Hello, all.  I figured I should move from the introductions thread.  This is my new, and first, motorcycle; a 2001 LS650 that I bought for $400 from a guy that had let it sit, uncovered, in the parking lot at his apartments.  He said it sat for a year, but the registration sticker expired Jan '12.  



I got her running and moving using info from the forum.  I haven't had to ask a question yet, but when I do I'll do it under the appropriate topic.  Here I just wanted to offer up what I've done for the inspection and criticism of those more experienced than me.  I'm not even a motorcycle noob, yet, and I appreciate any suggestions or advice.  

Once I got it started and sat on it to ride around the parking lot a couple of times, I noticed the handlebars hit me in the knees when I turn.  There was a riser made of 2" steel pipe nipples from any hardware store.  I replaced those with 3" sockets and some longer bolts.



I wanted to bring the seat up a couple of inches, too.  I'm 6'3", and I feel like I'm squatting down on it.  I was only able to get about an inch above stock with some sway bar bushings and 45mm bolts from autozone.



I don't think I did that right.  I just wanted to raise the seat, not the tank.  I'll see if I can reconfigure it in the morning.

Before it's ready to ride I need to replace the intake boot/manifold thingy that has a crack in it, and the rear brake light cable that has rusted through and snapped right behind the knobby thing that clips into the brake pedal, and get some new mounts and bulbs for those front turn signals.  Someone got mad and kicked those because a derelict motorcycle was hogging a prime parking space for a year or two.  Once it's doing it's job getting me from A to B I can start thinking about longer shocks and higher handlebars and extended forward controls and putting a train horn on that thing.  The horn on it now sounds like the Roadrunner.  Meep-meep.



This seems to be as good a place to stop as any.

& when youre ready for hittin the Big Road & need some kinda protection from the wind, youre gonna be able to save Money there, too,.,Looks to me like you could pretty well hide behind a 2X6,, mite need a LONG danged 2X6,,
Man, for $400.00, you stole that thing,, & anyone who can rip nipples off & replace them with sockets,, w/o help? Youre way ahead.
Now, whats the mileage on it? Gettin close to 15,000 miles is sure time for looking in on the cam chain.,
You got experience with solid lifters? These clacky dudes are solid lifters.
How does it run? Its not bad about backfiring is it?

Now I've got cam chains on the brain.  I read the threads and except for not having a torque wrench and not knowing what small snap ring pliers are (I probably don't have those either), I think I can get in there and check the chain.  I just put $36 worth of mobil 1 synthetic racing oil in there, though, and I don't want to dump it out right away.  I'll have to listen and feel for some rattling in the meantime, and when it's time for an oil change I'll get in there just to see what it looks like.  I haven't noticed any clanking or rattling from the crankcase, though.  Considering the pipe nipple riser, maybe a previous owner was a member of the forum.  I wouldn't be too surprised to see a Verslavy already in there.

The mobil 1 was the only oil on the recommended list that they had in the shop.  It's not getting any mileage put on it, so hopefully it'll survive having the wrong oil for a little while.  

The previous owner had less mechanical knowledge than I do.  He said a mechanic got it running for him, but didn't know specifically what was done and didn't have any records.  He said he'd only put 200 miles on it after his mechanic fixed it before parking it and leaving it.

I started her up and just listened to the motor for a little while this morning.  I'm not used to single-cylinder engines so I'll still want to consult an expert on whether it sounds normal, but it's idling smoothly and I don't hear any metal-on-metal clanking or grinding.  The crank case bolts have tool marks on them, so someone's been in there, at some point.  I just have no idea how long ago or what they did.  I want to get in there and have a look before I start riding it, but I also want to have it looked over by a professional.  I enjoy taking things apart to see how they work, but I'm not always so good with the putting back together.  

I think I want to rebuild or replace that carburetor, too.

Sweet find! Yeah, bare minimum check out the cam chain tensioner before you go for any serious ride. That's a deal/engine breaker. I bought a used bike and decided to check it out and was about 1mm from a disaster.

Over and over and over.

I know, right?  I almost feel bad about it, but that thumping motor makes me feel better every time I crank it up.

I think I'm going to google the owner previous to the guy I bought it from.  His name is on the title certificate, and he might be on facebook or something.