cwtart

I will be replacing the tires on my 2008 RSV soon - first need to decide Radial or Bias-Ply. Pros and Cons on Radial tires? Thanks.

Tire newbie here - bias or radial? Pros and Cons of each? I have a 2008 RSV. from RSV user manual: Front tire = 150/80-16M/C 71H - the -(dash) between the 80 aspect ratio and the 16 rim size is supposed to indicate bias ply - what is the difference between bias ply and bias belted and does it matter? Rear tire = 150/90B 15M/C 74H The Dunlop E4 equivalant for the front tire (from what I can gather) is 150/80B16 71H TL - what does the TL mean? The Dunlop E4 for the rear tire appears to be 150/90B15 80H TL

Lesson learned - did not mean to insult anyone and my post was directed at our Candadian friends. As I said, "Just My Opinion". Will not do it again.

My apologies - I have been absorbing the internet for far too long now and have lost my sarcasm detector. I am red faced.

Yes - the price is very reasonable. All classes are on Sunday mornings from 9:00Am to around 1:00PM - solid riding for about 5 hours. I am a snowbird (for 6 months a year) and did not realize they were only 40 miles from me here in Florida. We put on 12 miles riding around a parking lot.

I took the Ride-Like-A-Pro class last Sunday in New Port Richey Florida. It was heavy duty - the MSF course on steroids times 10 and then squared. There were four of us in the class - 2 Harley CVOs, 1 Harley Road King, and me on my Triumph Bonneville Speedmaster. I do not trailer my 2008 RSV from Wisconsin to Florida so I had to use my Triumph. The 3 Harley guys dropped their bikes multiple times - one CVO guy dropped his bike maybe 15 times. It made me shudder to see these $40k bikes laying on the ground. I did not drop mine but my Triumph only weighs 550 pounds - If I had been riding my RSV there is no doubt I would have been on the ground with the rest of the riders. One of the Harley guys was taking the class for the 2nd time. He was probably the best rider taking the class and he still dropped his bike a couple of times. The instructor was Jerry Palladino himself - the Motorman. Watching him ride 1000 pound motorcycles around the course like a toy was amazing. He would explain to us each exercise that we would be doing and then his wife would ride her Road King as the demonstration of what we had to do - his wife could ride circles around any one of us guys taking the class. She weighed maybe 120 pounds at the most and could handle her big Harley almost as well as Jerry. She told me when they got married Jerry told her to either "learn to ride a motorcycle or go home and learn to cook". She chose motorcycles over cooking. LOL. The class made each one of us in the class realize just how much we did not know about riding a motorcycle. By the time we were done everyone could do a u-turn in 15-20 feet of road width and do figure-eights in 20 feet of road width continuosly. Almost every exercise had us scrapping the floorboards or footpegs. The class was well worth the $150 it cost - and you can take the class over and over again for only $75 each after the first class. I will be taking it again.

Is the center of balance for the Gen2 RSV right under the clutch as seen in your picture?

My HF jack is hydraulic - no air involved. The HF jack works fine but I am a little concerned about the relatively small footprint so I ordered the J&S lift today and got a 20% discount - 15% Valentines Day discount and a 5% veterans discount. Came to $489.00 with discount, tax, and shipping.

Anyone have any experience with J&S motorcycle lifts? I have a Harbor Freight lift that I use for my Triumph (550 pounds) but I don't really trust it for my 2008 RSV. Looking for something more heavy duty and the J&S lifts, albeit not inexpensive, get rave reviews. https://jsjacks.com/product-category/motorcycle-lifts/ Watch their video with the guy climbing on the lifted bike like a monkey.

Ha - my wife asks me from time to time if I mind having a rider - I always tell her that every motorcycle driver enjoys riding a motorcycle with or without a rider but just enjoys it more riding solo. She is good with that.

If you want to use Windows 10 but still like the look and feel of Windows 7, you can install Classic Shell. http://www.classicshell.net/ It is free and simply makes the Windows 10 desktop and start menu look like Windows 7 - and it is very configurable. I make my living with computers and use it on all of them.

