dynodon
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Everything posted by dynodon
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I put about 10,000 miles on the tires that came with my '86 VR that I bought about 2.5 years ago. When I finally looked those tires were from 98! Finally got rid of them when the rear started developing a small crack between the treads. They still had some depth to them. I have had cars that had tires that were over 20 years old. They didn't have cracks and were perfectly good. Been hauling trailers around (not huge ones, small ones) that had tires that were 40 years old! Never had a failure. I am not advocating that anyone ride a motorcycle or vehicle with old tires, but just because a tire is old doesn't necessarily mean it is dangerous or bad. They are a lot more durable that that if they have been treated right and stored right. If buying new tires though, do check the date, the fresher the tire, the better chance you will get full use out of them safely.
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Some Venture Royale questions for you
dynodon replied to Beau-Kat's topic in Venture and Venture Royale Tech Talk ('83 - '93)
Rusty, I have an '86 and thought hard about buying that one you got. Treat it well and it will treat you well. Have a safe trip to pick it up. Your bike will have a fuel warning light, seems pretty accurate, comes in with maybe a little over a gallon left, and I think that is about right, you want to be warned with enough left to get somewhere. It is just a matter of getting used to it. My fuel shut-off/reserve is frozen (luckily in reserve), and I hear that is fairly common. Check yours when you get it. I haven't tried to force mine, since it really isn't a problem. Good purchase :happy65:on that bike. -
I actually faced down a Chicago cab one day. Was lost, somewhere in the middle of the city, not the nicest area, and really ticked off. Came to an intersection, I had the green light (was in my car, and older '89 Taurus, this detail may have saved a wreck) and as I entered the intersection at a slow speed this cab started to run a light to my right. I just glared at him and kept going and at the last second he slammed on the brakes. Whey did the car save me? Well, although it was shiny, the cabbie probably recognized that it wasn't worth much and he had more to lose than I did at the moment. Do I get some sort of award for that?
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Spent some vacation time in Nevada, and have friends that live in the valley below Reno, in Minden/Gardnerville. The valley is high enough they have some cold weather, even snow, but it is usually gone by mid-day. Not a bad place to be.
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Modern Day 1st Gen
dynodon replied to Sheradan's topic in Venture and Venture Royale Tech Talk ('83 - '93)
I am looking at the BMW LT also. The Wing is great, but 30 something MPG is just not good enough. BMW does much better. My '86 VR is wonderful, and yes, it is a Gold Wing clone from that time period. The RSV is and has been a Harley clone, but that isn't a bad thing, it is just a thing. Obviously made to look like a V-twin. Beats the Harley in many ways, and if some want to think it was made to be like something else, then great. I have not owned and RSV, but took a new one for a decent ride, and was impressed, much like my VR, and why shouldn't it be like that bike, running gear is almost the same. That is a good thing. Personally I don't like the Harley look, wish Yamaha would go back to something closer to the VR, don't think I will get that wish, but I am glad we do have some choices. -
Nothing like a good ole' ABS debate to heat things up. As I see it, the first ABS systems were so slow that it wasn't hard for a half-way decent driver with some skill to out brake them. Since I have raced, been an instructor and also tow trailers, I knew threshold braking techniques before ABS was introduced. And that is what ABS does well, is threshold brake. The new ABS systems are so fast that it takes a VERY good driver to out brake the system. Tire compound has a fairly large effect on braking distances, but tread design and the weather and how those tread compounds and designs interact with the weather and road surface all make differences. Example. Summer compound or "race" compound tires will stop better than any other tire (size and contact patch, weight etc being equal) in warm weather. Lower the temperature or add in some ice/snow and they are the worst tires. Winter tires will do best in ...winter ...(duh on myself!) and will be OK the rest of the time. All season tires are a good compromise for all types of roads/weather. Not the best in any extreme, but really good. The Tire Rack web site has a lot of info, and I hear a recent test of winter tires VS summer and all season. Results pretty much what you would expect. Yes, most of this is about cars, but most does apply to bikes.
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Actually EagleRider is cheaper than the HD stores. For a Glide, it is $140 from them or $195 from a dealer. (plus tax in both instances) Difference is the dealer is a new (or nearly new) 2010 where EagleRider is an older bike with some miles, I have heard EagleRider is a good place, so I appreciate the suggestion. HD store gives $30 off if you are a HOG member, so maybe joining as an associate HOG member for $25 would save me $5? Plus I get the magazine and can start living "the" life. Still making phone calls and trying to decide what to do.
