Beau-Kat
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Everything posted by Beau-Kat
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Yes, I am jealous! That's why I keep the V-Max close, just in case you 1st gen guys come gunnin' for my 2nd gen. Maybe one day, I'll get the chance to ride a 1st gen.
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Since I used up the original Dunlops, I have run ME880s and am super happy. Get about 18K on the rear and more on the front, but can't remember how much more. I run the original type Bridgestone Exedra tires (V rated)on my V-Max that came on it. I got over 10K on the first rear and have about the same on this one. Got about 2K more miles left in it. Other V-Maxer can't believe it because they get 4-5K on their rear tires. But I'm no tire smoker either, so am pleased with my results. I find the Bridgestones and the Dunlops to be harder tires, so I prefer the ME880s. Only reason I don't run the ME880s (H rated) on the Max is that if I sold the bike, it would have the correct recommended tires on it. But, really, for me, the H rated would be more than adequate. Love the MEs. Got them on my V Star too.
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And why hasn't Yamaha fuel injected the Venture yet?
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Here's the deal: About got smacked by a truck coming over on me the other day. Had my adult daughter on the back so didn't want to do big time evasive maneuvers. The cager (Ford F150) started coming left. I made eye contact with him in his mirror. He knew I was there but he was bigger and kept on coming. I got on the brakes and the wonderful dual tone factory horns (what a joke Yamaha played on us). Cager came on over, shot me the bird, and continued on up the road. I got home, found a Fiam horn I had. I disconnected my chrome horn down by my right foot and connected the Fiam. Hit the button and only heard a slight bump sound. :fiddle:So, I disconnected the front horn behind the fairing and hit the button again. Same result. Took the Fiam and connected it straight to a battery. Perfect loud sound. I guess I'm getting too much voltage drop to use it on the Venture, but wouldn't think so. Have an identical Fiam horn on my V Star 650 and it works fine. Anyone else try this?
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I always get crazy high mileage in the mountains. I'm up in them hills a good bit and it always holds true for me. Last year, my son on his 93 600 SECAII and I on my V-Max, did a 600 mile weekend totally in the Smokies. I got consistantly 56 mpg and he got like 90. I couldn't believe it. I guess it's because neither bike strains going uphill and coasts downhill. His 6 speed, chain driven bike usually gets 55 mpg locally. On the Interstate, holding a steady 75 mph (indicated) I usually get 40 (going by my odo's indicated miles, not by GPS) on the V-Max, about the same on my Venture at that speed. I know my Venture's speedometer is 3 mph off. Checked it many times over 47K miles. At 73 indicated, I am actually only going 70 mph. I really try to not go over 75 indicated because my mileage drops. Did do one 1140 mile day a few years ago and averaged 37.5 mpg then. I didn't do the odo correction calc and check real life mpg.
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Hazard lights on 2nd gen
Beau-Kat replied to Beau-Kat's topic in Royal Star Venture Tech Talk ('99 - '13)
Great post! Thanks. Planning on doing this to the VStar 650 when I get a chance. -
Hazard lights on 2nd gen
Beau-Kat replied to Beau-Kat's topic in Royal Star Venture Tech Talk ('99 - '13)
Wow! Didn't know that about the TD. Ida thunk a sweet ride like that would have come with hazards. Heck, even my inexpensive girl's bike HD 883R has hazards, but I can't remember if they work in the acc or run position. I think our bikes' headlights oughta work like my 1981 XJ650. Its headlight only comes on after the engine is started. And it had a parking light feature on the keyswitch. Never used it. Yamaha was ahead of the curve on some things back then. Even my first 1978 SR500 had self-canceling turn signals. I think Honda didn't even have them until a few years ago on the Wing, but I could be wrong. -
Hey 5Bikes. Wanna adopt me and my wife? Sounds like life is great over there. We don't eat much, I'm already retired, but I got 7 bikes and will need room for them. Heck I'll adopt y'all. I already got room for your bikes in my garage. The worse part about being retired and in my position (still here 'til May'10 training my replacement), is knowing that I personally really don't have to be here anymore if I wanna walk (or ride) away. But is is good for my company for me to train my replacement. This company has really been great to me for the past 31 years. In SC, we really don't have any winter lay up time. We can ride pretty much everday. That makes being in the office a little rough. Oh well, as long as I am still here, enjoy my contributions to Social Security. At 50, I still have a few years before I can draw that.
