Sexagenarian

I feel your pain... I winterize my bike by adding a fuel stabilizer and pulling the battery so as to move it from an unheated garage and down to my furnace room. Getting the bike ready to ride is only a 10 minute battery installation. But the problem is that this stupid State of Minnesota really likes to use salt on the roads in the winter time. The idiots spread salt last week when we got hit with some freezing rain and then snow. So maybe I am paranoid, but I know that darned salt is still sitting on the road as we have had no rain to wash it off. It hit 52 degrees Fahrenheit today and I really wanted to go for a ride. I consoled myself by cleaning up seven of the 5 gallon soda kegs that I use for my home brew. They are now ready to be re-filled with some primo home brewed beer. -Wayne

I am so new to this motorcycle world that I wouldn't know if someone was pulling my leg, or not. Is an RSTD really referred to as a Venturette by the Venture owners? If so, then my venturette (97 RSTD) was obtained 5 months ago. It is my first ever motorcycle and it came with 67,000 + miles. I was able to put close to 2000 miles on it this year before having to put it away for the winter. The county and city was out throwing road salt all over during the first snow of the season last week. I would not have gotten that many miles on it if not for the expertise given from many members of this forum on helping me through some pretty good carburetor issues. Finding this forum was the best medicine a beginning motorcycle owner could ever obtain. I just wish the downtime would have been during the winter months instead of the precious few riding months we actually have!! -Wayne

I have the same problem as ground-hugger and silvrT. It seems everytime I approached the age for a senior discount, my favorite restaurant would raise the age requirement. I chased it to 55, they changed it to 57. I chased it to 57, the raised it to 60. I chased it to 60, they raised it to 62. By gosh, I finally caught it!!!

...Hey... not too bad an idea ...But I think 'borrowing' the name, "Minnesota get together" is friendlier. ---Yup, Everyone is welcome !! After all, if they take those signs down which mark the beginning and ending of the State boundary lines, nobody would ever know when they have left one state and entered another. Thanks for the input so far.... As Cimmer and jwcutler have mentioned, weather in May in Minnesota just might not be cooperative. Especially last year when the fishing opener included ice augers ... Hopefully the weather should be known three to four weeks in advance of May 3rd. We will keep both options open until then. Keep the ideas flowing everyone...

so the following went out to all the registered Minnesota members. If I inadvertently forgot to pm this to someone in Minnesota I apologize. I have not yet started the neighboring states/provinces as I do not know how large to make this: ------ Hello, my name is Wayne and I have decided to organize a meet and eat for Minnesota riders. I am sending this to all the members listed in the Minnesota section of this forum. This could also be a maintenance day if enough interest is generated. The tentative date is the weekend before mothers day which would be the 3rd of May, 2014. I have never organized one of these before so patience is required. For the meet and eat, I am leaning towards a cook out in a community park along the Mississippi river with Burgers, Brats, whatever, or meet at a local eatery. If scheduled with a maintenance day, we could make it a weekend function. What type of maintenance would you like to see offered or included? Let me know your thoughts before we make this official and place it on the forum calendar. Your input is greatly needed at this time. Thank you in advance for your reply which can either be a message to me or you can add your thoughts/suggestions to the original thread located here: Minnesota get together --Wayne

Yes, I was talking about a meet and eat at this time. But I know previously I had discussed a maintenance day for minnesota. Sorry about the confusion. I am open to either concept. I believe P-I-Pines is both, is it not? The tentative date(s) will be the weekend before the fishing opener. For those of you still lucky enough to have your mother, it is also the weekend before mothers day. If meet and eat only, then Saturday the 3rd of May, 2014. If maintenance day is included, we could possibly go the 3rd and 4th. On a maintenance day, would access to a lift be necessary? I do NOT have one. Typically, what kind of maintenance does everyone usually perform on these days? Oil changes, brakes, carb tuning? Sorry all, but I am so new to this concept that I haven't a clue at this time. But then again, this is why we have all winter to get me educated on this, right? I am hoping there will always be new riders joining this great forum. And I know there will be others like me that want to get a group together. Hopefully, someone else will be able to use this thread as a resource to start a similar project in their area.

So I see from the archives there has been a couple since 2009... With both my wife and I being new to this hobby, I thought it would be great to get one scheduled around the end of April or the first of part of May in 2014. We are always looking to enjoy good times with new friends.. So either I can start organizing one, or I will gladly step aside if one of you who have already had one, want to organize another. We can use this thread to getting 'er started... Yah, shure, you betcha by golly!!

Black Owl.. thank you for the link !!! -Wayne

Well said, bubber!!! To all fellow Veterans out there... take a moment to reflect upon your great service to this country and the freedom(s) we enjoy in this country. Well done to all!!!

