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LilBeaver

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Everything posted by LilBeaver

  1. LilBeaver
    My local H-D shop sells them for ~40... Just in case someone doesn't have one they are looking to get rid of you might be able to save some $$$ on shipping if you check yours. Good luck!
  2. LilBeaver
    Yea... I didn't think we had any here, but I hit something slick this morning . Although in a few days the highs are back up into the 80s
  3. LilBeaver
    Having a hard time getting the work out in time is a MUCH better situation to be in than not having the work coming in. I helped run my family's small business and unfortunately we had the opposite problem... Glad your business is going strong. Like I said when we talked, no hurry
  4. LilBeaver
    If one pays attention to what the engine sounds like while you run certain speeds and what gear one is in that is usually quite effective. I know that I hardly look down at the speedometer when I'm on familiar roads or the expressway especially when there is no traffic around... Other obvious things are GPS or just pace yourself with other traffic...
  5. LilBeaver

    Brake Shims?

    LilBeaver replied to pick's topic in Watering Hole

    I am pretty sure they are supposed to help by distributing the applied force of the calipers evenly across the back side of the calipers. This also should cut down on some of the noise that one may hear. Now I've installed my pads with and without those goofy things (that run ~$20 a piece; if I remember correctly) and I did not notice a difference... It is the same part for all of the bikes (99-2010) and somewhere in between 2001 and 2009 they changed the part number. Hope this helps
  6. LilBeaver
    Dr_bar has/had one like this on his Valkyrie. It seemed to work pretty well and if I recall correctly he was quite happy with it. Keep us posted on what you do
  7. LilBeaver
    Huh, that stinks man - I guess the folks I have dealt with have a different attitude... Well, I'm willing to bet that there are enough people around that if you wanted something we could help you out Not to mention that I am a frequent visitor to Vancouver...
  8. LilBeaver
    I would certainly believe that you guys get the shaft on stuff like that. It may not hurt to ask at your local store to see if they could get it in... See about shipping to you from an American store or worst case, find a US store that is just across the border from you - do the buy online/pick-up in-store thing to guarantee that you'll find it when you get there, then make the drive. There is a sears in Bellingham, WA which is ~55 miles south of Vancouver...
  9. LilBeaver
  10. LilBeaver
    I know it is atypical for this to be true, but my local dealer actually has rather good deals on tires. E3s for example go for ~60-80 front, $120 rear. The venoms are a little more than that (~+10 or so each). But it may be worth while for you to give your local folks a call, just in case.
  11. LilBeaver
    Will Do Yes, the US sears has the jacks online. The sears by me carries both jacks in store, but do not keep them out on the floor. My buddy said that there is such a low demand for them, they just don't bother taking up the floor space. Also, if it is in the catalog and the store does not typically carry it, the store can order it for you to be delivered in store without a delivery charge. You may have to pay upfront, but you get out of the delivery charge that way.
  12. LilBeaver
    +1 to this. And you may want to do a voltage test at the battery to verify the charging system is okay. When my rectifier went out all sorts of crazy electrical stuff started happening. Just some more thoughts Good luck!
  13. LilBeaver
    I just got it yesterday (a buddy of mine that works at sears owed me a favor ) But I lifted the venture twice with it yesterday. First time to make sure the jack was working properly and to get a feel for how it all works, and the second time to actually examine the front wheel and do a few other things throughout the bike. My initial impressions are very good. It weighs about 40 lbs, has a very low profile but will still lift to about 19". The wheels actually roll when the bike is up (almost effortlessly I might add). It jacks up quickly and smoothly and lets down the same. It has a built in mechanical safety mechanism that locks at 3 (I think) different heights, automatically. I looked at the professional series (the yellow one pictured), the regular craftsman one (red one), two Harbor Freight jacks and one from tractor supply. I decided on the professional series Craftsman jack based on the construction; it appeared to me that it was the best built (in the price range anyways) with the most versatility (weight, range of lifting heights, maneuverability, Quality of wheels to contribute to loaded maneuverability, and a few other things; including personal experience with a few other brands that failed). If you are interested, I'd be happy to follow up with you in a few weeks after I get some more use out of it. I'll be using it a few more times on my venture as well as a few other bikes. So far I am pleased with it and glad that I did not go with one of the other ones. I am not willing to endorse it just yet, until I get some more experience with it. Hope that helps!
  14. LilBeaver
    I think I will (replace bearings & seals/whatever they are called) since the process seems pretty straight forward and the parts seem pretty inexpensive (not to mention a failed bearing at 70 mph could be an adventure I would like to skip ). I've done this dozens of times on cars and trucks (I know it is a little different), but never on a bike. These things On top of all of this, I have some time off comin' up... Bearings and possibly a caliper rebuild... Thanks guys
  15. LilBeaver
    ) Don't worry, we'll get there some day too... I already have chronic knee problems and cartilage problems with my back but I found out a long time ago that life is too short to waste any time so I am trying to do what I can while I still can. I hope that I can be well enough to keep riding for years to come, but I'll take it a day at a time and try not to catch up to you too fast . Oh yea, one last thing: Just kidding; Can't we just ? Ben: Sorry for the
  16. LilBeaver
    OH YEA; slightly off topic, make sure you take a real close look at the sidewalls all the way around both tires and also in the tread - looking for any sign of cracking/dry rot. If those bad boys are, in fact, OEM they have been on there for a while with not much use which isn't good on the rubber.
  17. LilBeaver
