When I dropped my bike in a creek crossing a while back I thought I had bent the bars as they were all out of shape badly,it even looked as though the bolts that go through those rubber bushes were bent. However when I loosened the 4 bolts that hold the bars they pooped back to the proper position.Those rubber bushes do a good job.
Regards Eric

Bushes only there to soak up vibes really. Im sure new they are great but mines a 96 and the last owner kept the bike outside in all weathers, allbeit with a cover over so they are weak and floppy and allowing the bars to feel twisted, they are in fact twisted as when I look down at the bars when going along, my left hand is further forward to my right. It was a known problem on Transalps as well.
On the other hand Ive had few enduro bikes, that are solid with no bushes. They have been thrown down mountainsides, fallen off at speed and have gone out of shape.... but its always been easier to straighten them up ??? Maybe once needed new bars, but that was particularly fast crash, and would have needed new bars if the same crash happened at the same speed with a bike with bushes in the top yoke.
As for helping out vibes, Ive never really had any problem with riding singles and feeling vibes through the bars, and Ive done 200 mile+ road days on XR400,DRZ and DR350s

on rattly fairings and stuff in the past I have used bath sealer to fill gaps where fairings and frame/tank/bracket are rattling together to reduce noise. Its bodgy and not a very well engineered solution but it does work.

As for the bars twisting my latest XTZ was the same when I bought it, so I slackened off the 4 bolts wiggled the bars until they were straight and retightended, been OK since

xtzrick wrote:

phil w wrote: I wonder why it was so unpopular over here ?


My 5th gear is starting to whine but it does have 84,000 miles on the clock, yours should be good for a while yet
There are threads on this forum about it for the early 600s, it's probably the same thing.

Rick

Spoke today to Dave Lambeth, phoned to ask about availability of any Arrow cans, then got onto the subject of the 5th gear. He seemed to think most of them will go at some point and will be expensive when they do... about a £1500 rebuild and can go from anything from 30k miles on. Although it mainly affected 600 s the 660 is also liable to degrade, so Im again feeling down on a bike Ive yet to really gel with

£1500

The gears are £120 the pair, ok you need a gasket set, oil filter, maybe a few other bits & he has overheads but that sounds like robbery to me.

Either he doesn't want the job or he needs you to fund his next trip.
& your gears are still good.

Rick

xtzrick wrote:he has overheads but

What overheads? he works from home i believe? same overheads as any other mortgage payer.
Dave has built up his name & reputation over many years, he does a good job & stands by his work.

But yep you could save some cash if you did it yourself for sure, but if your not confident enough let an expert do it for you.

Mezo.

I think talking to him, that although the gears are a price, it is the associated cost that then follows. He explained that by the time the gearbox whine/ noise is really noted it pretty much to late, and that the engine should come apart at maybe 25 to 30 k miles to have a look and rectify any gear pitting that happens. If left the damage to elsewhere is where extra cost gets incurred. He did state mind that included piston and top end, working on the fact that if it was apart, it may as well be done properly

If you buy your Motad headers direct from Motad they're about 160 quid delivered ...

As for Mr Lambeth's costs....

When he rebuilds an engine, he does everything.... every nut, bolt, bearing, seal, etc, etc...he won't use second hand parts unless you sign a disclaimer,... he also uses longer bolts in a few places, which means drilling & tapping the holes.... the gears he uses aren't the standard yamaha one's we buy from the dealers, he has spent several grand searching out gears from other models to use in these engines, gears that don't fall apart... last time I spoke to him about this, he reckoned it would cost £1500 just for parts (for the 600 engine)... & he charges 600 quid labour to do the work.
I've just rebuilt my current 3TB engine for the 1VJ, I reckon it's cost me about 200 quid... second hand piston, valves, etc...the only new bits were the rings & gaskets... but if I was going RTW... would I prefer one of Dave's engines?? bloody right I would..

p.s. just price a set of valves... doesn't take long to spend 1500 on parts..

phil w wrote:I think talking to him, that although the gears are a price, it is the associated cost that then follows. He explained that by the time the gearbox whine/ noise is really noted it pretty much to late, and that the engine should come apart at maybe 25 to 30 k miles to have a look and rectify any gear pitting that happens. If left the damage to elsewhere is where extra cost gets incurred. He did state mind that included piston and top end, working on the fact that if it was apart, it may as well be done properly

Taking home a good as new engine would explain the cost.

Bonding with the bike seems your biggest obsticle Phil.

Rick

Yeah, but to be honest, 1500 for a 660-engine? I just bought a decent complete and running 660 for 300 euros...