Bobby G
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Everything posted by Bobby G
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lower fork air deflectors
Bobby G replied to xxRoger1xx's topic in Royal Star Venture Tech Talk ('99 - '13)
I have the replacement brackets on order at the dealer - - they are pretty cheap, but they break easily due to the constant vibration on the deflector, so I'm installing a rubber bumper behind each one to rest against the fork. The pricy part is the chrome piece on the outer part of the deflector - - about $80. I'm making my own deflectors from high impact ABS plastic that I got at Lowes. Once you get the light bar out of the way, it's a pretty easy install. -
This link must not be working anymore on their site. There are several windshield bags listed on the JP cycles site....can you let us know exactly which one fit your RSV? I've not ever found one that has a long enough mounting backing to reach down into the fairing with the bags resting on the dash. The backing on every one I've ever seen is too short for the RSV. I've love to get one that actually fits. Thanks!
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5 minutes into the fireworks show here in Woodstock GA last night, there was a ground explosion a the launch site which injured 2 of the workers, one seriously. They did eventually get the show back in the air at about 10:15, but most of the crowd of about 50,000 had headed home by then. Dangerous stuff, but it was worth sticking around for - - one of the best finale's I've ever seen.
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A fun thread and process to think about, but too many of the car vs. RSV comparisons are apples vs. oranges, especially in my case, so it's really hard to truly compare. But since march of 2009, when I got both my job-provided F150 (new) and the 1999 RSV, here's how it generally stacks up: Initial investment (39 months ago) F150 - none (company vehicle) RSV - $5,750 Gear and add-on's (helmets, intercom, leather, windshield, chrome, etc.) F150 - none RSV - approx. $1,600 Insurance F150 - none RSV - $1,347 thru June of 2012 Maintenance F150 - none RSV - approx. $1,500 (about $500/year) Tires F150 - none RSV - 3 sets since '09, or $1,185 Gas F150 - none RSV - 63,000 miles since purchase, guessing an avg. of 38 mpg overall, guessing an avg. of $3.25/gal. overall = $5,388, or 8.5 cents per mile. Total RSV investment since purchase: $16,770 or $430 per month or 26.6 cents per mile ridden Very easy to swallow when you have no expenses related to an automobile (for which I am very fortunate), but still a real eye-opener when you think about how much you've spent on that relatively inexpensive bike and related stuff over a 39 month period! And that doesn't even include the expenditures incurred as a result of being out riding all the time (food, hotels, adult beverages, etc.), or the cost of previously owned bikes or my wife's H-D. Had I not been riding, I wonder what I would have done with that $16 grand??? Hmmmmmm....
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I wear light colored clothing, a white helmet, light weight pants (not heavy jeans), and a towel around my neck that I keep soaked for evaporation cooling. I bring 3 or 4 bottles of frozen water with me, make frequent stops and stay out of areas where I may have stop-n-go traffic. Just a few minutes in stopped traffic in the sun at 103 degrees can totally wipe you out. I also make sure I check my tire pressure before heading out, as extreme heat will impact pressure after a short time. We are heading to the mountains tomorrow (GA, TN and NC) and with some proper prep before the ride, I'm sure we'll all do fine even in this heat.
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sampson slashcuts have the same "327" sound, are made for the RSV, and are a lot cheaper. check 'em out.
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Not bad typing..The more practice you get with that left hand will come in handy come morning .... Is the T-paper located on the right, or left of your toilet.....? on the left...and I can't believe I hadn't thought of that myself. oh man, that's gonna be tough.
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Being the dumba$$ that I am, I fell last night and hit my right hand on a landscape rock. (No, not riding the bike, doing yardwork!) The result is a chipped bone just below the middle finger in the palm of the hand, and a partially torn ligament. So unless I can get the cruise control to work at under 40 mph and just use the rear brake, I'm grounded for awhile. And aren't you impressed that I typed this using my left hand only? And I'm not left handed!
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The wife and I just got back from 5 days in Colorado Springs - - what a fabulous part of the country. Unfortunately, we were saddened to witness the start of what is now a totally out of control wildfire just west of the city in an area called Waldo Canyon. We just got to the top of Pikes Peak on Saturday morning via the Cog Railway when the fire broke out, and it spread like crazy in just one hour. See the pics to see what I mean. Right after we got down to the bottom, they were closing just about everything in the entire area, including the Garden of the Gods which we really wanted to see. I definitely want to go back someday on the bikes, but when it's a little cooler - - it was 97 to 103 while we were there, and virtually no humidity and 30+ mph winds. the perfect storm for wildfires.
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Here's a little more of what the issues are with non-approved engines and what is being done: http://farmindustrynews.com/blog/epa-approves-misfueling-mitigation-plans-opei-voices-concerns Obviously one of the big concerns is the "blended fuels" pump (you know, one pump hose and nozzle for all grades of gas), and getting E-15 residual gas in your tank when you are pumping regular or E-10, and the potential damage that might result. Another is the effectiveness of the labeling process at the pump, and will it be clear enough for all consumers that E-15 cannot be used in certain vehicles or engine types. The EPA itself said that when unleaded gas was first introduced, there was a consistent 15% mis-use of it that lasted for 10 years, despite the labeling efforts at the pump. Can you imagine the field day the trial attorneys will have with class action lawsuits if there is a repeat of this situation??? The question is not whether this is all worth the effort of developing E-15 gas or not, or whether it's actually going to really benefit the environment. The fact is that our uber-liberal political environment has fostered the "green" movement to such an extent that, like it or not, it's here to stay, and we better get used to it. But the battle will rage on.
