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kbert777

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Everything posted by kbert777

  1. kbert777
    Ok, here it goes... Maybe I am under the wrong impression, but according to the motto of the original International Rally in Ft Collins the objective was East meets West meets Canada. That's what made Colorado such a perfect location with a spectacular turn out. My disappointment started with choosing Kitchener as the location for the second rally. Don't get me wrong, the Canadians were a great bunch to hang out in Colorado and the location just across the Canadian border is a great place for riding. Unfortunately the location effectively shut almost all of us West Coasteners out. You guys remember? We live close to the coast in the West... I personally don't have any interest in visiting a rally in Arkansas or anything further East. Reason are obvious mileage and time, also after spending some work related time in the Southern parts of the US, I don't think it's my cup of tea for a vacation. So my suggestion for the next rally point would be somewhere in the vicinity of the Continental divide, like Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico or even something a little bid further east with North Texas and Oklahoma. This would be in the driving range of a huge percentage of the member of this site and why it might exclude some of the Canadians I would assume that most Canadians are use to traveling longer distances due to the population distribution in their home country. On a different note, we have discussed locations like Grand Canyon, Las Vegas and Southern Utah before, and I still have to deem them as unsuitable. Grand Canyon due to lodging and riding problems, Las Vegas due to heat and lack of interesting routes in close vicinity, excessive lodging coasts, Southern Utah due to lack of affordable lodging possibilities and general unfriendliness to riders in National Parks. Sorry for the long post, Klaus
  2. kbert777
    Denise and I are trying to make it, unfortunately she has to work late on Wednesday. So we might be a few minutes late. See you then, Klaus
  3. kbert777
    By no means a stupid question... The original Harborfreight trailer design uses a 3 leaf spring pack, 1 main leaf (with a bushing in the front and a slider in the rear) and 2 auxiliary leafs for weight capacity. The 3 leafs are held together and aligned with a spring center bolt. This bolt has a machined head portion to locate the axle below the leaf spring. The axle is centered with the center bolt and retained with 2 U-bolts and a plate on each side. This design is fairly common for trailer construction and easily modified for different purposes. The trailer tongue height is advertised at 14", which basically is too high for use as a motorcycle trailer. Ideally the trailer tongue should be almost level with a slight drop toward the trailer ball. The instrumental term here is "slight". The hitch on my 1st Gen is about 8" of the ground with the bike loaded with 2 people, but in comparison my bike sits extremely low. I solved the height problem by removing the two extra leaves of each spring, you have to remove the rivets for the stackers and remove the center bolt. After that I re-installed the spring center bolt but with the machined head sticking up instead of down. This allows the axle to be mounted on top of the leaf spring instead of below the leaf spring, just envision the axle now being in between the trailer frame and the leaf spring. I achieved a tongue height of approximately 11" with no interference to the fenders. The lead range of the trailer is reduced to about 500lbs due to removal of the extra spring leaves. This is what is referred too as "flipping the axle". I would like to add a few general comments about flipping axles: It works in the case of the Harborfreight trailer due to the fact that the axle is set-up neutral, 0º Camber and 0" Toe-in. You will not change anything by rotating the axle upside down. Heavier axles for utility trailers and travel trailers are set-up differently. The target values are at about +0.5º Camber and 1/32"-1/16" Toe-in. If you flip the axles as described they will most likely be re-aligned for tire wear and tracking. I cut about 5" of each frame brace to reduce the width, I ended up welding the frame solid, but you can just as easy re-drill the holes for the bolts. The only problem I see with this trailer is cutting the diamond plate down to size without producing major damage to the powder-coat. You also have to narrow the axle accordingly, which involves either cutting the axle in half and welding it back together or the removal of one spindle and re-welding. For safety issues I would recommend having this done by a seasoned welder. Hope this helps, I will try to find some photos of my trailer for reference as the original post with all the detail pictures and specifications was deleted in an ill fated attempt to clean up the board. ... at least we still have enough blubber in the Watering Hole... Klaus
  4. kbert777
    This how my Harborfreight trailer project came out, I opted for the smaller Thule box, the 20 cu ft Sears box seemed a little bit large for my personal taste. http://members.cox.net/venture_royale/Trailer/trailer_finished_1.JPG Klaus
  5. kbert777
