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Stoutman

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Everything posted by Stoutman

  1. Stoutman
    My 05 RSTD windshield seldom comes off. The worst gas mileage I ever experienced was coming home from Utah. I hit a headwind around Amirillo Texas. I was driving 75 mph into a 25 - 30 mph headwind. It got a little dicey as I had to switch to reserve about 5 miles from Amirillo. My calculated mpg that trip was 33 mpg. Now when I hit a headwind I either slow down or stop for gas. Normal city riding yeilds about 37 mpg, and highway is normally 41mpg. When I take a group ride with a mixed bunch of scooters and harleys I can get upwards of 50 mpg, only because everybody seems to go so slow.
  2. Stoutman
    I've used this many times. It works fine and won't ruin your ratchet if you use to much torque. Just be sure your wrench on the oil drain plug is on square, then apply firm controlled pressure to make sure that if you slip, your knuckles won't bang into something causing you to bleed and say un-ladylike words and such.
  3. Stoutman
    Looks mighty fine. You could fill that void up with some gauges and a 5 inch GPS screen. Make a dash with some stainless.... Enjoy the ride.
  4. Stoutman
    Grey Ghost, Hope you put a zillion miles on that bag. Keep the shiney side up.
  5. Stoutman
    I use this Kuryakyn bag on long trips. It is big, side opening with a shelf inside so you don't have to dig through a ton of stuff to get to what is on the bottom. It also has big pockets on the outside and an attachment mechanism that works well with the RSTD. This thing really is big, it swallows my size 14 sneaks without a hitch. It accomodates a roll on top using existing straps to tie them down. This will hold more than a Venture trunk, but it is not as secure (or as good looking). The zippers are water resistant, and it comes with a large rain cover that will cover the roll on top of the bag if neccesary. It has wheels on the bottom and a strap handle so you can drag it through the parking lot if you're not up to toting it. I've put thousands of miles on mine with no trouble. It is a bit heavy for the luggage rack that attaches to the back of the RSTD passenger backrest. I bought the Yamaha luggage rack that mounts on the rear fender and it holds up fine under the weight of the Kuryakyn bag. Best regards,
  6. Stoutman
    I use the Ram Mount purchased from the Mount Guys. It is very tough, adjustable and versatile. I bought a holder for my MP3 player, and for my GPS. I even put one in my truck so I can swap the MP3 or GPS from the truck to the bike and back. I've also found these at Bass Pro Shops.
  7. Stoutman
    I have to agree with Freebird once again. Although my point is a little more selfish. My company sells about 60% of its product overseas, more than 80% overseas for my division. It would be a shame if they stopped buying our stuff because we wouldn't buy theirs. Free trade is a tide that raises all boats. It would really get bad if they stopped buying our debt. Aside from that, the biggest chunk of money made on a product these days is from sales and distribution. Most of that stays right here in the good ol USA for stuff we buy here. I own four American brand cars, and the other two are foriegn brands built in the USA. My Yamahawg is the only vehicle I own that is made completely off shore.
  8. Stoutman
    Bill, Glad to hear you're taking care of yourself. I'd do the same if only I could find a third job for mama.
  9. Stoutman
    Yes, but I'll have to wash the bike first.
  10. Stoutman
    I noticed one difference on the labels of synthetic oils. If you look at Mobile 1 it says "Fully" synthetic. Other oils like the Walmart house brand, Pensoil, and Valvoline say "Full" synthetic. I have not looked at tha Amsoil or Royal Purple containers. This might be one way to tell them apart at the store. Also, ditto's to what Snarley Bill says about the crappy stuff we used to put in our engines. I remember opening a bottle of oil (can back then) and smelling for sulphur. If you could smell the sulpher you knew you had the cheap stuff.
  11. Stoutman
    I did something similar to Sigwings. I wired up a standard two wire trailer type connector that comes out just in front of the seat. I use that to attach the battery charger, air compressor, or my accessories tank bag. I have my intercom/ipod/gps accessories in the Joe Rocket Manta tank bag. When Mamma and I want to take a ride I put the intercom on the tank and plug it in there in front of the seat. I have some cigarette lighter plugs wired in so I can grab power for the ipod/gps/cell phone. Everything unplugs and fits nicely into the saddlebag when I stop for lunch. I put a ram mount on the handlebars that I can attach the ipod/gps to. The wires go down to the tank bag and don't interfere with anything.
