Day Four (ish)

As you may have guessed the day s are not running sequentially.

Oh well. If I can live with it, so can you.

After much pulling, lifting and pushing, I removed the engine. I might add that the engine is rather heavy. Without the engine, I can lift the bike up and pull it around the garage. (Note: I cannot lift the entire bike (still 300lbs)). I can grab the back end and pivot it easily around the shop, which I could not do with the engine installed. 

This week is Thanksgiving week, and so I hope to have the dismantle totally complete including the engine and frame.

Much of the painting I will complete myself with rattle cans and such, but for the frame, I am going to let a local paint shop powercoat it. I have not decided what to do with the tank, I may try that myself.

Day Three

Last night about six o'clock, I set at it again. Removed the clutch cover and released the clutch cable from the arm. Removed the rear mounting bolt, before which I had to secure bolts under the engine so that it would not fall out.

Then I set to work removing the fuse plate and detaching the myriad of electrical cables. Also pulled the front and rear fenders.

Day Two

Well, it's Sunday which is a day of rest here in the Christensen household. I went out to the garage for a little bit, but wasn't ready to tackle a huge task, so I removed the exhaust. This involved removing the right rear foot peg bracket, bolts on the left foot peg bracket and the eight hex nuts that held the four pipes to the front of the engine casing. In addition, I pulled the air filter box, removing the air filter, which will need to be replaced and detaching the air tube. 

I will take photos tomorrow, when I pick up the camera from the office.

Day One

So yesterday, in the midst of a very busy semester, I took a few hours on Saturday and began.

Very fun stuff, but simple. I am glad it starts off simple.

The gas tank is off as well as the seat. Removed the battery (Sounds obvious, but this is my first time round the block) Detached, labeled and bagged the horns (labeling and bagging everything).

Then I drained the oil from under the front of the bike, the middle and the rear. replaced the drain bolts and cleaned and labeled the oil filter cover. 

That was it for day one. Next comes the exhaust and what ever else is next.

And so it begins

I am currently cleaning space out in the garage so that I can layout the parts to my 1980 Yamaha xs1100 Special. I bought it in August and have ridden it around this fall, but an oil leak and years of dirt, oil and road grim have taken their toll on the bike.

The plan is to strip the bike down, clean it up, bead blast it, paint it from the frame up and reassemble it. It is a daunting task and frankly, I am a bit nervous to start my first rebuild. But I have experience to gain and around $2000 to lose. So here we go.

Woohoo!