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IT'S ALIVE!!!! Way to go dude! I feel for the pain in your legs. In the early 80's my brother Wayne had a large-bore Kawasaki thumper that died on us after we rode it 2-up (me on the back like an idiot) out to the middle of some sand flats north of Barstow/Lenwood for some hooliganism in the dirt . Stranded in the middle of nowhere, we took turns kick-starting that damn thing so much (over two separate sessions that evening, one before we discovered it was out of gas, and one after we walked to a gas station for gas and walked back) that it eventually broke the sole of my right boot in half at the arch. Like Hammer's story, the sand flats were separated from the nearest road by several hundred yards of sand dunes and we ended up pushing it back, up and down the dunes, getting back to civilization somewhere around midnight. Legs and foot hurt for a week. Didn't let Wayne do the piloting on any more excursions after that

Betcha that third beer after she fired tasted great...you did christen it properly to appease the Gods, did you not?

- JG300-Ascout

While we're moving into DADT territory here, I'm sure we're all relieved to hear of the happy ending and that's all that counts anyway.

This must be the payback Bushy was talking about

So I got the carbs all torn down and discovered that the main jet for the primary is 12...something, can't read the last number. stock for this is supposed to be 135 which is what the secondary main jet is. With the mods I was expecting it to be higher than stock from what I've read online. From the online guides, with the K&N air filter and straight exhaust (no muffler) the jets should be 3 sizes up from 135. Also considereing the stock primary and secondary jets are the same you'd think any change in one should be a change in the other. So I'm gonna order a stock size of 135 for the primary, along with new gaskets, diaphram, boots (carb to motor) and hoses and the carb will be done.

Will update again once the carb is done.

- JG300-Stoopy

IT'S ALIVE!!!! out to the middle of some sand flats north of Barstow/Lenwood for some hooliganism in the dirt .

Betcha that third beer after she fired tasted great...you did christen it properly to appease the Gods, did you not?

Barstow? hope it was Winter

I figured the gallon of sweat I left on my brand new tank and garage floor had better be enough to appease them. After that I had nothing left.

So the carbs are apart and cleaned. just waiting for parts to put them back together.


Putting the exhaust back to stock. Found a (used) Stock header and muffler on e-bay $174.98 for both, free shipping. New they would have cost me $855. Got em today and they're in excellent condition. A little cleanup and some new paint, they'll be good to go.


The same person selling the header also had intake boots so I got those also. My secondary carb boot (on left) looks a little ragged and figured better safe than sorry.

Clean carb bowls & parts are a thing of beauty! Nice progress Richard!

I can smell the carburetor cleaner from here...assuming you can get the "good stuff" in solvent-phobic Kalifornia.

Finally got the parts that were holding up the works. This place has awesome prices on OEM parts...if you don't mind waiting 2-3 weeks to get them. So last night I sat down and got the carb back together and installed with the new intake manifolds, put in a new ignition coil, got the exhaust and new crank case breather tube installed and put the gas tank back on just in time for bed, but it was ready to be fired up!



Got home from work today and started kicking. Didn't take nearly as long as the last time but was getting odd results. Realized I had the petcock set to "on" instead of "reserve", wasn't enough gas in the tank to reach the top of the "on" tube. She fired up and once I got the idle setting dialed in she continued to idle on her own. Might just be me but I think I'm hearing a knock or a rattling sound coming from the lower case.

Like I said not sure so 1) this is normal for this bike, 2) not normal but wont interfere with the ridability, or 3) the first extended ride I take it on I'm gonna end up with a crank in my nads. The only thing left before giving it a road test is to replace the rear tire and put the new chain on.

Stock Header pipe and new heatshield with CLEAN Carbs Ignore my sweat splatter in the newly painted pipes


Stock Muffler with New insert (Forestry Approved)


New rear tire and chain. Also new chain roller not in picture.

- JG300-fr8ycat

Might just be me but I think I'm hearing a knock or a rattling sound coming from the lower case.

Hmmm....I think I'd want to investigate that since any untoward consequences are likely to be expensive and/or terribly inconvenient.

I know nothing about this type engine...can you pull the heads and cylinder off from the top to expose fully the piston? If you can, you can then manipulate the piston/con rod on the crank by hand and feel for play. May sound like a lot of work for diagnostics, but consider that you might have to do this level of disassembly anyway after terminal damage is incurred.