  12. Stoutman
    I smoked for 10 years and tried to quit about 100 times. I made it on the 101st try. Smoked over 2 packs per day at the time I quit cold turkey. I remember my Mom having her friends over for coffee when I was little. I would stand by the kitchen table and breath in all the smoke. By the time I was 18 I had the habit. Decided to quit after I got married and was trying to get through school with almost no money. I still enjoy the smell of a someone smoking a cigarette. Can't stand the stale smell though.
  13. Stoutman
    While in Japan last year on business the hotel I stayed at served me a traditional Japanese breakfast that had with it a pickled sweet fish. They served the whole fish, head and all, pickled. They come from the river that ran right past the hotel in Tochigi-ken, Japan. I just watched to see what my Japanese host did. He picked it up with his chop sticks and ate it head first. I did the same. Washed it down with some green tea and went on to the fruit and rice. Life is good.
  14. Stoutman
    I have done the narrower tire with my 05 RSTD. The mod was effective in reducing the top heavy feel of the bike at parking lot speeds. I have since installed the leveling links that raise the back of the bike about an inch. This has a similar effect. With the leveling links I find the stock size tire to be preferable. It is your choice. The smaller size front tire has one advantage in that if you buy the Avon tire it has a higher load capacity than the stock size tire. Having done both I prefer the leveling links and the stock size tire. Best of luck.
  15. Stoutman
    An inexpensive GPS that is waterproof and built for the outdoors is the Lowrance XOG. V7Goose showed me his while we were in Eureka Springs. I saw them on sale at Bass Pro Shops for $159 and plunked down my plastic. Costco has it for $149 today shipping included. I have not used it extensively, but it is mounted to the bike with a ram mount and seems to work fine. It is surprisingly rich in features. It also has the mp3 player and a SD memory card slot for maps and music. I don't know about planning trips on the computer then downloading them. I would like that feature as well, but I'm not willing to pay 6 bills for it when paper maps are free. I've bought other cheap GPS units and not been happy. The Sanyo I currently have is bluetooth enabled, and has a big screen, but the software is so klugy that I can't find the street I'm looking for half the time. Then it is sckitzophrenic about taking me off the beaten path for no good reason. That is one surprise you don't want when you are miles from home. IMHO, buy one you know will do what you want, either because you have a friend with the same model, or you've borrowed one and used it. That said, I have a friend with the Tom Tom unit for motorcycles and he really likes it. He says he can plan his route on the PC and download it to the bike, complete with point of interest information and such. This is another unit in the 6 bill range though.
  16. Stoutman
    You might be looking for this tail lighthttp://www.customdynamics.com/Images/vstar_genesis_small.jpg I have one on my RSTD. It is plenty bright and saves a bit of power for other goodies. It has three white LEDs to illuminate the license plate. The rest are red. I first saw one on Bear's bike (Harry Solomon) last year in Colorado. I gave it a try and I like it.
  17. Stoutman
    I have to agree with Mike. That sounds like a lot of money. I'd spend it if I knew what I was getting, but I'm not the type to adopt something based on marketing claims. I use this light. It is a H4 12v Osram Hyper Bulb, High Output Xenon Bulb. No tint (NOT LEGAL FOR HIGHWAY USE) The one I buy has a 65 watt low beam and a 70 watt high beam. The extra wattage seems to be within the temp capacity of the headlight assembly and also within my bikes electrical system output. I like the extra light output. So far I have had no problem, but I've only used it for about 200 hours. To my way of thinking they should last more than a year on a bike. I've had them last forever, and I've had them last only a few months. The Sylvania silverstar is one that lasted only a few months. Best of luck.
