R80 ST - What to look for, what to upgrade?

I've used POR15 before and was very happy with the results. I've since sold the bike to a friend, but it's still good after 5 years. I've never personally used the kreem stuff before, but I've seen some pretty horrific results with the stuff. It goes on very thick apparently doesn't stick that well as I've seen 3 bikes with failing kreem jobs in person. That and it seems like on the internet there are far more people saying bad things about it than good. I've just stayed away from it. Go check out this thread:

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=732099

Apparently POR15 makes a stripper for removing kreem.

Ha, funny. I just found it: http://www.por15.com/HD-CYCLE-TANK-REPAIR-KIT/productinfo/HDCTRK/

I think that's what I'll go with. The Kreem kits have sat in the basement for a few years - what's a few years more?

Another big thumbs up for the POR15.
Kreem has no staying power, witnessed more than once by me and others.

I have seen at least ten Kream disasters over the years. I bet it is closer to twenty.

Removing the shock from the top mount and swinging it back should give you enough clearance for battery removal / replacement.

There will be a next time for sure.

Any tips on how to get the carburetor float pin out? I haven't tried really gronking on it yet, but it seems to have no interest whatsoever in coming out.

try going in the other direction. the pin is pointy on one end and larger on the other. make sure you punch is the right size, it takes a really small one.

Well, I got totally stymied by the weather today. I'm working on the street, because my only garage space is over in Jersey, and I don't relish driving back and forth every time I want to work on the bike. Anyway, I got the carbs off, apart, and started soaking all the jets. The left idle jet was definitely clogged, so I'm thinking that was the reason only the right cylinder was firing. There was some pretty nasty fuel and water in the bottoms of the bowls, so I'm glad I did it.

There's horrible looking fuel coming from the petcock on the reserve setting, but it's nice and clean on the "on" setting. I ordered the POR-15 kit yesterday. I figure once I get the carbs back together I'll either wait for the kit, or just try running the bike without using the reserve, and just wait for the kit before I try to ride it.

I also fed some new fuel line through the airbox, all ready to be attached once the carbs are back together. I'm hoping the rain will hold out long enough tomorrow morning for me to get everything back together and (I hope) running. Then it's off to Jersey to pick up new strut mounts for the truck (and new Bosch plugs!).

I took some photos. I think carburetors are kind of beautiful objects.

Your comment about the crappy fuel on "reserve".... I work with boat fuel tanks, and it immediately brought to mind the thought that the crud/crap sinks to the bottom (reachable by the reserve straw), while the "good" fuel floats on top. I would immediately pull the petcock and just let all the sheeit out of the tank, for beginners... then worry about the rest of it! All it takes is a little of that crap to really muck up the jets on the carb......

....Otherwise you are just going to be fishing the guck out of the float bowls every time the bike sloshes a little crap up as high as the longer "regular" straw top.....

Yep, I think you're absolutely right.I'll drain the tank and flush it out tomorrow, then re-line it once I get my kit. Thanks.

The stock liner on theses tanks was a red colored finish, when it starts to go, it makes everything looks nasty that come out.

Regardless of what tank liner (if you chose to use one) prep prep prep is the key to making the system work.

I've not seen very many Por-15'd bikes, but every single Kreem tank I've seen has been bad.

The choke spring is mounted up-side down.

Ha, thanks. I'm so careful about putting things back together the way they were when I found them - I don't always make sure that they were correct when I found them.

Let's close the discussion about POR-15 vs Kreem. I ordered the POR-15 kit, it should be here in a few days. I'll prep the tank carefully. Thanks again for all the insight!

Well, this morning I buttoned up the carbs, replaced the fuel line, flushed out the tank, and fired 'er up. Lovely. I ran it for about 5 minutes at 1500 - 2000 rpm. Seems to be running quite nicely. There was a ton of smoke, mostly coming from the collector pipe, which seems to be fairly well coated in road grime. The clutch lever that comes out of the back of the transmission is prutty greasy too - there must be a seal there that's starting to go. Anyway, I'm assuming that the smoke was just that crap burning off. Figure I'll spray some S100 on it once it cools off. I took a little vid:

https://vimeo.com/50703009

So what do you all think? I'm feeling ready to change the final drive oil and have a little ride around the block and see how everything feels. So far I've replaced the engine oil and gearbox oil. Anything else I should absolutely replace/take care of before trying a little spin around the block?

You need to crank longer, and give it a bit of throttle when starting initially from cold...

Also, change the oil for the shaft as well as the final drive.

nice vid.. I am sure you figured it out that the fuel tap is down for on, up for reserve and horizontal for off.

bike sounds great

Thanks, Lobo! I'm used to kickstarting. Something just seems wrong about letting the starter do all that work.

Just replaced the driveshaft oil (which was nasty) and the final drive oil (which looked brand new).

Here I go for my first ride!

Ok, that was AWESOME! I couldn't make it out of third gear (not registered yet, so I don't want to leave the neighborhood), but this bike is unlike anything I've ridden before (which isn't saying that much, really). Anyway, I LOVE it! Only bummer is that the turn signal switch lever fell off :huh as I was making a turn. Went back, but couldn't find it.

Need to replace the fork seals now, and GET IT REGISTERED. YES.

+1 on that.

looks like I was right, and you have found a little peach of a bike. Congrats man, enjoy it.

That's great news