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Ndiaz

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Everything posted by Ndiaz

  1. Ndiaz
    I ran a Shinko up front on my 88 VR a couple of years ago. Great tire, sticky, quiet, and a great price, except it was toast after only 5,000 miles. Never again. Dunlop 3's have lasted the longest on my VR, and I recommend them, as do a lot of others. Nick Diaz Middletown, MD
  2. Ndiaz
    As for the brakes, the front ones are easy to replace, so you don't have to replace them just because you get a new front tire. Front tires and front brake pads should be replaced as needed. I just replaced my right front pads this past week, but the front Continental has only 4,000 miles on it. The rear is something else. I recommend to install new brakes in the rear every time the rear wheel comes out. It's a more time-consuming job to replace the rear tire. I replaced my rear brake pads last month by removing the right saddlebag. Of course, removing the bag on a 1200 is much easier than on my MkII 1988 VR. Nick Diaz Middletown, MD
  3. Ndiaz
    As long as you have a tire installed that meets the requirement, 120/90-18 (MR90-18) up front and 140/90-16 (MU90-16) on the rear, you're fine. Examine the tire for wear and pressure, and for cuts and rot. Replace it with your favorite tire when it comes time. I seldom have the same brand/model tire front and rear. Nick Diaz Middletown, MD
  4. Ndiaz
    I have a Dunlop 491 Elite II on the rear, and a Continental tour on the front. Mixing tire brands has never been a problem for me in the 42 years I've been riding. Both tires are /90 bias ply. Nick Diaz
  5. Ndiaz
    No thanks. If it doesn't lean on the curves, I'll quit riding. No trikes and no sidecars. I'm taking it one year at a time, enjoying every day in the life of the Venture. Both the Venture and I are "seasoned citizens". Nick Diaz Middletown, MD
  6. Ndiaz
    1984 GS1100GK Suzuki, the bike I rode before buying my (88) VR. Bought it in late 1999 with 25,000 miles. Sold it in 2008 with 133,000 miles. Nine riding seasons, 108K miles. Latest I heard, it's still running strong. Those air-cooled, four-cylinder GS Suzukis were incredibly reliable. My VR has only 81,000 miles now; had 45,000 when I bought it 4 years ago. Lots of miles left in its life -- very enjoyable ride. It's probably the last bike I'll ever own, (I'm 64), which is fine with me. Nick Diaz Middletown, MD
  7. Ndiaz
    I had a Shinko 230 on the front of my 1988 Venture Royale. Good price, good performance, but.... it was gone after less than 6,000 miles. I replaced the front Shinko with a Dunlop E-3. 10,000 miles, and it still has some tread left. I'm replacing it next week. Yes, the E-3 is more expensive than the Shinko, but to me it's worth it not to have to replace the tire so often. Nick Diaz Middletown, MD
  8. Ndiaz
    I had a headlight modulator on my GS1100GK Suzuki, the bike I owned before getting my 1988 Venture Royale four years ago. I hesitate to install a modulator on my VR for fear of it messing with the computerized system on it. If anyone has successfully installed -- and run -- a modulator on a 1st-generation Venture, please chime in. Nick Diaz Middletown, MD
  9. Ndiaz
    Middletown, Frederick County, Maryland. Great roads, great rides in the mid-Atlantic States -- MD, VA, WV, PA, with southeast Ohio, western North Carolina, eastern Kentucky, NY Finger Lakes close enough. http://www.greatroadsgreatrides.com/ Nick Diaz, Middletown, MD
  10. Ndiaz
    I bought a set of Shinkos a while back and got 5,000 miles out of the rear and 6,000 out of the front. No complaints other than they didn't last long. Handling was fine. I have E3's on the Royale right now, and after 8,000 miles the rear still looks great, with quite a bit of tread left. Front the same. Shinkos are good tires, and they're priced well, but they're short-lived. At least for me. Nick Diaz Middletown, MD
