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ahoutzer

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  1. ahoutzer
    2008 RSV Front suspension Telescopic fork; air-assist, 5.5-in travel 2005 RSV Front suspension Telescopic fork; air-assist, 5.6-in travel Do you think one of them is a typo error, or do you suppose that Yamaha's great technological advancement over those three years was to drop a couple of extra washers on top of the front fork springs before putting the caps on?
  2. ahoutzer
    I have changed mine twice (once to upgrade to a SilverStar bulb and once to replace a burnt-out low beam), and did not have to disassemble the fairing. I just reached in from behind the fairing.
  3. ahoutzer
    If I could only put Bridgestones on my RSV, I would probably get a different bike. Life is too precious -- and so is my Venture -- to ride on Bridgestones.
  4. ahoutzer
    -- Adjustable windshield so I can see over it in the fog or sit behind it in the cold -- Less engine/drive-train noise -- Dump the cassette player and use the space for anything useful. -- Update the audio system to easily integrate bluetooth cell phones, satellite radios and GPS -- More powerful electrical system -- 25% better fuel efficiency, especially prepared for the increasing use of bio fuels -- Re-design the bag/trunk latches so those enormous latches don't take up so much room inside -- Side-opening trunk, so I don't have to unload the back seat to open it -- The instrument panel is really cool-looking, and one of the stylistic features that drew me to this bike, so don't louse it up with a bunch of cluttered gauges. If you must add a tach (why?), oil temp (why?), volt & ammeter (okay, but I wouldn't care for them if the electrical system were stronger to begin with), then put all of these instruments in as read-outs in the speedo's screen that we can turn off.
  5. ahoutzer
    I can understand that. I just don't ever ride in a group. Call me anti-social, but I like my space, and don't want to ride at anyone else's speed or ride up to someone else's expectations -- it's not enjoyable for me. For those who do enjoy it -- I'm glad for you. Anyway, that's why I never say any great need for a CB radio. I do wish that I had at least tried it, but I gave away my antenna to someone who had lost theirs on the road, and I don't have a headset either.
  6. ahoutzer
    Ride the bike. Haul a trailer behind it, if you need to.
  7. ahoutzer
    Mine has never been turned past seventeen, and I can't remember how long ago that was. When it's cold and my head is wrapped in a warm scarf inside my helmet and I have a bluetooth phone headset in one ear and I'm listening to talk (rather than music) then I have it up to sixteen. So, the volume control goes up to thirty?
  8. ahoutzer
    You're right. I didn't see it at first because it is listed separately from the other RSV backrest. Now I'm just concerned because I've read that it leans too far forward and several people have said that they had to bend it to make it comfortable. Any leads on a Utopia pillow-top-match model that is actually available (rather than having to wait a month)?
  9. ahoutzer
    I've been reading this topic with interest because it looks like I'm going to be riding between here and my Dad's house several times in the next few weeks (600 miles each way). I have a Corbin saddle, which is just fine for my usual local commuting, but I was thinking about re-acquiring a set of pillow-top seats and adding a backrest. The DiamondR backrest doesn't look like it matches the pillow-top seats, but Utopia won't do another build for three weeks, and then there is shipping time! Is there a DiamondR backrest that looks right with the pillow-top seats? Does anyone know where the Utopia backrest that matches the pillow-tops can be acquired *now*, instead of a month from now? Thanks, everybody.
  10. ahoutzer
    I rode my '06 most every day this winter. Starting temps were as low as 12*F. Only once did it crank a little slowly. Use the choke. Some folks seem to think that it is wrong to use the choke. When it's cold, use the choke -- that's why it's there. If you're still having problems, then I would consider it unusual -- not the normal behavior of the RSV.
  11. ahoutzer
    I park with the cages. If there is a choice, I usually take the parking place that is hardest for a car to get into, because it's not so difficult to get a bike into.
  12. ahoutzer
    My '06 usually gets 40 to 45 mpg U.S., but has gone as low as 38.7 (once only -- the only time under 40) and as high as 48.9 (once only). Summer temperatures help, and either city or superslab riding decreases efficiency. Most of my riding is on back roads around 55mph.
  13. ahoutzer
    To me, where I live now is about as far north as I could go and still ride all year. Right here in the northwest corner of South Carolina, it went down to 12*F once this winter, and I rode to work in it. That's pushing it for me, although I have heard of heartier souls. The key is that there is usually snow on the ground one day per year here, and ice is equally rare. Thirty miles north of here is Sapphire Valley, NC, where they do snow skiing, so this is the limit for me. In the summer, we have 100 degree days. If you want to get away from the heat at that time, just take that 30-mile jaunt north to Highlands, NC, or maybe ride for an hour and a half to reach the Blue Ridge Parkway.
  14. ahoutzer
    Several people here have asked for 'full instrumentation'. I suppose that means a tachometer and other such stuff. I really like the clean and uniquely stylish appearance of the speedometer/clock/odometers/fuel gauge that the RSV has now. If you must add more read-outs, then please find a way to avoid cluttering up the clean, uniquely stylish look that the RSV has now. All these electronics should allow the rider to make the display look the way he/she wants by turning certain read-outs on or off. For me, I don't want any tachometer, but might like to temporarily turn on a reading of estimated miles remaining to empty, ambient temp, heading (compass reading) and other stuff that I can turn off when I'm not using it. Double the stator capacity. Electrically adjustable windshield, so I can choose between protection and ability to see over it in fog. Update the sound system with optional wireless headset connections that really work well and integrate GPS, iPod and cell phones. Better fuel efficiency. I don't need a bigger motor -- just keep the power but save me some gas money. Stifle all of the gear noises -- we just want to hear the exhaust (and I don't like loud exhausts, but would rather hear my quiet stock pipes than all of that whirring). Don't foul it up by changing all of the other great things about it.
  15. ahoutzer
    2006 Black Cherry with 37,000 miles. At 4,000 there was a rear wheel hub bearing problem -- or quite possibly related to the infamous dry splines problem. I don't really know the details because the dealer fixed it under warranty and gave me a loaner for the few days while they waited for parts. No problems since then, if only I could stay away from nails and screws on the road! Still smooth, trouble-free and a real pleasure to ride.
  16. ahoutzer
    One of the horns is under the left-side lower -- in front of your left shin, but encased in that plastic cowl that surrounds the radiator.
  17. ahoutzer

