I posted this earlier but in the tour bikes section and was directed to post in this forum instead so here goes!

Howdy,

I am brand new to the forums here so please forgive me if I post this in the wrong spot and let me know where to go.

My fathers bike is an 89? Ultra classic tour glide. I am getting married in may and he has just recently told me that if I can work on the bike and get it running he will give me his bike as a wedding gift. I grew up riding on this bike literally since I was 3 months old and it would mean the world to me to get it up and running again.

My question is what all do I need to do to get her back in good running condition? The bike was parked (outside but covered) about 10 years ago and has literally just sat there ever since. There was nothing wrong with it when it was parked however 10 years of just sitting and never even being fired up I am sure is not good for it.

I havent really worked on motorcycles before but have done all of the maintenance and engine work on my old jeep as well as my truck so I am fairly familiar with working on engines to some degree. Any advice no where to get started and what all needs to get done would be greatly appreciated! I plan on putting pics up of the process throughout the whole thing as well. Thanks again!

Bryan

 

Wow, 10 years , really, well at least you are in Texas. Remove the gas tank and drain it then check for rust. Pull the petcock and change the fuel filter before replacing. Drop the bowl on the carb, blow the fuel line out between the petcock and the carb bowl. Clean the bowl and float asm with carb cleaner. Test the needle and seat by blowing through the fuel line and gently pushing up on the float to shut off the fuel. If it seems the fuel can be shut off witht he needle and seat, put everything back together except the bowl of the carb, pour a quart of good fuel in the tank and turn the petcock to reserve fuel should flow out the bottom of the carb. Gently push up on the float asm and the fuel should stop. Shut fuel off at petcock If it does good, if no get yourself a needle and seat or a complete carb kit. If you can stop the fuel, get your carb cleaner back out and blow up through main jet to see fuel in carb throat. blow every hole you can get with the carb cleaner before replacing the bowl. Next dump the primary chan case oil through the left side cover, rear bottom. Open up big round derby cover and pour 1Qt Primary chaincase lube in. Drain tranny, again, add 1 qt tranny lube, check dipstick with bike in straight up position. Finally dump oil, my 89 FX had a hose atttached to the oil bag under the left cover. drain oil and replace with new 20-50 and replace the oil filter. Pull the plugs and clean or replace and somewhere along this you have tried to charge the battery, you know how to manage that one. Try to start it, if it starts, keep it running at hte lowest possible RPM slowly trying to let it idle. May take some clean fuel getting through the idle circuit to manage that but keep trying. If she wont idle consider dumping some fuel cleaner like seafoam in the tank and again try to keep it running. It is an air cooled engine, don't overheat it. After she is running check the tire, most likely cracked. When you know it is running and it is goinfg to be yours, put a new set of tires on it before trying to ride. Don't take a chance on a bad set of tires thinking you are just going down the road a little ways and coming back...you might not. My apologies if this was too much instruction but I was gettin in to it

 

Wow! Thanks for the tips! Im going to be at my folks place this weekend and have a little time to mess with it soo Ill start on some of these items. Im guessing all of the lines should probably be completely replaced right? If so should I replace them before trying to get her to run or wait until I get her up and running then replace all the lines as necessary? Im excited about getting it up and running! Ill keep y'all apprised as I work on her.

 

Also check all oil lines for cracking and definitely change the tires.

If you don't have one a service manual will help a lot.

I sent you a PM with my number. Call if there is anything I can do for you.
(I live just outside of Austin)

Mike

 

Get the HD manual for your bike and follow the procedures listed to get it into shape to ride.
As for just getting it running " and i know you want to " follow the advise offered and i would also add ... pull the plugs and squirt some engine oil into the cylinders then let it sit for a day to let the oil migrate , this will help lube those dry cylinders . When changing the engine oil , fill the oil filter with oil before you install it . Now before you actually start it , disable the coils or ground the spark plug cables ( plugs out ) , keep petcock off , now turn engine over until the oil pres. light goes off , keep it turning over for another 10 seconds or so then stop. The engine should now be fully lubricated and ready to start so install NEW , properly gapped spark plugs and fire that baby up !
She will smoke for a bit but should calm down in a few mins.
Let us know how it goes.

 

All good advice. Really, just change all the fluids (including the gas), new tires when it's running, new battery, and that should do it.

I once drove from Bryan to Bud's on 5th street in 1 hour, 10 minutes, when Highway 21 was 2 lanes all the way. In a Lotus, of course.

 

Thought of you Dr at the weekend, looking briefly over an Elan 2+2 - tired looking but running fine!

 

That bike may have sumped most of the oil down into the engine. When you re fill the bag with oil, Dont top it right up or the returning oil might over flow as well as pour out your breather tube.
Important to lube the cylinders as was mentioned!!! Sea foam is an important fuel system treatment & it will help lubricate your top end.
Hatch.

 

Not sure if I mentioned it, but my Esprit burned to the ground on me about 2 months ago. 9 years of work gone in <5 minutes. It was horrible.

I put some bucks with the insurance payoff and... This is my new car:

 

UPDATE: So I spoke with my father yesterday and turns out there was a problem with the oil pump on the bike which is why he parked it in the first place. "It was spoting oil" he says. Soo needless to say that will probably be the first thing I need to do is get that and everything that goes along with it replaced. Will take pictures this weekend to post!