What do you think of this idle on my 1982 R65?

I haven't developed an ear for what I think a good idle is. I'm playing by intuition and RPMs. This is after the bike has been warmed up. Do you guys hear that clunking sound?

Also for static timing, the '-S' is not dead center in the window - it's a little bit higher. Does this mean my firing is potentially delayed?

Thoughts?



Otherwise, the bike runs great! After working on it for 3 months and finally getting to ride it, I was smiling ear to ear in my new helmet.

dretek said:

I haven't developed an ear for what I think a good idle is. I'm playing by intuition and RPMs. This is after the bike has been warmed up. Do you guys hear that clunking sound?

Also for static timing, the '-S' is not dead center in the window - it's a little bit higher. Does this mean my firing is potentially delayed?

Thoughts?



Otherwise, the bike runs great! After working on it for 3 months and finally getting to ride it, I was smiling ear to ear in my new helmet.

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Tappets sound a bit loud but that may be normal when recording with a phone mic. The idle speed itself sounds fine to my ears but note the tachometers are not that accurate and can be off 100 or more RPM. I use a separate instrument to make sure the idle is at least 950 to 1050 when the bike is HOT.

The S mark should be exactly in the middle of the opening at idle. When you increase throttle it should advance to the F mark at full advance. When looking down from above it's easy to be off a bit. It might help to get on your knees right in front of the hole to do your timing adjustments or place easy to erase pencil or chalk marks on the outside of the hole for reference.

I agree with MJM...static timing only has to be as good/close as needed so that the bike starts easy. What really counts is where the F-mark (or would it be a Z-mark?) is at full advance, over say 3500 RPM. If it's centered, that's what you need.

20774 said:

I agree with MJM...static timing only has to be as good/close as needed so that the bike starts easy. What really counts is where the F-mark (or would it be a Z-mark?) is at full advance, over say 3500 RPM. If it's centered, that's what you need.

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Good catch Kurt. I think my 82 has a Z mark for full advance so his R65 probably does as well.

When was the valve lash last adjusted? Is the engine cold, warm or hot in the video?

All advice on timing seems to be right on. What really matters is the full advance mark happening where and how it is supposed to....The "F" right in the center of the hole. From time to time, you will see the F mark jumping up and down in the hole. Most often caused by a bit of wobble in the advance mechanism itself by being a bit out of round...….NO BIG DEAL
What is a big deal is warming up your engine really well.....Most of the time after a "tune-up", I will go for a ride for 15 to 20 miles to actually warm the engine to operating temp rather than just letting it idle for a while and calling it "warmed-up. If at this time, you are gonna do some more carb adjustments with the engine running, MAKE SURE TO SET UP A COUPLE OF BOX FANS blowing across the cylinders and down the drivetrain...………

Glad for you that you have it running.....now.....RIDE!!!!

ebeeby said:

When was the valve lash last adjusted? Is the engine cold, warm or hot in the video?

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The third sentence in his post says "This is after the bike has been warmed up. " Not sure precisely what the OP meant but hopefully fully warmed up which to me is HOT. As Dennis stated, best thing is to get everything as close as you can then go ride the thing for 20 minutes including some highway time if you can get it. I have a big floor fan set up and waiting for when I get back from the ride and then I get after the carbs and adjust them properly.

When you tune carbs cold your idle and sometimes your mixture will be quite different once the bike is at "travel temp". You know when you pull off the highway for gas, food, whatever if your idle is correct. After a quick run around the neighbourhood? Not so much.

But that's the carbs. I don't think the timing varies hot or cold. It's a physical setting of the bean can or points and once I set it even on a cold bike I've never seen it really change after the machine is warmed up. As for jumpy timing indication I've only had that problem a couple of times over the years and both times it was a worn timing chain and timing gears at the front of the engine.

This video was after the bike was ridden for 10-15 minutes.
Rode the bike to work for the first time and it was well worth it.
Initially, the bike stumbles on its idle @ ~950 RPM (Choke OFF). *NOTE: These are Mikuni VM34s.
By the time I got to work, it idled @ 1050 RPM.

I will check the full advanced timing later today (after I drive it back home).

One thing I noticed, the odometer does not work.
However, the travel odometer began to "work" after 2-3 miles of riding. The ride to work is about ~ 8 Miles, and my travel odometer gained 2 miles. What could this be?

Thank you guys!

ebeeby said:

When was the valve lash last adjusted? Is the engine cold, warm or hot in the video?

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Valve lash? I'm sorry I'm not 100% sure what this is. I did adjust clearances however. Bike has great compression.

Valve lash = valve clearance.

dretek said:

This video was after the bike was ridden for 10-15 minutes.
Rode the bike to work for the first time and it was well worth it.
Initially, the bike stumbles on its idle @ ~950 RPM (Choke OFF). *NOTE: These are Mikuni VM34s.
By the time I got to work, it idled @ 1050 RPM.

I will check the full advanced timing later today (after I drive it back home).

One thing I noticed, the odometer does not work.
However, the travel odometer began to "work" after 2-3 miles of riding. The ride to work is about ~ 8 Miles, and my travel odometer gained 2 miles. What could this be?

Thank you guys!

Click to expand...

The best Speedo repair guy I know is Terry Vrla. A longtime airhead and a heck of a nice guy who does great work for reasonable prices. He is usually backed up with repair work so patience is required.
You can reach him via email here:
terryvrla@hotmail.com
or (503) 421-5782

He is in Hillsboro Oregon which across the country from you but hey, USPS gets things from coast to coast in two days! If Canada Post was HALF as efficient as USPS is you'd see Canucks dancing in line at the Post Office! Most recent example: I ordered a couple of seals for our old water filter from an outfit in Boston MA last Tuesday the 23rd. It arrived in Point Roberts WA on the morning of Thursday the 25th! Across the entire country in well under 48 hours. Amazing...