Freebird

You can see this document for complete info. Yes, you need a set of Motorola to PL type adapters to plug into the meter if you are running the stock antenna and base. http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?17675-SWR-Meter-and-the-Marshall-Mod

This is surprising to me. I had the Monster Rounds on the Road Glide and they just weren't that loud. I have never looked into it but can they be repacked? I wonder if somebody removed the bafflers in the past? There has to be a reason why yours are so loud.

Heck Bob, if it's for the '09, I think I have one.

Well I know it took some work but I think they look fantastic. As for the mounting points, I would have to look at my RK mufflers again and I may be wrong but I think that your RKs were the issue, not the Monster Ovals. The mounting points on those look different than any I've seen before. Like I said though, I haven't looked in a while and could be wrong. Either way, great job and I look forward to hearing them.

I may be working but I think there is an arrow on the wheel that shows the direction of rotation. What difference it makes, I don't know.

I don't think it is unusual at all. I've experienced with every Venture I've owned, first and second gen. That is also why I run Mobil 1 Racing 4T. Other synthetics may do the same, I don't know. I know that long ago when I bought my '99 brand new, the first service was included in the deal. I left on an extended bike trip the next day. No more than 1500 miles later, I was looking for a place where I could do an oil change. Went right back to Mobile 1 as I had used in my previous bikes and have never used anything else since then.

4 short pieces of 2x4 work fine also.

I guess I would have to see them next to the RK pipes. I can't really tell anything from those pictures. The ad though says that the inlet pipe is 1 3/4". Are you saying it is NOT? If not, how much too small is it? I've seen them fit pretty tightly and in fact I bought a tail pipe expander to get a couple to work but it as just very tight, not entirely wrong.

Certainly different. Better or worse? I don't know. Probably worse if they sidewalls aren't as heavy but don't know that it will make a huge difference.

It doesn't matter which bars. Even the flanders will be OK. I want the opposite of what you do. These bars come back plenty far but I don't want them rotated down, I want them rotate further up. They won't because the bars hit the fairing. I have them almost toughing it now. I was wondering if the risers bring them out enough that you can rotate the bars further back so that the grips are actually higher.

Bob, can you post a picture? I'm curious if they come out far enough that you are push your bars forward into a more upright position?

That's good info. I think my trailer is a 2012 or 2013. I will have to look at the tires and see what brand and etc. they are. They may very well have tubes, I've never had to change one. The trailer I have now came with the spare tire option and cover. Never had a need for one before but if they have gone to different tire, that may well have changed.

In these cases, in my opinion, there are two things you check before anything else. Battery connections and battery. I've seen people spend money and chase wiring and work on carbs too many times only to find out that the battery is just worn out. Take it out, make sure it's fully charged, take it somewhere and have it load tested.

I hooked it to the wire that goes to the power receptacle in the fairing. It is only on when the key is on.

I see that is a tube type tire. I assume you put a tube in it? I don't think the Bushtec tire is a tube type but have never changed one and don't even remember what the valve stem looks like. I also didn't know that they have changed to a different tire. That was the great thing about their original tires. The sidewalls were so strong that even flat you could get to a place to buy or get a new one sent in.

Similar to the situation here. Our ride yesterday was about 280 miles. She has been in bed pretty much all day. We just talked though and she tells me that it was not the bike. She went to Florida last week with a friend to help her get a condo ready to rent out. She said that they did a lot of lifting and she re-aggravated an injury from September that she doesn't even remember what caused. So maybe once she heals, it will be ok. We'll see.

It is possible but I really don't think so. Over the past 13 years that has never been an issue. Plus, I'm not sure but I think that they do get paid by Choice Hotels for the reward rooms. Very likely a reduced rate though.

To answer some of your questions. We use 3/4 helmets. I never put the shield down but she keeps hers down most of the time. The bike has the TALL Clearview shield with vent. There was a little wind yesterday and more buffeting that usual. Also, she had already hurt her shoulders and neck a while back lifting something that she shouldn't have so the bike didn't actually cause it, just aggravated it. Maybe it will be ok when it gets better.

This weekend Dave Wells was having a camp out near Columbus, OH. Eileen and I decided that we weren't going to camp but did ride down to visit for a while. I made a reservation at the Comfort Inn in Pickerington, OH which was only about 10 to 15 minutes from where they were camping. We left the campground around 12:30 last night and headed for the hotel. When I got there, I learned that my reservation had not gone through for some reason and they had no rooms. So I got online and made a reservation at a Quality Inn just north of Columbus off 270. That was about 20 minutes from where we were. I got there and went to check in and learned that they had made a mistake and had no rooms either. For whatever reason, everything in the area was booked. So....I said to heck with it and we headed home. Didn't really take the clothes for such a cool ride home but it wasn't bad. We finally pulled into the driveway around 3:10 this morning. To be honest, I would have rather rode home anyway but Eileen wasn't crazy about it. We had a nice time at the campground. It was behind a Moose Lodge and they had a band that actually wasn't very good but we still enjoyed it. Now the worse part is that Eileen is still in bed today with bad pain in her neck and shoulders. This happened the last time we rode also but I think worse this time. I'm not calling it yet folks but I'm very close. I have about everything done to the '05 Midnight that I wanted to do and it turned out really nice but possibly for nothing. I've got to do some real soul searching and decide if it's time for us to hang it up. I'm only 61 years old and Eileen is a couple years younger than me but I guess we all get there at different points in our lives. Maybe it's time to pick up a decent camper and embark on a new hobby and adventures.

I know of at least a couple more Utopias. One in Texas and one in Ohio. I'll be there are more also.

Looks like a great deal to me.

I got no warnings when I sent to that site. I saw one similar, maybe the same one, at a rally a few years ago. They demonstrated it all day and it was really nice.

I think that the real answer to the question about how people get by with it is that they just ignore the fact that they are overloaded. I did it also. I had a 1/2 ton Avalanche that was rated about 7,000 towing capacity. I pulled a boat that probably went over 9,000 lbs. It pulled it ok as long as you didn't try to push it too hard. Gas mileage suffered badly though. I finally sold it and bought a 3/4 ton Avalanche and it did much better and even got better gas mileage when towing than the 1/2 ton did. Took me a long time to find a nice 3/4 ton Avalanche and then I ended up selling the boat and now don't need the dang thing. Been meaning for weeks to get it listed on Craigslist but just haven't messed with it yet.

Well....there is not reason to be mean about it.

Firestik still makes them. http://www.firestik.com/CatalogFrame.htm