Treb

So just to wrap up this thread....I noticed this vibration after I changed the rear tire and was sure it was something to do with that and it was not. I had also adjusted my home made HD muffler mounts while I had the wheel off and one of the mounting brackets on the muffler was contacting the frame. I adjusted that bracket and took it for a spin and all is well. Thanks again for the tips....Ya learn something new every day if you pay attention I guess!!!

Thanks for the tips fellas that's exactly what I was looking for, now I have a starting point.

I am noticing a vibration around 20-30 mph when decelerating. I can feel in in the frame through the floorboards and even up into the seat. It doesn't seem to be related to engine rpm or braking because it happens in neutral and without applying brakes. I'm leaning toward a wheel bearing and or the drive shaft, are there any known chronic issues to look for?

I put some Harley OEM mufflers on mine and they only cost me $50 from a guy that used to run a small shop. Here is a short clip of what they sound like. I think they are just standard equipment on touring models and they sound even better going down the road.

Just got back from a 1400 mile tour of Western Colorado. Picture is on Coal bank pass in the San Juan mountains on Hwy550 (Million dollar highway) North of Durango. My 99RSV performed flawlessly and turned over 67,000 miles about half way thru.

Changed out a worn out Avon Venom rear for a new Michelin Commander II today and what a huge difference. The handling feels like it has come back to life. I also downsized the front to a 130 Commander II and the combination of the two makes the bike feel 100 pounds lighter in the way it handles. I'm not the typical superslab @80mph guy, I much prefer the twisties in the mountains because the scenery is stunning and straight roads are just boring. Prepping for a 1500 mile tour of Western Colorado in a couple weeks and the bike is lean, mean and ready for the twisties now!!!

Most of the time a clogged return port will result in slippage all the time. It's the small port in the bottom of the Master cylinder reservoir that is farthest from the lever. You should be able to see fluid come back out of that hole when you release the clutch with the MC cover off but be ready to pull off some Matrix like moves to avoid getting shot in the eye with brake fluid so release it slowly. My first suggestion would be to go back to whatever oil you were using before changing to the T-6 and see if it still slips. I personally prefer T-4 15w-40 or Castrol GTX 20w-50. The clutch uses a diaphragm spring instead of multiple coil springs and the diaphragm can crack also causing slippage. The Barnett pressure plate is an option for about 130 bucks plus about 10 bucks for a side cover gasket if you are a DIY kinda guy. I did mine myself but you definitely need a torque wrench to do it right. Here is a link to where I got mine on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000GRXT50/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I keep reading that there is an online owners manual on here somewhere for the RSV but I'll be damned if I can find it?

Thanks guys...I know the bar ends are supposed to limit vibration but was just wondering if there were aftermarket tips instead of those steely Dan looking things that are on there. I found the grip puppies on Amazon and might give those a shot. I don't really mind the bar ends and I guess I could cut them off and shape them however I want but was looking for a factory option. The rise and pull back of the bars is fine I just notice the grips are thinner than all my other bikes.

Thinking about re-gripping my RSV since they feel kind of small to me. After removing the bar end weight I noticed that the weight actually supports the end of the grip presumably to make the bar a touch longer for more steering authority? So my question is for those of you that have switched grips. Is there a bar end cap that will thread in like the OEM weights or did you just slide the grip farther up the bar and shift the MC's and mirrors to accommodate? I guess there is a third option to let the end of the grip hang out unsupported over the end of the bar?

Just to wrap up this thread I took a chance on a replacement "G" basket from Mike E the diamond cut guy. We spoke on the phone for near an hour about tips and tricks for the RSV and lots of other stuff. He warned me that it was a gamble weather it would decrease the whine or not but he thought it could be improved upon. Finally got all the parts in the mail and installed them today. I'm happy to report that it worked and the harmonic whine I was getting at certain RPMs is gone. There is still a whine but it's less noticeable and seems to remain constant throughout the RPM range. I might also mention that Mike recommended Castrol 20w50 and that could also be part of the improvement. Also upgraded to the Barnett clutch springs and pressure plate while I had it apart. Thanks to all for your help, I am happy with the results. The noise made me feel like the Martians in the movie Mars Attacks when their heads explode from that music

Here is a short helmet cam clip of the whine on my RSV. My external mic connection was not great but you can definitely hear the whine

Thanks Mike I just sent him a message on FB

Yep I saw those last night....so if I can't find one cheaper there is always that. Still a little unclear on where exactly the "I" is supposed to be. I read one post that said it was hand stamped or engraved? If I'm gonna shell out 300 bones for the letter I then I wanna see it on the part somewhere!!!

Yeah I saw that one recently but I don't think I'm prepared to modify the clutch cover, seems like a great way to create a leak and concerned about robbing oil flow from other places...