  11. Ndiaz
    Today the throttle cable on my 88 VR broke while on a ride. Fortunately, I was close to home. The throttle cable broke 26 months and 22,000 miles ago. Is this a problem with 1st-gen Ventures? If so, is there anything I can do to prevent this seemingly premature wear? I had a GS1100GK Suzuki before the Venture. In 9 years and 100,000 miles of use on that Suzuki, I didn't replace the throttle cable once. Nick Diaz Middletown, MD
  12. Ndiaz
    1988 Royale, bought July, 2008, with 45,000 miles. As of today, September 2011, it has 77,000 miles. It's a daily runner, weather permitting. Since I bought it, it's been in Maine, Mass, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, Ohio, and my home in Maryland. Good trips planned for 2012, but plenty of day rides left this fall. Great runner -- very pleased. Nick Diaz Middletown, MD
  13. Ndiaz
    On an October weekend, I will NOT recommend Front Royal and the Skyline Drive (Shenandoah National Park). Traffic will be horrendous. Nick Diaz Middletown, MD
  14. Ndiaz
    From DC, an easy drive to Catoctin Mountain Park, where Camp David is located. If it's good enough for Presidents, it's good enough for all of us who own the place -- it's a National Park. Find Thurmont in Frederick County, MD, and you'll see where it is. Beautiful area. Fortunately, Øbama doesn't go there often, so it should be easy for you to get there and get around. Nick Diaz Middletown, MD
  15. Ndiaz
    I go to my friendly Pep Boys and get Castrol dino for motorcycles, 10W40. Or to Auto Zone and get Valvoline dino for motorcycles, 10W40. I use 10W40 regardless of season. Oil level stays midway through the sight glass, all the time. 76,000 miles on my 1988 V.R. of which 30,000 are mine. Nick Diaz Middletown, MD
  16. Ndiaz
    I wore out two rear Commanders before going to Dunlop E-3. They performed just fine, but the E-3 on it now will definitely last me longer than any other rear tire I've installed on my Venture Royale. 7,000 miles and it has plenty of tread left. Nick Diaz Middletown, MD
  17. Ndiaz
    There are improvements that can be made to a 1980's motorcycle, the 1st-gen Venture -- tires, brakes, cables, battery, fork brace, etc. One thing is to improve the bike, which many of us have done, thanks to Earl and others in this forum. Yet another is to change the bike so drastically it becomes a totally different animal, to the point of being unrecognizable, even unrideable. Tire size is something that should not be messed with, as it changes totally the nature of the ride. Nick Diaz Middletown, MD
  18. Ndiaz
    BRP = Blue Ridge Parkway. Nick Diaz Middletown, MD
  19. Ndiaz
    Here's my perspective on this issue, published a couple of years ago: http://www.thetentacle.com/ShowArticle.cfm?mydocid=3178 Nick Diaz Middletown, MD
  20. Ndiaz
    I replace my set of NGK's once a year in late Fall, by force of habit. I ride about 10,000 miles a year. No plug-related problems so far. Nick Diaz Middletown, MD
  21. Ndiaz
    I replaced my traditional wet cell 10 months ago with AGM battery by Interstate. Very happy with it, as it starts the bike right away, hot or cold. Mine is an '88 VR, which I bought 3 years ago. Nick Diaz Middletown, MD
  22. Ndiaz
    Got another "like" from me. Nick Diaz Middletown, MD
  23. Ndiaz
    Thank you, Earl and Dingy for the additional information and opinions. Nick
  24. Ndiaz
    Thank you very much, Snaggletooth and GaryZ, for your time and for the valuable information. Nick Diaz Middletown, MD
  25. Ndiaz
    1988 Venture Royale. Two questions: 1. The 1200 Mk I (83, 84, 85) Venture rotors. Will these fit my 1988 VR Mk II? I suspect not, but please let me know for sure. 2. Are the left and the right rotors on the Mk II (86-93) VR interchangeable? Thanks in advance. Nick Diaz Middletown, MD
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