She oughtta be called "Lazarus"...

[Fuzzlewump]

...because I'm gonna resurrect this baby!  ;D

Ok, so I told myself that one of these days when I have bike of my own, it's gonna be something that I can work on.

"I want to know it inside and out," I said.

"I don't wanna be one of these schmucks who buys a motorcycle and brags about all the things he's done to it, when in fact the only hand he had in the matter was forking over some hard-earned cash to be able to stand back and scratch his head when something goes wrong.

No, I want to work on it myself- inspect it, fiddle with it, learn about it, dig in and really get my hands dirty. I wanna stand up one day, grease-smeared and sweaty, manly hair growing wildly out of my chest, hardened look on my face, and know that I built that."

I pray to the gods of the open road that I haven't bitten off more than I can chew.

Found this baby on Craigslist when looking for a good used motorcycle. 400 bucks. It fired right up...when the petcock was removed and gas funneled into the fuel line, choke full-on for the first couple of seconds then gradually pulled back for a couple more, then pushed up to halfway, and after two twists of the throttle.  :o

My genius mechanic roommate said it sounded solid (once it was running), and I closely inspected everything on the machine that one should check, according to this guy - http://www.clarity.net/adam/buying-bike.html  (Looked decent to my uneducated eye, I guess.)

I start studying up on this bike I've never heard of and discover that I've taken on a much bigger project than I thought, but now that I found this forum I know it can be done. There are just waaay too many people here who seem to have the attitude of a one-legged man in an ass-kicking contest who's actually won a couple rounds!

So anyhow, I'm new blood here and I'm becoming somewhat obsessed with this motorcycle and figuring out what all I'm gonna have to do to get her back on the road. In the week since I brought Cecilia home, I've done nothing with my free time except pore over this forum, call local shops, scrape through junkyards and study manuals like it's finals week.

I've started working on what I can for now, and here's a quick list of what's obviously in need of repair:

- left front turning signal lense busted, and that signal doesn't flash

- gas tank has rust inside (on a 1-10 scale, I'd say a 5), but not rusted through anywhere....yet

- rear brake stay bar bolts rusted  (thanks for the heads up, Lucky!!)

- exhaust leak (and my oh my are those copper rings finnicky)

- tires dated '08, great tread but dry-rotted something awful

- missing all plastics except the thin strip on the left side

- front brake caliper needs all new seals (should be here any day)

- all lines and hoses look clean and fresh, but they're getting replaced anyway

- no major rust anywhere, but lots of surface spots all over (she's gotta be stripped and painted completely)

- brake rotor looks to be in great shape, no grooves/scratches/rust whatsoever, and good thickness

- went through the master cylinder, is in perfect working order

- brake drum looks great, and oddly enough the shoes look almost new

- fuel petcock needs cleaning and new diaphragm

- carbs need rebuilt and cleaned (I'm just wondering how many times, lol)

- someone took a saw to the front fender, why?

- forks either need lots of oil, or replacement (all spring and no resistance)

- had to buy a battery, she came without one

- some kind of fuse box has been arranged under the seat....I know nothing about electrical yet so I don't know if this is normal, but it doesn't seem to be

- shift lever has an oil leak

- aftermarket exhaust has been installed, has a little rust. I think it's a MAC but not sure

- doesn't appear that the bike has ever been laid down or dropped (no deep scratches or twists in frame, pegs, tank, etc)

- one small dent in the front of tank

- rear brake lever needs replaced, has a major rust spot where it bolts on

- missing a cap for one of the fork oil holes

- seat's in great shape

- horn doesn't work

- synchronization rod for the carbs is rusted, but everything else in that area looks fine

- rubber on foot pegs falling apart

That's all I've spotted so far. I want to get everything in rideable condition so I can see how it actually runs under a load, then I'm going to strip it down and build back up. Rebuild carbs, check the valves, clean all the rust off and put on paint, and so on. Eventually I'm thinking maybe turn it into a cafe bike, since it has a reputation for being peppy and nimble anyway.
 

This is a totally new experience for me, but I'm really excited about the challenge. I look forward to learning from everyone on this forum, and hope maybe to find some riding buddies too!

