camos
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Everything posted by camos
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A set for me too please.
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Under the left pod is the AIS. Yup, just like the Venture. As we know, vacuum leaks can cause problems. The PO removed the AIS on my Virago so I've never had to deal with it. Here is a link to instructions on removing the AIS. Backfiring is often caused by a lean fuel condition created by a vacuum leak, gobbed up jets, carb boot leak, unsynced carbs or poor spark.
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Turn Signal Problem
camos replied to DesertRider's topic in Venture and Venture Royale Tech Talk ('83 - '93)
Switch stuck, bad contacts or both. Its been a bit damp here and a few days ago the right turn signal on my bike tuned on sometimes or not or would flash a short while before turning off. After spraying with WD40 it's been working fine. Perhaps that is all that's necessary to deal with your problem. -
I meant to say the fog lights were H3 bulbs but forgot. Anyway, judging from the pix on the website the different bulb configurations all seem to be the same size. While it would be best to call HID-Country to get an actual measurement, unfortunately I am very difficult to get in touch with so I doubt that will work out. If I could get a reasonably accurate length from the H4 bulb then I would be willing to take a chance the H3's will be the same. If the H3 kit works in my fog lights, I would need four of them and two H4 for the headlights so both the Virago and the Venture can be done.
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I'm interested in getting 2 HID replacements for my 55w halogen fog lights. Trouble is how long the bulbs are may affect whether they will fit into the housing. Got any dimensions for the bulb? From the pix it looks like all types are the same length and differ only in the type of socket connector. In any case, I am still interested in getting a Bi-Zenon HID kit for the main headlight.
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Since the headlight is supposed to shut off when starting bike, do you mean it stopped working after starting the bike?
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New MB, Win7 and problems
camos replied to camos's topic in Computer help and tips for using this site.
That was kinda my though too. Except I opted to keep the PS2 mouse, TrackMan Marble actually, and returned the PS2/USB adapter plus $8 for a USB keyboard. All is working as it should with Win7. Now I just have to see how much data I can retrieve from my old Win2K install. Thanks much for the ideas. -
You will find out soon enough there is a cable activated clutch and the rear drum brakes are activated by a pull bar and lever. There is a mark and an arrow on the rear brake lever that indicates the condition of the brake shoes. Somewhere in the middle is good but getting close to the mark means the shoes should be inspected/replaced. If you are planning to put some Seafoam in the transmission oil you should do that perhaps the day before an oil change then run it around a bit. Pay attention to how the filtre is installed before changing it as the filtre can be installed backwards which will mess up the engine. The oil level should be filled to about 3/4 up the window. A bit closer to the top could be better because it will help prevent the oil light from coming on when cold and when going up a hill. When the engine is running there will be no oil visible in the window so don't be concerned. When checking oil the bike should be on the centre stand on level ground. Be careful when reinstalling the front wheel that the speedo drive is properly aligned with the drive teeth or it could get pooched. Would be a good idea to oil the cables, speedo, clutch, brake and choke cables with clean engine oil. The rear brake light switch is just above the rear end of the foot lever, right about where the neg cable from the battery attaches to the engine. Make sure it is adjusted properly as it may have to be disconnected to clean the terminal end. About half the electrical connections are in the headlight bucket so don't forget to look at them as well. There are some fuses under the seat but there is also a fuse panel under the idiot lights below the instrument cluster. Remind the rider that the ignition switch has a park light position just past the lock position. Essentially, don't ever use the park position except perhaps in an emergency except the hazard lights would probably be a better choice. The park lights will kill the battery in less than 8 hours. I know this from experience. As with the Venture, so with the Virago, the primary drive splines should be greased as well as the swing arm bearings and drive shaft splines. If you don't know the condition of the rear end oil it should be changed as well. Magnum TM 80 horns are a close match to the OEM ones with a serious blast to them.. well worth looking into.
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New MB, Win7 and problems
camos replied to camos's topic in Computer help and tips for using this site.
