Freebird

Very unusual to have to reset because of a slip on muffler swap. I would check some other things first. Starting with a good carb sync. You aren't that far from me. If you want to ride over to Oberlin, OH I would be happy to sync them for you. Oh...and no...the popping isn't going to hurt anything.

There was a time when I would have agreed that the beer is Canada was better but I absolutely no longer believe it to be true. The microbrewery revolution has resulted in some very fine beer in the USA. If higher alcohol content is important to you then that is certainly not an issue. I agree that the usual Budweiser, Miller, Coors, etc. is still as anemic as always but there are plenty of others to choose from. As for regular off the shelf selections, Sam Adams Boston Lager is one of my favorites but I like trying different things, especially IPAs and Double IPAs and there are literally hundreds to choose from with most starting at a alcohol content of around 5.9 and doing WAY up from there.

Well I've returned the first one and ordered another. If this one is the same, I will just forget about it. Show Chrome also makes one that is made like the OEM original cap except chromed. I like the one from Yamaha but if this one has the same problem, will likely just try the Show Chrome version. I'm not going to keep ordering them until I finally get one that is right.

LOL....the retired cop got pretty irate but folks please understand that I too am a supporter of our fine men and women who are out there everyday for our protection. We have several who are members here and my report was not meant to reflect negatively on them or others in any way. I just found this one particularly amusing.

I get several emails per day from newer members/trial members asking why they are suddenly unable to search forums, download attachments and various other things. You get a message that says something like "you do not have permissions" to perform certain tasks. Pretty much 100% of the time it is because your trial membership or your supporting membership has expired. I then often get an email back stating something like "thank you but I didn't realize that it was a trial membership". This post is meant to be informative, NOT scolding. When you go to the home page of VentureRider.org and read the introduction, it clearly states that you are signing up for a free 60 day trial. When you get your welcome email, it also welcomes you to your free 60 day trial. I am not trying to trick anybody here. I try to make it very clear that the free membership is indeed for a 60 day trial. I also state that upon completion of the free trial or sooner if you like what you find here, full membership is only $12.00 per year. Folks that is $1.00 per month and I think affordable for most anybody. I hope so. As cheap as it is, if you truly have some serious financial issues just send me a message. I have given a free years to several people who were truly having problems. Now let me say that almost everybody is OK with the answer once they learn that their trial membership has simply expired. I've only had one person ever who got upset about it. He was from somewhere in California and said that he was a retired cop and he knew a thing or two about "bait and switch" scams and that he was never told that it was only a free trial. I'm sorry people, but if a retired cop missed ALL the notifications that the free membership was only a 60 day trial then I'm guessing that he wasn't a detective. So like I said, this post is not meant to scold anybody, well except maybe that retired cop if he even checks things out still, but just an explanation to those of you who might have missed the terms. It is easy to become a supporting member. Just click on "Membership" in the menu bar at the top of the page. Thanks

Have any of you replaced the oil filler cap with the Yamaha accessories chrome cap number STR-4NK27-14-01? I ordered one from a seller off Ebay. It was new and still in the sealed Yamaha package. Though it looked right and if you butted the threaded end up to the threaded end of the stock cap, the size and thread pitch appears to be identical, it should not screw in. It would just start and then bind. The old cap easily spins down. I even wrapped a rag around it and tried gently with a pair of channel locks but it wouldn't budge. Almost seems like the chrome plating on the threads is too thick or something. The seller authorized a return but did not have another one so I've ordered one from a different seller. Just wondered if any of you have tried this cap and had similar problems. Here is the part that I'm talking about.

This is the first I have heard of it. Certainly something I will check though.

Here is a pdf copy of the 2010 Star Yamaha Accessories catalog. It covers all the 2010 Star models Including Stars, Road Stars, Royal Star Ventures, Royal Star Tour Deluxe, etc. I know that at least for the RSV and RSTD models, these part numbers would be applicable to all year models. These part numbers will be helpful if you are searching Ebay or other places for those hard to find accessories. http://www.venturerider.org/manuals/2010staryamaha.pdf

Sent you a PM

I'm going to take a step back on my comment that Synthetic oil will NOT cause leaks. I just did some research to refresh my memory and though that it is technically true, it isn't that simple. They say that they early synthetic oils had high contents of esters that could be hard on and deteriorate some types of seals and indeed cause leaks. New synthetics are much different and that is no longer an issue. BUT....while it is claimed that the newer synthetics will not CAUSE leaks, they have been known to FIND leaks. If an older vehicle has some cracked or dried out seals, switching to a synthetic can cause them to start leaking. Many times those old and cracked seals will be clogged by various contaminates from years of use. When you switch to synthetic, the superior cleaning properties can flush that old trash out of the cracks and cause those seals to start leaking. They say that the leaks will usually stop again as more contaminates make their way into the cracks but not always. So, to me that means that yes, switching to synthetics could cause leaks. I don't care what the terminology is. Causing leaks or finding leaks. If it is an old leak that has sealed itself off and synthetics cause it to start leaking again, in my mind, it has caused a leak. That being said, I have never had it happen to me.

