Kretz

Know exactly what you mean! I have done lots of things previously, but now just "don't want to" or "don't feel like it" I wonder if it's a part of the human make up, to lose interest in stuff after a while. But there are folks that become more "involved" as they get older so perhaps not.

So here's the dilemma, we are looking at moving from a busy, small city with some heavy traffic, to a much smaller, quieter rural area. There are a paved roads, but many of the regular roads are gravel, (they seem to be well maintained) & just last week I saw them being groomed with a grader. There are also lots of forest "trails" that are not groomed as are the gravel roadways. Now while my RSTD & my Vulcan are great 'on pavement' bikes they might not be so great on those types of roads. So I'm sorta thinking of something more "adventure style" bike but I have no experience & the only model I know is the Suzuki V-Strom. (DL1000) We often ride two up so that's why I'm thinking 1000cc but that may also change & 650cc may be big enough for me (also lighter to handle) I know I have to visit a stealership & try/ sit on some of these machines, I'm a bit concerned about seat height (I'm 6ft & 240lbs with a 31" inseam) but most from my recollection seem very tall. Whatever I get it wouldn't be new it would have to be used. What alternatives are there? Any advice to offer? Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

Ok so I get the point, I really do, electric vehicles are good for the planet & all that stuff, but what I want to know is why do people driving electric vehicles not have to pay for their fuel? When I pull in to a gas station I have to pay for a fill up. At present people with EV's have charging stations that in most places cost nothing to use. It's a "perk" for being a trendsetter & having an EV. In Vancouver Canada they recently had to introduce a parking time limit at charging stations because some users would park there all day with their vehicle plugged in as it was cheaper than paying for parking downtown! Look, I'm not against electric vehicles at all, but the electricity to power/ charge them has to come from somewhere & it costs to produce it. I think we are being misled & breeding a group of EV users who are being "bribed" by Gov't to have an EV. (e.g.Rebates, Free charging points, being allowed in HOV lanes with only one person in the vehicle). People are being misled into mistakenly thinking that their fuel is basically free & will always be so. If they plug in at home it's not free, why should it be so anywhere else? In addition power companies are trying to get us to reduce energy usage, so how does that work when there are more & more EV's?

I think you're dead right! (& so is Rambo) how young he is in that clip. But sadly I see too many people on a daily basis who just don't appear to us it. My wife & I are a couple of old codgers now, (or well on the way) but regularly we watch seemingly "normal, regular" folks' antics & ask each other "how in the hell, do they get through daily life?" But to them we guess it's just "normal".

Wow! Looks like a job very well done! Take care of each other & ride safe!

What I want to know is... what's going to happen when people get so used to being nannied by these devices, & then the nanny doesn't work for some reason? A sensor fries or a ding-ding doesn't. I think we are going to see people squeal so loud & some smart a$$ lawyer will be bringing class action lawsuits against the vehicle manufacturers who will wriggle & squirm cause it won't be their fault either. We are rapidly becoming a people that always want (or even need) to "have someone look after us" have the "government fix it" it really has gotten out of hand, does no-one accept responsibility for their own action anymore? For my way of thinking all these "safety devices" do is encourage stupid people to drive.

Well there will always be Critics, "Nay sayers" & those who can "do better" (or think they can!) but You know what they say... "the man who never made a mistake, never made anything!" you keep up those good works brother!

Puc you are a fountain of knowledge! :happy65:Thanks for the videos & comments. Right on brother! Something I was taught on my riding course some years ago, always tap down to 1st if coming to a stop. Very occasionally if I don't that's usually when the problem occurs, operator incompetence; not really the fault of the machine! LOL ps those cutaway engines truly are works of art & beautiful to see!

If it only kicks in at 60, all you have to do is ride at 59 or below, see... problem solved! & You're welcome;)

:sign yeah that: Just what Yamagrl said, I think many bikes will do that, I've had it happen (on a much younger bike) Not often, but occasionally. Try it & see if it works for you. Come to think of it (which I just did) it happens in my stick shift truck too. Occasionally it just won't go into gear. Let the clutch peddle up, try again, it shifts ok. I guess it's just a case of where the gear cogs stop.

I have LA Choppers on my 2009 RSTD. they are a perforated tube inside that I wrapped. Very easy to install, all brackets are on the pipes, straight plug & play after removing the old ones. Sound growly (there are a few You Tubes out there) but not too raucous I'm thinking of putting the stock ones back on as Leo's around here are starting to be silly about loud pipes & the courts are saying "if the police SAY it's too loud then it IS too loud" no measurements are needed. All done on a leo's word.

Watts measure energy (actually power input or output), Lumens have one of those long ISO definitions but in short Lumens measure brightness (ie the LIGHT output). Basically a light may give out more Lumens but use more or less watts to do it than another light unit (efficiency, reflector design etc) Many people put LED "bulbs" into their vehicles that have reflectors that were not designed for LED's & that's why many vehicles cause glare & scattered light. The reflectors weren't designed for the way in which an LED bulb distributes it's light. When comparing bulbs always compare like with like Lumens to Lumens OR Watts to Watts There are charts online that give "approximate" conversions but as stated above they can only be approximations depending upon the design of the unit. Hope that helps.

My Clymer says for Yamaha Royal Star 1996-2010 has a supplement in the back for the XVZ13CT Tour Deluxe (2005-2010) & colour wiring diags. Book Part # is M374-2 (top Right on front cover) Back Cover says for XVZ13A Royal Star/ Boulevard (1996-2001) XVZ13LT Tour Deluxe (1997-2001) XVZ13AT Tour Classic (1996-2000) XVZ13TF Venture (1999-2010) XVZ13CT Tour Deluxe (2005-2010) Hope that helps.

