Messages

I still think an 'arm off an early-ish XJR400 is worth a try.

Extruded aluminum, twin shock, dirt cheap on Yahoo Japan.

https://auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/c1186462431

https://auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/s1215249153

I had no idea Yahoo Japan was a thing for bike parts. Good stuff.

Looks like the upper limit of tire size on a stock XJ is 130-140. After trimming the pivot tube down, that would be a really sweet swing arm if you don't want to go modern day fat with tires.

Just an FYI, I sourced most of my chrome replacement front parts from Yahoo Japan through a broker (Neokyo). Was still cheaper than what some of the scalpers wanted here on eBay.

Yea, it's also a baby motorcycle, where ringing its neck is the norm for freeway speeds. I blew mine up (as Mark might remember) a few years back on the freeway, just trying not to get run over.

I've been absent for a while now, but that's because we have a new little two stroke enthusiast on our hands. Born May 5th. This one is always wanting a full gas tank, or he gets cranky!

We had a long stint in the hospital for mom (40 days) and another long NICU stint for baby boy (30 days).Big brother is super happy, and jealous of all the attention this little firecracker gets. Everyone is doing ok so far. My wallet has cobwebs in it, but that's to be expected when you hit the max out of pocket for insurance and have a well pump take a shit all in the same month... It's only money after-all!

I wanted to go again this year with my buddy, but we just had a new addition to the family and a well pump replacement/plumbing repair for $5,000 on top of medical bills. Basically, fun plans over lol.

https://www.economycycle.com/product/group-520-chain-sprocket-conversion-kit-for-rd250-350-400/

One of these has been on my radar for a while now. But, the Suzuki kinda took over for a while. I think it's time to give the Yamaha some love. She needs a top end first.

Man, I thought you were going to describe the forks clanking over bumps, because mine does that lol. I think I need new outer fork housings. That little popping noise is probably a fuel issue. It seems to do that after you let off the throttle completely. Check your pilot circuit, air screw settings, and/or your pilot jet size.

^What SoCal said!

Oh... haha, well, mine could be that as well. I never replaced it, but I think it looked ok last I had it all apart.

We can file to collect refunds from UPS. They are refunding people.

Air gap ha? You know what's funny? I just had that issue on my damn lawnmower. I had to replace the coil because of this shit. I thought I needed a battery. But, I'm glad the engine didn't start because I woulda had a fire.

Anyway, air gap wasn't quite right and the engine was really hard to start.

I mean, my Shinko 712's have been stellar on my RD. I'll be looking to replace them probably next year as they're reaching replacement age.

[Liquidation Process:]

You may want to stock up now.

As of early 2026, Autolite, along with sister brands Stoptech and Fram, is facing shutdown and liquidation following a failed restructuring of its parent company, First Brands Group.

Liquidation Process:
First Brands Group is moving to convert its Chapter 11 bankruptcy to Chapter 7 for certain units, including Autolite, after failing to secure funding or buyers.

Operations Shut Down:
The move to Chapter 7 means a court-appointed trustee will take over to liquidate assets, effectively winding down North American operations of the Brake Parts, Cardone, and Autolite units.

Company Fraud Charges:
In late January 2026, the founder and former CEO of First Brands were charged with a multi-billion dollar fraud scheme, which accelerated the collapse of these business units [0.5.5, First Brands founder pleads not guilty in company's collapse].

Impact on Supply:
Major automakers, including Ford and GM, have had to adjust supply chains due to the disruption.

Background:
The company had been operating on a week-to-week basis due to severely low cash reserves.

Looking good!

Get your wallets ready in case this change works. Everyone who has ordered parts may want to consider emailing the sellers or carriers for your money back if it actually gets refunded. Wouldn't hold my breath though.

https://www.scotusblog.com/2026/02/supreme-court-strikes-down-tariffs/