flyday58

Lived in Ole Miss before moving to NM way back in '15, sure don't miss that stuff. Hattiesburg got a tornado the last two years that only tracked a couple miles apart from each other. And they can keep their hurricane season too. After going through Katrina, if I never see Jim Cantore again it'll be too soon!

Guess I'm about to find out just how good they are...

Haven't even taken delivery but ordered a bunch of stuff last night, including a bump skid, air bag rock guard and belt guard. Didn't know they had mud flaps so that's next on the list. Wonder if there's a lift or air shocks available to get a little more ground clearance when I need it? Mainly for the front, hopefully the rear air bag is all you need in back. Fun stuff!

Thought you was mad wit me for deserting the world of gravity-seeking two-wheeled flame throwers!! Thanks for the well wishes, my little 160 lb boney-arsed self just has too hard a time of it keeping the big girl upright so figured I'd try sommat a little less dropsey. Pics to come, stay tuned. Now all I need to do is find someone who makes heated enclosures for the Spydie and I can come visit cha!! Long live the Half Pipe:missingtooth:

Took the plunge and put a deposit down on a pearl red RT Limited. Picking up Tuesday or Wednesday so still time to back out. Nervous as hell, never had anything like this but I do keep hearing from folks who are thinking about it. There was a guy at the dealer getting a Quad Runner or similar and he said he and his wife are seriously considering trading their Harley for one. They had a Slingshot that someone had traded so glad I got to see one, but not my cup of joe. Reminded me of the kit cars they had in the 70s. Still only one bite on the Venture but I listed it on two local CGs today so hopefully there'll be some interest out there. About the only thing original are the motor and frame, most everything else has been replaced. Hopefully someone will appreciate what this bike has to offer. I'm still a little concerned how the Spyder is gonna take to my canyon road. It's not horrible but it's in crummy shape most of the time, potholes, divits, ruts, loose gravel and rocks. AND my driveway is super-steep. I'll be asking about all this over on the Spyder forum so I'm sure they can guide me on my new journey as a Spyder Man

That would be great, no hurry and thanks again.

Thanks, I'll check out the links. Supposed to go across the desert in the a.m. to check out the RTs they have but I'll look at these first.

Thanks for the sway bar info, haven't seen anything about this (yet) but haven't dived that deep into the Spyder forums yet either. Right now I'm zeroing in on a 2016 RT Limited but still need to make the trip across the desert to the showroom to have a look. Very little used in my area, although the local Yammy guys have a used 2015 RS-S with 9000 on it for 13999. There's a brand new one, exactly the same model and color, on clearance in Albuquerque for 12999 so, yeah.

Good stuff here. Was reading about the tires last night and that's on the short list already. Kumho came up but some swear by Yoko,everyone agrees about the Kendas. So just lose the cat, or is there something to go in its place? And could you pm me your light set up? Did you dump the halogens for bi-xenon or LED? Did you buy the gizmo they talk about for doing your own alignments? The clam shells only hold clams? Finicky on closing? What's up here? What did you get for air horns? Again, would like to see a pic or two if possible. Have you done the belt tensioner mod? Some say the newer models don't really need it. Thanks for all this.

Thanks for all the replies. My wife told me to do what I want, so better take her at her word while I can! I'm looking at a new 2015 or so RT if I can get one in some color other than 1950s Television Show. The Can Am dealer sites are mostly showing the manufacturer pics so not much help there, guess I'll jump in the H2 and head across the divide to the Las Cruces stealership and see what they got. Albuquerque may be better, they have some on clearance but almost 5 hours away. The only real issue I might have is the canyon road I live on. Parts are pretty rugged. Also my driveway is very steep. Anyone heard of or had issues with either of these? I like the idea of getting an older machine - there's an 08 on El Paso CG for 6500.00 but not sure I want to go that route, guy doesn't give much info about it and not really wanting to call without knowing more. But I also like the idea of new since I don't go that way much anymore. I'll keep y'all informed as I go along but may be a slow process. Listed the Venture yesterday, got one bite but nothing serious. We'll see.

Someone here was saying the twins need the valves adjusted frequently, and who doesn't need more horses? I'm leaning toward the RT models. Pricing on Can Am's accessories makes me think if I'm gonna get that stuff anyway might as well be part of the initial buy. And the other models seem more open-air whereas the RT 'feels' more enclosed with the bags and trunk. Yeah, I know. It's like flying a Sopwith Camel and worrying about the lack of seat belts - flip it over and you're still gone, seat belt or not.