Or, if you can just get the head off, can you push the piston through it's travel (with a kick or electric starter...or just rotation of wheel in gear) with some resistance against the piston roof to feel for slop as it rises/falls?

Most of my experience is with Harley's, and the cases don't have to be split to access the piston (the cylinder slides right over the piston). This may not be the case with your bike. Just thinkin' out loud....


Is that a gold (aka "Lime Frost" to FoMoCo) '67/'68 XR-7 Cougar I see in background? Why have we not discussed this?! Runner?...how equipped?

Nice job Richard!

As an aside, on the Suzuki V-Strom forums there have been many, many questions posted by new owners who are concerned about the strange ticking, clicking, tapping, whirring, whizzing thumping bumping sounds that constantly emanate from the engine through the entire RPM range. Turns out the engine is supposed to sound like a ticked-off Singer sewing machine and it's all good. Sometimes these inquiries are accompanied by the owner posting a short video (with audio) of the engine running, with the camera moving around to different positions to capture the myriad noises. Before tearing into anything it may be prudent to try the same with any fellow owners you can find out on the 'net. These noises are usually loudest right after the owner has done any engine or carb work and their nervous system is on High Alert for signs of impending doom stemming from their efforts.

On a thumper like this I am pretty sure the single "pot" will come right off the way Ascout describes. I'm also wondering if a good warmup and short ride will result in any noises subsiding since clearances are at max with the engine cold. The family history and low miles on the bike sound like it wasn't abused so I'd weigh toward the "ride it and keep a close eye on it" side. But that's only my two cents from a long ways away where I don't have to help you pick up scattered parts!

- JG300-Ascout

Is that a gold (aka "Lime Frost" to FoMoCo) '67/'68 XR-7 Cougar I see in background? Why have we not discussed this?! Runner?...how equipped?

We did discuss it in the past...quite a few years back I believe. 68 XR-7 mainly stock. 302 / 4v Edelbrock (replaced original 4v FoMoCo carb), C-4 3 speed auto (Select Shift Merc-O-Matic:-), Whisper-Aire conditioner. The previous owner had it painted (lousy job) the original color was actually "Grecian Gold".

Unfortunately I've neglected it and it has the same problem my motorcycle did...gummed up carb. Looks like I'll be rebuilding that one too. It does run though and runs good. I had the motor and tranny rebuilt about 14 years ago and they probably have no more than about 35k miles on them. Just needs other things like rear seals front end overhaul, etc. Just been really busy and haven't had the time. Came close to putting it up for sale a couple times but as soon as I sat in it and fired it up...I just couldn't part with it.

- JG300-Stoopy

These noises are usually loudest right after the owner has done any engine or carb work and their nervous system is on High Alert for signs of impending doom stemming from their efforts.

At the time I was thinking about this. I know I tend to be a Hypochondriac when it come to my vehicles. Was talking to a buddy at work and showed him the iPhone video I made and he didn't seem worried about it and although it's not the same bike says that his has made noise and sounded rough since it was new. He also brought up the fact that it was in the garage which would enhance any noises from echo in the confined space. Tomorrow I'll get the rear tire and chain on and take it for an easy ride over the hill to a friends house.

I'll call him and let him know when I'm leaving and tell him "if I'm not there in half an hour bring your truck".

So I tackled the rear tire yesterday and boy was I sorry. The You tube video made it look so easy, LOL. After about 2 hours I finally got it done just to discover I pinched the tube and it wouldn't hold air. At least I was able to get the new chain and chain roller on. Woke up early this morning and took the wheel into the local bike shop and was in and out in 20 minutes.

So got home, put the rear wheel on, put the seat back on, pushed it out to the driveway and fired it up. Rode it down the street to the mail boxes, got the mail and rode it back home. Was kind of strange since it's the first time I've been on a bike in about 25 years but even though it was a short trip, all went well. So I called my buddy up on the other side of the hill to see if he'd be home and he was so told him I was gonna come by for a visit. Before leaving I knew I only had a small amount of gas in the tank but was planning on filling up at the General store by his house and it's only 5 or so miles, I'd be fine.

