LSupina

15K miles on the BF Goodrich 155, wish it would wear faster so I could put the 165 on, but dang it, it refuses to show any wear at all. Had two tail wagging events at lower air pressure, run at 40 PSI now and never a wobble. Both of the events where in cross-winds (40 MPH plus) while passing a semi truck. Neither was scary or uncontrollable, the frame just went harmonic but steady throttle and it cleared. I also had the same thing happen with a motorcycle tire on the rear once, the big bagger just doesn't like the sudden cross wind changes much. I have since ran the CT up past 100 mph on less windy days (20 MPH) with no issues at all. I also love the ability to launch this big beast. My son runs a BMW K100, we found a back road last weekend and he just had to prove the big tour bike couldn't hang. Sad day for the youngster, he had to back out of the throttle when his rear broke loose and went sideways, I just kept chirping rubber in a straight line. For my daily commute of 70 miles, my Iron Butt runs, and pulling a trailer, the CT is the only rear tire for me.

Put a B.F. Goodrich 155/75 R15 on my 2005 RSV about two weeks ago. Mounting wasn't any harder than most Dunlop motorcycle tires I've mounted. As for riding, the first day was interesting as I got used to a different feel from the road and wore off the mold relese agent. Now I have over 500 miles and I'll not be going back to a motorcycle tire unless they make one that can touch the improvement I have experinced with my new dark side ride. The ride is way smoother than any motorcycle tire. The stopping power is TOTALLY AWESOME! Straight-line stability in the lovely Texas Panhandle winds is superb, but most amazing to me has been how much better the bike corners now that I have spent time and got used to the feel. Yes, you read that right, once you are accustomed to the car tire's different manners, you'll soon find you can push a big rig into corners and accelerate out of them like you never could before. Oh, did I mention how great the car tire handles in the rain? Yes, it did rain here in Amarillo last week and WOW, the CT sticks in the wet too.

Funny how one guy asking a simple questions caused so many others with no vested interest to happily flame the conversation. Well congratulations to everyone who has no experience using a car tire but thinks they are some kind of expert, you have succesfully driven this conversation underground into e-mails. Guess you'll all be riding Harley's soon since that is what everyone else is doing, don't dare to open your mind. Just like every other forum, a few trying to inflict thier opinions on everyone else. It's very disappointing.

If a darksider finds a tire that fits please post sizes so those of us who are interested can try it out too. To the nay-sayers, go out in your drive, turn the wheels of your GMC or Chevy all the way to lock and go check how much lean your tires are already dealing with.

I have a nephew that is on his third day of boot camp in San Diego, probably why I had that theme in my mind. Please feel free to pass it on to any and everyone, I appreciate the exposure. I may have a piece coming up in Cycle World soon, just talked to them last night. Hey Tx2Sturgis, definetly gotta hook up and down a cold one, tied up this weekend but soon, I'm kinda of a Hooters and Hummers guy, but I know the places you mentioned.

Just a little something that leaked out of my helmet today, thought ya'll my enjoy it. Let me know what ya think.... One of the few..... by Larry Supina I've been around for over 100 years I have conquered every terrain on this planet I've served your nation in time of war, disaster and peace Only a few appreciate me I am both practical and frivolous I am a contrast of simplicity and complexity I am needy of your time yet thrifty with your resources Only a few understand me I ruthlessly punish stupidity I will be taken lightly only at your expense I am intolerant of mindlessness and drunkenness Only a few befriend me I despise arrogance and bravado I will not comply with excessive force I have no issue with crushing your ego or shaming you in public Only a few can accept me I will expose your shortcomings I demand your patience and attention I will not compensate for your inexperience Only a few can tolerate me I will not coddle you in luxury I will expose you to the elements I will teach you to prepare, endure and overcome Only a few are willing I look to you to calm me when I'm upset I require a steady hand when I become nervous I am sensitive to my environment and expect the same of you Only a few will risk me I will, in time, become one with you I will move at the speed of your thoughts I will turn routine into adventure, boredom into excitement Only a few can meld with me I will introduce you to a new family of friends I will reward you with self-confidence and skill I will show you the world as you have never seen it before Only a few reap the rewards I am a motorcycle, are you one of the few?

Sounds like it's worth a shot to me!

You've got the idea. At first I thought I could just work the cables around and over the right front fork tube but they were too entangled with everything else goin' on in there. Once I disconnected the throttle cable and worked them back into the triple tree I was able to free some tangles and run them straight up.

