Manky's XS650 Yamaha

[Manky Monkey]

Yeah, I said to a neighbour yesterday, it needs a mezanine level with a sofa & fridge

[Manky Monkey]

Christmas day today!
So I spent it in the garage, messin' with my motorcycle, (still using the old lady's garage until the new locks are fitted to the new one).
Not much progress but I got the repainted tank back on, hooked up & filled with fuel. After messing about with new fuel taps for months, my brother eventually stripped, cleaned & rebuilt the old ones in about 5 minutes. Good as new. Fired her up & after 3 or 4 kicks it ticked over quite nicely. Still problems with erratic indicators though, which I'm hoping are just down to a flat battery after the bike's been sat in a cold garage for several months. So I pulled it out yet again & will charge it in the next few days.
Then I spent some time digging out the cracked paint around the seat mounts, adding a skim of filler & rubbing it down. Squirted some high build primer over it & will leave it a couple of days to harden before flatting it back.
So not major progress, but a pleasant enough way to spend a Christmas afternoon.

[Manky Monkey]

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[Manky Monkey]

Yeah, I know you can't tell, but it's running here

[morrag]

Very nice Mr. M, indeed very 'pretty', but enough with 'skims of filler' MoT and ride the bloody thing, please! one down and one to go then....Merry Xmas brawd, Blwyddyn Newydd Dda! and that goes for the rest of y'all....Morrag

[Manky Monkey]

  I won't be riding anywhere till the Spring -definitely a fair weather biker these days. It'll be done by then, honest.

[stinkey]

It's looking good Andy..I'd suggest you start it up as much as possible..keep the spirits up ,spring is soon upon us..

[hornet6]

Its a stunner....the colours perfect.

[Manky Monkey]

Thanks -the colour matches my truck. Yeah, it'll get run regularly, just to make sure all's well.
Jobs left to do-
Finish repairing the paintwork under the saddle.

Sort the electrics out once & for all, (hoping the iffy indicators are just a flat battery).

Tidy the wiring around the headstock & try & get it all into one sleeve, instead of several different lots.

Remove the baffles, weld a small rod across the end of each so I've got something to pull them out with in future, then wrap them in wadding to try & soften the exhaust note a little.

Finally look at the noisy clutch. It's been suggested it might just need riding a bit to settle it, but I bet it's not that simple. If all else fails, I'll hand it to a local bike shop to sort out.
So yeah, should be sorted by the Spring.

[Manky Monkey]

Charged the battery up -hmm, it feels warm. Doesn't usually do that.
Put it back in the bike. Just the faintest glimmer of light from the headlight. No other signs of life. Bugger. Looks like the battery's well & truly cooked. It was only 6 months old, had plenty of acid in it & was only charged for a few hours, the same as usual.
This thing really is fighting me every step of the way. Still looking forward to riding it, but could quite happily get shot of it at the moment. Just endless hassle.
I'm sorting out the paintwork under the saddle, but need a little bit of warmth to spray the aerosol paint -& the heater's just packed up.

[stinkey]

You really shouldn't be attempting to paint it at this time of year,especially in a cold damp lockup ?

[Manky Monkey]

I know To be fair, it actually comes out quite nicely, but needs lots of prep & flatting back. Just repairing a couple of areas of cracked paint where I tapped the seat mounting bungs into place.

[Manky Monkey]

Bought a new heater. It didn't work, (the ignitor didn't spark). So had to take it back today & exchange it.

[the coppersmith]

You really are suffering the gremlins, luck must change soon.

[Manky Monkey]

Just not enjoying garaging any more. Every job seems to take 6 times longer than it should. Just want to get out in the sun & clock up some miles.