straycatt

Great Ceasers Ghost, I thought $30 to mount/balance at a local indy shop was expensive. I spooned on my new E3 front tire and balanced it, yesterday. $132 for the tire from Motorcycle Superstore and a couple of hours of my time to mount. http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a373/gat803/20130511_143150.jpg

Allow me to relate a totally fictional story that has no basis in reality and involves no real person... Being as how many people own multiple trailers (snowmobile/boat/motorcycle/etc) and you can only tow one at a time, there may be people out there whom get a trailer with a "home built" registration. Then they can use one plate on all their trailers and have a resaonable argument that that plate belongs to any trailer that they own as they "rebuilt and reregistered" it themselves, as the registration card doesn't tie to any one trailer. At least that's a story I heard....

I can't speak to longevity, yet, but I picked up this 2008 with 8900 miles on the clock last fall for $2500. Be aware, the KLR is TALL. No big deal to throw on shorter suspension links, but good to know just the same. There is gobs of mods and aftermarket farkle for the KLR. Also, the big Kwacker is a complete dog power wise. I just went down one tooth on the counter shaft sprocket, and I can just barely get the front wheel off the ground with a throttle roll on in 1st and 2nd. Couldn't get the front off the ground at all with the stock gearing. Still, seems to be a good scooter for around town and light off road work. It is a ball to ride, especially after riding the RSV road sofa. http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a373/gat803/klr3-2013004.jpg

According to Deka (East Penn) there is more to charging a VRLA (Valve Regulated Lead Acid) battery than just xx number of amps. Temperature, and degree of charge have a lot to do with it as well. From the Deka website, everything you could possibly want to know about VRLA (AGM) batteries. http://www.dekabatteries.com/assets/base/0139.pdf There's lots more, but here is a taste... How do VRLA batteries recharge? Are there any special precautions? While our VRLA batteries accept a charge extremely well due to their low internal resistance, any battery will be damaged by continual under- or overcharging. Capacity is reduced and life is shortened. Overcharging is especially harmful to any VRLA battery because of the sealed design. Overcharging dries out the electrolyte by driving the oxygen and hydrogen out of the battery through the pressure relief valves. Performance and life are reduced. If a battery is continually undercharged, a power-robbing layer of sulfate will build up on the positive plate, which acts as a barrier to recharging. Premature plate shedding can also occur. Performance is reduced and life is shortened. Therefore, it is critical that a charger be used that limits voltage. The charger must be temperature-compensated to prevent underor overcharging due to ambient temperature changes. (See Charging Voltage vs. Ambient Temperature chart on page 11.) Important Charging Instructions The warranty is void if improperly charged. Use a good constant potential, temperature-compensated, voltage-regulated charger. Constant current chargers should never be used on VRLA batteries. How critical is recharge voltage? Why are all VRLA batteries so charge sensitive? All lead-acid batteries give off hydrogen from the negative plate and oxygen from the positive plate during charging. VRLA batteries have pressure-sensitive valves. Without the ability to retain pressure within the cells, hydrogen and oxygen would be lost to the atmosphere, eventually drying out the electrolyte and separators. Voltage is electrical pressure. Charge (ampere-hours) is a quantity of electricity. Current (amperes) is electrical flow (charging speed). A battery can only store a certain quantity of electricity. The closer it gets to being fully charged, the slower it must be charged. Temperature also affects charging. If the right pressure (voltage) is used for the temperature, a battery will accept charge at its ideal rate. If too much pressure is used, charge will be forced through the battery faster than it can be stored. Reactions other than the charging reaction occur to transport this current through the battery—mainly gassing. Hydrogen and oxygen are given off faster than the recombination reaction. This raises the pressure until the pressure relief valve opens. The gas lost cannot be replaced. Any VRLA battery will dry out and fail prematurely if it experiences excessive overcharge. Note: It is the pressure (voltage) that initiates this problem— a battery can be “over-charged” (damaged by too much voltage) even though it is not fully “charged.” This is why charging voltage must be carefully regulated and temperature compensated to the values on page 11.

Tri-StateBattery.com http://www.tristatebattery.com/etx20l-deka-powersport-battery-p-981.html Deka (East Penn) ETX20L. No core trade in, free shipping, $81.95 I bought a new VRLA (AGM) battery for my KLR a month ago from these guys...best price around, and excellent communication. Took exactly one week to get.

I bought mine from Partshark last year. They list it currently for $458.19.... http://www.partshark.com/fiche_section_detail.asp?section=1755554&category=Motorcycles&make=YAMAHA&year=2011&fveh=51690

I did the re-fi on the HARP program with Citi a year ago. There was no down side. It's bacially free money. I dropped my payment by $180 and there were NO fees. I give it :thumbsup2:

I second this, but would say 1 year minimum solo before even considering hauling a passenger. When you carry someone with you, anything and everything that happens to them is the pilots responsibility. I think you're going to need some time with this bike, before you're comfortable. I can't imagine choosing a Venture as a first bike to ride after 25 years of not riding. The Venture has to be one of, if not the most difficult big motorcycle to ride (especially two up) The slow speed handling of the Venture is....less than friendly. It's ponderous, slow to react with all of that handle bar weight, and way top heavy. Don't misunderstand, with some seat time the RSV can be a very capable ride. But you have to stay on top of it. Once you get it moving down the Highway, it's a joy to be on. Around town for a less than seasoned rider.....maybe not so much.

I haven't dropped a street motorcycle in at least 20some years over 5 different bikes. Dirt bikes are a whole 'nother story, and I did lay the Venture down just to see if I could pick it up. I don't care what anybody says.....it ain't easy. http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a373/gat803/sidebike2011004.jpg

Tomorrow evening??? I thought it was next weekend, the 12th....or, I mean ya, ya, see you tomorrow. Hang in there Karl, that kid is going to be around for a while. The time will come, just get healthy.

Positive thoughts headed your way, Karl.

Put me down as a defninte possibility of a firm maybe....

I knew there was a reason I haven't thrown that blown shock in the trash yet. lol

Here ya go, Gary. Looks to be exactly (or very close to) 10" c x c. http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a373/gat803/ventureshock001.jpg http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a373/gat803/ventureshock002.jpg http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a373/gat803/ventureshock003.jpg

I went in from the right side, as well... http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a373/gat803/shockchange004.jpg http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a373/gat803/shockchange002.jpg