    No idea where you got these numbers, but the original red trailer with 12" tires is listed at 152 lbs dry weight, the black one with the cover is listed at 195 lbs dry weight. So that makes a difference of 43 lbs, I assume which is mostly made up by the diamond plate and extra stringers. I did not check on the 8" wheel trailer, as I personally feel it's not fit for highway travel, but I don't think there will be much difference in weight. I tried reproducing your 88 lbs figure but couldn't. No doubt about this, trying to keep the weight down and getting the trailer low to the ground will definitely make the trailer tow much nicer and give you a bigger safety margin on the brakes. I am also a firm believer that making the trailer narrow with a longer tongue will help with tracking and control. I don't think that I ever heard the statement that a roof top carrier is mounted better on a flat deck then on an open frame. But lets talk about esthetics for a second... Yes, I am pretty sure you can slap an over sized Sears car top carrier on top of the tacky red open frame trailer an call it done, it just depends on your personal standards and style. The reason why I even posted this link is that I thought that some people might actually enjoy being able to buy a more finished trailer for a relative reasonable price. No need to paint, black goes with everything, and just very minor modifications to suspension and axle to make a great towing trailer right out of the box. A lot of people don't have access to a lot of tools and equipment to make elaborate modifications, but you can easily remove the extra leafs from the springs and flip the axle during basic assembly. The black diamond plate gives it a nice finished look and makes it easy to install the roof top carrier by just simply drilling through the platform, without the need to re-arrange the mounting position of the hardware supplied with the box. I don't think the overall trailer weight of this set-up is too far out of line, especially considering that some people pull tent trailers that weigh almost 400 lbs with their 1st and 2nd Gens. After finishing my Harborfreight trailer last year I ended up with a dry weight of around 180 lbs. I narrowed the frame; installed a swivel coupler, a retractable stand, an ice chest with plat form on the tongue; covered the platform in polished aluminum diamond plate and installed bracing to mount the box; installed light weight, rounded fenders to replace the original, heavy and boxy ones; powder coated frame, tongue and fenders; installed a Thule box; and finally added LED tail and running light plus a lighted chrome license plate frame. In retrospective I could have bought an entry level finished trailer for the same money... Klaus
  6. kbert777
    I had a customer come into the shop yesterday with a Harborfreight trailer I haven't seen before: http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/photos/02500-02599/02575.gif The dimensions are almost identical to the standard, red powder-coated, 12" and 8" wheel kits: Bed dimensions: 40" x 50"; Weight capacity: 1400 lbs; Gross vehicle weight: 1618 lbs; Receiver size: 1-7/8"; Tongue level height: 14"; Overall dimensions: 87-1/2"L x 52-3/4"W x 22-3/4"H But there are a few differences: It's powder-coated in black and not in the tacky red The diamond plate covers are included There are two extra stringers toward the hitch, stabilizing the platformI guess with a few minor modifications, this would make a perfect cargo trailer. Just add a roof-top carrier box, remove the leafs down to the main spring leaf and flip the axle (easy done as it is set-up for 0º Camber and 0 toe-in). The fenders should still be in an acceptable position with moderate loading. I would also recommend replacing the supplied, Chinese bearings and seals with something more suitable for highway use, even with proper lubrication and maintenance the life expectancy seems rather short. Also, don't expect too much from the quality of the powder-coat. It still looks better then the red stuff but is by no means perfect. Here is the link, unfortunately it does no seem to be a store item, but a special order catalog or Internet item only: http://www.harborfreight.com:80/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=2575 This link will give you any idea about assembly: http://www.harborfreight.com/manuals/2000-2999/2575.pdf As of today the price of the trailer is listed as $249.99 plus overweight shipping, not sure if you have to pay shipping if you order it in a physical store. I actually got a shipping quote of around $60. Hope this helps, Klaus
  7. kbert777
    Cool in February around here means 25-30's at night, mid30's to high 40's during the day, cool for us, probably warm for you... Bike rentals here in town are mostly run-down Harley's, one place rents a couple of Goldwings, that's about it. Looking forward to seeing you in February, Klaus
  8. kbert777
    Got the package tonight, mufflers are looking great, well worth the wait. Condor, thanks for all your work and getting this thing rolling. Klaus
  9. kbert777