Well, the time has come, I think, for many sad partings. It looks like I'll be going the Can Am route here pretty soon, and the Venture must go. I really love the old girl, lots of busted knuckles and chewed-up fingernails went into getting her road-worthy again, not to mention the piles of that have disappeared down N. Ebay Blvd. But the canyon I live up is just too rugged for her, I dropped her once in a gopher hole getting out, so she stays parked most of the time and that ain't good for the old gal. So on the block she goes. I won't say I'm done with Ventures, but for the nonce I think I'll be better off on 3 wheels. I'm looking at the Spyder and trying to get as much research in as possible before running one down. Any input from y'all that have or have had or has have had one would be appreciated appreciatively. So in the immortal words of Carol Burnett, "I'm so glad we had this time together..." Well, not really saying 'so long', still gonna be lurking here, so I guess that don't actually apply. Just always loved The Carol Burnett Show. Guys like Herr Puckenmeister prolly don't remember it, they too dang young.

Did this on my '83 to lean out the carbs for high-altitude ops where I live. Bike runs much better. Big shout out to Herr Puc-enmeister for the help.

If I do the swap it will have to include your manifold, no way I could get one built with my limitations. I went to the Ignitech a few years ago so already running that, and have just converted to COPs for ignition. Cowpuc helped me adjust the needles in the sliders All has helped the bike run better up here, but as you say, it's very cold-natured on startup, and needs to be thoroughly warmed up before setting out. The first 5 miles is basically idling down a rocky canyon road so fouling is a real concern. Wish I had someplace out the canyon to keep it, been considering just selling it because of all this.

PKR, my bestie lives in Englewood (Dayton), mother is in Findlay, good people. I'm intrigued by your swap, but I live 9000' above sea level and the lowest the bike gets is around 4000'. How do you think my '83 would run up here with your set-up?

Mine is the same, love that sound, like Half-Pipe said, similar to a supercharger. Reminds me of a vintage 60s Starship Enterprise hitting warp 3 as it's accelerating toward some rendezvous with Mudd's women! Yes Puc, I still here...

I just reread the entire thread, but the last couple of bits are ringing bells. What's the condition of the battery and charging system? When I was bringing mine back from the dead I kept having issues with the battery draining while running, too much idling and bad wiring in the voltage regulator circuit. As the battery voltage dropped one, then two cylinders would drop out. After a recharge on my battery charger all would fire again till the voltage dropped again. The dropout was random, sometimes the fronts, sometimes the rears. Anyway it's easy to check the battery and the charging system.

For my money if someone has any tinkering skills at all, for an internal combustion-powered machine, you're way ahead removing the carbs and doing a thorough cleaning. There's nothing particularly difficult about it and you get intimate and comfortable with the beast real quick. Had to disassemble my carbs three times before I got all the passages clean, kept finding ones I missed. IMO:2cents:

AHA! I knew there was a cheaper alternative to all those expensive nuts, bolts, screws, and assorted googaws to hold these old bikes together!!

It's so pretty!!!

Hey Half-Pipe, wassat colored stuff on your hands?? Wait, I see, you got turkey baster mitts on! Very cool, very 20teens!!

Okay, not gonna bother with the rear then. it's all done and sitting comfortably in my garage in NM. Can't get back to it, though. Getting closer to retirement so naturally losing seniority and getting less time off at work, plus we're on vacation in the South somewhere, so not sure when I'll get to ride again. But at least the forks are done. Again. Again.

Seems too pricey for a non-runner, unless it's a super-simple fix. I'd let him keep it for that kind of money. JMO.

I traded 3 boxes of Honda junk for my 83, and couldn't be happier. It was a neglected, rusted POS that had sat in the MS rain for 6 years. 2 months later I was riding it around on 3 and sometimes only 2 cylinders, unknown to me. Once I got that sorted it damn near threw me off the back when I cranked the throttle. Really, they're just beasts, and well worth the time and money. I hate to even admit how much :mo money: I've put into it, but it's a great machine. Parts are plentiful on fleabay at reasonable prices. Welcome to the Nut House! Richard

Have a look at the clutch slave cylinder while you're in there. Sitting that long with so few miles on it (7000? Really???) the seals may have gone allowing it to leak DOT3 when you pull the clutch lever. Or the mounting seal could be shot. Edit: just saw when I posted your comment about the master cylinder, so never mind.