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V7Goose

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  1. V7Goose
    Hey all, the original PDF file of that report attached to the first post had some sort of nasty problem that caused massive memory and page file use. I edited the post and replaced the attached file with an external link (same one below), so if you want to reference or save that document, use the new link: http://www.synthetic-oil-tech.com/MC%20White%20paper-g2156.pdf Goose
  2. V7Goose
    The JC Whitney marker lights were an exact size replacement for both the back and front reflectors on my 05. All you need to do is pry off the reflectors (held on with double-sided tape), drill a small hole in the mount for the wires, and stick on the new LED lights. I do seem to remember two slightly different LED/reflectors sold by JCW (I thumb through the catalogs a lot), so maybe there is a slight difference in size? I am sure I bought the cheapest ones! Goose
  3. V7Goose
    $160???? Yikes! I recently priced batteries for the RSV, and the average price I found was about $85. Interestingly, I checked out the batteries at Sam's Club and found that even though they have a different name on the box, the battery I looked at was absolutely made by Yuasa. I know you are in the Frozen North, so maybe you don't have any better choice for a battery, but I think I would try and tape a bunch of Nicads together before I'd pay $160! Goose
  4. V7Goose
    Just about everything I read here is great (but some of the posts are so long I only skimmed them). But I have something a little different - try Black Velvet by Alannah Myles. Frankly, I didn't even imagine that Black Velvet would make a good cruising song, but one of my random loads from my library happened to put it on. The first time I heard it on the bike I was twisting through the Ozarks and was just mesmerized by how great it sounded on the road. Now it is one of the cuts I always leave on the player, no matter what else I have loaded! Goose
  5. V7Goose
    Well, sounds to me that you just identified why your first battery only lasted 2 1/2 years. 7 miles per ride, day in and day out, is not enough to completely replace the starting current used. Of course I am still generalizing and guessing, as the whole picture would have way more information. My suggestions are simple: Before you replace your current battery, I would try to recondition it with a good constant current charger, possibly with a somewhat high charging voltage for a while. Full information on how to do this would take several pages, but it is easily found. You might as well give it a try - if you are ready to buy a new battery anyway, you have absolutely nothing to loose! If you don't have a quality volt meter on your bike, put one on ASAP; preferably a digital one. If you decide to replace your battery anyway: Replace your battery with stock brand and size. Make CERTAIN the battery is properly prepared BEFORE it is installed. This means the correct initial charging cycle before it is ever put into use. You can get this information from Yuasa's tech manual (and many other places). Do NOT rely on the shop to do this for you - 99.999% of all shops and garages will simply grab a new battery out of the box and throw it in, guaranteeing that the battery will NEVER reach full capacity and last only about 2/3s as long as it should. You probably need an external charger to regularly bring your battery up to full charge. Lots of options here, but you don't want a simple battery tender or maintainer, since you probably need to CHARGE the battery first, not simply attempt to maintain a full charge. Just make sure you buy one that is specifically labeled for a maintenance free battery, since these batteries need a higher charging voltage and different taper cycle than standard batteries. Based on the little bit of information I have so far, my guess is that if you simply plug a good charger/maintainer into the bike once or twice a month for an overnight or weekend charge with your current riding pattern, your problems will be solved. You will know how often this is needed simply by checking the voltage each day before you start it up. Goose
  6. V7Goose
    First, the battery in my 05 is over 4 years old, and I know quite a few others with at least four years on a battery in these bikes, so don't start to believe that 2 1/2 years is either normal or acceptable. I have no idea what kind of electrical load you have on your bike, how often you ride it, how long, how fast, etc., so I make no pretense of trying to tell you what went wrong. But I can point to a few possibilities (which have been discussed in detail in many other threads here). The most likely cause of premature battery failure is that it has not been reaching full charge on a regular basis. The only way to monitor the on-going health of a battery is to regularly check the voltage level at rest (meaning at least three hours after the engine was last shut off). The Yuasa technical manual states that this battery must show between 12.8 and 13.0 volts to be at full charge, so if you don't see this level every time you get ready to start your bike you should be forewarned LONG before the battery is damaged or begins to fail. There are many many reasons why your battery might not have been reaching full charge, and I won't try to list them all. The most likely one on these bikes is to much electrical load. Our charging system does not have a lot of extra charging capacity, so it doesn't take much extra to cause problems. Just replacing the normal 30W driving lamps with a pair of 55W bulbs is enough to push you over the edge in some situations. If you are running just a bit over the nominal charging capacity, the bike will run normally for a long time, even years, but the battery slowly damaged by rarely ever reaching full charge. Other things that often contribute to the same problem, either alone or in conjunction with extra accessories, include not riding often enough, not riding long enough, not spending enough time at high enough RPM, etc. A good volt meter on the bike will tell you a lot about the condition of your battery when checked BEFORE you start the engine, but IMHO, to actually monitor both the battery and the charging system while you ride you need both an ammeter and a volt meter. I guess that is enough for now. I'd be happy to talk with you in more detail if you want to post more specifics or give me a shout. Goose
  7. V7Goose
    Well, you can't really tell much from a dirt pattern on the tread - that could simply be because you have a dirt driveway with a right curve in it, or even just a dirty approach to your garage. Bike tires in countries where we ride on the right side do tend to wear more on the LEFT side of the tire (opposite your pictures), but you can't really tell that until the tread gets near the end of its life. I have posted pictures and information on this in the past. The reason for the excess left-side wear is not really known, but speculation suggests a combination of the road crown and longer arcs in left turns compared to right turns. I don't think you have anything to worry about unless you have a worn out tire that clearly shows less rubber left on the right side instead of the left. If that happens, you need to look at frame alignment and excessive weight distribution problems. Goose
  8. V7Goose
    Y'all do realize this is an old (and previously dead) thread, right? The OP never got back to us to say what he found, if anything. Goose
  9. V7Goose
    Well, there is a "Search Members" button on the right side of the Member List header that seems to work fine. Goose
  10. V7Goose