    It has been a while that I installed mine and I am reasonably sure that it came with a set of longer Allen bolts and black caps, the thread engagement is at least 1/2". As you can see in the attached picture it fits, the 83-89 forks without interference, I can see where a fit problem arises in the later models. If you already modified the brace, I would simply replace the bolts with some longer Allen bolts to achieve the proper engagement. On the other hand, I don't think the Superbrace will do much good if it doesn't have a tight fit to the lower fork legs with the outside machined portion. Sure looks like you will be loosing a lot of stability by machining the space for the rubber boot and just tying the lower legs together with the bolts. Klaus
  10. kbert777
    Payment is send. Thanks for doing this for us. Klaus
  11. kbert777
    Count me in for a set too. Klaus
  12. kbert777
    what a miserable job. As if getting the covers out is not bad enough, trying to but them back in and aim for the gaskets can make a grown man cry. Combine that with some tremendous back pain when bending over and it takes you most of the day. Good news is that the engine is perfectly clean inside after 70k miles of Yamalube 20W40 and all valve gaps are well within specifications. Well, I ran myself out of steam, going to bed early. Can't wait to get up to Ft Collins. Klaus
  13. kbert777
    Thanks for the fast responses, I ended up having a totally different problem. Per Cutty's post, I disassembled the front wheel again, removed the fender and the Super Brace and measured between the lower fork legs. In relaxed state the measurement actually appears to be slightly wider on the bottom then on the top by about 0.025". Installing the front axle without the rotor covers and torquing the axle down seems to make the lower legs almost parallel, its really hard to measure accurate with the front wheel installed, I ended up with a result of +/- 0.005". Doing the same with the rotor covers installed did not produce an appreciable difference, the legs still measured parallel within 0.010", with the upper measurement being minimally affected. Without the calipers installed the wheel spins nicely with minimal resistance, no noticeable difference between cover installed and not installed. While checking for interference of the caliper brackets per Buddy's post, I noticed that on piston on the left side did not easily reset, I moved the pistons in and out a couple of times and now they feel like they slide the same way. With the pistons retracted there is no interference with the rotors of rotor covers, so I torqued everything back, including the fender and Super Brace, and the problem seems to be gone (for right now). I guess I will end up rebuilding all three calipers, just got through rebuilding the rear master cylinder and flushing all the lines. Ultimately I am going to order a new spacer and have it milled down the thickness of the caliper covers, just don't want mess with it before Ft. Collins, was planning on replacing the wheel bearing anyway. Thanks again, Klaus
  14. kbert777
    Well, I am doing some last minute fixes and upgrades before Ft. Collins, so I installed the Venture Line front rotor covers and caliper covers I had laying around for a while. Somebody mentioned a while back that the rotor covers require a shorter axle spacer to adjust for the thickness of the covers. I bought the covers used, of course, without a spacer or installation instructions. Just gave it a try this afternoon while the bike was on the lift, unbolted the calipers, pulled the axle and dropped the front wheel. The covers went in without a major problem, just held the covers in place and then lowered the bike over the wheel. Really no interference with the extra thickness of the covers. I tightened the axle and torqued the pinch bolt and installed the caliper covers. The covers must have been made for an earlier bike, mine is an '89, I had to cut some material out for the anti-dive wiring and put a little notch in the lower portion to clear the fork tubes. Anyway, the front wheel now does not turn as easy as before, feels as if there is a lot more friction, most likely due to the thickness of the rotor covers. Has anybody installed these covers before using the original spacer? Was there a shorter spacer for the right side included with the original Venture Line kit? If that's the case, does anybody have a shorter spacer or an extra spacer that I can mill down to match? Or should I not worry about it and try a few miles? Another thing I would like to know is if the inserts in the chrome were available in matching colors for the bike, I can not recall ever seeing a blue inlaid set. The caliper covers are inlaid black and gold, the caliper covers brown and tan. Thanks in advance, Klaus
  15. kbert777
    I use this one from JC Whitney, great quality for $21: http://www.jcwhitney.com/autoparts/ItemBrowse/c-10111/s-10101/p-100000146648/mediaCode-ZX/appId-10361281/Pr-p_CATENTRY_ID:10000014664810361281 I use the K&N chemicals to clean and recharge. Klaus
  16. kbert777
    Here is the link to the Yamaha site, showing the 2007 model year V-Max: http://www.starmotorcycles.com/star/products/modelhome/23/0/home.aspx I actually test drove one last year, built in August of 2006. So, which production was stopped??? 21 years of production and still going strong... Klaus
  17. kbert777
