New member

[XSNT999]

Hi Jarrad

The run to Mannum was good fun and it was great to be back on the road again, but the vibrations were very annoying and it has given me even more desire to have it running right.

Malcolm has to finish putting Christian's bike back together then I guess he'll start on mine.  In the mean time I can strip it all down and have the frame blasted and repainted along with the wheels and some other bits and pieces.  If possible I will paint the fairing, tank & side covers again in the original maroon also.

I'm working every weekend this month and won't get any real time off till January, however I think us Adelaide boys should still try for a meeting somewhere for a coffee etc and plan a ride once mine is finished.  Any takers???

Paul

[Edgey]

How did the Mannum run go Paul?

Must be a little cruel to have the bike off the road so soon after getting a taste of having it back and running! It'll be worth the extra wait though I'm sure. I'm finally back in town after a few weeks away for work... itching to get out for a decent ride.

How long do you expect to be off the road for?  We're heading to Pt Hughes next Sunday for the Christmas break, so I'll be in for an early January ride.

Jarrad

[XSNT999]

Hi Fred

That would certainly piss you off big time.

I had a similar experience in Lismore NSW, they did some work and stuffed up the valve timing, consequently I stuck the bike on a trailer and went to Brisbane to a mob called Serco, the bloke there took one look and a listen and said the valve timing was out and he could fix it easily.  It turns out he was the mechanic who worked on the Roger Heyes Yammie in the original Castrol 6 HR.  I felt much better after that and the bike ran very sweetly until the throttle jammed and I bent the valves big time.

It just goes to show finding people with the knowledge and skills to work on and understand these bikes is getting harder as time goes by.

This time around I sent an email to Pitmans Yamaha asking if they had anyone there who knew these bikes, they didn't but sent my details to Malcolm hence my involvement with him, believe me it is making this whole experience much more enjoyable, he's a great bloke and knows heaps.

We are all lucky he is still involved and willing to help all us tragics lol.

Cheers

[Fred]

Bent valves can be a bitch eh!

Reaching down through Jack Daniel's fog I recall (about 1990 or there abouts), the only time I entrusted my sturdy steed to a "Qualified Mechanic". I always had and still do all my own spanner bending.

I had a club run on to Sydney the day after I was getting back in country.

I was over in Borneo at the time and rang home to get the bike to the local Yamaha Dealer (He's out of business now so I can probably name the only Seymour Yamaha, Victoria dealer, or maybe not? I don't know?), for a full tune up and new cam chain.

So I gets home and of course after due matrimonial ceremonies are completed I rings Daniel (lets call him that because after all, it was his name) who says the bike isn't quite ready yet. I raise my voice and tell him I'll be there in an hour to pick it up.

"WWeeeeelllllll" he says there has been a slight problem and we're trying to get the parts now but it will be a few more days. It won't cost you any extra though to have the work done. We've ordered three new valves and a few new valve guides and it'll only take a couple of hours to put them in once they arrive.

He said he didn't understand how it could have happened but when they started the bike after the service it seems the new cam chain jumped a few teeth on the sprockets and well with a grind and rattle everything went quiet.

Bloody Moron hadn't tensioned the new chain had he!!!

I didn't get to Sydney and he didn't get mine or a lot of other peoples' (and I told a lot, LOT of people), business again.

[XSNT999]

He thinks it could be a bent lay shaft or cam shaft, I guess he won't know until he pulls it apart.

[excess.11]

Paul.....great to hear your ride is in good hands ........what did Mal determine could be the problem?

[XSNT999]

Hi

I thought an update was in order. 

As I mentioned earlier I have had Mal Pitman's assistance in getting my bike back on the road, he serviced the carby's, the brakes front & rear, front fork seals along with head stem bearings, while I did a lot of clean up work.  As you can see from the photos it's not too bad.  However in the nineties I bent 5 valves when the throttle jammed one day and I was living in northern NSW at the time so I got the head sorted out and in late 1995 I moved back to Adelaide.  The problem was, there has since been an annoying vibration throughout the engine at all rev ranges.  I sought the best advice I could at the time and had the motor out a couple of times and replaced many components without success, (Mal Pitman wasn't around Adl in those days). I eventually ran out of spare cash and had to park it for what has turned out to be 7 years, (child maintenance is a bugger that's for sure).

The long and the short of this story is that I now have his expertise to call on and once we got the old girl back on the road it only took one ride for him to agree the problem is bad and he offerred to fix it if I took out the motor, TODAY was that day and he now has the engine.  As soon as he put Christian's bike back together, mine will be next.

I am still hoping to get to Bourke next year and if so the old girl will look great as I will clean & paint the frame and hopefully the tank side covers and fairing etc.

I'm going to miss riding it now as I've just had a taste, however the end result will hopefully be worth it.

Cheers Paul

[XSNT999]

Hi Jarrad
I forgot to my mbl number for you, 0419843130
Cheers Paul

[XSNT999]

Hi Jarrad
I did mean this weekend, I'm going up tomorrow and back on Sunday.  I work every second weekend but I'm sure we can work something out in the future.  I think there are four of us who live in Adelaide so it would be good to catch up face to face especially if we could include Mal Pitman.  Thanks for your mbl number, hopefully see you soon.  By the way you have a nice looking bike.
Chhers Paul

[Edgey]

Hi Paul,
Mannum caravan park is a top spot and you'll be coming back right past my place if heading back via Chain of Ponds. Did you mean this weekend or next though? I'm interstate for work this week and next so this weekend is out for me. My mobile is 0413906649.
Cheers,
Jarrad

[XSNT999]

Hi Jarrad
Nice to hear from you, Malcolm has given me your number and suggested we get in touch, however I can't find the note I wrote it on.  I'm all for catching up with you, Cooper and Greg another newbie like me anytime it suits you.  I agree the weekends are fairly hectic this time of year.  Next weekend I am going to spend a couple of nights at the Mannum caravan park and I intend coming back to Adelaide via the Chain of Ponds and through Modbury, maybe we could get together along with Malcom and any others who are available.
How does that sound?
Cheers Paul

[Edgey]

Welcome aboard Paul!

Good to have another Adelaide member - I'm well overdue to meet Cooper in person, so maybe we should just pick a Sunday and meet up for a ride and some bike ogling?  Weekends are pretty crazy this time of year but mid-late December sometime could work at my end, even just for a quick meet and coffee somewhere central?  I live at Modbury.

I've also had Mal helping me to learn my way around the bike.  He mentioned that yours had just come out of retirement and is now running pretty nicely.  That's brilliant!

Cheers,
Jarrad

[excess.11]

Hi Paul........2 wives you say? 
Now there a challenge............... ....do girlfriends count as well ?
There s also the faithful and reliable side to these bikes as well .

As far as your bike goes.......seeing that Parisienne fairing  brought back many memories of club riding back in the day.......with a fellow xs owner having the same livery and fairing installed.
I t s great to see "one" fairing has survived..........as i have nt seen another one on an XS1100.

Fantastic original order.......and may i say.............the most" Iconic " of all the models.
Looking forward to catching up with you in Bourke.

[XSNT999]

[XSNT999]

Thanks Errol
That's my girl, she's outlasted two wives!!!
Cheers Paul