I'm back. I've been really sick with a cold for a couple of weeks but am feeling much better. The 83 is in a lot of pieces and today I pulled the cams out and re-shimed the valves. I had never done that before so it took me about five hours including an hour and a half to go over to my buddies shop and pick out shims. I think I have the cams back in right. I'm going to turn the engine through several times to be sure. I'll send the stuff the be painted off Friday and hopefully the powder coating the same day

I had some pics but for some reason I can't post them.

Anyway, I'm excited.
Art Bone

'83 Yamaha Vision in the Classic Black and Gold  Running
'82 Yamaha Vision Running
'74 Norton Fastback - Colorado Norton Works #26  Running
'73 Norton Interstate  Running
'75 Triumph T 160  Running
'62 Harley Davidson Vintage Racer
'61 Sears Puch  Running
'15 Triumph Scrambler
'17 Honda Africa Twin
94 Kawasaki KLR 650

fret not

Art, in your signature you list a '62 Harley vintage racer.  Is that a flat tracker or a road racer?  KRTT?  I recall even after '62 that Cal Ryborn was racing a KRTT flathead iron motor Harley for the factory.  It is certainly intriguing what the factory could do with those "old" bikes.  I watched Cal battle Yvon DuHamel at Laguna Seca in the early 70s.  HD vs Kawasaki.  They were seemingly fairly evenly matched as they circulated very closely together.  2 min. 17 sec. for lap times, and that was on the "old" track  before the 'new' loop was added in the bowl of the dry lagoon.  Now with the longer track bikes are turning times under 2 minutes per lap.
Retired, on the downhill slide. . . . . . . . still feels like going uphill!

artbone

Mine is nothing that exotic as a factory built racer. I wish is was. Mine is an early 60s Sportster with a mildly modified iron head (OHV) engine. It's got some sort of 4 leading shoe brake. It was raced back in the 80s by a guy out of one of the Harley shops in Atlanta GA. It has Cafe Racer tank and seat painted orange and black and looks pretty cool. It hasn't ran in several years but I'm hoping to get it going next year (after the 83 XZ and the 82 XZ and the 62 Velocette, and reframing the 74 Norton)

But I'm retired. What else have I got to do?
Art Bone

'83 Yamaha Vision in the Classic Black and Gold  Running
'82 Yamaha Vision Running
'74 Norton Fastback - Colorado Norton Works #26  Running
'73 Norton Interstate  Running
'75 Triumph T 160  Running
'62 Harley Davidson Vintage Racer
'61 Sears Puch  Running
'15 Triumph Scrambler
'17 Honda Africa Twin
94 Kawasaki KLR 650

fret not

Thanks for the explanation, Art.  I wish it was a factory bike too.  That would be really cool.
Retired, on the downhill slide. . . . . . . . still feels like going uphill!

artbone

I sent the 83 to my painter yesterday. Twenty one pieces: tank, side covers, f fender, fairing and mounts, frame, etc. I decided not to have the frame powdercoated because of the decal on the neck. That would get sandblasted off by the powdercoater. $510 US which I think is a bargain. He can repair the decals somehow so I don't have to get new ones. He's done 3 bikes for me and several for friends and several jobs on my truck and he does excellent work.
Art Bone

'83 Yamaha Vision in the Classic Black and Gold  Running
'82 Yamaha Vision Running
'74 Norton Fastback - Colorado Norton Works #26  Running
'73 Norton Interstate  Running
'75 Triumph T 160  Running
'62 Harley Davidson Vintage Racer
'61 Sears Puch  Running
'15 Triumph Scrambler
'17 Honda Africa Twin
94 Kawasaki KLR 650

turbosteve84

There is a way to powder coat a frame without damaging the VIN plate.

I don't know what it is. I've seen the results but was too dumb to ask how how they did it, or I did ask and the owner could't tell me.

But, you can remove the plate, powder coat the frame, and order a new VIN plate here...

http://www.vin-plate.co.uk
Steve
saddlebums.tumblr.com

artbone

Thanks for that info. I'm doing up a Velocette and that will come in handy. I'm just as happy to have the frame painted instead of powdercoated. At least the colors will be the same. PC is probably more durable but if it does get damaged not as easy to repair as paint.
Art Bone

'83 Yamaha Vision in the Classic Black and Gold  Running
'82 Yamaha Vision Running
'74 Norton Fastback - Colorado Norton Works #26  Running
'73 Norton Interstate  Running
'75 Triumph T 160  Running
'62 Harley Davidson Vintage Racer
'61 Sears Puch  Running
'15 Triumph Scrambler
'17 Honda Africa Twin
94 Kawasaki KLR 650

The Prophet of Doom

The metal plate on the steering column is attached with two rivets, and some glue of some kind.  The rivets drill out and the glue can be dealt to with some nylon fishing line or dental floss- using it like a saw up the back of the badge.  Same method can be used on tank badges if you have them, or sidecover badges.


I had a hell of a job finding replacement rivets of the correct size and ended up mailorder from USA somewhere at great expense.


I powder everything these days, but POR15 Blackcoat makes a decent job as it is self leveling which is important if brushing on.  With some care it's hard to tell from stock Yamaha.  It's also pretty durable.




artbone

Mine doesn't have a metal plate. It has what looks like plastic glued on to the headpost. I'm pretty sure it wouldn't stand up to the heat of powder coating. I had to rebadge one of my Norton's and couldn't find to correct rivets so I just tapped the holes and used 10-32 (I think) round head screws. I later found a supplier for the little rivets but I've forgotten where I found them now. Ain't getting old fun?

We're lucky down here that we only have to worry about this stuff once. After you get anything registered it never gets checked again. True Story. I sold a V Strom to a guy and went with him to get it registered. He didn't have the right paperwork (a common problem down here) and was going to have to come back in a few days. He asked the young lady who was processing his paperwork, "So I can't ride the bike until I get this done?"

She said, "Oh no Senor. This is Mexico. If you get stopped just explain to the officer and they'll let you go."

Can you imagine an official telling you that in the US or NZ? I love living in a free country.
Art Bone

'83 Yamaha Vision in the Classic Black and Gold  Running
'82 Yamaha Vision Running
'74 Norton Fastback - Colorado Norton Works #26  Running
'73 Norton Interstate  Running
'75 Triumph T 160  Running
'62 Harley Davidson Vintage Racer
'61 Sears Puch  Running
'15 Triumph Scrambler
'17 Honda Africa Twin
94 Kawasaki KLR 650

artbone

Got my parts back from the painter today and he did an outstanding job. He removed all the decals and did them with paint. It really looks great.
Art Bone

'83 Yamaha Vision in the Classic Black and Gold  Running
'82 Yamaha Vision Running
'74 Norton Fastback - Colorado Norton Works #26  Running
'73 Norton Interstate  Running
'75 Triumph T 160  Running
'62 Harley Davidson Vintage Racer
'61 Sears Puch  Running
'15 Triumph Scrambler
'17 Honda Africa Twin
94 Kawasaki KLR 650