    Ken, the particular style shown in the picture has individual LED's on the tip and on the side to mimic the light distribution of the incandescent counter part. There are several other styles available which might be more restrictive in the way you have to mount them. Thanks for all the comments so far, I will look into some more sources when I have time. There seems to be a major mark-up involved, so ultimately I am going to look for a supplier in Asia and buy a much bigger quantity. Later, Klaus
  18. kbert777
    Has anybody found a cheap source for bulk LED Wedge Bulbs that fit into #161 or #168 sockets? Should look something like this: http://www.customdynamics.com/Images/4802-honda.jpg I am think about converting all my additional lighting to LED's to free up some capacity for the trailer lighting. Generally these seem to run around $5 to $9 a piece, but I think that must be a tremendous mark-up, especially when you are looking for 20-25 bulbs in amber and red. Thanks in advance, Klaus
  19. kbert777
    Here are the links to the parts catalogs used by most commercial site: 1983: http://tinyurl.com/4yt66u 1984: http://tinyurl.com/3jmmnj 1985: http://tinyurl.com/3oasrg 1986: http://tinyurl.com/4bnb6l 1987: http://tinyurl.com/4bnb6l 1988: http://tinyurl.com/4zer58 1989: http://tinyurl.com/4kefl2 1990: http://tinyurl.com/4xnecn 1991: http://tinyurl.com/4almpq 1992: http://tinyurl.com/4yn8kk 1993: http://tinyurl.com/4hd5od Diagrams are stored as .pdf's. If you don't have Adobe Reader (or another .pdf reader) installed on your computer, please download the reader from the following link: http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html There are two possible ways to see the files: Left-click on the appropriate link and the diagram will show in a new browser window. You can then use the navigation pane on the left to view the appropriate diagram or just scroll down page by page. You can also right-click on the appropriate link and choose the "Save Target As..." option to store a local copy on your hard drive. Navigation of the file is identical for both procedures. On thing I noticed is that the 1989 parts diagram is mislabeled, it show the model year as XVZ12 instead of XVZ13, a minor glitch, the part numbers are correct. Also, the diagrams for 1986 and 1987 are identical. Hope this helps, Klaus
  20. kbert777
    Well, first of all the decision between XM and Sirius is a pretty personal one. Go to the respective websites and see which programming fits your listening style. I have had Sirius for over 3 years and have never had any luck finding something worth listening too on XM. The technology is pretty much the same, XM having a little bit higher output signal, the technical restrictions are pretty much the same. I you don't like using the auxiliary port you can always use a wireless or hardwired FM transmitter. I am using a Sirius One http://www.sirius.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=Sirius/CachedPage&c=ProductAsset&cid=1128803465284 with the built in wireless FM transmitter without any problems, sound quality is great and if you spend some time looking for an area of the FM band that is fairly unpopulated in your area, interference is not a big problem. Hope this helps, Klaus
  21. kbert777
    Sorry for the late response, completely forgot I posted this. Thanks for all the comments. Rick, I checked with several yards and manufactures here locally and most of them use #4 brushed finish for commercial applications, nobody was willing to special order small quantities. I am intrigued, after looking at 2B finished earlier (without being overly impressed) I can not find a reference for 2BA finishes. I will contact you privately to see if we can work something out. Bill, that's a great source, can't believe that I didn't think of mcmastercarr.com before, having ordered from them before. I stumbled across this auction a while back and what the seller deems "polished" is actually low grade brushed #4, no idea how he got polished out of that. Seller also has an attitude problem. Thanks for pointing this out so. Later, Klaus
  22. kbert777
    Anybody have a source for polished T304 Stainless Steel Sheet 20 or 22 GA. in #8 or Super #8 mirror finish? I am looking for a cut piece of 24"x24" dimensions. I usually get my specialty metal through onlinemetals.com, but they just offer #4 brushed and no possibility of ordering small quantities of #8. The local steel yards will just order huge quantities for architectural purposes. Thanks in advance, Klaus
  23. kbert777
    Well, she doesn't like the looks of the 2nd Gen and I don't like the way they feel, so I am going to stay with the 1st Gen for a while. Once my bike becomes unfeasible to maintain or too unreliable I will look into a nice BMW... Later, Klaus
  24. kbert777
    Thanks Guys, just wanted to make sure that I had the same impression. It does not seem to be a bike malfunction, more a personal issue. Anyway, I have an original '83 seat laying around, thanks to Deltarat's generosity, going to try that one next. Maybe this is going to change the seat position enough to make a difference. Klaus
  25. kbert777
    Just in case somebody has some extra money to spend, Kennedy makes a Bluetooth interface to connect cellphones, GPS etc. wirelessly to your standard 5-pin DIN intercom system. Here is a link for a possible source, options should fit 1st and 2nd Gen bikes: http://www.cyclegadgets.com/Products/KT/detail.asp?SET=CELLBT&3=KT-CELLBT-DEV-TTR Not cheap, but interesting... Klaus
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