Ready to ride after 30 years

[John H]

Hard to believe 30 years ago I raced my XR750 up and down the freeways of SoCal. Many rides from my shop to Ascot Park with a group of guy to watch bike races. Then back to the shop at night with nothing more than a Makita battery under the seat to keep the tail light working and headlight dimly lit. Always a adrenal rush.
After getting it down at the BBQ I decided it's time to ride it just one more time, dried out / cracked tires and all. Don't want to scare myself too bad but I want to hear it howl at 8000 revs again before it's retired again.
Manual says to use only Castrol 40 in the motor and Castrol 30 in the transmission. Oh, only use quality high lead racing gas. ????? Well, it sounds important anyway.

[ClineDesign]

Looking forward to hearing how it your ride goes!

[John H]

Well, not so ready to ride after all. The clutch was a bit more trouble after inspection. That resolved, on to the carbs.
This Dellortto PHM36 has more parts in the overhaul kit than a Holley 4 barrel. I located the kit at Bevel Heaven Ducati.
$67.50 each...OUCH! 4 hours in the carb cleaner and a new kit should be as good a new.
Brakes had to be drained, disassembled cleaned and dot-4 added. Airheart won't sell o-ring kits for automotive fluid calipers,
only for mineral based 'red' fluid, which won't work with my master cylinders so now searching for someone who has sourced
the correct EPDM seals. Next, the petcocks had to be disassembled and massaged. One is ok, one isn't. Maybe I can get George to make me a new valve body for it as they are 'rare'. Thirty years 'sittin' has caused the fiberglass tank to reveal some cracking in the tunnel so KBS Coatings 5200 is on the way to fix the tank.
That should take care of the bike. George said he will help me get it fired on the rollers, just need a bit of race gas.
Now to find the title and get it registered. Vashon?? Ballard Backdraft?? We'll see.

[salt-racer]

I have fresh race gas! 116 octane...leftover from speedweek that never happened.

George

[John H]

I'll take you up on that offer George. Should get the tank sealed this weekend.

[John H]

George came over today and ran the roller starter for the XR. After a couple of attempts, it fired off. Up and down the road twice and my adrenaline was really pumping. I wanted George to give it a go but a cranky neighbor tried to make a scene about the noise and speed so we will do it another time.
Riding a hundred horse dirt bike, it doesn't get any better.

[ClineDesign]

Let me know when you want to do a test run at the Sequim Valley airport!