1975 Commando 850 restoration

Found that a bundy pipe, one in the front and one at the rear were leaking brake fluid. Tightened both to no avail. They just kept leaking. Everything else on the front and rear brake systems were replaced with new. The only things I tried to save were the bundy pipes. I ordered new ones and finally got them installed. No leaks now.
 

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I used this inexpensive pneumatic brake bleeder from Harbor Freight. It worked great. Basically you attach the suction tubing to the bleed nipple, using 90 psi air you pull the trigger, open the bleed nipple and vacuum brake fluid from the resivour and the air that is in the system. The main thing is to keep the resivour full so you don't pull in any air. Just keep on pulling fluid through and then do it some more. Solid pedal and lever.
 

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Got my tank and side covers back from the painter. Just a mock up for pics.
 

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Here's the bracket I made up for my battery side cover mounting. Works well.
 

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It lives! At approximately 12:15 PM on this 25th day of August, in the year of our Lord, 2021, I pressed the starter button and my bike ROARED to life. To the tune of 5k RPM. I immediately shut it down to find the cause. It didn’t take long. Some dumbass forgot to adjust the throttle cable keeping the slide way up and as soon as I find that moron he’ll be reprimanded accordingly. Lol! Adjusted the throttle cable and fired it up again with a what I think is a respectable 1900 - 2000 RPM idle. Man it sounded great. I verified oil return to tank so all good there. No fluid leeks at this time but will obviously monitor. Other than the throttle cable issue everything else looks good. While it was hot I took the opportunity to tighten up the exhaust nuts as much as I could. As soon as I get it insured tomorrow I’m going to take it out on a shake down cruise and see what occurs. Break in tips? Thanks in advance.
 
Congrats Larry. Its fun to read how these machines continue to please us. Enjoy that ride today. I suspect there will be some compliments from strangers along the way.
 
Ok, here’s the report from today’s ride. The bike ran great with zero issues with braking a handling. The problem now is with shifting. I’m missing 4th gear and downshifting is erratic. Neutral is difficult to find. Glad for the electric start. The bike starts immediately at the push of the starter button. What should the next step be to resolve my shifting problems?
 
Larry S said:
Ok, here’s the report from today’s ride. The bike ran great with zero issues with braking a handling. The problem now is with shifting. I’m missing 4th gear and downshifting is erratic. Neutral is difficult to find. Glad for the electric start. The bike starts immediately at the push of the starter button. What should the next step be to resolve my shifting problems?
Click to expand...
Check your primary tension first - an overly tight primary drive will make it hard to find neutral and other gears.
 
My dad phoned me today to tell me that he was proud of me for sticking with this rebuild and to congratulate me on a job well done. Thank you dad as it means greatly to me. He also gave me this pearl of wisdom or warning. "When out riding, remember that half the people out there don't see you and the other half doesn't like you. So watch out for everyone else." Sounds about right to me.
 
Banjo tight chains are not the thing fore or aft.
You did check the nose of the index plunger
and that it and its spring is free in the housing?
Long shot but....
 
Larry S said:
The problem now is with shifting. I’m missing 4th gear and downshifting is erratic. Neutral is difficult to find.
Click to expand...


With the gearchange pedal set so high in your previous picture possibly isn't helping?

It could perhaps suit you (with what look like steel toe cap boots?) but with the pedal set that high I'd have to lift my foot off the footrest to change up instead of 'levering' the pedal using the footrest, and similarly, I would have to lift my foot off the footrest to change down, both of which could make neutral selection more difficult.
 
L.A.B. said:
With the gearchange pedal set so high in your previous picture possibly isn't helping?

It could perhaps suit you (with what look like steel toe cap boots?) but with the pedal set that high I'd have to lift my foot off the footrest to change up instead of 'levering' the pedal using the footrest, and similarly, I would have to lift my foot off the footrest to change down, both of which could make neutral selection more difficult.
Click to expand...
I thought about the pedal being so high and will change the orientation and report back. The boots are not steel capped, just a simple pair of Wellingtons.
 

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