New To The Vision (Not really anymore, but working it out)

[inanecathode]

Good looking start!  With a little time & patience, that engine should shine up great.  Looking at the headlight, looks it had a shark fairing mounted on it at one time.  The gasket around the headlight ring is one clue.  Also, it has the lower mounting bracket still in place, where the front turn signals are located.

H₂O

It did? The headlight mounting bracket you speak of, is it a rubber L profile piece that goes around the entire headlight? Is the 'shark' fairing the factory option? What's the lower mounting bracket look like? (the computer i'm on has crappy graphics)

[h2olawyer]

The rubber gasket is the piece between the headlight glass & chrome trim ring.  It seals around part of the shark fairing to keep dust out of the area behind the glass on the fairing.  It should pull out fairly easily, but you might want to loosen the headlight glass to make sure you don't tear it.

The shark fairing was a factory option for the 82 Vision.  See Dave TN's Yellowjacket for an excellent example.  I had one on my V since new - until I got my full fairing a couple years ago.  Said it before - In my opinion, the Vision with the shark fairing is the best looking of the bunch but the full fairing makes riding it more comfortable.  (My opinion only - no offense meant!)

The lower fairing bracket is what your turn signals are mounted to.  It is a kind of formed rod with two threaded holes where the bottom of the fairing is bolted to the bracket. The naked Vision has the turn signals attached to the headlight brackets.  Note the two holes aft of the headlight bucket.  That's the normal mounting point for the turn signals when there is no fairing.  To attach the bracket, the horn cover must be removed as well, so that is missing on yours.  I might have a spare one for you, though.

H₂O

[Night Vision]

... but, you won't need that stuff if you're going to the full fairing....

hang on to it though... it's hard to find the headlight seal and "tow bar" (lower faring mount for the shark faring). you're still missing the ears/upper shark fairing mounts  ...

it's much easier to find the horn cover and put the signals back on the headlight than to find the mounts for the shark faring 

[h2olawyer]

Very true, NV.  Its amazing how much stuff gets removed in order to install the full fairing.

I sold my old shark fairing to Professor Rex after I got the full fairing.  When I bought the bike from him, it had been knocked over while he was in New Orleans for a while.  The fairing body is now very hosed.   :'(  However, I do have all the mounts and am looking for another shark fairing body.  Luckily, the mounting hardware was only tweaked a bit & the windscreen is still in useable condition.  The headlight seal & the gaasket for the glass headlight cover are also in great shape.  The glass cover for the headlight shattered, though.  At least Gustafsson has those available.

H₂O

[YellowJacket!]

The shark fairing is the one on my bike.

David

[h2olawyer]

Every time I see that yellow bike with the black shark on it, I like it even more.  Great color scheme & the Yellowjacket moniker really fits.  The mirrors even look like antennae!

Not to worry, I won't copy it.   ;D

H₂O

[inanecathode]

I got my repair manual for my Vision today as well!

[YellowJacket!]

Every time I see that yellow bike with the black shark on it, I like it even more.  Great color scheme & the Yellowjacket moniker really fits.  The mirrors even look like antennae!

Not to worry, I won't copy it.   ;D

H₂O

;D
Thanks H₂O

I have to post some new pics since I painted the fairing gloss black.

David

[inanecathode]

My lovely lovely new clutch cable came in the mail yesterday! Slicker than snail snot, clean as a whistle it looks like an oem nos part :o
Thanks Dave :D!

(waiting on the starter nose seal, good weather to put er back together)

[YellowJacket!]

My lovely lovely new clutch cable came in the mail yesterday! Slicker than snail snot, clean as a whistle it looks like an oem nos part :o
Thanks Dave :D!

(waiting on the starter nose seal, good weather to put er back together)

My pleasure.  Glad to help. ;D

David

[inanecathode]

WOOOOO!  ;D ;D ;D

Starter nose seal got here today! Currently assembling the starter :D

In other news, i got a dirtbike helmet from 1986 i've finished sanding (prep for painting, and to check for damage) and currently painting. Sure it's not a street bike helmet, but it might go cool with my vision :D

[Night Vision]

be very careful with those planetary gears.. they can be very tricky. DO NOT juice your starter until you can turn the final gear by hand.

[inanecathode]

Starter is rebuilt and in (i can turn it by hand)
Clutch cable is in, works fine.

BIG problem though.
I put it up on the stand, put it in gear and tried to hold the clutch in and turn the wheel by hand. That worked fine, until i let the clutch out. Sure the wheel stopped spinning, but i couldnt get it to turn the engine over.
I then put it in the highest gear it could go it, pulled the clutch in and rode down the driveway. I popped the clutch and all that happened was the rear wheel locking up and sliding to a stop. Even with throwing my weight onto the rear part of the seat and popping it at much higher speed i couldnt get the engine to turn over.

What should i do now? Please don't tell me it's the S word  :-[

[h2olawyer]

Try it in second or third gear.

Try tip # 1:

www.xz550.com/tip.html

H₂O

[inanecathode]

I dont think the clutch is stuck, it goes in and out fine. With the clutch lever in it rolls, with it out it doesnt (if its in gear, if its in neutral it rolls either way)

[Night Vision]

don't be surprised if you weren't in "high gear".. that's kinda tough to determine unless you know you started in neutral. clicked down once to get into first.... push bike, upshift past neutral two get into second, let clutch out, push bike, ... pull clutch in, shift into third, let clutch out.... etc.. etc...

it's hard to go from first into fifth without things moving

[inanecathode]

I did, i rocked it back and forth and clicked it up until it wouldnt click any more.

[Night Vision]

get a bigger hill!! , or not

I would try turning the bike over "clicking" the starter... I get tuckered out pushing a 500lb bike very far  :P

[Tiger]

I get tuckered out pushing a 500lb bike very far  :P

...Quit smokin' then... ::) ;D ;D ;D ;D :D :D :D :D :D :D

[Night Vision]

touche