    Insurance claim

    V7Goose replied to a topic in Watering Hole

    Every insurance company will insure accessories - you just have to pay for the rider added to the policy. The amount they include with a base policy will vary. Nationwide has an automatic coverage of $3,000 for accessories, but you can easily pay for more. If you haven't actually sat down and read your policy you could be in for a nasty surprise when you need it. Goose
  11. V7Goose

    Insurance claim

    V7Goose replied to a topic in Watering Hole

    It mostly depends on the details in your specific policy, followed by the decency and attitude of the specific insurance company. After that, specific state laws come into play. Your own insurance company will only do exactly what is required by your policy - if aftermarket stuff is covered, they they will repair or replace it. If the "other guy" is liable, then his policy has to repair or replace EVERYTHING that is damaged in any way, up to the dollar limit of HIS policy. By law he will still be liable for the rest of the damages above that limit, but you will have to have a good lawyer and turnip squeezer to get it out of him! No matter what insurance company is handling the repair, you can always disagree and fight for something different. For example, if they want to paint vs. replace, you might want to fight that. But the final decision will be theirs unless you can prove that what they want to do is sub-standard. In that case, you most likely option will be to file a complaint with your state insurance agency. And you never have to let them fix it. You can just take the check and pay someone else or do it yourself. In that case, you will still negotiate with them over how much they will pay you - e.g, are they including $200 to paint the saddlebag top or $1,000 to replace the whole bag? If you have a good company and a good adjuster, the whole process will be a breeze! But if either or both of them are less than top-notch ... well, I wish you luck in that case; it might be a long fight. My last comment is on the shop estimate - they will always put everything they can find on there, usually for full replacement costs. This is for two reasons - first, more profit for them. Second, you have a right to insist the bike is fixed to the exact same condition it was in prior to the claim (and most everybody will say it was factory-fresh showroom condition!). Even the slightest mark or smudge will need to be fixed in that case. The problem here is that all that stuff will quite often cause the insurance company to just total the bike. That usually happens when the total cost of repairs exceeds 75% of the current fair-market value of the machine. It is cheaper and easier for the insurance company to just give you the full price of the machine than start the repairs and maybe get surprised with more things added on or a whinny customer who wants everything back to "showroom" condition! So if that happens and you don't want it totaled, you will need to negotiate with the adjuster for whatever you do want. Here is where agreeing to a paint job instead of insisting on parts replacement might make sense. And beware of getting stuck with a "salvage" title if you want to keep the bike and they insist on totaling it! The old parts should almost always be yours unless the bike is totaled - in that case the insurance company owns it and they will rarely let you take anything off after they agree to the settlement. Good luck Goose
  12. V7Goose
    Well, it certainly sounds like you already know about the issues and are checking things out properly. I still suggest you make sure you test ride the 07 with stock pipes so you will know for sure if the loud ones are hiding anything. It does sound like the owner is being up-front with you - a good thing. And it also sounds like the dealer did pull one. As for the dealer who gave you the "that's normal" line - you don't want to waste any more time there - find a decent shop, even if you have to travel a bit. Goose
  13. V7Goose
    Personally I view obnoxiously loud pipes with suspicion. Even if they are not hiding something, they irritate and annoy others. I don't know how loud those pipes are, but there is little reason someone would change the pipes on an RSV unless they were trying to make it louder. The specific issue here is that a very few of these bikes have a bad engine whine that makes ownership unacceptable. Some people try to mask it with loud pipes. I would insist the owner put the stock pipes back on it before you test ride the bike, then make sure you get a good test through all the gears and at highway speeds to listen for anything that might annoy you. Changing the pipes takes less than 10 minutes, just two bolts each, so if the owner objects, consider this a BIG warning. Goose
  14. V7Goose
    I don't know of any technical problem to doing what you suggest, but how are you going to deal with the shame of trailering a real motorcycle? :rotf:These bikes are built to be RIDDEN! I suppose you could paint Hardly Davidson on the tank, but that just compounds the problem! Then you'd be poser with a bike that costs less than $50,000!! Probably better to just buy the trailer and put some Hardly Davidson stickers on it and leave it empty - the rest of the posers won't know the difference. Goose
  15. V7Goose
    50,000 miles is nothing on these machines, but I would hesitate on an older bike simply because lots of things don't necessarily age gracefully. Just sitting and rotting is much harder on equipment than normal use. But an 07 with 50,000 is a good deal - still have most of your 5 year warranty, and nothing has had a chance to "rot" on the bike yet. I wouldn't take $9,000 for my 2005 RSV, and it has 60,000 miles on it! Goose
  16. V7Goose
