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Hi from New Zealand,
I'm currently reassembling a 1979 Yamaha XS eleven and sidecar unit. I've had both bike and chair repainted, seat and base proffessionally restored, and the engine has had the once over, including new cam chain, carbs overhaul and new inlet manifolds. I've had lots of parts chrome plated, including the home-made wheels shod with Michelin 135 ZX/front and 155 MX/rear radial car tyres. The smaller diameter car tyres reduce my top-end, but substantially improve accelleration and handling.
I had a local engineer build new 'turn-buckle' style sidecar attachment struts, allowing easy adjustment, and I've modified the attachment points on the bike. The leading-link front suspension, also home-made, has been fitted with new Hagon shocks, a new volkswagen steering damper and a newly painted mudguard (originally from a Honda VT250).
I'm held up with the engine. Being black, the engine is showing it's age, and I want to repaint it before I re-install it in the repainted frame.
As the boxes of restored parts builds up and the boxes of 'to do' parts dwindles, I'm getting more excited. Putting it all together is a breeze, last time it took me two days to rebuild and run from a bare frame, and half of that time was spent putting the airbox back in!
Has anyone got any advice on preping the engine for a repaint? I've re-painted barrels with high temp paint before, but even though the surface was bead blasted and thouroughly cleaned, the paint tended to peel off from the edge of the fins in. Perhaps not sanding the edge of the fins would reduce this.
Also, has anyone mastered the art of 'airbox re-installation'? If so, what is the sectret. It's a mongrel of a job, and damaging the new paint on the frame is more likely doing this than re-installing the engine, which I find very simple.
Cheers,
xsrider

Sounds like quite the project! I went the easy route with my hack, I bought it complete - it's a '79 Dnepr MT10-36.

I'm not a sidecar guy, but I did own a 1980 Yamaha XS Eleven Special. Very nice bike, and tons of torque!

Nice bike you go there - and some great roads to ride on! where are you in NZ? i stayed in South Waikato for a year - some great biking roads around that way!

As for the secret of fitting the airbox........there is no secret - it's just a plain bugger of a job! boiling water and swear words seem to be essential in the process...

Pod style air filters.

At least, that's what I resorted to

Thanks for your comments guys.
I considered buying a Ural some time ago, but decided instead to modify the XS and sidecar to make changeovers faster; it’s the motorcycle version of a “transformer”. Yes ……. a very torquee transformer.
Have you seen the Ural America video-tape called The Russians Are Coming? An awesome look at the bike and chair, it’s history, the factory and the people that build them.

Hey Keyoke …. Yes …. I live in Hamilton, the heart of the Waikato. You’re right on the money. The Waikato is full of awesome roads that lead to even more awesome places.
Hmmmm…………I was hoping for a miracle cure to the airbox blues. I’ve tried all sorts of ways. I find swearing does help, and sometimes drawing blood. But usually it pops right in once the new paint is scratched.

TechBMW-How does your XS run with pod style air filters? I actually considered them back in December, but thought they may lead to carb balancing issues.