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I have a chance to spend a few days in Florida soon, and will want to rent a motorcycle while there. Most any big touring bike, to tour keys, Miami etc. anyone have suggestions/tips etc? Thanks
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SOME dishwashing soap is worse that others, but the full truth is that plain water will strip wax off a car if you rinse and dry. The reason I recommend Liquid Ivory is that it rinses cleaner, and won't strip off any more wax than about anything else. I have used it for decades, and my wax jobs last for months. Some "car wash" soaps go so far in NOT being a soap that they won't get off the dirt, sand, anti-freeze, axle grease, tranny fluid, engine oil, brake fluid, not to mention bugs and other stuff. Ivory will get most of this pretty easy, and of course it will take off some of the wax, but it won't strip off all of a good wax. Typically DAWN brand is mentioned if you want to really strip off all the wax. But you can use Liquid Ivory without fear of having to re-wax every time, but it WILL get the real junk off your finish better than most any "car wash" product. Oh, and one other thing, don't believe those products that say they can wash and wax at the same time. You can either wash off the dirt, or put on the wax, but these are two diametrically opposed things, and one product can't do both.
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I agree that tire dressing is fine as long as you make sure to not get it on the tread. But I have developed a special method that insures decent looking tires and safety..please read on. Wash the wire with a mitt or cloth and soapy water first, I recommend Liquid Ivory. Been washing my cars with it for decades, and I sell detailing supplies for my business, and Liquid Ivory is what I recommend for cars too. Won't hurt paint and unlike most "car wash" products it will get off the junk that vehicles (including motorcycles) collect. Rinse and dry. Use an aluminum polish on the wheels (non-painted parts) and apply regular wax to those when done to protect them. Special "wheel" wax isn't needed. Finally, use a wipe on tire dressing and apply with a damp cloth (water) lightly. then take a clean damp cloth and wipe the tire again. Why wipe the tire again with a damp cloth? Because some tire dressing products will run down the tire if they get wet if they are put on too thick. So wipe the tire to take off any excess. The damp cloth insures that not much will remain on the tire. If you stay away from the tread area you should never have a problem with this method.
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Just put a set of the Dunlop E3's this late summer and love them. Bias ply, but really for a two-wheeled vehicle, it doesn't matter that much. The new tread pattern doesn't follow tar snakes or grooves near as bad. I love them so far. Not enough miles to gauge treadlife, but others say they do better than the II's.
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Yep, Gen 1's had anti-dive in the forks.
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I'd say you got the Turkey target good. Only problem with the new target is who takes their motorcycle hunting? Can you include fake deer like lawn ornaments? If not, then Ok, we can try to see who wants to lay a deer across the passenger saddle!
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Bob, For what it is worth, I didn't take your original note as an insult to Yama Mama. But also, when it comes to women, just remember the two most important sayings in the English Language. 1. It was my fault! 2. I'm Sorry Repeat with flowers and candy added in, till life returns to normal.
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Been storing cars and bikes in a concrete floor garage for 30+ years, new and very old tires alike. Never got a flat spot that didn't work its way out within a few miles, and never had any tires go bad. Keep them inflated correctly, keep tires away from strong electrical sources (ozone is bad for rubber) and use a proper tire dressing on the NON TREAD portion to keep them looking good and lasting a little longer. Yea, I know some will say never use dressing on motorcycle tires, but if you wipe it on and don't let it run to the tread, and wipe it down with a dry cloth so there isn't any excess on the tire, you will be just fine. Of course keep it off anything that could possibly see pavement. And if you have any fears, then stay away from it. (trying to cover all bases) Oh also, batteries won't go dead from sitting on concrete either.
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Adventurer, what year is your bike (edit, profile says 2000...sorry), and was that color combo (white/tan?) available for how many years (edit, assuming only the MM edition that year)? I am not a fan of the Harley look on the Gen 2's but I could go for that combo if I could find one!
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Doug, Note my story above where I was asked to take out an offensive word? Well, you just said it: CR_P. ! Yea, not very offensive, but the moderator asked me to remove it and I did. Maybe they have loosened up a little, or maybe you will get called on it! I won't tell though!
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Great story, and Snopes confirms it is true. I just had to check because quite often these GREAT stories are made up, but SHOULD be true. This one is true, thanks for posting it.
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There was a listserve I was on (and still am) that had rules similar to this one. When some people decided to be potty mouth in a big way, the owner of the list asked them to tone it down in a nice way, and got blasted. He then nuked them off the list. They started another list that is all cussing and sickness, gay bashing and jokes about women. Not a nice place to be, but at least that is what it was started to be, so I guess that is fine for them. As far as this site, it has rules, when you join you accept those rules, and the owner of the list has the right to run it the way they want. One time I used a very minor word that isn't really cussing, but was on the edge, and I was asked to change it. My note wasn't deleted, I changed the word and wasn't upset about it. As for what is offensive, I just keep asking myself and telling others that may not understand this: Would you want someone to talk that way to your baby sister, your mother, your grandmother, your priest/minister? I know there are some people that have way different values from most Americans and they would say pretty much anything to that list of people, but I think most of us can relate to what I meant!