There are many reports here about the Metzler tires chunking. I would never run them but if you do, do NOT run them two pounds below the pressure marked on the sidewalls. Metzler has claimed that is what causes the problem with their tires. Many here will never agree on oil but my experience with YamaLube has been opposite of what was posted above. I hate it. First time I had the oil changed on my brand new, at the time, '99 RSV it was done by the dealer as the first service was included in the deal. I left for a trip and actually stopped and changed it out midway at around 1500 miles. Finding neutral had become difficult and the engine was noisier. I went with Mobil 1 for motorcycles and have never been happier. My bikes shift better and seem to have less engine noise than with other oils that I've tried. Plus, if I go over the miles a bit I don't worry about it. I've talked to many others who experienced the same thing with the Yamalube. Not trying to talk anybody out of it that is happy with it but just relaying my own experience. I will never use it again. The old information about synthetics causing older bikes and cars to leak is no longer true from all the research that I have done. I've personally never had that experience and have read research stating that if it ever was truly an issue, it is no longer the case. One last note about the brake pads. If you haven't done so, pull the caliper and check the inner pad on the rear. These bikes have a tendency to wear out the rear inner pad quicker than the outer pad. More than one person have ruined rotors because they looked only at the outer pad and it was good while the inner pad was almost down to metal.

I agree with the Mobil 1. It's all that I use in my bikes and other vehicles. Do NOT use regular Mobil one for cars though unless it's a weight that is NOT marked energy conserving. That will eventually cause your clutch to slip and probably very soon. All I use in my RSV is Mobil 1 Racing 4T. Specifically made for motorcycles. I am not a fan of YamaLube at all and have seen it cause exactly what you are describing with making it hard to find neutral.

Thanks.

My recent 270 mile ride on the '05 RSV reminded me of the should pain that I always got on the '99 before installing the Flanders bars. It is something that I'll have to deal with pretty soon. There have been reports here that the OEM bars from the RSTD work very well on the RSV. Can anybody tell me how they differ from the Flanders bars that are offered for the RSV? Height, width, pullback? Also, are the OEM throttle cables longer than the RSV cables? I know that some folks make the OEM RSV throttle cables work on the Flanders bars but on the '99 I bought some that were 2" longer and prefer to do that.

Nice bike. I'm sure it handles fantastically. Unfortunately, it would probably kill by back if Eileen didn't kill me first.

Thanks. Unless it is available in a rattle can though, I won't be using it. I have a compressor and a spray gun but don't know how to use it.

Original side covers would work fine but the very few that I've found on Ebay have been priced crazy. If I run across a decent set, I'll buy them. Otherwise, I'll just go old school and fab some flat metal covers sort of what you see on dirt bikes and etc. Might look sort of cool anyway. Right now I have to get the turn signals working. He told Dylan that he hadn't figured them out yet and I can see why. He is trying to make them running lights and turn signals and has everything wired wrong. Tail light and brake light works so I just have to come up with the best and cheapest solution to get signals working. He had also replaced the petcock with a on off valve and aftermarket filter. Would be fine except that the gas gauge isn't working either so with no reserve position, I have no doubt that Dylan will run out of gas sooner or later. I found an original petcock on Ebay and ordered it yesterday. At least he will have a reserve again. Gas gauge may be OK but they cut the wires off the sensor in the bottom of the tank. I will try to repair it but they cut the wires off too short to splice them back on. Found a few on Ebay pretty cheap but have to make sure to get the right one. I just think he would have been far ahead to just buy a nice older cruiser that hasn't been all modified. He liked this one though.

I don't think there was a problem with humidity or temperatures. Nothing like that. I think that flat black just behaves this way but I could be wrong. I may wet sand it all back down and then spray it with perhaps a matt black instead of flat. Or even a glossing black and then a matt clear. Still researching it. That would probably be the best thing to do. He called a small local body shop here and asked what they would charge to paint just the tank and front fender. They quoted him $250.00. YIKES!!! I thought that was a bit steep so we decided to try it ourselves. From what little I've researched on the web and YouTube though, I'm not the only one who has a problem with flat black.

I'm not happy with the paint. We prepped it very well. Down to bare metal then multiple standings and a final wet sanding. Very smooth. Then three coats of primer and another wet sanding before doing the flat black. The texture is rough. After the wet sanding, the primed surface was smooth as glass. Four coats of the flat black and now it is almost like a 400 grit sandpaper. Will be easy to mar and scratch much less trying to keep clean. I'm thinking that we should have gone with a regular black and then used a matt clear to achieve the flat look. How about it those of you with some painting experience. What is the best way to get the look that he is after? Flat black but a smoother finish in my opinion would be better.

It is a 1982 CB750SC. Runs great but I still think it's too much for what is essentially a first bike. This thing is pretty quick.

So yesterday Dylan and I started making his bike "his" bike. Still a lot to do but we made some progress. He decided that he wanted it done in flat black. I hate trying to paint flat black because I always have trouble getting it right. From a distance though, it turned out ok. I'm not 100% happy though so may wet sand and try it again. He also sprayed the gold tank emblems and then sanded the raised area so that they are silver. I think he did a good job with that. I still have to fabricate some type of side covers. It's an old bike but it is the look that he wants and I think it will turn out ok.

What you read is true. I used to use way too much of it. I haven't used it in many years now.

The trailer is wired for a different type system. Bikes do have the separate run/brake and turn signal wires. Some trailer that are specifically built for motorcycles have the separate turn signal and brake/running lights but most universal trailers do not. Your choice is to either add separate turn signals to the trailer or buy a convertor that is available at most auto parts stores. Most people buy the convertor. I haven't looked in a long time but they used to run about $45.00 I think.

Looks great. You done good.

Surely they weren't serious about that no smoking stuff.