After not having ridden for 30 years and now buying 2 motorcycles within one year, I asked myself this question - why do I like riding motorcycles? Not necessarily in this order: 1. The sense of freedom, being out in the wind, outside of a cage, on the open road. 2. I like the machinery, the mechanical creation that is a motorcycle - motorcycles are really neat mechanical devices. 3. I like the riding and controlling functions - shifting, throttling, braking, balancing - all of the aspects of controlling the machine I am sitting on. 4. I like the maintenance - being able to service and repair, by myself, this very complex machine. 5. The comaraderie of other motorcyclists - they are good people to be around - friendly and helpful - we all have something in common. 6. Seeing new places in a new way, even if I have been there before. 7. Having my wife sitting behind me, enjoying the experience with me. 8, Not having my wife behind me, enjoying the experience by myself. 9. Riding a motorcycle is cool, it does not make me cool, but the act of riding itself is cool beyond description. There are many more reasons, but these are the most obvious to me. These were true when I was 16 with my first motorcycle (but no wife) and true now when I am pushing 70. Please feel free to chime in if I missed anything.

Thanks for the info and quick response.

Is the rear brake on the 2008 RSV also linked to one of the front brakes or does it only control the rear brake?

Just signed up for the Ride Like A Pro course from "Motorman" Jerry Palladino. I did not know he was only 40 miles from me in my wintering grounds here in Florida. After being out of riding for 30 years and starting again about a year ago, I figure I need all the training I can get. I did take the MSF basic course a year ago just as a refresher but I look forward to the "advanced" training course. Anyone else here taken this course (or heard of it)? www.ridelikeapro.com

Yeah, I had to work for my toys - but I don't think I would have wanted in any other way. I did not have any feelings of entitlement. And now the millenials disparage us Boomers. But all my respect goes to my parents generation - the WWII generation - I don't think any current generation could do what they did again.

Question: come riding season in northern Wisconsin (first part of May), I want to switch to synthetic oil in my 2008 RSV. Will there be any problems with the synthetic oil mixing with the residue left in the engine and transmission from the previous oil - non-synthetic? Possible dumb question, but I am riding again now after a 30 year drought and my motorcycle servicing skills are a little rusty.

According to Google, Mobil 1 V-Twin is SAE grade 20W-50 viscocity. Mobil 1 4T-Racing is SAE 10W-40. Which one are you using? Now, I am new to changing oil in RSVs, but my understanding was, if using a synthetic oil, the motorycyle oil must meet the MA2 spec in order to be used with a wet clutch. Does Mobil 1 meet MA2? One more question, what is the best oil filter (opinions) to use in a 2008 RSV?

Thanks but I already bought one from John Best (very reasonable price for an unused OEM bib).

my first motorcycle - 1967 Yamaha 305cc Big Bear Scrambler - I was 16 years old in 1966 and in heaven. Worked at McDonalds after school hours to pay for my toy. I think it cost around $700.00 new and I made every payment myself. I got hit broadside at an intersection by a car one week after my junior year ended. Totaled the motorcycle, broke my leg and my ankle and I spent the summer of my junior year in a cast. My helmet saved my life - When the car hit me I flew straight up in the air and the car passed under me, pushing the motorcycle, and I came straight down like an arrow on my head. Cracked the helmet instead of my skull. The amazing thing was my parents let me get another bike - I was riding again as soon as my cast was off.

I have been looking at chrome radiator covers for my 2008 RSV. But I am wondering how much air flow these things block. I think they look great but if the air flow is reduced through the radiator because of the cover it may not be a good idea. Any experience with these covers? Any particular brand better than others? Fit, Look, etc.?

I am looking for a gas tank bib for my 2008 RSV. The Yamaha OEM bibs are not available any longer. I would like something with maybe 2 pockets - no fancy insignias or colors or patterns. Just a nice looking, non-adorned bib. Anyone have any suggestions? I did a lot of searching on the web but so far have not found anything that trips my trigger.

I bought the Show Chrome 61-117L - LED DRIVING ELLIPTICAL RS VENTURE KIT - it was not cheap but I wanted LED and the Yamaha OEM light bar could not be found. The kit appears to be very high quality but I can not install them until I flock back up north in April (snow bird). I brought my Triumph to Florida instead of my RSV - maybe reverse that next year. I will post a video of my installation experience when I have them installed. My thanks to all who responed to my questions.

If you want to consider aftermarket, I just purchased a Show Crome driving light kit for my 2008 RSV. Show Chrome 61-117L - LED DRIVING ELLIPTICAL RS VENTURE KIT Show Chrome 62-112T - TURNSIGNAL ADAPTER (PAIR) http://www.bigbikeparts.com/templates/product.aspx?ProductGuid=61-117L&GroupGuid=137#61-117LGallery[pp_gal]/0/ This kit if for LED lights - the Halogen light kit is about $200 less than the LED kit. I have not installed the lights yet but will be installing them in April when I get back to Wisconsin (snowbird). I was also searching for the Yamaha light bar but could not find it anywhere so decided to go aftermarket.