It's crazy, on Vancouver Island & many of the smaller Gulf Islands here in BC deer have become a major problem. One UBC wildlife researcher has put numbers as high as 170 per sq. km (that converts to 440 deer per sq mile!!!) OK I accept this may be a worst case but it's one helluva lot! Numbers have multiplied as major predators wolves & cougars have been driven out. The deer are destroying the natural landscapes, destroying habitat for other wild animals & birds, damaging crops & gardens, due to their population densities they are becoming sick & mangy, they cause accidents (some serious or fatal) Hunting is discouraged due to "possibility" of harm to people & mention a cull of any sort the "bambi effect" comes into force with anti hunt types being very vocal . Re-introduction of natural predators is also discouraged due to possible harm to children. So what's the answer? The general populace seems content to bury their heads in the sand, put up "deer-proof fences" so not in MY backyard, go to someone else's! A local newspaper brought the matter to the public's attention TWO YEARS ago in 2015, stating that deer had reached CRISIS levels. What happened?... nothing, well... the powers that be advocate a "comprehensive study" (FFS!!!). But absolutely nothing constructive has been done to actually reduce the numbers. It's estimated that there are 30 million deer in the USA (couldn't find figures for Canada) & that under optimal conditions their numbers can double every two years.

Wow! 20c/ round for 9mm that sounds pretty good to me. We're almost paying that much for .22LR! American Eagle 9mm is $22 for 50 at local Cabela's. (Bulk 1000 rds Remington 9mm $300!) ps Good that you know the "code" for doing the groceries. I do much the same, but of course few of our supermarkets have decent sports dept's I can sneak off to (actually I don't need to sneak, she'd be there with me!)

Hey BlueSky pleased you came out of it OK with no serious damage. Thing is Puc's daughter is right, (trust her she's a doctor!) we all do some dumb stuff at times & often get away with it, but it only takes one time, we're not invincible (like we used to be LOL) anymore, & we don't bounce quite as well as we used to, though with all the additional padding some of us have, you have to wonder why. Stay safe everyone.

Nice looking "little bike" if I lived nearer I would consider that as a project. Yes I do! When I returned to riding & people suggested the smallest bike I should consider should be a 650cc I thought they were all nuts.... 650's!!!! They were monsters in my day, I ended up with a 900 Vulcan, great bike taught me a lot & I still like it.

Silencers not legal here in Canada, just not allowed. Yet, a number of gun clubs are being harassed (lawsuits & byelaw complaints) by "neighbours" over noise concerns & in most cases the gun clubs were there before the "neighbours" moved in & built. So wouldn't the use of silencers help moderate that noise a little, then everyone is happier (or maybe not)

I would think that with all the riding experience you guys have you wouldn't need speedo's to tell how fast you're going! Or maybe you ride IN Speedo's (no Puc... that's NOT a photo we want to see)

OK Puc Ya pressured me, you were correct D & E. No he didn't fall off Jeff but he was struggling & couldn't really control the bike at all. You know how you get that "feeling" that someone is going to do something silly.... after he pulled the U-turn in front of me without checking, I stopped & tooted (not nasty) & just gave him a quizical look, palms up "what the ??" He looked very sheepish & just shrugged, the bike really was too much for him. Hope he learned something, at least he went home non the worse for his maneuver.

c'mon guys a few more guesses then I'll tell ya'll.

driving along (in the Jeep) a typical sub division street at the speed limit (school zone 30kph) when I get behind a guy riding a HD (not sure of the model fairing & hard bags etc) He is in the right side of the lane (more towards the kerb than is usual) & he didn't look too balanced. What does he do next? a) Pull in & stop? b) fall off? c) complete a U turn after appropriate checks as it was safe to do so? d) try to complete U-turn without a shoulder check or mirror use, fail miserably & wobble to a stop in the school driveway? e) duck paddle backwards out of the school driveway into the roadway looking very unsafe, like the bike was far too big & heavy for him to control?

Agree with all the other posters here. The "Venture Family" is not a beginners bike. Too big, too heavy, too high. Cut your teeth on something smaller & more manageable & you'll have way more fun. I'd also recommend taking a training course if there's one in your area. They teach you all the stuff you think you already know but often don't! When I came back to motorcycling after a long break I started on a 900cc Kawasaki Vulcan LT. (I'm 6ft & 235lbs with a 31" inseam). To begin with that bike felt quite big & heavy to me, but once I got used to it it was OK. Now it feels a bit like a toy after riding my Royal Star Tour DL. so much lighter & easier to maneuver. I think it's also around 220lbs lighter than the RSTD & it carries it's weight lower down, so doesn't feel as "top heavy" as the Venture family does. I took my course on a Yamaha 250cc but it just felt so small & I felt unsafe on it. That's why I bought the Vulcan much more suited to my size & weight. If you want a cruiser style m/c might I suggest you look at a Yamaha VStar 650cc The Kawasaki Vulcan (older ones were 800cc) the newer ones are 900cc. Suzuki Boulevard family at 800cc is another great beginner bike. Honda Shadow 750cc. I'm sure there are many other bikes that would suit you too, try them sit on them are you comfortable or are you struggling to reach the floor? Trail style bikes are easier to ride & are often used by schools due to that fact, but some have higher seat heights & may be difficult to feel safe on (flat footed at stops) I only mention the bikes above as I know them & have ridden them, but my requirements may not be yours. We are also different in build/ weight etc. But please don't jump in on something that is too big for you just cause sounds like a deal. Good luck whatever you choose.

I came on to say it looks very CTX ish to me & there others have already said it. I like the look.

Holy Moley! My Dad had one of those colourtune plugs back in the 70's. Used it a lot, never thought of using it on the bike. I think it disappeared along with a lot of other garage stuff after he died. But that only gives you info to alter the air fuel mixture, it doesn't help with balancing the carbs though does it?