atlm
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Everything posted by atlm
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The leadership at HD are extremely smart. After their near demise and the AMF years, when they bought themselves back, they had learned that they couldn't compete with the Japanese bikes when it came to cost/quality/performance. Instead, they chose brand recognition and loyalty through the power of advertising and the media. The power of public media is incredible, and can make most people believe almost anything. Association and repetition. Visually or verbally associate something with good feelings or bad feelings, and do it repetitively. Then, when people see the "something" they will experience the good or bad feelings. They'll feel and believe it strongly, and defend it, and won't think about or know why. Think about it. After hearing something often enough, some people will strap bombs to themselves and gladly blow themselves up, totally believing it's the right thing to do. I'm NOT saying what HD is doing is bad like that. I think what they've done is harmless and ingenius, and has helped the American economy. I'm just pointing out an example of how powerful association and repetition can be. Using the media, HD sells a perceived lifestyle. All American, the only original, family values, being faithful, the "good old days", etc. And although it's not said, it's insinuated that non-HD or foreign brands are unAmerican, unoriginal, valueless, and unfaithful. And because of the power of the media, a lot of people now feel that way. And some just feel like HD is the right brand to buy. It's genius, and it's kept HD thriving. And just like religious extremists, some people go overboard with it. They're unfriendly and hateful to any non-believers. They don't wave, and they don't want you around. And that's fine by me, because I don't want to be around all of that negativity. I owned a Harley for a few weeks (25 years ago), and I have quite a few friends who ride Harleys, and they're all super friendly. They love their bikes and they love the Harley lifestyle, but for them the lifestyle is the comeraderie of a group of bikes, regardless of brand. They sometimies give me a bit of ribbing about my non-HD, and sometimes ask when I'm going to buy an HD, but there's no anger or ill-will. It's just their subconscious playing games they're not aware of.
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For the passing lights, I'm using a 10a fuse. That's enough for 120 watts (12v x 10a). If your passing lights have high wattage bulbs, like 55w each, you could go with 15a. With the tiny wires used for the passing lights, I prefer a small fuse. In the event of an issue, I want the fuse to blow quickly, rather than have a short or partial short fry the tiny wires.
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I think most of us are using the standard 30A relays available at most auto parts stores for ~$7.
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It really doesn't matter if the switch to energize a relay is on the positive or negative side of the relay. It's still going to be passing the same small amount of current. What does the most damage to switches is the arcing that occurs when the switches are opened and closed with a load attached. You can see what I'm talking about when you connect or disconnect a battery lead. You'll see a small arc shoot from the lead to the battery terminal. Over time, this chars and corrodes the contact points in the switch until they no longer conduct. The bigger the load, the more arcing and damage occurs. When you turn on the ignition switch, there is 12v on one side and a bunch of loads on the other - lights, fuel pump, gauges, etc. So, there's a bit of arcing that occurs inside the ignition switch. Apparently, the additional load from passing lights is enough, over time, to damage the contacts so bad they quit working. In your case, you have a switch on the passing lights to turn them on and off. That switch is probably not going to be used much, and only has the load of the passing lights going through it. So, I would leave that switch in place, as-is. This is what I would recommend in your case, to keep things very simple: - Tie into the 12v lead from the cigarette lighter plug, and use that to close the relay (terminal 85). It's switched, meaning it's only on when the ignition is on. - Ground the other side of the relay (terminal 86) to the side of the radio. There's already a bolt and large ground wire going to it. Use that same bolt. - Take the red lead from your passing light on/off switch and run it to terminal 87 of the relay. - Run 12v from the battery (with a fuse, of course) to terminal 30 of the relay. This will take the passing light current out of the ignition switch, which is the primary reason for the relay. It will keep the wiring as simple as possible. And you will have a way to turn off your passing lights, if needed. Hope this helps.
