Ok so, I'm new here and would like to say hello first. I read alot on this site before purchasing my bike and I'm hoping someone might be able to help. I apologize for the long post, might as well explain it all.

I bought a 1987 LS650 with 13k miles for $600. Needs a back tire, turn signal and a peg as the kickstand doesn't stay down on its own and the guy who sold it to me dropped it in his driveway. I felt I got a great deal, the bike is beautiful. Seat needs redone but all the chrome is in nice shape as well as the paint. It's painted a dark blue and has skulls with a full house poker hand on both sides of the tank (Aces and 8s) and lighter blue pinstriping. Even though it was dropped, I can't tell any damage aside from a busted signal lens and a broken peg.

My younger brother is a mechanic and has worked on many bikes but usually dirtbikes. We went through the carb and cleaned it, checked all the jets and he said it looked surprisingly good and the gas in the tank was still good. The previous owner claimed it needed carbs cleaned or a new fuel line because it, "just didn't run right."

We replaced all the little hoses just to be safe. New battery, oil change, the usual stuff. Our first day of fun was hell because the bike would start right up and idle great but didn't seem to wanna rev at all. I told him about the spacer I read about on this forum and we tried multiple adjustments and nothing seemed to change...the bike ran the same.

Today we realized that the carb had been put together wrong when we first got it, and we were putting back together as we found it. Once my brother put it together right she would fire right up, idle great and rev up! YES!.....no...don't get exicted because for the next 4 hours my brother and I tried original spacer, 1 washer, 2 washers, 3 washers etc and no matter what we did, she bogs in the midrange under load.

Once the carb was setup right, we noticed the difference with different spacers but on every try the bike took off pretty well but would bog in the midrange or you'd have to very gradually give it gas to gain speed.

Also, I've read nothing but backfire, backfire, backfire about these bikes yet mine does not! ON ANY SETTING! The most we noticed was a tiny lil "PUH" on shutdown. Why? The original plug was white, the bike obviously ran lean but it doesn't suffer from the backfire at all.

After lots of trying today we got it running and idling great, and take off is "decent", the bike is even rideable but it's not "right". We think maybe because of our elevation some of the usual stuff doesn't apply? I live in Boise, Id and we're at 2700-3000ft. No matter how lean we ran it, it didn't backfire. It doesn't smoke or smell funny at all. Sitting still the bike sounds like shes ready to rock but soon as you take off its fighting to take the throttle.

My brother thinks rejetting might help. We think perhaps someone owned this bike somewhere else, brought it to Idaho or sold it to someone and its never been right since due to the change in elevation.

Also we noticed today that some oil was on the jug fins, we wiped it clean and ran it down the road and back and a little more had shown up. Looks like the valve cover is leaking a bit and my brother also said a valve job would probably be a great idea anyway. After looking closely at the leak, we found small boogers of orange "hi-temp" and my brother shook his head and said someone was definately into it already. We did notice a tap the very first time we started it, but never heard it since.

Oh, and we checked the petcock, all is well. So, any idea? Does this just sound like a bike that needs rejetted because of the elevation or does this sound like something else? Do you have to remove the engine to change the valve cover gasket? Doesn't look like much room between the valve cover and the frame.

I've read about carb changes and my brother thinks this vacuum stuff is a bit unnecessary and thinks I'd be better off with a more simple carb thats easier to adjust like that of a dirtbike.

I'd just take the thing to a shop but I really don't know of any here that I could trust, not to mention I bought the bike because of the low maintenance appeal and simplicity. We seem close but maybe we're missing something. Thanks in advance for any help!

PPics of sidestand mite help.

check the link below for how to post pics

Only pic I have at the moment. I can take more tomorrow of the kickstand or anything else.

thanks for your help.

Very nice score, Majick.

I am also new, and didn't get as good of a deal as you did, but mine HAS been pretty much trouble free.

I hadn't been on a bike in years......but my hour commute and this 3.50 gas has me back on one.
Are you liking the power on it so far?   I am exacty your build 5'11 and float between 190 and 2.  

When I bought it, I thought it might be a little underpowered, but got to open it up this weekend.   My bike seems to like the top end .

Good luck and God bless,

Farmer

MagickNinja wrote on 06/13/11 at 13:57:19:


Stick to yer guns boy, he'll horn in on your riding time.

Just fixed up another savage for my brother to ride too.
He couldn't beleave the torque for such a little bike.

For the hell of it, pull that carb back off, disassemble it, and boil it in a 75%/25% water/lemon juice mix for like 10 minutes (metal parts only, no rubber) and then rinsing it with some WD-40.  The carb itself isn't a bad carb, just has some ridiculously small passaged (Right Serowbot?)
Lancer would definitely be able to set you on the right path as far as a VM carb and new cables...