Kissed the wife goodbye and I was off! Got down to the stop sign at the end of our street and was waiting to make a right onto the main road. When all was clear went to go and stalled it. After a couple kicks it fired back up and I was on my way, up and over the top of the hill (about 4500 ft.) and it was all down hill from there to the General store…good thing. About a quarter of a mile from the store I noticed it was bogging, down shifted and it was still running but was trying to die. I put it in neutral and it died. Coasted as far as I could but there’s a hump so I had to get off and walk it over the hump, get a running start and hopped back on her to coast the rest of the way into the General store. Checked the tank and I was out of gas, LOL. Filled it up and went on to my friend’s house.

Visited for a couple hours and was time to go. He followed me out and I was thinking “man I hope I’m not out here kicking this thing forever in front him”. 1 kick and it fired right up! Got it home back over the hill with no problems, seems to run fine but could swear I’m still hearing something and starting to wonder if it’s not the tranny. There were a couple times if I let off the gas or gave it gas there felt like there was a slip or a pause (in the gearing, not the motor). Either way it was a nice little 11 mile round trip adventure for my first time out on it and look forward to riding it some more.

Oh, there are supposed to be 2 side covers (1 on each side) that it doesn’t have. Today I learned not to ride it in shorts as I burned my calf twice getting off it as my leg rubbed up against the muffler. Those will be on order soon

Wow, that's one heck of a first day! Sounds like you did a little bit of everything

Just out of curiousity how much slack do you have in the chain and is the alignment from the rear to front sprocket absolutely straight? I know you just put the new chain on but that'd be the first place I'd go looking. Misalignment can cause binding at the front sprocket which may make a knocking-like noise while moving. Spot-on straight alignment between rear sprocket, chain and countershaft sprocket with between 1/2" to 3/4" slack measured at the middle of the chain with the bike on the kickstand is a good rule of thumb for most bikes. Otherwise, other clues are does the noise change with the clutch in or out, does it change in relation to bike speed or engine speed instead, and is it more noticeable in any particular gear? All stuff you've probably thought of anyway I'm sure.

Those YouTube videos do indeed make the tire changing look easy and it sounds like the first time is the worse. Were you using tire spoons or some other method, just curious....my bike is now due for it's third set of tires (getting about 14K out of a set) and this time around I've resolved to do it myself. But then again if a shop can be found that charges something realistic for simple mounting and balancing, why not...unfortunately price gouging seems to be the order of the day nowadays.

Glad you made it back triumphantly, heck even with the little oopsies and the burnt leg that's quite a success story you have now, way to go dude! Hopefully just a little bit of tweaking and she's all set! The burn scar on the leg will be a great badge of honor to show off and brag about for the next week or two.

And who are we kidding, the tweaking really never stops...

- JG300-Stoopy

Wow, that's one heck of a first day! Sounds like you did a little bit of everything

Just out of curiousity how much slack do you have in the chain and is the alignment from the rear to front sprocket absolutely straight? I know you just put the new chain on but that'd be the first place I'd go looking. Misalignment can cause binding at the front sprocket which may make a knocking-like noise while moving. Spot-on straight alignment between rear sprocket, chain and countershaft sprocket with between 1/2" to 3/4" slack measured at the middle of the chain with the bike on the kickstand is a good rule of thumb for most bikes.

What Stoopy said. Further to...be sure to rotate the wheel and check chain tension at several points...it's not at all uncommon for tension to be uneven over the length of a chain and what's slack a one point may be snug at another. It's also a good idea to sit on the bike and roll with your weight on it and do the same check (after all, the weight is there when you ride). I could do this by myself on a Harley, but a dirt bike sits higher and you might need another pair of hands. Also note the difference between loaded and unloaded with rider weight. If it snugs up with a rider, then it will get even more snug when the suspension is compressed by bumps and such. Usually the manual will specify how chain tension is supposed to be checked and what the specs are. If you don't have one, I bet the relevant forum can help you out.

Good luck!

Just as a point of order here....any update? Your pals at the 'Sty have vivid imaginations and if left to their own devices they might fear for the worst like that as-yet-untweaked Yammy stalling on you as you pull out in front of traffic, or maybe fingers getting caught in the chain and sprocket while trying to clean the chain with a rag while running in gear on a centerstand (don't ever do that!) and/or watching the chain track on the countersprocket.

You're out having too much fun in the open desert with that thing...yeah, that's it....