  18. Stoutman
    Here is a more comfortable kevlar jean than the draggin jean. It is the diamond gusset jean. Built for a real American male, not the young skinny underwear model type biker. I own the draggin jeans and the diamond gusset. The draggin jeans stay in the closet, and the Diamond gusset jeans are worn every week. I don't have any facts about if they are better than leather or not. All I know is if you are not wearing it cause it's to hot, then it isn't protecting you. Best of luck.
  19. Stoutman
    I am sorry for your loss. I have four pets, two of which are dogs, one fat cat and one stinky ferret. I was thinking about them today. I won a $25.00 gift card for Petsmart during our Unitied Way fund raiser. I was thinking about getting liposuction for the cat, but now after reading your post I think I'll buy my old dog a new bone, and maybe some peanut butter flavored bisquits (his favorite). Hoping the pain of your loss is offset by the smile you'll be sure to get whenever you remember your friend. Best regards,
  20. Stoutman
    Don't do it! Just kidding. You'll be glad you took the plunge. However, you may want to wait a year to see if Yamaha brings out a new model with more power based on the new V-max engine, and up-to-date goodies like fuel injection, anti-lock brakes, and MP3 player. I mean if you're kind of happy where you are you might think about waiting another year. Or you could buy a moderatly used one that will hold most of its value, and then see what Yamaha does in the future, all the while riding one of the smoothest and most comfortable touring bikes around (for the price).
  21. Stoutman
    Bought my bike on October of 2005. I average 8k per year. Would be more except for this pesky job and the honey do list. Don't get me wrong, I like my job. If a person has to have a job this is a good one to have. Now as far as my Honey goes, I still can't figure out why she married me. Sometimes I thing she can't figure it out either....
  22. Stoutman
    I have a center stand, but the bike does not come with one. Before I put the center stand on the bike I would place the bike on the lift and use the lift to keep it upright. You can also have a buddy hold the bike upright while you check it. I always change my oil with a fully warmed up engine. This does two things for you: first it gets the oil warm so it flows better, second it gets the warm oil circulating so that maximum sludge is carried out of the engine when you drain the oil. The other bonus is that the engine crankcase volume will change between warm and cold, so when you check it warm you are checking it closer to its operating condition. I've got 25,000 miles on my RSTD and the oil comes out looking almost as clean as it went in. I commonly add a bit more oil after I fill it and run it. This is because some of the volume just added is now in the oil filter. I usually wait a few minutes for the new oil to drain back into the crankcase before I check it and add more. The filter should have an anti-drainback valve to keep oil in the filter. This prevents the oil pump from having to fill the filter up at every startup. If your oil level is at the top of the window you may have a bit leak out from the re-breather. The tubes come down from the air filter housing and you can see some accumulate in the air filter housings. Some bikes do this more than others. I found I can have mine filled almost to the top of the site glass before it starts leaking out. The bike uses virtually no oil between changes so filling it only halfway up the sight glass is a pretty low risk way of keeping the oil from leaking out. I guess my point is your bike may not even leak. If you want to be sure just get the bike level, drain a bit of oil out until the oil comes about halfway up the sight glass when the bike is warm.
  23. Stoutman
    It is not on my bike. I've had the headlight assembly apart on my RSTD and there is really no adjustment on the aim point that I saw. I guess you could air up the shocks and affect the aim point a bit.
  24. Stoutman
    I had the narrow tire on my RSTD. I put it on before I added the leveling links. Like Bill says I didn't really notice once I got used to it. Then again, I'm not a high speed rider. I'm perfectly happy to go 75mpg all day long. I did switch back to the 150 when the 130 wore out. At the time I noticed the bike was a little less sensitive to inputs at higher speeds with the wider tire. Really didn't notice the difference at low speed. Probably because I have the leveling links, and two years more experience in the saddle. One thing I did like about the narrow tire was the higher load rating. I also ran it at a bit higher pressure, 45 psi. I run the wider tire at 41 PSI and it seems to be just fine. I'll probably stay with the wider tire.
  25. Stoutman
    I bought mine from JCWhitney. They are good quality chrome and a very comfortable lever. I make no claims about being the best. My personal views is there is no such thing as "Best".
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