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Just wanted to share what I have been doing to my bike. I am trying to get it into as good of condition as I can. It was given to me for helping out someone and the poor bike is a mess.
I have removed the battery which is on a trickle charger.
I have removed the gas tank, and emptied it completely. I have to save up to get it recoated on the inside. It also needs new decals and a new paint job. Which will all have to wait for a more positive cash flow.
I have just removed the instrument panel unit. I took it off the bike, a couple of screws and the wiring was pretty easy to deal with. Im marking everything with white out and sharpies in order to put it back together properly.
I purchased a unit from a person on eBay and it was in pristine condition, unfortunately it was destroyed in transit so I have to pick and choose from parts that are still intact. The white housing unit which was on the bike was cracked - so I will be able to use the one from the unit I purchased (fortunately it did not crack or break during mailing) I carefully removed the needles, slowly with a BUCK pocket knife carefully so as not to damage anything. I have removed the dials (with all of the numbers on em) and also the odometer. So far I have not made anything worse and with alot of luck and careful attention to detail I hope to be able to get it all back together again. The only thing I really am missing is a good bezel (the clear plastic which goes over the instruments) The one I had was too cloudy and the one which came was cracked - a complete screw hole is gone, so that is the only thing I think I have to get replaced. Up til now everything was just unscrewing or disconnecting wires - Im kinda freaked out about reconnecting the wires properly but I will cross that bridge as the saying goes.
I am using 409 to get most of the fine dust off, it is aboslutely everywhere and in some places it is caked on....so hopefully the bike will appreciate my TLC and give me many years of great riding. Just wanted to share in case someone else might want to or need to get to the instruments....

Can't help much with the instruments, but...


you can do the tank yourself. I like a product called POR-15. It is not like the other coating product called KREEM, instead POR-15 creates a hard enamel inside the tank to protect it and stop rust damage. It costs about the same and requires the same time and effort to get the job done. About $40 and LOTS of your time to do it right. Just follow the instructions to the letter.

Not affiliated, but I have used both products to treat several tanks and feel this one is clearly a better choice.

Is the engine running?

Coffee - I dont know if the engine runs or not. When I got the bike it did not start - if that was due to the battery being very very very dead or some other issue I dont know. The previous owner suggested that he rode the bike last summer without a problem then it would not start - he almost totalled the bike by trying to get it started by a rope tow behind a truck (horrors of all horrors) - In my mind, I decided the bike just neede to have a really good clean up and thorough look through. As a result I decided to make it my project. (lack of positive cash flow being a huge deterent to getting a mechanic to fix things AND it is an 86, and many many shops refuse to work on these older bikes. I need to learn something new anyway. Just checking the bike from what I can eyeball, there is a huge amount to be done. So I figure why not do it right, and just start taking things apart and cleaning them up and replacing what I need to replace, fixing what I can and just keep dong that until she is *hopefully* put back together again and running nicely.
Thanks for the informaiton on the tank lining. I have yet to land on anything to purchase, but have just done alot of research when I get new information. I will be looking into the information you so generously shared, Thank you.

The POR-15 is a good product. You're going to have to disassemble and clean your carburetors. I recommend new intake boots. I also recommend a manual for your bike. You'll need it.

Good luck.

Manual was the first thing I bought