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Had to do something with a leaky float needle in my VM28's.  Then I found mismatched needle jets.  I went all-in with new main jets, needles/needle jets, pilots,  float needles, top and bowl gaskets and high flow fuel filters (thanks Economy).

I took DesmoDrew up on a reasonable offer to vapor blast everything else.  Great results. 

Hopefully the weather will begin to change over the next few weeks and I'll be ready for the spring.

Spotted on Bike-Curious




https://www.bike-urious.com/yamaha-tdr80/?utm_source=mailpoet&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=bike-urious-daily-digest_2

Is an air jet change something worth considering on stock R5 Mikuni VM 28's?  I can get them drilled out and tapped, what's the better air jet size to run over the pressed in stocker?  Worth it?

Thanks
Ed

I've gotten the stock VM's completely apart for a rebuild.  Bike was running fine but there's a leaky float (Viton) needle so I figured it's a good time to go completely through them. 

I am making sure I go with 100% Mikuni parts, I have no real idea what's in there now although I see Mikuni hallmarks on most the stuff that's readable.

Questions:
1) The Jet Needle listed in the original service manual is listed as 5DP7-4.  I see 5DP7's for sale but never with any "-" anything.  Comments?

2) I have been unable to find the correct Needle Jet spec.  Right now there's a 182-O 0 in one side and a 169-O 0 in the other.  I recall the 169 is correct, but there are *23* variants of 169-xx listed for sale.  Does anyone know the correct stock Needle Jet #?

3) Both sides have the correct 2.0 slides.  The slides and bores look good overall, are slides something that need to be replace in a carb rebuild?  The photos look like there's some problem in the bores but they feel smooth as glass.

4) Same question on the choke plunger, air screws and idle screws.  Are they something that should be replaced for a rebuild? 

5) Are Main and Pilot jets typically replaced in the rebuild. I assume the can get worn/enlarged?

Slides and bores:
















Air/idle screws:

I finally got to the garage to work on an outstanding item from last years rebuild, which was to install the Emgo chrome headlamp with an LED upgrade.  Looks good, L and H both work.  Don't know when I'll actually get it outside at night to see how good it shines....

Ive come across a private sale, 2011,  1500 mile, garaged Speedmaster that can be had at something i can afford.  (Below value I think). Been wanting another road bike for some time.  The vintage bikes I've wanted - Eldorado/Ambo, CBX, Early CB750K, Commandos etc prices keep climbing faster than my $tash. 

As a former Griso owner I've always been attracted to muscle bikes.

Anyone have experience with Current Gen Triumphs?

Well I'm being given an 83/84 Ascot twin V 500.  Going to pick it up next week.

Anyone know anything about them? 

They seem well regarded....

My stash of ethanol free 95 octane is just about out, and there are no reliable ethanol free or race fuel pumps near me, other than perhaps a marina that's advertised 100 octane.

What's the correct VP product for an R5 with oil pump?  Is it C12?  That states best for air cooled 2strokes....

Still having some switch issues.  Anyone ever wire this XS switch  onto an R5 or RD? 

https://www.mikesxs.net/yamaha-xs650-bar-switch-clutch-side-chrome-77-81-oem-1t3-83973-00.html

Changing Connector Ends isn't a problem, but that switch is for later bikes with "always on" headlights (no on/off).
What change would I make to light my low beam all the time?

Thanks

Getting it all cut off tomorrow....

Looking at my coils and wiring, want to swap out my Spec II coils for "standards" for troubleshooting purposes....

In my parts bin I found a set of genuine Yamaha And a set of new Emgos. 

I'm confused on the wiring.  Look at the pic.  On the left is the Emgo, on the right is Yamaha.  Confusion is the front tab on the Emgo has a male bullet connector.  The front tab on the Yamaha has a female bullet connector. 

On the wiring diagram, the orange is the Positive and the brown is Negative.  The bullet connectors properly align to the wiring diagram.  Do Emgo coils have the polarity reversed on their tabs????  iE front tab is actually negative?   

To make matters worse,  looking closely at my current wiring, the Spec II positive leads both go into the Brown wires in the loom, the negatives go to Orange and White.  Am I already reversed???  Does polarity even matter on coils?

Since buttoning up the rebuilt bike, I've got a problem with the left cylinder, it's only firing some of the time. 

When the motor came out of the old bike it was running fine.

When I timed it in the new frame, I had plenty of spark, I never noticed it miss.  Now when running it looks like the left cyl only fires some of the time.  You can hear it in the video, and see it in the exhaust.  If I put my hand behind the left can i get covered in unburnt fuel.  Towards the end of the video you can hear it surging as the left fires properly.

Going out there today to try to solve it via the normal process of elimination....

All re-chromed, repolished or stainless...even caught my wife's eye...

I powered on the R5 rebuild for the first time today.  Good news was no smoke, but I have some issues to iron out.  I put lamps in the speedo and tach and they work.  When I power the key on, the green indicator comes on, the amber does not. 

I can't remember the last time I had working lamps in there and for the life of me cannot remember what the indicators mean.  I believe green is "neutral", what is amber?

Meanwhile, i have no headlight power so I am working through that issue.

When plumbing an R5, does 1/4" Tygon stay fitted without clamps?

I realized I had 3/16 on there, and a supply of 3/16 in the shop.  Meanwhile, i got a supply of 1/4 as well as the 1/4"  Motion Pro disconnect. 

I don't want to run fuel line clamps, and never had to with the 3/16.  Whats the experience with using 1/4?

1/4 next to 3/16:



1/4 on the tank crossover:



1/4 Motion Pro cross over:



3/16 on the left, 1/4 on the right:

After exactly 30 days on a slow boat, my NOS R5 switches arrived from Indonesia to NJ.  I was really happy to find this, here they are side by side with the originals.  The housing is somewhat wider than the on I had, but it sure appears 'correct' , the wiring colors and connectors are right.....

Help.  Photobucket is a mess, and I have a ton of pics there, with many linked to the forum.

1) can I link from my Google Photos, Amazon Photos or ICloud?  How?  I have all my pics also hosted in Google and could use ICloud or Amazon.  I have tried using the [img] thing with iCloud and Amazon links but they don't display.

2) where do most people host their pics these days for the forum?

3) is it even possible to successfully move my stuff from PB to a new host?  Anyone done it?  Tips?

Pulled my levers from the tank today and they are ugly.  I will try the polishing wheel on them, but does anyone have a source for quality chrome levers for the R5/Drum Brake?  I checked out obvious vendors, didn't see anything "great"...

I realized today that I had cut the center stand tabs off my R5 frame long ago.  I've had DG's, Spec II, and Moto Carreras on the bike in the past, and can't recall which pipes I cut them off for.

So my new frame still has the center stand tabs.  It would be easier to cut the off NOW before I build up the bike, but only if I need to.

Can anyone say if the tabs must be bent or cut for Milleniums?

Old frame:


New frame:

What exactly does it take to run 400 copper in a 350?  What's the advantage?