Peder_y2k

What's wrong with it? I'd be tempted to remove the rivets and take it apart and fix it, then reassemble with mushroom head stainless allen bolts (available at my local ACE Hdwe). -Pete, in Tacoma WA USA

I installed cryptoBlocker (free) to hopefully stop cryptoLocker sneaking into my pc. Updates cost $ -Pete, in Tacoma WA USA

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Sturmey-Archer-S3s-3Spd-Classic-Trigger-Shifter-/380753726826?pt=US_Shifters&hash=item58a6b0cd6a How 'bout a substitute? -Pete, in Tacoma WA USA

http://www.ebay.com/itm/TORPEDO-DREIGANG-SACHS-THUMB-BIKE-SHIFTER-VINTAGE-NOS-/121119371686

We see this in cars also. Over a dozen car fires per day in the USA. -Pete, in Tacoma WA USA

Just sell it. If you change your mind in the future, there's always another nice bike out there for you. Craigslist is full of them. -Pete, in Tacoma WA USA

Did you confirm that there is NO actual spark at #3? If there is a spark, then the carb is not functioning properly to provide the proper fuel mix. If the mix is too rich or too lean, combustion will not occur making the cylinder cooler than the others. Likewise, a hot cylinder is also an indicator of carb malfuntion, as the mix is on the lean side, but enough for combustion. The proper mix will carry enough heat away to bring cylinder temps to normal. I suspect the carbs to be either dirty, or out of adjustment, or both, or even a vacuum leak if there is definately NO spark at the plug. -Pete, in Tacoma WA USA

Bout 7 hours for a near new battery. Planning to go ice fishing? You can prolong the energy drawdown by shutting the sox off intermittently, thus letting the battery partially recharge on its own. -Pete, in Tacoma WA USA

JB weld could break off and be sucked into the engine. Don't do it! Besides, the bulk of the repair can disrupt the air flow as CV carbs are very sensitive. I'd use a dremel type grinder and round the broken edges. If you are anal about it, then do the same on the other carbs for consistency, and then you can claim the factory meant it to be that way. -Pete, in Tacoma WA USA

Those Voyager type kits are obviously 'outriggers' or 'training wheels' or 'stabilizers' that are accessories, and installed onto the basic vehicle which is clearly a motorcycle. The DOT has likely approved the use, or it couldn't be sold. Any leo that cites is subject to a complaint on his/her record, and too many complaints results in loss of job. Any citation for this should be taken to a judge, and then a complaint issued on the leo. -Pete, in Tacoma WA USA

"Branded Title" simply means it has some 'remarks' on it. Those marks could read 'Salvaged' or 'Odometer Mileage Unknown'. The DOL must (by law since 1996) put something on the title if a legal or crash issue is known to them. It is true that a 'Branded Title' vehicle will have a resale issue of price because the buyer will be suspicious.......and should be with all the flood damaged vehicle out there being dried off and sold. 'Branding' is a means to assist the innocent buyer in making a good choice. Never will any of the remarks indicate the bike is 'excellent'....now wouldn't that be a nice 'branding to have? -Pete, in Tacoma WA USA

The flickering speedo lights is an indicator of a bad/poor/loose battery connection. Check the battery terminals first for clean tight connect, then check the ground connection at the frame. Also check the main fuse as it should be quite snug, and if loose, then the fuse block connections need 'tweaking'. -Pete, in Tacoma WA USA

Mikuni carbs. Pronounced 'mee koo nee'. BTW.....if the gas was so old it wouldn't burn, maybe it was water. The 22 year old gas in my barn find burned just fine, so I filtered it and fed it to my lawn mower, and it ran fine. Best to drain and examine the tank for rust. Likely to have so much rust that it will compromise a fuel filter and the carbs after you get it running. This is certain if the bike had been stored outside, even in an unheated garage. -Pete, in Tacoma WA USA

Well if the butterfly valves in the carb are stuck, then so are the expensive slides. To unstick the butterflys, spray WD40 or PB Blaster at them and soak for several hours, then try to rotate the cable actuator at the carbs by finger pressure to open them. The carbs will have to come out for further work, like soaking the slides for several days to free them up. Breaking a slide or tearing a diaphragm will cost big $$$. The rest of the carb internals should be OK, and simple carb spray will clean them up, unless they've had water standing inside them for years, then they are likely toast. -Pete, in Tacoma WA USA

I've got the 55w Burners on my VR, and replaced the 55's with 35W. The bulb cover is a snap-on design and can easily vibrate off and dissapear, so a small stainless sheet metal screw will correct this. Even with 35W, the pair will light up the road moderately, and as markers can be seen a significant distance. -Pete, in Tacoma WA USA

It is easy to determine which cylinder/carburetor is the culprit. Remove the air filter box entirely, then start the engine and warm it up at idle outside in the fresh air. When warm, observe the carbs as you twist the throttle. Try to hold the throttle at the transition point where it has the problem. The malfunctioning carb will either spit fuel at you, and/or the slide will not move as the others do. Either way, it will misbehave in front of you somehow. It goes without saying....NO OPEN FLAME WITHIN 50 FEET... and don't put your face directly above the carbs, watch from an angle expecting something to fly out at you. -Pete, in Tacoma WA USA