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how much air pressure for front and rear
atlm replied to Bwhite's topic in Royal Star Venture Tech Talk ('99 - '13)
I run zero front and back. To get that, I just pushed in the valves. My wife and I don't weigh much, though. -
If you haven't already, I'd highly recommend setting up ropes or straps from the ceiling above the bike, to support the handlebars and rear part of the fairing while they're disconnected. The first time I disassembled stuff, it took me 7 hours and a neighbor's assistance at the end because I was trying to balance everything. The next time, with the supporting ropes, it took me 3, and no extra help. There are pictures in this forum (I think under VR tech) showing what I'm talking about.
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If I understand correctly, you've purchased an RSV and feel engine vibration and are hearing noises that you're concerned about, and would like to ride another RSV to see if it has the same vibrations/noises. Is that correct? If so, this might be useful information for you: When my wife and I test rode a (new) RSTD, it was extremely smooth. That was an 18 mile loop during Yamaha Demo Days. A couple of months later we test rode a (new) RSV, and felt an engine vibration. I could feel it a tiny bit in the handlebars and floorboards. She was feeling it a lot through the passenger backrest, and some through the floorboards. For her, it was so bad that it made her nauseous, and she had me turn around after 6 miles and return to the dealer. It was also low on power. I had to rev it like a sportbike to get it to move from a stop. The dealer said there must be something wrong, and said they'd fix it so we could test it again. The dealer called us a few days later and said they sync'ed the carbs, and that fixed it. So the following weekend, we returned to the dealer and did another test ride. The power was there now, but after about 2 miles, my wife said the vibration was still bad, and had me turn back. We had someone from the dealership take the bike out with me on the back (no comments, I got enough when we did it!) as a test, and I could feel it also. After that test, while we were speaking with the dealership about it, a guy pulls up out front with his RSVM. So, the dealership folks and us ask him if he has time for a quick test. He's super nice and agrees, and goes for a quick test loop (on his bike) with my wife on the back. She reports that it was like the RSTD, smooth. Fast forward a few weeks, and we test ride a low miles 2005, and it's smooth, also. Didn't buy that one because it had a strong gas odor after riding. I then found this forum, and read about the dreaded clutch basket chirp. A few more weeks go by and I find a mint condition, 8k miles loaded '06. We test ride that one, and it's smooth, quiet, and odorless. Sold. It could be that the dealership didn't get the carb sync right, and that's what was causing the vibration, or it could be a multitude of other things. With me, it definitely wasn't from lugging the engine. With my sportbike/racing history, I like engines in their powerband. As far as vibration goes, the RSV should be smooth. If it's not, I'd highly suggest a carb sync as a first troubleshooting step. On the RSV, it's super easy and only takes about 15 or 20 minutes, including coffee breaks. For engine noises, if you describe what you're hearing, the VentureRider family should be able to help you diagnose. If it's an annoying chirp, there are about a zillion posts here about it. I'm a bit far from Calgary, so I hope this helps instead.
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OMG. Maybe she used to work at the airport as a baggage handler?
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At last year's Demo Days, they had both the RSV and the RSTD. After a couple of rides that included an RSTD, we wanted to try the RSV, but it was the last ride of the day and the RSV was taken. Over the next few weeks as our interest peaked and we actually became serious about buying a large touring bike, I did a bit of investigation and found out that Yamaha's Star division had a Ride and Try program for the RSV and RSTD, through most dealers. I called the local dealers and found one that participated and had 2 RSVs in stock. So, we made an appointment and went for a test ride. Harley and European bike dealers have had bike demos through dealerships available for years, but they have a different clientelle than the typical 17 year old with no riding experience at the Japanese bike dealership looking for a sportbike. I think Yamaha/Star figured out that people shopping for RSVs and RSTDs are older, more experienced, and safer, and that's why they put this program in place. The only caveat is that, unlike the Demo Days which fully insures the bike, the dealer program doesn't. So, if you drop or crash the bike while test riding, make sure your own insurance covers it, or you'll be buying it or paying for the damages.