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They say we'll have a choice at the pump. But I doubt that will last very long. Tax credits for retailers selling E-15 and higher taxes in certain states on non-E15 gas will force most consumers to buy it. The courts will be very busy handling lawsuits for years to come on this one, especially the biker community who will be forced to pay a higher price for gas that is E-10 or lower, since E-15 cannot be used in motorcycles. Small engines like mowers, power sport products and 2 cycle equipment won't be able to use it either, and those groups are already lined up to head to court. It's going to be real mess, and it won't make a shred of an impact on our oil import situation.
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Big hurdle cleared to start selling this crap. E-10 is bad enough - - this stuff is going to be really bad. I think the only winners in this whole thing will be the lawyers. Just my 2 cents. http://domesticfuel.com/2012/06/15/hurdle-cleared-for-sale-of-15-ethanol-blends/
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Ignition Switch install...
Bobby G replied to straycatt's topic in Royal Star Venture Tech Talk ('99 - '13)
We did basically the same thing last year. Were you able to re-key the ignition so that you could use your existing key that locks your bags, helmet locks, etc., or are you using two different keys like I am now? That's kind of a pain, but you get used to it after awhile. -
It certainly does! Got on the throttle yesterday getting on I-75, and it took off like a shot. I was near 80 coming out of 2nd gear! (OK, it was really near 75...damn speedo!) Awesome V-4 power when you need it.
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Been down that road (aisle?) twice, and my second youngest daughter just got engaged today (in Hawaii of all places!), so a third trip is in my future. Congratulations!!! It is a very special moment when you give your little girls away.
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Good tip...thanks!
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I've tried the stop-start solution and it didn't work for me. Maybe I'll try the little magnets. FYI, there is a bill coming up for a vote in the Georgia House soon (I think it's HR616) that will allow for a red light that does not cycle after 2 minutes to be treated as a stop sign so you can legally pass through it. It comes with a mandatory fine of $1,000 if you are caught running it before a full 2 minutes has elapsed. Yikes! But I still hope it passes just in case the magnets don't work!
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I just added some in my Echo blower and it did pretty much what you said it would do....caughed, hacked, sputtered and farted for like 10 minutes, with lots of white exhaust, but then it smoothed right out and is running great. I guess that's what he was seeing coming from my exhaust yesterday. Thanks for the feedback.
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I added some SF to a full tank yesterday morning, about 5 oz., and later in the afternoon, my buddy riding behind me said he noticed a puff of white smoke or "steam" coming from my left exhaust on a few occasions, particularly on accelerations. I didn't notice any engine misfires or loss of power at all yesterday, and in fact, the bike seems to be running fine. I routinely add 3 to 5 oz. of SF to every 3rd or 4th full tank of gas just for general maintenance purposes. I'm also getting 40 - 43 mpg's on my last several fill up's. Can SF cause this to happen, or should I be checking for something else?
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The knock on the 2012 heat management upgrade that I'm hearing is that it redirects the heat via a fan system that kicks on when the main radiator fan kicks on, but it sends it to an exhaust port right above the rear passenger's left foot pad, which will burn their foot right off in pretty short order. Not a great design if true. I test rode the 2012 last fall, and really liked how it handled, but the seat issue, heat issue and drop off in overall power from the RSV has me going in a different direction when it's time to look to replace the Ole '99. Still holding out hope that the "new" RSV (3rd Gen?) will be announced in the not too distant future with the upgraded VMAX engine.
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Lower Wind Deflectors
Bobby G replied to Bobby G's topic in Royal Star Venture Tech Talk ('99 - '13)
Thanks for the comments. I really don't need the deflectors now, but they are great in the colder weather. I think I'll go ahead and get the DiamondR replacement brackets and make my own deflectors, as suggested. Seems to be the most practical and economic solution. -
I've been in the wholesale and retail finance business for 28 years, and I have a piece of advice for you for future reference....when you pay off your credit cards, DON'T CLOSE THE ACCOUNT, EVEN IF THERE IS AN ANNUAL FEE!!! Your credit score is based in large part on the ratio of credit availability vs. existing debt. The more open available credit you have, the better the overall ratio is and the greater your score will be. Also, by using open lines of credit once in awhile and paying them off promptly, you will also improve your score. This won't help you with this debacle you currently have, but keep it in mind for future reference. On CapOne, they just acquired all of HSBC's lines of business in the U.S. (including other credit card issuers like Merrick Bank), and this has created massive confusion with their customer service folks. So good luck dealing with them. I have a CapOne Mastercard, and also an HSBC VISA card, both with no balances, and I wouldn't touch either one with a ten foot pole right now. But I'm certainly not going to close either one for the reasons stated above. What a mess!
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I've checked the Classifieds, and didn't find anything there, but does anyone know of a good site to check for replacement lower wind deflectors? On my recent trip to DC, one of the brackets broke and I lost one somewhere along the line, and need to replace it, but given the condition of the other one, I figure I'd replace both. I can get the replacement mounting bracket fairly cheap from Yamaha, but the deflectors are a little pricy. Thanks.
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Few, if any, of us will ever know!
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Do you have a page link? I can't locate it. Thanks.