new guy intro and ?'sssssss

[scotty_b]

My name is Scott, long time air cooled VW and Porsche guy ( restoration for a living ). I just got a 78 R65 and am in the process of doing a "cafe" conversion. I use quotes because it will be my version of a cafe. When I got the bike it ran....o.k. but needed some work. After a carb rebuild it ran MUCH better, but still not purrrrrrrfect. Adjusted the valves the other day and am wondering about the specs I found on the internet. Initially my valves had NO lash intake or exhaust and surprisingly the bike ran great. I re-adjusted to the "specified" .006 and .010 with no real differecne but know I hear spark knock. WTF ? Were the dimensions I found off?

 Another ? has to do with the carb adjustment. I synched the two and have my screw almost all the way in. Idle adjuster is not even touching the tang and the bike idles WAYY to high. No cable bind. Runs great once you get on it but take off from a stop is tricky as it bogs down pretty good until throttle is over half open.

Thanks much

[scotty_b]

as purchased

[scotty_b]

the "holy" R90 tank I also got for free

[scotty_b]

uncoverd the hole and began repair

[scotty_b]

Some of my parts for the conversion laid out

[scotty_b]

beginning of the seat pan and rear fairing

[scotty_b]

bottom peice with the edge folded over and roughed in. Final smoothing still to be done. Not seen in the pics are the clubman bars I changed to. Initially I put a set of drag bars on but they were to short
for the brake hardware to clear the tripple. I ended up liking the clubmans better anyway 8-). I have been riding the bike around the neighborhood lately with no seat and am amazed at how much more comfortable I feel on it. Once I finish with the cafe seat I won't be sitting much off the frame anyway After owning a 83 Yamaha Seca and a 97 Honda Magna I must say the R65 is a better handling bike just needs a little more OOMPH!  I think I'll be keeping this one though!

[Justin B.]

I would suspect an air/vacuum leak downstream of the carbs as vacuum leaks will usually cause a high idle condition.  Another common cause is the mechanical advance mechanism being frozen in a partially advanced condition.

[nhmaf]

I agree with Justin's suggestions.  Also, did you check the timing at idle and at 4000 RPM (
should be at full advance by then) ?  It is very possible that the points need some attention, if you haven't already
gone in there.

don't try to run it too lean - that can cause the stumbling off idle, but if there is an air/vacuum leak
in some of the rubber/plastic parts from the carbs to the head that could also exhibit symptoms
like this.

Welcome aboard !

[airhead]

Are you sure your cables are fully releasing the throttles? Nothing to do with binding, but bet you that's why the throttle screws aren't touching the tangs and giving way high uncontrollable idle. Make sure the springs will pull the butterfly shaft back to stops, as unless the butterflys are fully closed, the idle circuit can't come into operation.
The carbs are adjusted at idle, and then the cables are adjusted for equal pull, two separate tuning procedures.

Bill.........................;-)

[scotty_b]

Haven't checked the points yet, trying to get mechanicals sorted out and at the same time do the body work is making progress on both a bit slow. Not to mention working 6 days a week

[scotty_b]

Thought I'd do a little update.Running issues have been sorted out. Wiring harness removed to make a new simpler harness. Seat pan and rear fairing have been roughed out. I have decided to remake the pan as I felt it looked to long and to tall, once I set it one the bike.

[scotty_b]

Disregard the wavy line on the pan. I had intended to cut it up higher once finished but have since decided when I remake it to actually make the outer lip LOWER than in the first one.

[scotty_b]

Here you can see how much I lowerd the fairing and the little bit I shortend the whole piece

[scotty_b]

one more from the front side. Next step is to "fine tune" the two fairing pieces and remake the pan. Then weld it all together and finish it out !!