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The stock RSV and RSTD are tilted back a bit. That makes them want to go straight, and makes them feel heavier when trying to turn, since the steering geometry of the bike is resisting the change in direction. If you lower the back with a Barons kit, it's going to make that even worse, and it will cost you money to buy the kit. If you lower the front, it levels the bike and makes it steer much easier. The bike actually feels smaller and lighter after the change. And it's free. The biggest thing to understand about rake and trail is that they have a huge affect on the way a bike feels and handles. I thought the RSV (and RSTD) handled acceptably stock. That's why I bought one. I just figured that it's a 900lb bike and it would feel heavy no matter what I did. And I was going to lower the back with a Barons kit, since it's a kit, and Barons must know what they're doing, right? But the VentureRider family convinced me to level it instead. And once I leveled it, it felt like someone had taken about 300lb off of the bike. It's that big of a difference. For me, anyway.
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For anyone interested in test riding a new Yamaha, here's the Demo Days schedule for this year: http://www.yamaha-motor.com/sport/mcy/demo.aspx It's because of free rides at demo days that my wife and I bought our RSV. Just like a drug dealer: give a taste for free and they'll come back with money! Only more healthy, of course. Maybe we can convert a few more 1st gen folks.
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Butt Butler Seat Available - Straight Up Swap - WI
atlm replied to RedRider's topic in Watering Hole
Nope, the RSV and RSTD have different seats with different brackets. -
The Venture's wheelbase is listed at 67.1 inches. That means a 1" change (front or back) equates to approximately a 1.7 degree change in the angle of the bike, which reduces the rake the same amount, and reduces trail. That's a lot. If you're pleased with the way the bike feels now, I'd definitely recommend not going any further. Unless you're planning to do track days with it.
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If you like the way the bike handles, I'd stay with the same size tire. What is the reason you're thinking of going smaller?
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The picture wasn't taken centered from the back. Look at the middle of the passenger seat pad, and where it lines up with the dash. The camera was a bit off to the right. Luggage racks are safety chrome that some folks don't buy. Still looks great to me for the price!
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All bikes have different rakes and trails, depending on their intended use. Most sportbikes and dirtbikes are set up to be as agile as possible. That means they're set up right on the edge, with low rake and trail, balancing agility and stability. Because of that, many require steering dampers to address headshake. That also means they're very sensitive to change, and a little tweak to make the bike more agile, or even a tire change can throw them into an unrecoverable tank slapper. On a sportbike or a dirtbike, I agree, you better be careful. Cruisers and choppers, on the other hand, are set up with relaxed geometry, meaning large rake and trail. This gives great straight line stability, but requires more effort to turn in the twisties and at low speeds. They're typically nowhere near the edge. If someone is experiencing enough headshake to cause concern after a 1" change on either end of a stock Venture, I'd agree that they've got something else wrong with their bike. The Venture, as delivered from the factory, appears to have a low rear end, as well as relaxed steering geometry. Leveling the bike has the same effect on steering whether it's done with rear raising links or a front end drop. It reduces the rake and trail, which makes the bike more agile. The preference of raising the rear over lowering the front is all about ground clearance. Stock, many folks scrape floorboards in the twisties. Raising the rear an inch gives you about an extra 1/2" of clearance at the floorboards. Dropping the front an inch takes away about 1/2" of clearance. For the taller folks who are somewhat aggressive in the twisties, raising the rear with "leveling links" is definitely the way to go. For the inseam challenged, dropping the front is the only choice, and does require a reduction in corner speed for the more aggressive riders.
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That's fantastic. Thank you for sharing.
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Wow, that's a great deal. If I didn't already have an RSV, I'd probably buy it and take it (with the seller) to a race shop to have the frame, forks, and swingarm checked. A little paint, and you've got an RSV for about $4k.
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Is it the black and red and brass one, or the white plastic one that operates with compressed air? I just got a flyer in the mail, but don't see it in there.