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Fuel level warning light
Beau-Kat replied to venture2008's topic in Royal Star Venture Tech Talk ('99 - '13)
The hardest thing for me to get used to with my fuel gauge was to look at the size of the bars on the display, not where they where or how many bars were showing. I had to realize that the bars were taller when the tank was fuller and shorter as the level in the tank dropped. It didn't take too long to figure out that the shorter bars dropped out more quickly (i.e. less miles traveled between bars) than the larger bars. My low fuel light would come on, my reserve tripmeter would start, my bike started starving, and I would have to switch to reserve. All these would happen at almost exactly the same time. If I stopped fairly quickly to refill the tank, it would take 4.5 gal everytime. Although my fuel gauge still works fine, my low fuel light and reserve tripmeter don't work anymore. They went out @ around 35K miles. I really miss them too. I guess the sensor in the tank has failed. I saw some used ones on ebay, but will probably just order a new sensor. Anyone else have theirs fail like that? -
Turning left on a red when the light won't change.
Beau-Kat replied to juggler's topic in Safety and Education
I was looking in Lowes today and saw a huge magnet that roofers use to pick up nails on the jobsite. Was wandering what the side effects would be. I'm not a mechanic so I'll put it up to the group for consideration. Maybe, if you attach that big magnet to the underside of your trailer hitch, which in most cases (sic) is far away from your engine. I have a magnet like that. I may attach it below my hitch and try it out at a few sticking lights around here. Will let y'all know what it does. -
Is this the DiamondR light you guys are talking about? Red or Clear lens? http://diamondraccessories.com/yamaha/proddisplay.php?name=15``%20Slimline%20LED%20Lightbar I need one.
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I run ME880s on my RSV and V Star 650 Classic. Been through a few sets and get great mileage and handling. Love them.
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Hey y'all. Has anyone ever moved the hazard light power from the "Run" to the "Acc" position of the keyswitch on their RSV? Here's my issue: I pick up my daughter at college and am not allowed to park my bike in the parking garages downtown (GRRR!!). So, I have to park in the no parking zone on the street like everyone else does anyway when they are picking up a passenger. Parking just long enough to pick up a passenger is allowed, but you gotta use your flashers. Anyway, I would like to be able to use my hazard flashers without having the head and tail lights on too, which happens in the "Run" key position. Any suggestions. Thanks. Rusty
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I use Honda spray Cleaner and Polish on my windshield and everything else on my bikes. I'll wash my bikes every now and then, but usually just clean everything with the spray. Just make sure you buff it up good. I love the stuff. http://www.kneedraggers.com/image_storage/c/54/c542788c404be7ba9b2bf6e39afbf1c4_refined.jpg
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2000 RSV started to backfire when deccelerating
Beau-Kat replied to lobo17's topic in General Tech Talk
Could be air getting into the exhaust somewhere. Oxygen in there helps to ignite unburned fuel/fumes causing backfire. Mine was doing it. Disconnected and plugged the AIS. No more backfires. -
If you haven't seen this forum. http://www.motorcycle-journal.com/fo....php/f-70.html Here ya go. It's the url for the rear differential failures and Virago 535 gear swap. Look at the photos closely and you will see the pinion shaft splines stripped away from the 650 differential. http://www.stargis.net/webslinger/Do...for650Vsta.pdf
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Yup. As per my post about my own problems. http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=28581 Thanks.