    air filter

    ahoutzer replied to a topic in Watering Hole

    There are probably better prices out there, but here is a link to the product: http://www.knfilters.com/search/product.aspx?Prod=YA-1399
  18. ahoutzer
    It sure would be nice if we could get that kind of fuel efficiency out of our bikes. It doesn't make sense to me that our bikes weigh less that half of what small cars do, but the cars are now passing us in fuel mileage. Yeah, I know, we get to accelerate better, but is sure seems like there ought to be a way to get 60 or 70 mpg out of an 800-pound bike and still zip around through the mountains and around the cages with smiles on our faces.
  19. ahoutzer
    It is a good light. I have one under my trunk.
  20. ahoutzer
    I sat on one a few days ago, while waiting for a tire change. It was very comfortable. It's amazing how far in front of the rider the windshield is. That's due to the fairing being frame-mounted, I guess. It gives the feeling of a great deal of space for the rider. I guess it comes out like this: I'm slowly getting past the looks of the Vision. The so-small-it's-phony saddle bag space is partially compensated for by the large trunk. So I'm telling myself that it's okay. When I encountered the RSV, the only thing that I had to overcome about it was the silly cassette player and the CB (I just didn't care about having a CB). So the RSV had more stuff on it than I wanted, but still the price was low. That tells me that the RSV is still a better bike for me. For others: the Vision seems like a really cool bike -- enjoy.
  21. ahoutzer
    No one has a right to ask me to violate the law. Speed limits can be frustratingly slow, and I often disagree with them -- I want to go faster, but they are the law. I won't break the law for another person who has made his/her own choice to break the law. Running red lights? I don't see that around here, but I read about it. This is the same as standing in an intersection blindfolded and randomly firing an automatic weapon. No one should be ticketed for running a red light. They should be locked up for the public safety, immediately. How could anyone dream up an excuse for ever doing this?
  22. ahoutzer
    Big & roomy, comfortable, smooth, gorgeous, highly reliable, lots of storage space, makes me smile and want to keep on going even when its raining...
  23. ahoutzer
    I put the original bar-end weights back on, with the k'akyn grips. I just liked the original weights. It required some work with a Dremel tool on the throttle-side grip. Also, because the weight could not be screwed all the way back in tightly (it would have locked the throttle), I used some blue locktite on the threads of the weight.
  24. ahoutzer
    Hey... I wear gloves year-around, too. I've been on the asphalt before, and had the palms torn off of both of my gloves, but no damage to my hands, so I got this message: always wear gloves when riding! When it's below about 40, I turn the heat on -- heated gloves are the only thing heated that I wear. If I were further north, I would probably have more heated stuff. This HD real-men-don't-use-heated-gloves guy sounds like what you see on cold days outside of motorcycling. Most people are bundled up with coats and hats and scarves, pants and boots. Then there's some guy with a hoodie, basketball shorts and tee shirt. What I can't figure out about that is whether the guy has no nerves firing below the waist or above the neck.
  25. ahoutzer
    The clip starts at a church, where he goes inside to pray first. Then he goes out to kill for nothing greater than his own personal glory. I ache for this defamation of God, for the sake of feeling cool.
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