RockinRuss

Riding 2-up from Colorado. Sunday night in motel in Hot Springs, then tenting Mon-Wed night at Buffalo Chip. Wouldn't a meet at the full throttle be hard to find each other? How about a meeting time at the factory Star tent along Lazelle? just a thought.

I needed this. Thanks! I was afraid it was inside the fehring. I blew mine with an air pump for my air mattress. I go manual now.

Thanks for the advice. The more I thought about it, the more I realized I made this more complicated than it needed to be. Since my battery contacts were clean, my battery was only 7 mo old, and it tested 12.7 V, I jumped to all the other possiblities before getting the battery tested. I didn't have the chance to get a load test on the battery yet, but I think you guys are right, that must be it. I have batteries fail load tests all too often, each vehicle once per year. I just bought this one 7 months ago. After doing some searches on this site for the best battery, and seeing lots of disagreement, I settled on the XTAX20HL-BS sealed AGM, which I got at a local Batteries Plus store. Good news is, I still have the box and receipt, so it should be replaced under warranty when I go in tomorrow. It was $85 plus tax, no shipping charge. I like to deal locally, which is why I didn't order one of those orange batteries on the internet that others suggested. Thanks. I'll repost later with an update. I expect I tore apart the bike (fuses and wires under the tank) for no good reason.

Symptoms: Last used bike 5 days ago. Today, turned key, had power, hit starter, click, dead. Everything dead. After leaving alone for a while and it got dark, I would notice that I turn key from off to ACC and the radio lights come on for a second then fade away. Turn to ON and nothing is there. Turn off then back to ACC and no radio lights unless I let it sit for a few minutes. Still, nothing works, no radio, no horn, no lights. Troubleshooting notes: I cleaned the battery terminals and retightened. Battery voltage was at 12.7 V. Then I turn switch to ACC and battery voltage drops to 7 or 8 V while radio light comes on then fades off a second later. I turn the ignition switch all the way to ON and the battery voltage drops to near zero. I repeated this several times, then noticed my battery was having a hard time coming back up to 12 V, so I expect a short some where. Then, I hooked up the trickle charger and it was acting funny. It has a light to indicate when the battery is charged, and that light was slowly flickering. If charged, it would stay constant on, but if charging, it would stay off. I tested all fuses with continuity tester, that includes all 5 fuses on left side behind panel C, plus the 30A main fuse behind panel B, plus all 5 fuses in the lower right fairing, and all got continuity on all. I read several posts about ignition switch failure, so I checked that too. (Note: my radio doesn't work though) Took tank off and checked continuity across ignition wire connectors and found no problems. Please share ideas. I will check the thread again tomorrow and try your suggestions. I really don't want to try to push this 900 lb beast up the ramp into my jacked-up truck!

Yeah, I'm riding there again. This will be my sixth time, but it is only a 7 hour ride from where I am in Colorado. Leaving Saturday morning, packing it all on the bike, staying 5 nights at a campground across the highway from the Full Throttle Saloon. Riding with one other couple but staying with a big group of bikers that are members of a social club. Always lots of fun. My favorites are the Buffalo Chip campground/concerts, Loud American Roadhouse with the cover band called Judd Hoos, and riding Iron Mountain road north from Custer State Park to Mt. Rushmore. The Knuckle and One Eyed Jacks are also great biker bars.

Caves: I've been through most all the caves in SD, and you can't go wrong with any of them. Each has its own unique flair: big room, historic importance, most of one type crystal, most steps, elevator, or something else. Plan for about 2-3 hours and dress warm. Temp inside cave is low 50s no matter what the temp is outside. It is like walking in a refridgerator for more than an hour. Some offer spelunking and Jewel Cave is National Monument that offers a historic tour exactly how it would have been done in the 1920s. Roads: They have named them, but I will add my emphasis to Needles Hwy, Iron Mtn Road, Custer State Park, Spearfish Canyon, Nemo road, and the old highway loop to Devils Tower (north of the Intersate between Sundance and Belle Fouche.) If in Rapid City, ride up Skyline drive for a great view. (Look for Dinosaur Park signs pointing up the hill.) Although they are out of the way, I think both Devils Tower and the Badlands are worth the half-day ride. Carvings: No one mentioned Crazy Horse, just north of Custer. There are several reasons it is more impressive than Mount Rushmore, especially if you appreciate Native American culture and the individual human spirit of one man and his dream. This work-in-progress can be seen from the highway without paying, but since it is privately funded and they have a good museum for Native American culture, you might want to stop in. Rushmore, on the other hand, has very limited views from the highway, so you really need to pay and walk around to enjoy it. I agree, the night time lighting ceremony is nice. Badlands: As mentioned above, ND has their own Badlands and country music touristy center near Medora, but the SD badlands are a must see. Plan at least two hours, maybe 4, if you want to get off the bike and explore. Plan to be at the West side of the Badlands near sunset and take a sack lunch out to a private pinnacle and sit down with your sweetie. Campgrouds: There are hundreds in the Hills, so lots of choices depending on what you like. Personally, Mystery Mountain Campground and resort offers almost everything. It is South of Rapid City on hwy 16, near top of hill. (pool and hot tub with amazing view, cabins, heavily wooded, little store, hot breakfast). If you are camping in the Custer area, check out Beaver Lake Campground a couple miles West of Custer. Super nice staff, no hot tub but pool and water slide, cabins, little store, and lots of rabbits. Attractions: Personal favorites are Bear Country USA, Cosmos, Reptile Gardens. Bear Country offers riding around in a bus for those who came on motorcycle. Aside from the hundreds of bears roaming freely just a couple feet from you, the other wildlife and especially then nursery area are impressive. Cosmos is good if you like mind boggling illusions or naturaly mysteries that bend the rules of physics and gravity. Otherwise, you will think it is a tourist trap/hoax. It only takes 20 minutes to go through and it is 2 miles of gravel road to get to it. Reptile Gardens has a lot more than just reptiles. Plan for at least 3 hours if you want to see the amazing and entertaining animal shows (snakes, birds, and wrestle a gator). Very educational. If in Keystone, the Rushmore slide is fun and has a nice view of Mount Rushmore from the top. Deadwood is cool if you like tourist crowds and casinos, but MUCH more casual and friendly than Vegas. I think that covers it. Call the visitor's beaurau and get a free vacation guide. I go just about every year, usually twice: once for the Sturgis rally and once for the family. I am also a SD native.

