HarleyTechTalk

Opinions / addvice

A friend sent a fellow my way and a 85 FXRS is now in my garage , has not been started in 13 years , fellow wants it running.

The history - it had a new cam installed just before the owner passed away but it ran really good , unknown cam  clutch cable is broken and it has no battery in it SE cv carb

just wants it running so he can see what it needs

My list was all oils changed , oil tank and lines flushed ,carb cleaned , brakes flushed new DOT5 , lifters pulled/inspected cleaned ,oil the cylinders through the spark plug holes turn motor over in gear by rear wheel to make sure all rotates ok , new battery and clutch cable , clean clutch plates and basically inspect/test what i can and try to fire it up
Any other things i should do first before trying to light it up

Thanks

Dave

You might want to look at the petcock, the screen may be pretty mucked up.

Great idea - on the list

Thanks

Dave

Change gas lines including cross over with updated lines for today's fuel.

Gas tank needs to be in top cond. Old  gas still in tank?

Once you get it running..somebody is gonna want to jump on it and go riding sooo....
Talk to him about New tires. Don't trust rubber that old to not be deteriorated, regardless of how many miles are on it.
Which also brings up the question..any idea how many miles are on it..??
Compression and leak down test once you get it running.
After you've done all that work on the brake lines, and fluid, pull the calipers and make sure the pins aren't frozen in place by rust/gunk/whatever.

If odometer is correct the bike has 65,000 miles on it , The tires are a sore point with me I guess the were changed just before the bike was parked and look like new but they are 15 years old by date code and as hard as a rock , I guess he's going to ride them but I made damn sure he knows my feelings on them
Thanks

Dave

It's too bad you can't talk him into tires. He's begging for a bad outcome.
Maybe ask him if he'd let his wife or daughter ride a bike with rock hard outdated tires? I hope he knows he'll be flat tracking through the corners.

New brakes, old tires?
I'd put on new tires before I did brakes.

Just flushed the brakes and will be pushing the tires . Riding season is pretty much over so all winter to work on him about tires

Dave

Quote from: Big Dave on October 12, 2018, 06:43:08 AM
Just flushed the brakes and will be pushing the tires . Riding season is pretty much over so all winter to work on him about tires

Dave

get the tire in spring, they will be  new stock.

replace all oil lines@ they can separate, and block oil flow  when aged.   look closely at the  intake also.