TIME..................11:00
Here it is..............Saddlerock Cafe
15 S. 6th
Council Grove, KS 66846
620.767.6411
Facebook Page............ https://www.facebook.com/Saddlerock-Caf ... 241333119/
Web Page.............
Map site.............http://bit.ly/1uLkbOc
7/5/17 The past few weeks have been chaotic. I got a new customer with a Yamaha XS850 Special that has some running issues. You might have seen it at Council Grove. Flames and skulls on the tank. It was parked under the tree at the Saddlerock. #3 cylinder won't run at idle and it wouldn't go over 55 mph. Other than that it's a screamer. Well apparently this bike lived most of it's life on top of Mount Everest or some other similar altitude. Consequentially a previous owner had the carbs re jetted accordingly. Well, true to form, the needed jets don't exist on this planet, according to Yamaha. I have two service manuals that cover the bike in question. Clymer and Haynes. Both of which I regard with a healthy degree of suspicion. I've found mistakes in both. While Clymer doesn't address the jet sizes Haynes does list the stock sizes. Judging by the way the spark plugs looked I concur with the size they listed for the main jets, but the pilot jets are a different matter. After a prolonged internet search I found a place that has every conceivable carburetor jet that you could imagine. After measuring the physical dimensions of the jets I found what I feel are the right main jets. However the pilot jets of the appropriate style don't come in the size recommended by the Haynes manual. The do come in the size that in the carbs now. Well I mustered the best deductive reasoning I could, and decided that the pilot jets are right and all I need to change are the main jets. Now it's just the wait for them come from whatever planet they're on.
The day of the ride of Council Grove was another great weather day. We joined at the Sleep Inn. There were only 5 of us by departure time. Quite out of character for me I took the lead. I knew how to get there and if the Yamaha were to completely give up the ghost there would be 4 more behind me to laugh as they rode by. As I mentioned before the bike was very reticent to exceed 55 mph. It seemed a little more willing if a grabbed a handful of throttle. We pulled into Council Grove to find most of the gang there already. The east side gang came a little earlier trying not to overwhelm the staff. As I wandered around snapping pictures I tried to keep count of the bikes. After losing count for the third time I concluded that we had about 65 from both groups. After getting the indoor shots I managed to get my order in for the obligatory Bacon cheeseburger and fries, and the were quite generous with both. Bellies full I joined up with Randy Gantvoort for the ride back. It was comforting knowing that someone had my back in case the Yamaha should go on strike. We parted at Water Well Road where I headed to Centennial and home to 2 very grateful dogs.
- Van Buren sisters heading up Pikes Peak 1916
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