    Frankly, to get 100,000 miles on a set of plugs you need an erosion-resistant electrode like platinum. And then you get into the problem with galvanic corrosion causing the plugs to become virtually "welded" in the head. The was a big problem with those cars that were specifying 100,000 plug life. Lots of ruined heads that had to be drilled and tapped for new plugs after 10 years or so! The reality is, you need to remove the plugs occasionally even if they are still good. Personally, I think the premium plugs are a total waste of money, but even with standard plugs, 8,000 miles does seem way to soon to change them. Generally I would plan on 20,000 - 30,000 miles on a set. If the engine is running good you can get more, but it seems pointless when buying cheap standard plugs. I like to pull them and take a look by 30,000 miles anyway, so if I go to that length, might as well change them while I am there. Goose
  17. V7Goose
    1st gen windshields are sold by JC Whitney. I have no idea what sizes, since my only antique motorcycles are Moto Guzzis, but it is worth a look. Goose
  18. V7Goose
    Well, I have been touring on motorcycles for 40 years, but no way I would try to address this in a static forum like this. Just too many variables about your experience, what you like, etc. Gotta be an interactive discussion. There are some good books on the subject to give you lots of info, but I cant write a book on the forum! I WILL offer one piece of advice, however. Whatever you decide you might want to try, make absolutely sure you do at least one good test run of several days - two or three test runs are better. Make sure you pack EXACTLY like you think you will when you leave on the big trip - no fair cheating by packing light because you are only going out for the weekend! That is the only way you can actually see what seems to work for you and what does not. The last thing you want is to be 500 miles out with a long stretch ahead and realize the way you tied things on isn't going to work! That is just one example of the issues you could face. If you are going to camp, then the need for a trial run is magnified. Goose
  19. V7Goose
    I will probably be at those missions, but can't say for sure yet. I am dealing with some tight deadlines on moving some investments around and my need to be here for faxes. I'll just have to play it by ear. Goose
  20. V7Goose
    Seems to me it should be real easy to tell the difference between an engine whine and a rear-end whine. An engine while will occur at the same RPM range in any gear. A tach certainly makes this easier to identify, but not a requirement. A rear end whine will NOT be RPM dependent. Period. It make come and go with different speeds and loads, but it will be totally independent of engine RPM and gear selected. Goose
  21. V7Goose
    Just have them fix it. They have to throw out a disclaimer like that until they actually see what is wrong - heck, they don't know if you might have dropped a couple of rocks in the oil filler hole trying to get a new engine at the end of your warranty! But if you haven't done anything strange, like running it without oil (or putting rocks in the engine), then there won't be any problem at all. Goose
  22. V7Goose
    Yup - the whine is only bad in a small number of these bike, but when it is, it can make ownership a real drag. That is why I keep recommending that no one ever by an RSV without an extended test ride! ESPECIALLY not a used one with low mileage. Of course, I bought my 07 just like that and sight-unseen, against my own advice! But I trusted one of our members here (he shafted me on a couple of things with that bike, but at least it didn't whine too bad). The point is, you just can't be sure unless you have ridden it a few miles. Goose
  23. V7Goose
    Herb, you're not far from me - unless you mount your own tires, just bring that sucker over here with some beer and we'll git 'er done for free. And that is a standing offer for any VentureRider members! As a matter of fact, if anyone is planning long trips this summer and will be coming through Texas - if you need tires while on the road you might consider having them drop-shipped to me. Goose
  24. V7Goose
    I doubt this is true - the carb heaters are activated by a thermal switch under the battery cover on the right side. I really don't know if it would get warm enough in there to shut off the carb heaters unless the ambient temps were close to the cutoff temp already. Just didn't want someone to automatically assume they would shut off when riding in temps that stayed below 50 - better personally test it rather than assume! Goose
  25. V7Goose
    I have not thought about doing this before, nor have I actually checked prices, but I make an offer here, pending verification of my costs before I lock in with anyone: I could make up a set of oil pressure and water temp gauges to mount up on the handlebars under the fairing as shown on my 07 here: [ATTACH]25188[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]25189[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]25190[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]25191[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]25192[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]25193[/ATTACH] I would fabricate the mounting cans, brackets, sending units - everything needed to just bolt them on. I suspect the cost would be about $125. I could add the matching white volt meter in a separate can for probably another $25 (but I prefer a digital volt meter). The tach on the other side would be about $150. An ammeter is a little more trouble, so that might be $50 just by itself, depending on the specific gauge you want. I can get the small gauges in either black or white faces EXCEPT an ammeter - I can only find one of those smaller than 2" in black. I could also do them like I did on my 05 (but I think the under-dash look is a bit nicer): [ATTACH]25194[/ATTACH] Let me know if anyone is interested and we can talk about the options so I can check exact prices. Goose
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