MikeWa

Seattle passed a $15 per hour minimum wage. "To comply" some restaurants went to no tipping and added 20% to your tab. The math works out that the additional minimum wage costs the restaurant nothing. The 20% surcharge covers more than the entire $15 wage so the restaurant ends up making an additional profit and saves wages at the same time. Most of the time the servers end up making less. What a way to scam your employees. I won't eat at these places. Mike

Your problem was above her pay grade. Mike

Dale It is easier if the bags are removed but I have never had to remove the exhaust. Even if you do it is only two screws. I do not know about the Canadian exchange rate but I think you are being quoted a high price. Mike

I watched the Country Music Awards last night. What a disappointment. Most of the music sounded like wan-a-be rappers. Even showing sign with their hands. In my opinion when you try to rap country music you get yuk. There were a couple that were ok but the country I grew up with is long gone. What is your opinion? Mike

So I had a chance to check out the original pump. It seems one of the contacts came off of the point set. So it was the points as suspected. Also this says a lot for the original poor quality. In doing all of this I was bothered by some earlier posts claiming these replacement pumps didn't have a check valve like the original. Making drain through the pump and hydro locking the engine more probable. Very scary. Then I got thinking about it. In a car the check valve in an electric pump is to keep the fuel from back draining out of the carb/ injectors into the tank. The set up on our bikes is the opposite. The tank is above the carbs. Draining from our tank into the carbs is in the direction of fuel flow through the pump. If there were a check valve the pump couldn't push fuel into the engine. So I don't see how this would work. Perhaps an electric check valve? I don't think so. As a test I connected a cup of fuel to the inlet of the original factory pump. (The direction fuel would have to flow to get to the engine). When I poured the fuel it flowed straight through. No check valve to save the engine. Nada. There are a few things that can prevent hydro lock. First the float and needle valve block the fuel from entering. If you have a sticky float fix it right away. Second if the pump diaphram happen to stop in the right place flow through the pump can be inhibited. Most important the petcock. When not riding the bike 'turn it off'. OK here is a hint. Turn the petcock off when not riding the bike. Should I say it again? I don't have a diagram of our carburetors so I don't know if a seeping needle valve would cause fuel to go out the vent and down the side of the engine or not. Someday I will look into that. Mike

Condor There are a couple of different pumps available. One has 10mm inlet and outlet pipes the other has 8mm. The one you need is the 8mm. The spec on the link I attached is 8mm. Mike

A lot of mechanics do not know the difference between a CB antenna and a radio antenna. So it is common to see them installed on the wrong sides. I actually went to the shop near my house and taught them how to check SWR and gave them an inexpensive swr meter with adaptors. Mike

Thanks MiCarl. I actually knew about that. I just didn't have the tools or any kind of 8mm tube to put between the fuel lines in place of the pump. I didn't even have a ball point pen to break apart. I will purchase an 8mm vacuum connector and put it in my tool bag just in case this ever comes up again. Mike

Thanks Eck. Looks like AAA isn't what they used to be. I guess I will be looking for an alternate service. Reimbursement just doesn't cut it when you're sitting on the side of the road without a phone book. And possibly without knowledge of the area. Mike

Ok. I checked the fuel pump out this afternoon. It was a bad pump after all. An easy fix because a had a spare I purchased off e-bay some time ago. The pump is easy to change. A couple of bolts and a screw. The hardest part was finding out how to remove the front cover. Seems simple enough until you try to look it up in the service manual. Anyhow found it done it, did it. The bike runs fine now. I will take the old fuel pump apart later. I just have to know what went bad on a pump with only 25k mikes on it. If it is the points I have a spare set. For those who want to know the replacement pump I used has the 8mm inlet & outlet pipes the part number on the box is 2000513099 903927-181-2 http://www.ebay.com/itm/Fuel-Pump-For-Yamaha-1300-XVZ13-XVZ1300-Royal-Star-1996-2013-VIRAGO-XV1100-84-99-/331711789801?hash=item4d3b903ae9:g:m9cAAMXQ1ZhTguPG&vxp=mtr

I was on my way home yesterday. Cruising the freeway at about 70mph when it felt like the bike was running out of gas. Even though the tank registered close to a half tank I switched to reserve. No help. The engine died and I coasted to the right shoulder. I tried removing the gas cap. Again no help. So letting the bike sit for a couple of minutes I tried listening for the fuel pump. Ahh no clicking. The engine cranks ok and tries to start but no fuel, no start. So being ten miles from home. To far to push. I called AAA for a tow truck. An hour later AAA calls me back to tell me they do not have a provider in my area who can tow a motorcycle and I am on my own. But they will reimburse me. Now I am pissed. This is a high density, high population area with lots of towing companies but I don't have a phone book handy. I am sitting on the side of the freeway don't ya know. Life being good a passing Dept. Of Transportation truck sees me and stops. The driver has the telephone numbers to several tow companies and passes them along to me. He also told me he just came from another stall where AAA told a woman with an SUV they didn't have a provider that could tow her vehicle either. So I don't know what is going on with AAA. I will make an irate call to their head office Monday morning. Getting home late I only made some preliminary checks of the fuel pump. It is not getting power. The engine cranks and is getting spark. So side stand and kill switches etc. should be ok. Todays project is to trace the power ck. Perhaps it is a faulty relay or I suppose it could be the control circuit in the igniter module. I hope not. One thing this does point up though is just how crappy the Yamaha service manual is. Mike

I thought the steering stops were on the frame. Mike

Whoa! That was close. Glad everything turned out ok for you. Dryers and clothes can be replaced. Mike

Go for the factory service manuals. Also don't forget the separate factory electrical, wiring and emission manuals Mike

I had a similar problem. So I heated the plastic tab on the bottom of the seat with a hair drier (heat gun on low) and bent it up slightly. They become depressed from not being properly positioned under the metal tab and riding the bike. The weight in the seat distorts the plastic tab. Mike

I have it. Mike

Similar to this. Harness attached inside. Mike

Looked to me like Dad was familiar with the kids ability. It also looked to me like Dad picked a reasonably safe spot in the road and maintained supervision. When you start the 'What If' response I ask what if they had been struck by lightening? What if a sink hole opened beneath them? What if someone in the bushes shot one of them? There is no end to the possible 'What If' scenarios. For all we know this kid rides a dirt bike every day and dad knows his capability. I won't be so quick to judge without knowing all the facts. Mike

Thanks Bill

Thanks for the post Larry. Kind of gets you thinking. Yes Harley sales may be down but their competition like Indian is up, Victory is up, Honda touring bikes are doing pretty well. and Kawasaki is moving some big boys. So I think the touring segment is doing pretty well. It seems the one pulling the plug on touring is Yamaha. I wonder if they know something nobody else does? I like the Ural. In fact I was going to buy one. But it turned out to be too cramped for me. Mike

Sweet. Mike

I believe at 80% VA you will be covered same as for anything else. But at 80% you should push for unemployability. It will bump your compensation to the same as 100% and provide other benefits as well. Mike

Under the battery box. Sometimes a little tight to get in and out. Mike

Nice looking bike Tom. As for price, the bike is worth whatever value you put on it. Mike