1-2 mm, small enough to be put in your tire through the valve stem is you remove the valve, put it takes a while to do that. Much easier to put in when you mount.

I been using them for several years. Since I mount my own tires I like not having any liquids in the tire to deal with. At first I was a little concerned they may damage the rim or tire but I've not seen any wear or tear at all from the ones I dismounted. I use plugs if I have a problem on the road and the beads still continue to balance the tire way better than anything I ever got from a dealer. If you have a fairly imbalanced tire you will notice some bumping up to about 15 - 20 mph then the beads will start balancing everything out. I've never bothered with the filtered air valves and have never had a bead hold a valve open, but I also make sure the stem is in an upright position before I check pressures. Never had any clumping issues either like always hapened with the powder balancers and I don't use any special dry air, just my cheap-o harbor frieght compressor. Anyway, I was concerned when I first tried them but I wouldn't use anything else now.

I ended up splitting the fairing so I could see what was going on, but it only provided some visual access. My throttle cables were orginally running between the right fork tube and the fairing, so when I turned to the right the cables were being pinched over the black fairing frame member that runs about 1/2 inch or so in front of the tube. If you reach up and feel around the fork tube you'll be able to locate this framework for the fairing. Turn your forks to the right and peer in there with a light and you'll see the throttle cables bending over this framework. I disconnected the throttle cables and tried several routes but the best turned out to be straight up through the triple tree. I tried to attach a couple of photos, we'll see what happens. If they make the transfer the throttle cales are in the new route which provides lots of room for everything to work well and one photo shows my big fat finger pointing to where the cables orginally ran. They other photo is just showing off the family's stable of rides:cool10:

Been using the dyna-beads for a couple of years on my old V-Star. Definitely planning on putting in the RSV when I change tires. I went from getting about 6-7K miles out of a rear tire on the V-Star to over 10K. Eliminated all the vibration issues too.

Rick, Wizzard, good info! Next time I'm doin' a maintenance day I'm goin' to re-lube the switch with some CCR and check adjustment on the cable, bet the cruise works like a champ after that!

Recently installed the Baron's Risers and love 'em. Had to re-route throttle cables to fix binding with the handle bars turned to the far right, not a big deal. You get about an 1" of rise and an inch closer, doesn't sound like much but it made for a perfect fit for me.

I just put Baron risers on my bike (2007 Liquid Silver) and had to re-route the throttle cables, after getting my bike where the throttle didn't bind, my sluggish and balking cruise control became much worse. I have been doin' the click up on accel button, holding the throttle till I felt the cruise control come on and all that jazz. But all of a sudden my cruise was way worse than before so back into the throttle switch box I went figuring I messed up some wiring with all the disassembly / re-assembly. Once the case was cracked open again I found all the wiring intact so I started removing switches one by one to hopefully find the issue. Note: Do not disassemble the start button unless you are having an issue with it, it is a bear requiring much patience to re-assemble without smashing the spring which will gleefully throw itself on the garage floor! I removed the cruise control cancel button and tried to operate it. It stuck half-way. I looked closer and the plastic plunger going into the switch had some burrs on it. I trimmed the burrs with a knife but the switch still only operated about half of the time. Well, if it's supposed to move and it doesn't use WD-40. I manually ran the switch while my son sprayed WD-40 into the plunger opening and 5-6 more tries later the switch flipped into position with a re-assurring click. We re-assembled the switch box and I now have a very crisp cruise control that always engages, doesn't speed-wander and has made me stop thinking about buying a Vista Cruise. It still takes a moment for it to engage, but it very quickly recovers and sets at the speed selected. It really made a huge difference in my cruise control. I think the cancel switch hanging in the middle confuses the snot out of the control unit. There is one screw holding the cancel switch in place and with a pair of needle nose pliers you can wiggle it out without removing the other switches. I highly recommend you leave the other switches in place. There are no hidden surprises to fall on the floor if you only remove this switch. The same cannot be said about some of the others!

I'm thinking about writing an article on that very subject. A few months back I rode up to a traffic light, it was 75 degrees, sun shinig, no wind (which is a big deal in Amarillo) perfect weather to be outside. I looked around me at all the cagers and everyone of them had their tinted windows rolled up, podding their I-Pods, cell phones celling, AC running. I almost felt sad for them, but that feeling past and I was just amused at all they are missing trying to be so connected they've become disconnected. Reminded me of something my mom used to say about my friends and a cliff.