When mounting them forward and out like Mariner Fan (and I), make sure they will easily fold up and stay up when not in use. I have had several close calls with my highway pegs sticking way up and out when pulling up close to another bike or gas pump. I have actually rubbed against a few things accidently and also caught them on the gas pump hose more than once. I tend to forgetting how far they stick out. (This bike is much wider than my previous bikes.) Now I am in the habit of folding them up with my feet while rolling up to a stop before parking. I'm 6'2" and have pegs in a position kind of like Mariner Fan, but I think they extend forward a bit more and they are flatter, about 3 inches across, and really comfortable. I don't know the brand, but they are fully adjustable for angle. They extend out enough that my legs are straight. I have put more then 8,000 miles on my bike in 4 months and I use the highway pegs constantly when on the road. I also discovered that extending my legs straight with loose fitting jeans can act like an air scoop and create a wind tunnel all the way up past my crotch. It is a great way to stay cool when riding across Nebraska on a 100 degree day! The highway pegs are a must have to get your feet away from the hot engine. See my Sturgis/Badlands/DevilsTower/Yellowstone photos in my gallery for a pic of my pegs. The one with my wife standing in front of the bike shows them best. Russ

1) Compare Quality: I might have bought a Harley if the price was comparable, but the only reasons I was considering them was for looks, reputation, and social status. I haven't heard of anyone who bought a Harley because the extra money was worth it for the better quality or performance, with the possible V-rod exception. I subscribe to open-minded magazines (Cruiser and Rider) and the Harley rarely if ever wins in side-by-side comparisons. Some claim great resale value, but of all the Jap bikes I have owned, I kept them in good shape, put lots of miles on them, and never lost more than $600 when reselling them many years and miles later. All motorcycles have good resale value if they are taken care of. 2) Compare Clothing: Why do so many Harley owners own so much Harley clothing?? I must be because letting people know that you own a Harley is as important as actually owning it. Social status is the way to justify the price. Or maybe it is the most important reason to own one. 3) Dual Ownership: In this thread, we have heard from open-minded riders who have owned both. I value their opinions. I also have a friend who has owned a Sportster and an ST1100 for several years. He has ridden both of them to Sturgis and other road trips. Even though the Honda is older and has more miles, he is quick to point out that is far more dependable than the Harley on many occasions. Sometimes he is afraid to take the Harley on long road trips. Perhaps that is why so many trailer their bikes for the long haul and only ride them for the short Sunday drives. 4) Embarrassing Fact: This past February, when I was riding my RSWarrior the 40 mile round trip to work whenever the road wasn't icy and the temp was above 30, the Harley Dealership in Loveland, CO had a major event one Saturday. I received a flyer in the mail advertising their HARLEY FASHION SHOW! They had pictures of models wearing Harley clothing and told people to come in to see the newest biker fashions on the cat walk. I had to ask myself: Since when does a real biker go to a fashion show? That is when I realized they sold out. In my mind, Harley is now a clothing company that also sells motorcycles. 5) Recent Oil Sighting: On my way to Sturgis this year, my wife an I were eating lunch in a cafe on Main Street in Chadron, NE. We saw a few Harley riders on nice, fairly new bikes stop at the light in the nearly 100 degree heat. One got off his bike to check out the fluid that was running out of another female rider's Harley in their group. They pulled off, inspected it, looked concerned, and then road away. After lunch, I went over to inspect the pool that was still on the street. The pool was oil and it was 12 inches in diameter and the rider only sat there for about 15 seconds. Although I have heard the jokes about leaking oil, I have never seen any bike, Harley or otherwise, leave a pool of oil at a stoplight. Unfortunately, that new Harley wasn't making it to Sturgis that day. (And I thought my rear shock oil drip was bad.) Thanks for letting me share my thoughts. In the end, I like how many of the Harleys look and sound. I like the social reputation the Harley name brings with it. But for me, riding a quality bike and riding often is more important than blind brand loyalty and fashion. The hard-headed Harley mindset is only a little different than the guys out there who are devoted for life to only own a Ford and trash talk the other trucks with stickers. The main difference is that Ford dealerships don't have fashion shows.