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I owned a Kaw 800 Vulcan for a short while. I believe it's the same as the Drifter, only without the large valanced fenders. I sold it after about 6 months. Here's my take: Pros: super light weight decent gas mileage sounded nice at with the Cobra exhaust and carbs rejetted. comfy stock driver's seat looks (I liked the way it looked) Cons: no power. I pulled out into traffic the first week I owned it, with plenty of room (I thought), and nearly got rear ended because of lack of acceleration. And I was used to sportbikes, so I was winding it right up. After that, I got used to waiting for a HUGE gap in traffic before trying to merge. lack of ground clearance. I scraped floorboards frequently. In gas stations, in my driveway, on any kind of twisty road. chain drive. This severely limits your ability to do long trips without roadside or parking lot maintenance included. On the subsequent model, the 900 Vulcan, they switched to a belt. Much better. The riding position and lack of wind protection became tedious after about 20 minutes, so a windshield would have been the next accesory. Unfortunately, with the lack of power, a windshield would slow the bike down even more. If you're used to decent power, acceleration, and ground clearance, you might be a bit disappointed. For just bopping around town, it could be a fun bike, though. Just my 2 cents.
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It's because of Yamaha "demo days", where the factory comes to a dealer with an 18 wheeler full of new bikes, that we have an RSV. My wife and I heard about demo days coming to a local dealer, and decided it would be something fun to do for a day. The idea of a better long distance bike was in the back of my mind, but we weren't shopping or seriously thinking about swapping bikes. We first test rode the 950, because it seemed to be my size in the showroom. From experience, I know that sitting on bikes in a showroom is deceiving, though, and they feel much different when ridden. 2-up, I had to ride that bike like I stole it to keep up with the group of about 12 other bikes, which included an R1, VMax, RSV, and an RSTD. It was a chore, it scraped the floorboards around almost every corner, and it vibrated bad since I was having to rev the snot out of it. And she was getting wind blasted and the back seat was small and hard. Not fun. So after chatting with one of the Yamaha factory reps, who was about my size, he recommends we ride the RSTD. I look at it, and it looks BIG. It's also a big V-twin, which is going to vibrate bad. A big, heavy, shaking bike. What could be worse? But the guy is adamant, and says he thinks we'll be surprised. So, we rode it, and we loved it, all except for the really hard passenger seat. When we got back, I mentioned to the guy that the V-twin was as smooth and nicely reving as my V-Strom, and he says, "That's because it's a V-four." So now we went from not serious at all about a new bike to really thinking about a new bike. She sees the back seat on the RSV, and sits on it in the showroom, and says, "This one is really comfortable!" Then we find out it's the same engine as the RSTD we just rode. Fast forward 2 months, and we have our RSV. I don't remember any free hot dogs or anything, but thanks Yamaha demo days!
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If anyone else with the eBay risers is interested in 65mm bolts to replace theirs, please let me know. I ended up with even more (long story).
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For everyone who has PM'ed me about the Radio Control airplanes, equipment, and flight simulator, I've posted details in the "everything else" classifieds so I don't hijack this thread. Please let me know if you or someone you know is interested.
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I tried to teach myself to fly RC airplanes when I was younger, and put 2 planes into the ground in less than a minute each after spending hundreds of hours building them. Fast forward about 20 years and I decided to try again. This time I was advised to use the RealFlight R/C simulator on the computer to learn, which I did while building my trainer. I joined a club, and with the assistance of one of the other members, got flying and successfully landed on my first day (landing is the hardest part of flying). I was signed off to fly solo the next weekend. That's how good the simulator is. After a few years, I ended up adding a fast stunt plane, a biplane, and another stunt plane to the collection. When I got remarried and moved, I stopped flying, so they're all just hanging in my garage. It doesn't look like they'll be used anytime soon, so I'd like to sell them. Let me know if you or someone you know might be interested. I also have the RealFlight R/C simulator to learn with. The primary radio is a Futaba 9C. I also have a regular Futaba 4 channel.
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Different tires sizes, suspension settings, slight tilt of the ground, etc., all put the bike at different angles when on the kickstand, so we'd all be reading different levels. Having the bike level gets rid of all of those variables. The only other variable is front to back angle, which doesn't change the oil level in the sight glass significantly, or anywhere near as much as left to right angle. Also, most bike shops work on bikes upright, on lifts, so having to read the oil level with the bike on it's side stand wouldn't work for them, either.