Feel free to run the article, if you look out over the internet you'll see it on lot's of forums, maybe three have asked. I figure if it makes one cager put down the phone and drive, I've done something good. Funny thing is, one of the forums that did ask was a bicycling site, seems they are getting run down as much as we are.

Abilene, San Angelo, Odessa, Houston, as long as it is south of Amarillo. The ride to work every morning at 20 degrees is getting old, or maybe it's me that's geting' old. Either way, count me in for a meet & eat.....

I'm new to ya'lls forum, but not to riding. Thought my fellow Venture pilots might appreciate this piece......just thoughts leaking out of my helmet. Motorcyclism by Larry Supina Over the years I’ve read a fair share of articles which tout the virtues of riding a motorcycle, everything from cycles save gas, are easier on the roads, the sense of freedom you get from riding, better parking, all true in my opinion. I have also had the personal growth opportunity of impatiently listening to thousands of automobile drivers ramble on about how much better a car is, usually citing safety, protection from the elements, the audio quality of their sound system and cup holders. Both of these experiences share a commonality, they are all based on the perception that an automobile is the standard from which the comparison should be made. Never have I read or heard about the inadequacies or shortcomings of automobiles using the motorcycle as the basis of comparison, and I believe it is time to fill the gap in this void of information. That being stated, here is a non-biased comparison of the average car to the much more elegant, efficient and endearing motorcycle. Cars have a nasty tendency to show their age. The five year old motorcycle sitting outside, if and when it is washed, still looks new, it does not look dated nor does it sit a little funny to one side or the other. The bike being referenced is a daily driver on a 70 mile round trip commute, it sits in a corporate parking lot all day and outside under a tree all night. It has weathered rain, sleet, hail, wind, bugs and larger critters in it’s role as my primary transportation, it is washed almost weekly when the weather is warm, slightly less and less and less as the water hose freezes up in the winter. My motorcycle has flawlessly endured vacations, errands, Sunday drives and a 1000 mile Saddle Sore ride, and it looks great. It has the looks of a pampered fashion model because it does not have door dings, parking lot rash, cracks in the windshield, bumper dents or any of the other normal damage that normal cars see in normal use. You see, it is normal for a car to become old and sad looking, cars can’t help it. You however have a choice, avoid the frustration of the first door ding in your new car, save money in the process, ride a good used bike. Cars unnecessarily extended your work day. All day long you’ve sat at a desk, eight, ten or more hours just so you can assume the exact same sitting posture for the commute home. If you ride a motorcycle you go from sitting to riding, a different posture using different muscles, plus if you so choose, you can stand up and stretch or simply stand all the way home while still cruising right on down the road. At those pesky traffic lights you can even put both feet on the ground and stretch any part of your office bound anatomy you want to. Try doing that in a Camry. Cars like to double as waste baskets. Modern automobiles have somewhere in the neighborhood of 52 cup holders, 10 storage compartments, a glove box or three, map pockets, door pockets, center console storage, overhead storage bins and some even have an ash tray. All this “practical, thoughtfully designed, useful” storage collects chewing gum, new and recycled, receipts, broken pencils, dry pens, 35 year old lip balm, rubber bands, pennies and all the other daily junk we come in contact with. Cars love to fill themselves up with this stuff. Motorcycles eliminate this cluttering from your life, you’ll never have to spend an extra twenty minutes picking all the little bits of well stored trash up with your fingers before you give someone a ride. But that’s not all, you will be relieved from scrubbing the spilled drink gunk from the 52 cup holders which have been precisely engineered to deter all known methods of drink gunk cleaning. While we are discussing cleanliness, car ownership and car use also demands vacuuming. This task involves awkward and sometimes painful contortions of the body, removal and washing of floor mats, slow dancing with a contrary plastic hose and tap dancing with an extension cord. Your reward for this labor of love?, a three month old French fry and just enough loose change to not buy anything so you throw the pennies and nickels into a nearby, …..wait for it….., gunky bottomed cup holder. What a deal, and your car still smells musty, dusty or travel weary so you get to spray a fabric perfume on the seats and hang a green cardboard pine tree from the rearview mirror. You will never need to hang green cardboard pine trees from you motorcycles rearview mirror, de-odorize the seats or vacuum the floorboards, because whereas a car enjoys collecting trash and debris, motorcycles naturally