    Welcome welcome! Glad to see another youngin' on here. (althought truthfully, I don't think anyone here cares) This may seem like a dumb question, but it may help isolate and identify the noise you are hearing. Does the noise change depending on the road surface you are on? (ie. concrete, rough asphalt, smooth asphalt, etc.) If it does, then it is probably a safe bet that it is, in fact, tire noise. Also, what kind of tires are on it? (OEM was bridgestone or Dunlop 404s) My experience with the Dunlops (on other bikes) is that they are pretty quiet; but, I have no experience with the bridgestones. I am currently on my 2nd set of Avon Venoms, and they are nice and quiet. Hopefully someone that had had the bridgestones will chime in here
  18. LilBeaver
    Ben: I know exactly what you are talking about with the looks (24 here). I love every single one of them; just smile and wave back at them . What gets me even funnier looks is when I ride with my friends that have sport bikes (and can keep up, no problem - except for the CBR F4i - that sucka is quick)... It is difficult to say without knowing more about the RSV. Has he had it since new? complete maintenance records? Reason for trade? etc. BUT it really does come down to what YOU want because it is/will be YOUR bike. Like others have said 51k is NOTHING to worry about. There is a member or two on here that have recently rolled over 200k (if I recall correctly) and MANY folks with many more than 51k. If you are looking for a longer touring machine the RSV is no doubt the way to go (maybe my opinion is a little biased ). But, if you are uncomfortable with the 51k then decline and keep your eye out for one with the colors and mileage that you like. Possibly one that is still under warranty (5 year, unlimited mileage). Good luck with whatever you decide
  19. LilBeaver
    They were supposed to be crushed and completely destroyed, melted down, whatever - not used for anything including scrapyard parts. BUT, one of the big problems with this thing is that most of the dealers that took the trade-in deals and filed their paperwork are not getting reimbursed by the government like they are supposed to be. So what many are doing in lieu of taking the money from the government is simply selling them to scrap yards and eating the leftover cost.
  20. LilBeaver
    Well, I bit the bullet today and picked up a jack (it finally went on sale again) so I could use my fancy new adapter to check a few things out. First of all, thanks Larry for making such a high quality product and being good about communication and shipping. Next, everyone that talked about how good this adapter was and all; I believed you, but was still amazed at how well it works (Now I just need someone to level my garage floor so everything will be square ). I definitely see the high quality that everyone is talking about and how sturdy it is on the 4 legs is amazing. I know I would NEVER get under a car without jack stands and now I can do the same with the bike (not to mention actually use a lift on the bike ) I'll stop rambling, but thought I would throw a few pictures in for grins. Thanks again Larry, - Rick M.
  21. LilBeaver
    Jerry: Looks like I've got what I was going to want the lift for taken care of; so unless someone else wants a lift for something it probably is not necessary. Everyone else: Thanks so much for being so willing to get a lift there for me (and of course, anyone else that would want to use it). See everyone up there
  22. LilBeaver
    Jerry: Terrific! Sounds like you found yourself a dealer to stick with and the initial one to not go back to. Simple explanation: While the gasoline heats up inside the tank, so does the vapor (and air) which causes pressure to build. If the pressure continues to build without escaping through the little vent hole there there would be considerable heat transfer (and pressure build up) in the tank (since the tank is conductive) which would be a perfectly reasonable explanation for why the tank would get so hot. Glad you are enjoying your new ride!!
  23. LilBeaver
    :crackup: Thanks for sharing that; that is just TOO funny... I am related to someone like that, but that is another story for another time. Note to self: as long as I have a small enough 'engine', my weight doesn't matter and she can... well, never mind
  24. LilBeaver
    Okay, thanks all. I think I might just worry too much about every little noise and such. Here is what I did; I shot some lithium grease around the axle bolt (as shown), spun the wheel, then cleaned up the excess and the noise is gone. So maybe the oil seals are dead or something; I don't really know how those are setup so ... Ponch: I took off the pads and moved the calipers out of the way to allow the wheel to spin freely. What I found was that the brake pads drag quite a bit when they are on there - at least they make a lot of noise... But the squeak was there until I lubed it. Forrest: Yup, I was trying to give some perspective on how easy it was to spin the wheel. The front one is pretty much effortless, where the rear is easy, but there is a little drag due to the shaft. Thanks Took wheel with both hands and really tried to move it and there was no motion what so ever. The way the bearings roll inside the race (I think that is what it is called) is why I had thought bearings initially but greasing the outside made the noise go away so with that and the fact that the wheel does not budge any way that it isn't supposed to makes me think that the bearings are okay too. I am positive it is not the brakes since I pulled them completely off the wheel and it made the noise upon very slow rotation. Anyhoo, Thanks guys, I really appreciate it. I'll keep my ear out while I am out the next few times, but I think it is okay (and not the wheel bearings). Thanks again, - Rick
  25. LilBeaver
    I would like a little help diagnosing this sound and determining if I need to do something about it. I first noticed a squeak that seemed to go with wheel rotation at very low speeds a few days ago. I put the bike up on a lift, pulled off the calipers and spin the front wheel. What I find is that the wheel spins more freely than the back one and makes no noise unless I spin it very very slowly. Then there is a little squeak/groan sometimes (no grinding, just a squeak) - but it does not occur at the same wheel orientation every time it happens. I hope this is a reasonable enough description... My question is is this a sign that the front wheel bearings are going? Is there a better way to check the bearings? If it is not the bearings what else could it be? Oh yea; I've read through everything I could find under front wheel squeak, front wheel bearings, wheel bearings, etc. and nothing described what I am experiencing. My apologies if this is something that has been discussed before... Thanks a lot for your help. - Rick
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