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Hey Mike. If you haven't seen this forum. http://www.motorcycle-journal.com/forum/archive/index.php/f-70.html Here ya go. It's the url for the rear differential failures and Virago 535 gear swap. Look at the photos closely and you will see the pinion shaft splines stripped away from the 650 differential. http://www.stargis.net/webslinger/Docs/XV535Reardriveswapfor650Vsta.pdf
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Just saw this old thread and wanted to share my problems I had a couple years back. I bought my 2002 V Star 650 used with 6600 miles. Around 11000 miles, it seemed to jump out of 2nd gear while turning into a parking lot. When I tried to shift to another gear...nothing. Pulled the front cover (Cone) off the differential. Found the spline to be dry and the pinion shaft stripped. I was hoping that the drift shaft to pinion shaft coupling (an $11 part) was what was stripped, but no luck. Yamaha just doesn't put enough grease in there and I could find nothing about checking it in the service manual. It is such an easy job to inspect it since you have to pull the drive shaft with the rear wheel at tire changes. Pop 4 acorn nuts and slide the cone forward and pack the coupling with grease. i wish I had known that sooner. I had thought that this area was oiled with the differential oil. Heck, there isn't even a gasket installed between the cone and the differential housing. Had to buy a whole new differential and install it myself. It comes with a new drive shaft and coupling. It was over $500. I once saw a website with the 650's differential dry coupling failures and had some good pix, but i couldn't find it tonight for this post. The V Star 1100's differential fortunately is different in that it has a hole in there that allows rear differential oil to lube the drive shaft to pinion shaft coupling. Live and learn. Then post it on the forum!
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I have a 2002 V Star 650 Classic. I am the only wrencher to touch my bikes. WORD OF CAUTION. Way too easy to strip engine threads for the inside oil filter cover bolts. I haven't stripped mine (yet), but have seen some bikes that had to have heli coils installed due to overtightening. I haven't done the oil filter relocation kit, but that is a very viable alternative. I've only seen the ones by Jardene installed. I think there is at least one other manufacturer. Here's a note: I know the oil filter also fits my 1979 SR500 and the 1996 Virago 535 I had. I once had a 1982 Virago 750 and think it may have used that same filter too.
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Turning left on a red when the light won't change.
Beau-Kat replied to juggler's topic in Safety and Education
It is true that you can now proceed through a "stuck" redlight in SC. However, you must wait a full two minutes without the light changing before you must survey the area and safely proceed through the intersection. This new law has been a blessing to me, but I'm still waiting to get pulled by the officer who doesn't know about the law yet. Hopefully, if I do get pulled over, the discussion will be civil and cordial. -
In a year or so, I'm going to be looking at locating a used (2007) FJR1300. Doing some research, I found this info: http://www.fjr1300.info/howto/audiovox.html Nice photos and write-up. Maybe you can benefit from it.
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Haven't used those. Got a deal on a set of rear pads for my 2nd gen a while back. The guy had some old dusty EBCs on a shelf in the back. They were listed for the front of !st gen, so I guess, he thought he would never sell them. Haven't seen hardly any 1st gens around here in quite a while. I guess he didn't know they would fit the rear of my bike. I think he charged me about about 8 bucks. I like the EBCs. They seem top hold up pretty well. Any sugestions out there for anything considered better all around? I hardly ever do any two ups anymore, since my wife got the VStar 650. I rarely pull my trailer.
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And I thought I ride alot. My hat's off to ya! In 2002, a day after I bought my Millenium (used), I went to the Honda Hoot in Knoxville. I met a retired man at the Yamaha tent who really rode a lot. I think the story went like this: He had bought a new 1999 and rode it 200,000 miles. Contacted Yamaha and they took it back, and for advertisement I guess, gave him another new one. Now, this was like June 12th, 2002, and he already had 140,000 on that one. CRAZY STUFF! I did notice that he walked pretty bowl-legged, like he retired from bull riding. And he was't married. Well, I guess he was married to the bike.
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RSTD handlebars on the Venture
Beau-Kat replied to BigShell's topic in Royal Star Venture Tech Talk ('99 - '13)
I ride a lot, pretty much everyday, but haven't gotten around to doing risers or alternative handlebars. At 5'9", I know I would like the bars pulled back a bit. I'll probably look into the risers before too long. Maybe the Flanders bars.... Just for kicks, I was looking at the mirrors on my VMax the other day and comparing them to the RSV's. The VMax's handlebars are, of course, very much shorter, so the mirror stems are much longer than the RSV's. I have a friend who added homemade longer stems to his RSV mirrors to set them out a bit farther. He is a big guy and wanted to see things better behind him. I wonder, has anyone tried the VMax mirrors/stems? The mirrors are identical. Only the stems are different lengths. I might swap mine out, just to see what they look like and how they might help the rear view.