I uploaded several photos in my gallery of our Sturgis trip, two of them with Ernie in them. Sorry, this being my 4th or 5th trip to Sturgis, I didn't take all the traditional photos of bikes on mainstreet and chicks with very little clothing. Instead, I took more campground and nature photos.

The other 51 weeks of the year exist so that this week can happen! I sent my tent via UPS so my wife and I could ride 2-up. Leaving Colorado Sat morning Aug 2. Staying at Rush-No-More campground 5 miles SE of Sturgis, exit 37. (No reservations necessary if tent camping, has pool, hot tub, bar, food, hot showers.) We stayed there last year and it was much more comfortable than the Buffalo Chip, but also quieter. Probably staying until Wednesday, then we might ride over to Yellowstone before heading back home. We both have Aug 2 - 10 off work. This will be my 5th Sturgis trip. We are keeping our plans flexible for weather. Hope to ride Badlands loop and probably Kidd Rock at the Buffalo Chip Monday night. If you like live rock music from the 70s - 90s, then you MUST stop in the Loud American Roadhouse on the west end of main street and see the Judd Hoos band. They are they almost every night (and every year). No cover charge but they are hands-down the best cover band I have ever seen. Expect the bar to be absolutely packed with sweaty people crowding the stage. If you see a Midnight RSV, look for the silver guitar on my black helmet. That's me. I also have an all black tank (no emblem) and the corbin rear backrest with extended arm rests thanks to Gibvel. Ride fast and party hard! Rockin Russ 970-313-3946

The other 51 weeks of the year exist so that this week can happen! Yesterday I sent my tent via UPS so my wife and I could ride 2-up. Leaving Colorado Sat morning. Staying at Rush-No-More campground 5 miles SE of Sturgis, exit 37. Probably staying until Wednesday, then we might ride over to Yellowstone before heading back home. We both have Aug 2 - 10 off work. This will be my 5th Sturgis trip. My first time was 1988. It was a month before my 18th birthday, rode my Yamaha Special II 400 and I got my ear pierced without an ID. (I was a real bad ass, huh?) The two years at the Buffalo Chip riding my Honda Shadow with 4 buddies were the highlights, 2003 and 2005. Last year was the first year the wife went, she rode her Honda Silverwing and I rode my Warrior, but she sold that when I sold the Warrior so that we could buy the Venture. I tent camp every time, but of course that is easier to do when a guy only lives a day's ride away. If you see a Midnight RSV, look for the silver guitar on my black helmet. That's me. I also have an all black tank (no emblem) and the corbin rear backrest with extended arm rests thanks to Gibvel. Ride fast and party hard! Rockin Russ

When I installed the leveling links, I was having trouble getting the old ones out until I realized the role they play: When on a jack with no weight on the rear wheel, longer links push the back tire up into the wheel well and shorter links allow the back tire to fall down farther. On my center stand with the lowering kit installed, the back tire was more than 2 inches off the ground. I removed the lowering kit and its long links and replaced them with leveling links. Now, on the center stand, the rear wheel is barely touching the ground.

Freebird, YOU DA MAN!! Thanks for the link and the excellent instructions with great photos. Also, please PM me with an update about the center stand stop brackets that I asked about last week.

I'm confused. I understand it is quick to check the stearing head bearings as the owners manual describes, but Freebird agrees that it is a big job to fully service them. For those of you above who said you did a quick tightening if the stearing bearings, please share with us how to tighten them quickly and how much time to plan for. Thanks. Also - my 2 cents - I have had the same thing on my Honda Shadow, and it was caused by low tire pressure which caused irregular wear of the front wheel. It went away with a new front tire. Now, my Venture has shown an ocassional handlebar shake and I suspect very slight irregular wear of the front tire, but lots of tread left, so I don't want to replace it yet. (it has 11,000 miles on it)

Thank you all for sharing your experience. I plan to remove my flat stock Bridgestone this week and install a stock-sized Avon or Dunlop at the same time I remove the lowering kit and install the leveling links. But...in the name of science, I couldn't help but wonder...how would it feel to remove an old used Avon or Dunlop and replace it with a new Bridgestone? My guess is that no one has done that. All this bashing of Bridgestone is after feeling the improvement by removing an old and/or used Bridgestone and replacing it with a new different brand. The credit has been given to the different brand when I have to imagine some of the change should be attributed to the fact that it is just plain new. Russ Bridgestone R&D Tech (just kidding) fyi: I have an '04 Midnight RSV, purchased 2 months ago with 6,600 miles and stock tires. Now it has almost 10,000 miles, and will have 11,000 miles in two more weeks. I love my new touring bike!!