My 500$ xii

[Joshn569]

This bike sounds a whole lot like mine — no evidence of maintenance. Just wait until you see the fork and shock oil.
You can look forward to a nice ride this summer.

I'm really looking foward to riding this bike this summer.

[cushman eagle]

Thanks for the welcome! The PO actually put a led head light and turn signal/ tail bulbs in already! I spent all day today trouble shooting the charging system. I found many issues. Bad grounds, broken wires, corrosion at various connections and so on. I think the biggest issue was at some point somebody put a scotchlock connector on the brown wire from the alternator at the the main connector under the lh fairing. The corrosion started long ago and there was only a couple of strands of wire left making a connection. I added a new frame ground to the battery and another ground from the frame to the motor. I traced out every wire cleaning and using dielectric grease along the way.

Also got the temp gauge and fan working. I added a ground after reading up and poking around this forum.

New plugs. New air filter.

Choke cable lubed

Carbs are back in, synced up and dialed in. #3 leaked on me. Tho it was a pain in the arse, I dropped the bowl with the carbs installed and made a float adjustment. Problem solved.

Changed the coolant tonight. It was super over due. Mud. The expansion tank was full of gunk and rust. Line to it was 100% plugged up. Flushed it with some water, cleaned the tank and filled her up and bled it.

Changed the brake fluid and clutch fluid as well. Again, mud. I got lucky here and after some serious cleaning with fresh fluid and a bleed they all work and feel great.

Scored some led fog light when I bought it. Started to install them.

Also started to give her the ol spit shine. Some of the chrome was pitted and rust. Some elbow grease and simichrome and she will come round.

Gonna try and get a plate for it this week and take her out for a proper test ride. I took it around the block today for a shake down and all seemed well. Also got to order some fork seals this week. Shinko tires arnt that old and don't have but a 100 miles on them, but not sold on them yet.

One question tho, why Rotella 15 40? Diesel? Ok for the clutch?

Hi,Joshn569,I have been using Shell Rottela T-6 5-40 in my'99, since I bought in 2009 with 22,000 miles on it,with no problems.
I now have 106,700 on it .I started using that oil in my GS1100GKZ days because of oil breakdown

[GrandpaDenny]

Ah, the joys of a "cheap" bike. I've had a blast with mine from day one, despite (and also because LOL) of the DSPO issues. Now that I FINALLY got the new carbs and airbox in, I've discovered what I've really been missing. Yesterday, on the PA Turnpike, I opened her up and let her fly to see how fast she is. When I first got her, she would struggle at 70 mph and got 28 mpg at that speed. After three years of running Seafoam and Techron, she would run all day at 85, sometimes 90, and her top speed, indicated, slightly downhill, was 96. The Relive app once said she hit 102 but I kind of doubt that. Anyway yesterday, she hit, easily, and still accelerating, 120 on the speedo. GPS said 112. No struggles, no issues, smooth as silk. I didn't want to risk breaking the speedometer so I didn't continue to accelerate. I think she was doing something like 6800 maybe 7000 rpm, so had lots of room left.

Holy Kronk these bikes are FAST. I thought she was fast before, but DANG.

On the way home I had a little fun with a couple of mid-sized sport bikes :) Gertrude won

[Joshn569]

Ah, the joys of a "cheap" bike. I've had a blast with mine from day one, despite (and also because LOL) of the DSPO issues. Now that I FINALLY got the new carbs and airbox in, I've discovered what I've really been missing. Yesterday, on the PA Turnpike, I opened her up and let her fly to see how fast she is. When I first got her, she would struggle at 70 mph and got 28 mpg at that speed. After three years of running Seafoam and Techron, she would run all day at 85, sometimes 90, and her top speed, indicated, slightly downhill, was 96. The Relive app once said she hit 102 but I kind of doubt that. Anyway yesterday, she hit, easily, and still accelerating, 120 on the speedo. GPS said 112. No struggles, no issues, smooth as silk. I didn't want to risk breaking the speedometer so I didn't continue to accelerate. I think she was doing something like 6800 maybe 7000 rpm, so had lots of room left.

Holy Kronk these bikes are FAST. I thought she was fast before, but DANG.

On the way home I had a little fun with a couple of mid-sized sport bikes :) Gertrude won

Lol, must feel good to have it running right!

I've owned a few old Japanese bikes from the 80's that were left for dead. When you get them road worthy and running properly they are always a joy to ride.

[GrandpaDenny]

Lol, must feel good to have it running right!

Oh yeah. And knowing she's safe now... I knew something was kronky with the front end, but "mechanics" even at the dealership kept saying everything was fine. Kronkin' idiots. Coulda gotten me killed.

I have two friends now who I trust to work on Gertrude. Gene Kap and a member of the Concours Owners Group who lives near to me - he's the one who did the recent work, and MAN he did a GREAT job. Anybody need a mechanical wizard anywhere near Philly, let me know. He doesn't do "shortcuts", insists on using OEM or better parts, and takes the time to check everything multiple times. And he does quick work.

[Joshn569]

I got about 400 miles on the bike. Rode a good 200 miles last weekend and rode it to work all week last week. Running perfectly. Runs smooth, shifts good, stops good, and stays nice and cool thus far.

It had a miss at higher rpms but it was just some corrosion at the spark plug wire to cap at #1. Clipped a good 1/4 " off each of the 4 wires.

The clutch cover leaked oil pretty bad. I ordered a new gasket. When I took the clutch cover off, there was no old gasket lol. So that was an easy fix.

Got the engine oil and filter changed and the final drive oil changed.

I put some new speakers in, put an antenna on it, and bought a Bluetooth fm transmitter. At first I mounted the transmitter up under the windshield but it didn't work well at all. I played around with various locations for it and found it works the best inside the rear trunk as close to the antenna as possible. Then with my phone in my pocket it picks up the Bluetooth music with no issues.

I replaced the broken right hand side vent in the dash. Also replaced the headlight adjuster knob.

I got some voyager xii stickers on the side panels as the emblems were missing and it would have been rather expensive to get some replacements.

I still would like to rebuild the suspension with progressive spring upgrades, but as of right now the old air suspension holds air pressure front and rear and is doing what I need it to do at this time. The bike handles well.

One other thing I would like to do is upgrade the windshield. Mine has been cut down and its a bit low. The clear view stock hight with vents looks nice. Anybody have that one? Worth the price?

And yes, when the pollen season ends I will give her another wash, buff some of the scratches, a wax and detail.

Also this forum is awesome. I've never worked on a voyager and didn't know anything about them. I've learned a ton from this site and it's members. Thanks!

[cushman eagle]

Hello Joshn 569,I have the Clearview stock height with center vent,and I do like it