Mr. Pigford,

I hope time-constraints in the office will allow me to put together a drum-brake-tuning-guide, as I was heavily optimising my XT-brake for about 1,5 yrs until it was about as good as the disc brake of the 600 (but was a lot more maintenance, that's why I chose to switch over to disc)

Cheers,
Greg

Cheers Greg

I think the drum is a bit warped too but that may help as it is at the moment

Drum brakes SUCK..!!..

Here's a couple of pikkies I took tonight - the twin headlights aren't both wired in, I only connected one of them coz the headlight runs direct off the engine (a lighting coil), and I didn't want to overload and burn out said coil.
It's nice and bright (at anything above tickover!!!)...

Mmmmmmmmmm, lovin' it - not 100% about the screen though

I don't really like the lights or screen very much at all, but they were in my loft and therefore free!!!
I don't like the endcan on the exhaust either, but I have a nice cut-down oval Vance and Hines SS2R ready to bully into fitting when I get the stainless reducer pipe for the job (54mm to 38mm).
It should look TONS better!!!

Soooooooooooooo, hows it going

Where's your ride report

Well,
It has indeed been out for it's first run.
I'm taking it easy coz I have to run it in, but it feels lovely so far!!!
Did have a scare at about 50 MPH tho, the back wheel locked up dead and I ended up grabbing a handful of clutch and coasting to a halt. I was convinced it had seized, and was rather gutted to say the least.
But then I tried to kick it back up and it fired and ran fine.
I'm suspecting a carb related thing - hope so anyway, I haven't touched the carb at all.
I suppose it could have been an electrical glitch, the loom etc are 28 years old afterall.
Just as long as it isn't the bloody engine after all the work I've don on that!!!

Ive seen loads of big 4stroke single motors nip up exactly like that when running in, and go on to live just fine.
I think they seize partially when heat soaked just enough to nip up, then by the time youve pulled the clutch in and stopped and prodded the kickstart in bewilderment they have cooled down enough so the piston has contracted slightly and all is well again.
Ive pulled the bore off afterwards on one such case and seen slight scuffing on the piston, but nothing to write home in tears about.
Could be carb or electrical though they dont usually cause a locked motor just act like you hit the kill switch, hope its one of them because knowing you, you'll have it in bits if you think it was a mild running in piston seizure

My little XL500R is running nice - done nearly 1000 miles now

I fitted a carb rebuild kit which helped tremendously, but I think its a tad lean, what with the Micron & different air filter, so ordered a couple of pilots & a few mains from Allens

Mine does stall sometimes when coming to a standstill (not lock up) - even with the new "anti-stall" kit

These bikes are really soopa doopa, its light and even wheelies off the throttle in 2nd (with a quick tug of the bars) which is cool for a 30 yr old bike. It knocks spots off the 2004 TTR600 I had, and does over 70 mpg too

Dammit.
I was trying to convince myself that it wasn't a seize.
Piss, shit, fuck and so on...





Glad to hear yours is doing so well Piggy...