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a couple years ago I bought the expensive HF lift and when I tried it, it would crash down super fast, no matter what I did. Took it back, got another, did exactly the same thing. Went to sears, bought theirs that looked similar and it won't hardly go down. With the bike on it and the pedal stomped on (or I tried sneaking up on the pedal too!) it goes down maybe in a minute or two, and as soon as the bike hits ground, it stops going down. I have to pull it out, and stand on it to get it to go down all the way. Been this way now for over 2 years. Thought it might work out of it, but I guess I would rather have it go down slow than slam down. Basically, I think all these lifts are worthless.
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Well I heard from a friend that worked with a guy that worked with someone that had a friend at a Yamaha dealership from the boss who had gone to a meeting and heard at the meeting from an engineer that there was a plan to start work on a bike to replace the RSV. This person would not confirm anything, but since there are people at Yamaha, and they have to do something, they must all be working on a new location for the Cassette player and how to get the engine to 2500 cc's in a V-twin that is hydrogen cooled with battery backup to the powered center stand. Reliable rumors persist that it will be a cross between a Victory Vision and a 1966 Honda 50cc scooter. Except cooler. They are looking for input as to the design of the passenger right footpeg. Now, you are all caught up, with reliable news and oh look there is a squirrel!
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exhaust to loud???
dynodon replied to Donde's topic in Venture and Venture Royale Tech Talk ('83 - '93)
Put me firmly in the quieter is better camp. I love a "good" sounding exhaust, but that doesn't mean loud. Some bikes are so loud in some groups I ride with that we put them at the back so everyone still can hear when the ride is over. I feel really loud pipes cause more accidents than they help, and cause problems for bikers everywhere as everyone else just considers loud pipes inconsiderate and worse. It is entirely possible to have any engine sound good, without it being so loud as to annoy everyone or be a danger to the rider and those around the rider. When even the top management of Harley Davidson appeals for some sanity with loud pipes, you know it is causing problems. IMHO! -
Wow, way to....... I love my '86 VR, I am not in love with the "Harley Look" of the Gen 2, but a lot of my friends have the newer bike and love them. I have ridden one and it rides nice, a lot like my older version. I just prefer the look of the VR, and still hold out hope that Yamaha will decide they have done the Harley thing long enough, and bring out a true competitor to the Gold Wing and the new Voyager or the BMW LT. At this point, the LT is probably going to be the next bike I buy when I can't keep my VR dependable.
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Gregg, I won't get into the Car Tire (CT) or Motorcycle tire debate, but I will congratulate you for taking the time to talk with and help a fellow biker. Good job!
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I found this group and through this group, I found some local friends and the local STAR group. I like VR, but there isn't any "local" presence and rides in my area are few and far between. So I ride with a local STAR group, and about that, yes there are a lot of written rules, but like any organization, you will find some chapters to your liking and others, not so much. I had to change chapters a while back, and found a good group. Maybe that will change in a few years, hey, things change, just go with what works. I am not a huge groupie, but compared to the last time I rode (20+ years ago) I am having a lot more fun being here and part of STAR, and I am also in the local GOLD WING RRA chapter and ride with other groups in the area. Last time I was just a loner, and I am having a bunch more fun now. The more I know about STAR the more I like it so far. Rules? ride a few times before voted in? You want to ride with others and make friends, get help or you wouldn't be looking for any sort of group. The local group needs to know if you are crazy and will cause a wreck, or if you need help to become a better rider. So they ask you to follow a few rules, and ride with some experienced people at first. Man, I appreciated that then I started riding again, got me going quicker and safer. After that, ...the patch? I wear it, but not all the time and you don't have to ever wear it if you don't want. Yamaha? You can ride anything you want with most groups. Star, Venture Rider, Venturers, GWRRA, BMW even Harley groups, look locally and find people you can mesh with. then ride the rides you want to. There are some people here that are hung up on who owns Star. Never met him, and if he makes some money, then more power to him. If I like the local club, and other area groups, and the events are fun, what do I care who owns it or how much money they make. Everyone has to get by and I won't begrudge him a penny. If I ever do, I can just drop out. This site charges a fee, I don't begrudge this sites owner the money he makes, and chances are it isn't much, but that isn't my business. Again, I can vote with my pocketbook (or PayPal account!). Just my 482 cents worth!