Thanks for the help I've already gleaned just from lurking, you guys are awesome, man.

-Fuzz

(Here are a couple photos of my new girlfriend. Sexy, huh?)

[Tiger]

Hi, great intro 'Fuzz'... welcome to your new and extended family... 8)

You have a great base Vision to work from there...we have all seen really worse projects come back to life with time, TLC, a few dollars and a wee bit of help from the good people on this forum.

Get a copy of Luck's CD/DVD...it will become your close friend!!!

Keep on using the 'search' button and don't be afraid to ask questions...that's how we all learn to master these old girls.

The exhaust is a MAC system.

Drain ALL of the fluids...engine oil/filter, rear drive oil, coolant/drain/flush/refill and front fork oil, as the forks will need a drain/clean/rebuild using fresh oil and seals. Stainless Steel brake lines are a great upgrade to...given the need to rebuild the front caliper ;) Once you clean the carbs, do not forget to install an in-line fuel filter..or you will soon have carb issues!!!

I've sent you a PM regarding parts... 8)

         8) ....... TIGER ....... 8)

[Re-Vision]

Fuzz, put a fuel filter on before you get problems from tank rust and then coat inside of tank. Your mufflers are Mac's. The seat has been re-covered, front fender likely had a crack in it. Front forks are relatively easy and cheap to rebuild. Show us a picture of your fusebox and it will be easier to tell if it's a good modification. Dry rot, I bought an 82 a couple of years ago with original tires and the PO was running up and down the highway like a madman, not me, I bought new tires before I rode faster than thirty miles per hour. Do you have the battery box cover? Plastic side covers should be easy to find,  good left sidecovers are the hardest to find because difficulty in removing them from the bike causes damage.  Looks as though you got a nice bike for the money. Hope all goes well for you on the resurrection.   BDC

[QBS]

Welcome to the forum and thank you for complementing our group.  It's nice to be appreciated.

You are blessed.  Long time, old time Visionary Rick Greville is located in Kingston AZ.  He is very knowledgable and will probably be happy to assist in some way.

How many miles on the bike?

[fret not]

Um, that would be KINGMAN AZ.

[dcsob]

"I don't wanna be one of these schmucks who buys a motorcycle and brags about all the things he's done to it, when in fact the only hand he had in the matter was forking over some hard-earned cash to be able to stand back and scratch his head when something goes wrong.

No, I want to work on it myself- inspect it, fiddle with it, learn about it, dig in and really get my hands dirty. I wanna stand up one day, grease-smeared and sweaty, manly hair growing wildly out of my chest, hardened look on my face, and know that I built that."
Dude be real careful on what you go wishing for. Have fun. Once sorted out these are a extremely capable machine in the hands of a good pilot. They were way ahead of their time.

[PwrManDan]

I agree...I am one of those guys who enjoys the satisfaction of doing the work myself (with a little help from books and ROV of course).  After getting one of three bikes up and running, the only thing left to do was clean the port on the coolant pump as it had a small leak at the hose.  I pulled all of the drain bolts, drained all of the fluids, flushed everything out, and put it all back together again.  I torqued ONE effin' bolt, just one, according to the book and it sheard off the head of the bolt. 

To make a long story short, I was not able to ride this year since the weather has now turned cold and work for me now is getting to busy to allow me time to work on the bikes.  We just moved all three bikes into the basement today to allow working on them over the winter.  I should have known when to stop, but NOOOO I had to go and do it myself and put a hole through my cylinder....Live and learn I guess....just know when to say when is all.  I admire your drive and willingness to learn.

[Rick G]

I'm 175 mile to the north west of Mr. Wump, which is next door by AZ standards!! LOL. If  I can help Let me know. I have an extensive inventory of used parts, as a  result of disassembling  7.5 visions (most were not worth fixing or had no title. )  If  you Need any information or parts Pm me your phone number and we can talk.

[Fuzzlewump]

Great to hear from you guys! I'm glad I've found a supportive place to talk shop. It's a relief to hear that I appear to have a good candidate for a beginner's project, makes me feel like I'm on the right track.

