I'm convinced that something is not right with my motor. I just got the bike running this summer (May 30) and have since done about 1100 miles. I dipped and cleaned the carbs (did this twice since I didn't get them clean the first time), replaced petcock, adjusted valves, and bench and vacuum synced carbs. New head gasket and cleaned and reinstalled the cam chain tensioner. All work was done having only idled the bike in the yard.
Since I've been riding a few miles a week, I've noticed the bike is running hotter than it did at the beginning of the summer. It used to send a lot of oil smoke out the breather cover, but has improved as I've been adding more miles. I've had to top off the oil a few times, but never found it less than half way between Full and Low. I did have a leak appear so I'm planning to replace the two seals on the tach drive and the half moons on the cam shaft ends.
Now it's running so hot that my clutch engagement changes as I ride. If I adjust the clutch to disengage when cold, it will not disengage when hot. I thought I broke the clutch cable one night and limped the bike home. Once I opened the clutch cover, I was shocked to find the cable intact. I adjusted at the clutch helix as shown in the manual. Test rode it a few miles and everything was great. Later that night, I went on a 10 mile round trip ride through stop and go city traffic. By the time I got home, the clutch would no longer disengage. It's also getting harder to start. At first, it would fire up with a sec or two of cranking. Now if I let it sit for a day or two, it always wants some choke and 5+ seconds of cranking. The bike has seen the redline maybe twice in that 1100 miles (and it scared me). I usually don't take it past 7000 rpm.
I have not done plug chops at higher rpms, but the plugs look good after idling. I suspect the motor is running lean at higher rpms which is causing it to run hotter than it should be. My question is where to begin. I plan to check valve clearances again to make sure nothing's changed in the last 1100 miles (the hard starting makes me think they tightened up since it's been running). Also need to recheck the cam shaft caps. I didn't understand how to properly torque them down earlier this year. Then I think I should do plug chops.
Any advice??
Since I've been riding a few miles a week, I've noticed the bike is running hotter than it did at the beginning of the summer. It used to send a lot of oil smoke out the breather cover, but has improved as I've been adding more miles. I've had to top off the oil a few times, but never found it less than half way between Full and Low. I did have a leak appear so I'm planning to replace the two seals on the tach drive and the half moons on the cam shaft ends.
Now it's running so hot that my clutch engagement changes as I ride. If I adjust the clutch to disengage when cold, it will not disengage when hot. I thought I broke the clutch cable one night and limped the bike home. Once I opened the clutch cover, I was shocked to find the cable intact. I adjusted at the clutch helix as shown in the manual. Test rode it a few miles and everything was great. Later that night, I went on a 10 mile round trip ride through stop and go city traffic. By the time I got home, the clutch would no longer disengage. It's also getting harder to start. At first, it would fire up with a sec or two of cranking. Now if I let it sit for a day or two, it always wants some choke and 5+ seconds of cranking. The bike has seen the redline maybe twice in that 1100 miles (and it scared me). I usually don't take it past 7000 rpm.
I have not done plug chops at higher rpms, but the plugs look good after idling. I suspect the motor is running lean at higher rpms which is causing it to run hotter than it should be. My question is where to begin. I plan to check valve clearances again to make sure nothing's changed in the last 1100 miles (the hard starting makes me think they tightened up since it's been running). Also need to recheck the cam shaft caps. I didn't understand how to properly torque them down earlier this year. Then I think I should do plug chops.
Any advice??