lean towards clean and clutter-free. Cars like to inflict pain on their owners. Lots of people are always trying to convince me that cars are safe, motorcycle are dangerous, and I think they sniffed too much green pine. I have, as of this 46th year of life on planet Earth, not suffered an injury on a motorcycle. I’ve not had an accident in a car either, but I sure have suffered injury. Over the years, various makes and models of cars, vans and trucks have inflicted on me several broken fingers, caught in doors which miraculously latch when my appendages adjust the door gap, numerous tufts of hairy scalp have been forcibly taken from me by hoods, hatches and trunk lids, at least a couple of dozen knots have been raised on my noggin by door sills and three memorable instances of the wind slamming a door closed on my shins as I was trying to exit a vehicle with my hands full of stuff collected from all those “useful” storage / trash bins. I’ve paid a painful price to be safe, at least up until I came out of the garage and declared my bi-wheel-uality. Modern cars are full of designed annoyances. I often hear people saying motorcycles are loud and annoying, and to be completely honest, some of them are. Sure, some riders choose to modify their rides with pipes that are loud and annoying, and so do some car owners, some van owners and some truck owners, but that is a choice those vehicle owners make and I’ll leave it to you to have a talk with them about that. But any discussion about annoying things has got to put the modern automobile at the top of the list. I have never accidentally activated the wipers on a motorcycle and been subjected to the screech of desiccated silicon on glass, can you say the same about your minivan? Nor have I watched helplessly as the automated five swipes of the wiper blades drag a $20 wiper arm missing a $5 wiper blade across an $800 windshield, destroying it with semi-circular gouges. No sir, motorcycle also don’t ding about forgotten seatbelts, talk to you about doors that are ajar, automatically lock the doors, prevent the backseat passenger from exiting the vehicle due to child locks or open the windows all the way when all you wanted was half way. Motorcycles assume you have a brain. That you are using said brain, and I like being treated that way by my machinery. I find nagging and patronizing to be very annoying, and modern cars are literally full of it. Many cars are not trick knee or bad back accessible, because they are too low to the ground for anyone over the age of 21. I can mount almost any motorcycle and still have my dignity intact, but there are fewer and fewer cars every year that sit high enough to offer this simple courtesy to my ‘no longer a kid’ physical state of being. Sure, driving a hot sports car is fun, but getting into the blasted thing isn’t, and I don’t even want to talk about the embarrassment of trying to crawl out of a box two inches off the ground. Maybe if the guys running the hoist truck didn’t giggle so much I’d feel better about it… Every once in a great while I let someone else ride my bike, think along the terms of Haley’s Comet, Ice Ages, etc…, and when they are done riding my bike I can hop on and everything is exactly where it is supposed to be. No banging my knees into the steering wheel or adjusting the seats, or the mirrors, or the tilt, headrests, seatbelts, nope, I can just get on and ride. The other added benefit is very few people ever ask to borrow my motorcycle, my pickup however seems to be a premiere choice for favor seekers. When my spouse and I go out on our bikes there is no arguing over the air-conditioner or heater settings plus I can ride with my window (face shield) open and she can have hers closed, though usually when we ride it’s the other way around, and I haven’t figured that one out yet. The point is, whether we are riding two up or both on our own rides, there just are not any of those “you gotta share,” features to start an argument between us, and I like that. Then after a nice dinner or social event we head to the parking lot and we never find those annoying advertisements under the wiper blades, its good not to have wiper blades, we also are never blocked in waiting for someone else to come move their creatively parked car. Never once since converting to motorcyclism have I been trapped in a parking lot, it’s just a better way, dear friends. But the best reason to adopt two wheels and shun four is shocking, really shocking, static shocking, static shock never happens to the motorcyclist because the motorcycle at rest is firmly grounded by the kickstand to good ol’ mommie earth. So you and the bike always meet on equal static potentials meaning there is never a nasty sparking exchange to bring everything into balance. Surely by now you can understand why cars are an inferior choice for personal transportation, and yes I know your name is not Shirley. See ya in the curves!

Just recently traded my V-Star 1100 for a 2005 RSV, love the bike and look forward to doing my next LD ride with a lot more comfort. Anyway, got the RSV, joined the forum and saw that ya'll had posted one of my columns. I'm glad ya'll liked Motorcyclist's Apology and brace yourself for more thoughts leaking out from under my helmet.