Beau-Kat

Takes the pain outa waitin' for your plane.

Once on my MM.

1978 SR500 1979 SR500 1981 650 Maxim 1981 650 Midnight Maxim 1982 750 Virago 1996 535 Virago 1988 Royale 1998 VMax 2000 RSV Millenium 2002 Vstar 650 I think that's all.

Probably want to change the valve springs also.

I'm working on a Katana and a Suzuki Savage right now. Soon as I get those outa my garage, I'm gonna put the Millenium on the lift and find out what's troubling her. When I'm done with that, I'm gonna start installing my sidecar on the Royale.

Thanks. I am running Metzelers. My third set on the RSV. I've also run them on my other bikes for many years. I install them myself and have had good performance and mileage from them. Current ones have 5000 miles on the rear, a couple thousand on the front. I see no problem with these tires.

Another point: I had to repair my clutch slave cylinder due to leaking last summer. So, I had the middle gear cover off for that procedure. I did a visual and "hands on to see if anything wobbled" inspection of that bearing. All seemed good and tight. And, I'm going to be pulling my front wheel and checking my bearing up there too. Thanks guys for all of your suggestions. I'll let you know what I eventually find to be my problem.

Thanks Videoarizona. I have a full shop lift table and my bike also has a Rivco centerstand. So, I have had opportunity to try to replicate the vibe with the rear wheel off the ground. Going up and down through the gears, increasing speed, then dropping speed to stopped in each gear. Can't seem to replicate the vibe that way. Almost seems as if the frame/suspension has to be loaded to feel it. I had felt a low speed hump, almost like a tire out of round or a bias ply trying to warm up and come into round. I removed my rear axle and inspected it. It did have the slightest bend in it. But I went ahead and bought and installed a brand new rear axle a couple months back. Don't feel that hump anymore. I also bought a new rear axle bearing, but did not install it yet. Mine looked and felt good. May be going to install that next.

Thanks Flyinfool. I have removed, inspected , and serviced those pins a couple of times over the years. The strange vibe was there before I did that the last time (a few months ago).

Thanks Marcarl. I know and have used that procedure always.

Thanks Puc. Mine has worn the rear pads unevenly in the past. I haven't whacked the caliper yet, but will try that. But it doesn't feel like a dragging pad or warped caliper. It's like something spinning just wobbles before I stop. Like I said, I've tried without hitting the brakes, clutch in or out, in gear, or in neutral, same feeling. So I don't think it is related to engine rpm, but definitely to something spinning and slowing down from speed. I have the Royale, the RSV, and the VMax and have been all over these bikes during maintenance. So, I've had the diffs pulled several times for maint or swapping on the RSV and the VMax. You're also correct in assuming the driveshaft seal didn't just fail on its own. I damaged the driveshaft seal while re-installing the driveshaft after servicing it. The clutch basket shaft bearing mention is interesting. I'll put that on my list. Could very well be that. I'm going to be checking one thing at a time to try to eliminate singular concerns. I'm also going to install my other RSV diff that I had mentioned running in my VMax for awhile. It has far fewer miles on it. May do the 90 degree rotation on the driveshaft remedy also, if warranted. Thanks again.

I do have another RSV diff with only about 5000 miles on it. I installed a shock bolt and blanked the speedo hole and ran in my VMax for awhile.

I have a problem I'm trying to diagnose before tearing into my Millenium. Some history: Have owned it since 2002 when it had 10,000 miles on it. Now has 60,000 miles on it. Do all my own maintenance. Carbs synched. Valves set. Runs great. I have a pronounced low speed rumble/thumping/vibration upon clutch engagement and then just before rolling to a stop. Actually, just before a dead stop when I put a foot down. It's been doing this for awhile. For rear tire replacement and general servicing, I've had the rear end off and driveshaft out a few times. I recently replaced the driveshaft seal at the rear end due to weeping. Thorough inspections did not reveal any mechanical failures back there. When I'm above idle, I don't experience this vibration. I've tried pulling in the clutch and/or going into neutral before the rpms drop to idle. No changes in symptoms trying either. I was in stop and go traffic on the interstate yesterday and had a lot of time to experience it with the low speed "on the clutch, off the clutch" rolling along at near idle. I'm trying to discern if it's engine or driveline. I'm thinking maybe the u-joint. Seems I read on here somewhere (or maybe on the VMax forum) where the pinion shaft (just behind where the nut threads on) or something at the end of the driveshaft at the differential would break. (SEE THIS PHOTO OF A SIMILAR TYPE FAILURE OF WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT). But I can't locate that with searches. Any ideas if this info was posted here before? Any other ideas about troubleshooting or diagnosis tips? Thanks.

Let's see what all is going on in your video. Riding a dresser, with a bum hand, holding a camera, giving a play-by-play for us, with your (very trusting) wife as passenger, etc., etc... You are either a magician or an acrobat, or maybe some of both. But above all, you are always informative and entertaining. I got one question. What kind of forehead glue do you use to keep that hat from blowing off?

Found a source. Thanks for your assistance.

Need carb pilot screw orings for my 1998 Vmax. Screws springs and washers are fine, just need the orings. Don't know if these orings are the same as on 1st or 2nd gen Ventures. Anyone know of a source? Don't wanna hafta buy a hundred oring kit just to get four tiny orings. I read where they are 3.0mm ID x 1.0 mm thick. Does anyone know if that is right? Thanks.

COWPUC, you are truly one of a kind. I surely do enjoy reading your crazy, (helpful, comical, sometimes whimsical?) posts, viewing your videos, and seeing your photos. Always with that perpetual smile. We all oughta be so happy. Ride on, Bro!

Would love to have that XT600Z TENERE

Gotta watch that oil running off on ya like that. It can be quite "slick".

Liberty, SC 01-23-16

Reminds me of that thing they called the Canary.

I never mind a DUH! It's the non-shared questions that I mind.

Thanks. Great point! I always wondered why that extra bolt was on the side cover. Now, I know that Yamaha was thinking ahead for our side of the road engineering needs. Ha!

Snow, sleet, ice, strong wind, wrecks, and power outages here in upstate SC. Spent the day sledding with my two five year old boys, helping my wife with some wood working projects, consuming hot cocoa, grilled cheese sandwiches, and hot soup, and keeping the fire going in the wood stove in the garage. Overall, a good ole family day.

Took a 640 mile trip last week on the MM. About midway, I was having a lot of trouble shifting. With my work boots on, I couldn't really get a sense of what I was feeling with the shifter operation. Anyway, when I got to a place to stop, I discovered my heel-toe shifter bolt was only screwed in a couple of threads! That coulda made for a very bad day. Tightened it up, and when I got home I reinstalled it with loc-tite.