The MB does have USB Legacy support in the BIOS which was set to auto by default. I changed it to enabled then reinstalled Win7 but there was no difference. I guess there is a chance the PS2/USB adapter could be faulty since neither device works when attached to it. There could also be an issue with the USB host controller but since I can't figure out how to get the info from Device Manager I can't do anything about it. Thanks for the input guys. By the way, this site works by tabbing but its a lot of work to get to anything. -
I'm in a pickle. Got a new motherboard with one PS2 port and a bunch of USB ports. Also have a mouse and a keyboard with PS2 connectors. Do the math, pick the mouse or pick the keyboard, only one can be connected at a time. Boot up with either one and it works. The keyboard is needed to key in my login password, Unfortunately the driver setup that came with the MB does not seem to recognize keyboard tabs or arrows so I can't install the drivers that would --- hopefully --- allow the USB ports to work. Yes, I got a USB to PS2 adapter but neither mouse nor keyboard works when connected to a USB port. The Win7 Control Panel does not appear very helpful compared to the one in Win2K. Haven't found a way to see the status of any devices yet. Boot up and plug in the mouse USB and the computer says installing device drivers, as expected, but the install fails for reasons unknown to me. Anyone got any experience with this confounded contraption who could offer any advice?
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This is a very helpful Virago site. Looks like it is now necessary to register before the forums can be read but it's free and well worth doing. The first gen Virago starters were a chronic problem but was fixed in the 2nd gens after 85. The xv1000, available in 85 only, was the first of the 2nd gens with the fixed starter so 86 and on should not have the chronic starter design problem. If your starter does not sound right there is likely something wrong. To begin check and clean the battery connections. The hot side is straight forward just the battery end but the neg/ground connects to the engine down by the brake light switch and is a definite source of corrosion. The hot to the starter should also be cleaned. Adding a second ground from the battery to the frame is a good thing to do, #10 wire will be adequate but #8 is probably better. Any old bike that has be neglected should have all the wiring checked over for obvious damage and all the terminals separated and cleaned before putting back together, then use dielectric grease to help with water resistance. I put E3's on mine last year and they work great, the rear is a bit larger that stock but fits comfortably. While everything is a lot simpler, there really isn't much difference between restoring a shed queen Virago or a similar state Venture.
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Raking the triple tree reduces trail as does lowering the front end by setting the forks higher in the triple tree. Lengthening the forks and lowering the rear end increases trail. All those changes will affect steering. Increasing trail will make steering more stable on the highway but less responsive in parking lots. Reducing trail will do the reverse with too little trail making steering squirrelly and potentially unsafe.
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Do you have any more information on gaining rake by re-welding the triple tree? I've been thinking of doing that to my Virago before adding 4" longer forks. Thought it was possible but have never heard of anyone doing it.
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Generally speaking any equipment for a motor vehicle that has not gone through testing by the DOT is not approved and therefore may not be used on public highways. I believe headlights over 55/65 watts are not allowed on the road. Some of the LEO's on here could likely give a more accurate opinion. Regulations of the DOT kind, in fact most guvmint regulations are not often worth the powder it would take to blow them to hell. In this case, 55/65 watts assumes a light output limit that with new technology is no longer valid. HID at 35 watts put out waaaay more lumins/candlepower than halogen does at 55 watt. Another case in point, as we all know, an 1100 V-twin comes up seriously short in HP when compared to a 4 cylinder sport bike of the same displacement. Why then do insurance companies raise the rates relative to displacement rather than HP? Anyway, it is not very likely a vehicle will be stopped to verify whether any part of it is not DOT approved. On the other hand if your headlights were to blind a LEO, he might very well chase you down do a check of some sort. If an accident were determined to have been caused by a non DOT approved part then there would be some serious explaining to do.
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Helmets are mandated here so I choose to wear a flip-up helmet when riding anything on 2 wheels, mostly because of the convenience and the sun visor. At work I ride a Jazz scooter, my flip-up and chaps. Get a few snide remarks about it from the peanut gallery but since its my skin and my brain bucket I get to make my choice. When tooling around in traffic it doesn't take much to take you down even at relatively slow speed. Approximately half of the cost of cigarettes is tax. If the guvmint used the tax revenue over and above GST, PST or HST for healthcare it would more than cover the extra cost of smoking to the system. People with lung cancer rarely last more than a year so the actual cost to the system is not nearly as bad as with many other unrelated afflictions. The sad thing is the guvmint has the power to rate tobacco products as dangerous goods and significantly control access but they do not seem to want to disrupt their cash cow. Non smokers are getting quite a tax benefit from the taxes charged to smokers so they should really be quite happy about the current situation. Excepting, of course if a loved one is succumbing to their addiction aided and abetted by the crass greed of guvmints. This could be another thread but what's the point... really... it is what it is and will never change.