Located the thread on the last Pork in the Pines... Dang, I wish my bike had been put back together by then as I would have tried to make that one.. I am assuming it is always on Labor Day weekend so I have my Calendar marked for that one in 2014. Have been getting some PM's on possibly holding a meet and eat/maintenance day in the spring. Thanks for the feedback on making sure there would be no timeline clash with anyone in neighboring States/Provinces who have already grandfathered their event in. Seriously considering pursuing this further. Any other thoughts are always most welcome!

Being the new 'kid' on the block, is there ever one in Minnesota? If so, when? If not, How do you organize one? Is it worth the time and effort to get one scheduled for next spring? Input from those that have done these in other areas of the country would be great.. Input from those interested in attending one in Minnesota would be great also..

Thanks ToyOdie... Will be putting them on order...

Yesterday I put the Airhawk-R on my 97 RSTD stock seat and noticed there was immediate improvement on my comfortability over the day before. I have had two prostate biopsies already at my age and the cell placement on the airhawk R was great at relieving the pressure points on both the prostate and those two sensitive areas within the scrotum. You will need to get the air volume correct as well as the best means of strapping it to your seat. For my situation, I have found that the best means of holding it in the proper spot on the seat is to only use the front strap connecting the front loops while routed under the front area of the seat. YMMV. ride safe!!

was wondering if anyone ever used a metal polish on the pistons? If so, what kind?

Another newbie question: I am going to change out my front brake bleeders to speed bleeders. I found a thread on the 2nd Gen's referring to the part #'s below. I was wondering if my 97 RSTD would use the same part numbers?? Speed Bleeders:http://www.speedbleeder.com/ The SB8125 standard length ones fit the rear caliper and the clutch slave The SB7100's fit the front calipers Get 2 of the SB8125's and 2 of the SB7100's --------------

I ran across this while doing a search within the forum on another topic. This video just blew me away. Who would have thought that such a great comedian of his time, would bring me not to tears of laughter, but rather to tears of patriotism welling up inside me!! I hope all new members, like me, will enjoy this as much as the older members have been able to do so. A big Thank you KarlS for your originally posting this. --Wayne

What type of lube do you use Squidley? Or do you apply some of the Dot4 brake fluid around the piston as a lube for re-seating the pistons?

After reading all the responses in this thread pointing towards the Morgan CarbTune, I went that route. It was very simple to understand and use. Prior to purchasing my 97 this year, I didn't even know what a carb synch was or what it did...With the directions supplied with the CarbTune, I was able to synch the carbs in about 10 minutes. It actually took me longer to set the idle to 1000rpm and then get the Throttle position sensor oriented correctly, so that I was able to complete the carb synch. Going forward, I am sure in time, I will be agreeing with many of you on switching to vacuum gauges. But as I am just learning how to be my own mechanic, I am finding I have so very much to learn!! ride safe!!

the carb synch went great and I have been enjoying the ride tremondously. I just replaced the front brake pads and noticed that my left front brake pad, on the inboard side, was almost 6mm while the outboard side was less than a half of a mm. Further investigation revealed the inboard pistons were no longer moving. I am going to order a new seal kit for this caliper and replace the seals. Changing out the brake pads was a first for me and rebuilding the caliper will be another first for me. For those of you who have gone through this before, can you give me some advice on what to notably be aware of or any other helpful advice on front caliper seal replacement? Thanks all.

Thanks for resurrecting this post, Cougar!! As a new rider at my age, I have just automatically gone without my hearing aids while riding and wearing my helmet. I have the over the ear but as GG mentioned in his analysis; in the past, background noise issues constantly interfered with an ability to effectively hear anything at all. I am glad he was able to make many of us aware of a possible alternative.

This is truly good to know... thank you ragtop69gs!!

Had a problem on my 97RSTD petcock. The long 'normal' plastic tube had separated from its' metal housing altogether. Once I ran out of gas, the tank was dry from that tube being completely detached from the petcock, so I had no reserve. Yamaha mechanic told me that the plastic will shrink in time which is why it becomes unseated in the tank. I Ordered a new petcock for around $20 and guess what? That long tube is now a metal one. You may also want to order the rubber bushings that the mounting screws fit through. Mine were so brittle they would have been of no use on the new one.

So I went to remove the hoses from the filter assy in order to give it a good soak in some seafoam. Unfortunately, the ears came off the assembly while trying to twist off the hoses. Ordered another, and since the hose and piping were no longer pliable, I ordered those also... The pipe is back ordered so I plugged the end of the pipe containing the broken off ear of the assy with a bolt. I will try boiling the end of it to soften it up when the new filter arrives..In the meantime, I figured after riding for the day, I can then unscrew the bolt allowing any draining which may be needed.

I took your advice on this when setting my floats. I do not think they had ever been adjusted prior. Set them all between 8 and 9mm for my 1997 RSTD and have to say... the bike runs great... thank you for posting the above...--Wayne

I just really appreciate your attitude SummerBreeze.... Not to sound to corny here, but if you are ever in my neck of the woods, please stop by and we can take the Royal Stars out and just enjoy what kind of day the good Lord gives us...Cheers!!-Wayne