The guy I bought it from said he bought it from "an old man" about a month ago, and hadn't touched it since bringing it home, except for a spin around the block (which is downright stupid, considering the condition of the brakes/tires). He said the old man had told him it had been sitting in the garage for 12 years. The odometer reads 11,995 miles.

PO did something with the fusebox, pictured below. It's mounted under the seat above the rear fender. I know nothing about electrical at this point, aside from replacing an alternator and starter in a car once, so I don't know what this is all about.

The bike came with Lucky's CD/DVD, a folder full of ROV and xz550.com printouts, dated '05 through '08, as well as other paperwork giving a rough outline of the ownership history, and an original Yamaha manual. This is how I found the website. Also, an old carb missing parts and disassembled. So I'm thinking PO might have been a member of the forum. It looks like he was doing a lot of work on it and just stopped.

No battery box cover, it had been replaced with a tied up coat hanger, lol

I've obtained a new fuel filter, which will be one of the first things that goes in after the carb clean.

To make a long story short, I was not able to ride this year since the weather has now turned cold and work for me now is getting to busy to allow me time to work on the bikes.  We just moved all three bikes into the basement today to allow working on them over the winter.  I should have known when to stop, but NOOOO I had to go and do it myself and put a hole through my cylinder....Live and learn I guess....just know when to say when is all.  I admire your drive and willingness to learn.

Oh MAN this sounds rough, brother. I will heed your advice!

Once sorted out these are a extremely capable machine in the hands of a good pilot. They were way ahead of their time.

I've seen others saying the same thing about these Visions. In what ways were they ahead of the game?

Tiger and Rick G, I will definitely be needing parts in the coming weeks, so I'll come a-knockin' before long! It's awesome to have a resource for these parts, because I've been pretty stunned by how little I can find elsewhere.

One more question...what's the benefit of choosing the MAC exhaust as a replacement for old stock exhaust when it goes? This seems to be the most popular choice and I'm curious why?

[Walt_M.]

The P.O. has replaced the fuse box which is a common mod. However the red wire at the 30A fuse needs some tape or heat shrink. The Macs are popular because they are the most available and reasonably priced.

[Rick G]

The Vision , with its double over head cams , down draft, Weber pattern  carbs , very short stroke  and shortish wheel base was more that a match for almost any 750 and only beaten by a hair , by the 550 4 cyl Kwaker, was to repeat, a phrase , ahead of its time.

The Macs , as Walt says , are available and afford able , used ones show occasionally . Other exhaust systems have been available but are now out of production. One replica was made in Italy and the Predator, made in GB . They were $600. plus shipping, made of Stainless Steel and gorgas. But last I heard, no longer available.
You could also talk to the New Zealand contingent and ask about the wonderful system , just invented.

[admin]

actually the predators are still available and the price has come down a bunch, 475 I believe
and the mac prices have gone up, over 300 now If I recall.
I'm actually ordering another predator exhaust because nothing that I've seen comes close.
seriously,  well worth it.

-Ron

[Re-Vision]

You might double check that 25 Amp fuse, I think it should be 10 Amps.     BDC

[The Prophet of Doom]

Cycleworks are still available also
I bought a set of Macs a while back, but never fitted them after I found that I'd have to remove them to get the rear wheel off - and Im not sure they are loud enough :-)

[fret not]

ADMIN Ron, would you please elaborate on the predator system?  Just why you think it is superior, etc.? 

Who else has experience with both Mac and Predator ?  Does the pipe have to come off for removal of the rear wheel?

[Rick G]

I remove the rear wheel, with out removing my MAC's. I loosen the  rear bracket a bit and slide the axle between the two mufflers.
Roro, if you remove the baffle insert the MAC's will break windows at a 1/4 of a mile ! Should be loud enough! ;D

[Jirik]

Has anyone sound record of Predator exhaust?

[pullshocks]

$475?  I looked on the Predator web site.  I looks like they have 1 in stock priced at over 400 pounds--which converts to  $660 plus who knows  how much for shipping and import duty.

Luckily my stock system is hanging in there.  Looks funny with the "83 front pipes and chrome '82 mufflers, but ......"whatever"....