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The Sylvania - HID Hi/Lo comparison pix clearly indicate the HID is adjusted too high, significantly higher than the Sylvania. There is not much value in comparing glare or light patterns with a maladjusted headlight. Here is a simple method to set the headlight. The loading of the MC will significantly affect the aim so for general bopping about do the measurements with a normal load including driver. Going for a ride on a dark road is a good idea so you know where the beams should be. This would be particularly important on a bike like the Venture which has an adjustment knob that allows the headlight aim to be easily varied and not forgetting the dramatic load changes possible with the large storage areas at the rear.
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Reminiscent of the recently posted video of Chinese drivers. They really are everywhere, bad drivers, that is.
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Is this the one you mean? http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showpost.php?p=26527&postcount=1 Maybe not, it's older than a week.
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Thats a good start, thanks. The progressive springs have more coils than the regular ones so the level may be a bit higher with the OEM ones. I suspect erring on the lesser level would be less of a problem than over filling, particularly with the air assist. Probably not much fun but when the oil needs to be changed the forks probably need to be pulled to do it properly. Some bikes have drain holes in the bottom, but my 96 Virago doesn't although the earlier models do. Haven't looked at the Venture forks yet. Thanks for the correction Gary.
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When changing the oil, unless you know the forks have been completely emptied adding a certain volume, either 13.8 oz or 400 ml, it is still a crap shoot. Seems to me when changing the oil it would be a very good idea to also flush out the forks with some mineral spirits to get any sludge out and ensure the passages are clear. On my Virago the correct amount of oil is 7" down from the top without the spacer or the springs in the tube. Knowing the the actual level of the oil is also useful if for some reason it ever needs to be topped up. Has anyone measured the correct fork oil level in the Venture forks?
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Do you remember the diameter of the original baffle? Is it possible these SS tubes could fit over the original baffle? That would anchor one end with the outside end being screwed or tacked. The exhaust would be forced out the perforations in the SS tube then into the stock tube. Might give enough baffling to not require fiberglass which will likely get blown out before too long anyway.
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Spark plug apperance question
camos replied to dingy's topic in Venture and Venture Royale Tech Talk ('83 - '93)
Here are two links with useful info for reading spark plugs: http://www.dansmc.com/Spark_Plugs/Spark_Plugs_catalog.html http://www.empirenet.com/pkelley2/sparkplugreading.html The first one is a bunch of pix that probably relate to the time when we used to run real gasoline in our engines. The second link is probably for plugs burning more recent fuel types. Hope you find them helpful. -
The iPods and iTunes are exclusive to themselves.... purposely made that way by Apple of course. iTunes will not download music from an iPod either, just upload and delete. They do however work with the .mp3 format so the music can be stored and is accessible as files on your PC that can be uploaded to other sources. To get music off an iPod there is an inexpensive application available called Tune Transfer that is easy to use.
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In this country at least, a line of credit and a mortgage or reverse mortgage are very different things. I recently got a significant line of credit to do some renovations on my house. The bank holding the mortgage on the house will give a line of credit up to about half of the current net value of the house. My house was almost paid off and to get this line of credit get a line of credit that was enough to do the reno and pay off the mortgage. Unlike a regular mortgage, the only payment required is the monthly interest be paid as it accrues. No payment on the principle is necessary although in the long term reducing the principle is a good idea. Any amount paid over the amount of interest is applied to the principle. It's a pretty sweet deal. Don't know much about reverse mortgages but the situation sqn finds himself in is certainly a serious pitfall that can happen if not enough research is done prior to getting into one. Good luck with getting your situation sorted out Steve.
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10 gauge copper wire should do the trick.