2300-2500RPM is the transition point from the carburetor low speed circuit to the high speed circuit. The idle mixture screws (pilot screw) functions here to aid the transition, plus control idle mix. If the screws have never been adjusted, then it is time to remove the anti-tamper plugs and adjust them, usually a 1/3-3/4 turn out enriching the mixture. This due to the engine being set for new, and now being well broken-in needs re-setting. Pilot screw adjustment requires the carbs being well synched to each other. Consider this after the vacuum sensor function is confirmed. -Pete, in Tacoma WA USA

Check the engine vacuum pressure sender. It should hold a steady vacuum. The electrical signal from this sender goes to the TCI brain for controlling ignition advance. If the sender is leaking or defective somehow, driveability will be affected. At the #2 cyclinder boot, there is a vacuum port where the hose to the sender is connected, the same port used for carb synching. Speaking of carb synching, have the 4 carbs actually been adjusted to each other? BIG difference in engine response if not synched in several years. -Pete, in Tacoma WA USA

You must be riding in Canada. Standard operating procedure up there. I partially learned how to drive in Vancouver where if one wanted to get across the street, they had to pull in front of a car in the nearest lane causing it to stop so to be ready to take advantage of any small space comming up in the opposite lane. 4-lane roadways were a real challenge to cross, but I'm still alive and unscathed. Lane splitting is best learned in Los Angeles at rush hour. -Pete, in Tacoma WA USA - 48 yrs riding

Lots of different motorcycle fuel tank sealer products in the marketplace. Any reccomendations and suggestions from those who have actually used them? My barn find tank is rusty enough to warrant an inside coating... no holes, just rusty. -Pete, in Tacoma WA USA

Re: the pilot screws, 2-1/2 turns out is a std place to start tuning. My method uses listening to the engine. Thoroughly warm up the engine, it is ready when the cooling fan comes on. If there are no carb issues like partially blocked emulsifier tubes or leaking main jet o-ring, then the engine will respond properly to tuning the pilot screws. Begin by setting idle speed to 1000rpm, then turning 'in' until the engine begins to slow, then turn 'out' till the engine speed picks up and continue turning till the engine slows again, then repeat and set about the middle between the two slowdowns, and then move on to the next carb. Reset the idle speed to keep it around 1000rpm. Listen to the exhaust and sense the engine smoothness as you repeat. It may take half dozen sets to get very close to perfect. I've adjusted my carbs to the point where there is zero driveability problems ( I can take off in 1'st gear from idle with 2-up and acceleartion is linear), smooth stable running at any rpm, excellent fuel economy (if 47mpg 2-up mountain riding counts), and, the exhaust temperature at each tailpipe is so low that I can hold the back of my hand 3" from the pipe without any burning sensation, warm, but not hot enough to pull away. All this takes a little while, but the engine NEVER overheats at idle (or climbing in the mountains), and the outcome of my efforts is fabulous performance. As long as the carbs are full of fuel, it starts cold first time, every time, at 1 second cranking BTW, my scoot has some 52,000 miles on the clock. -Pete, in Tacoma WA USA

You made no mention of pilot screw adjustment. This pilot screw affects the slow speed circuit that contributes into mid range. If they are not set accordingly, poor acceleration and driveability are affected. Diaphragms are easily checked by removing the covers and closely examining them. Tiny holes are inconsequential, but rips and tears require replacement. Also check the slides for ease of movement. If they are sticky, then that affects driveability during acceleration. Easily cleaned with carb spray. -Pete, in Tacoma WA USA

I found 5mm black polyurethane fuel hose at my local Oreilly's that works fine. Doesn't have the layered construction with the inner core wound with reinforcing cord and outer cover like common auto fuel hose that falls apart over time. RE: the tank, I removed the fuel level sending unit so I could dry the inner withcompressed air, then used a long handle brush and shop vac to clean. Whole fuel system completely cleansed, but didn't check the short carb fuel inlet pipes where there was a hiding grit that temporarily stuck one inlet valve. -Pete, in Tacoma WA USA

That is called tread separation, and why I stopped using Dunlops years and years ago, as they would not stand behind their product. Dunlop is on my DO-NOT-BUY List. Happy on my current Bridestone Spitfires and previous Avons. -Pete, in Tacoma WA USA '88VR and prev. '83 Std.

Success!!!! After soaking in PB Blaster overnight, decided to remove the main jet needles in order to fit a levering tool past the needle jet centerline, and with a little coaxing, the slides MOVED. They moved enough to replace the metal lever with a flat carpenter pencil to finish levering them out to where I could grip and pull. Came out without any damage, and Berrymans flushed the damp varnish right off the parts. Now I can continue to clean up the carbs and put it all back together and start it up with fresh fuel. -Pete, in Tacoma WA USA