V7Goose

You are right, the Yamaha shop manual only says to set it at idle. But I instinctively want to verify that the carbs stay in sync as the engine revs, and that is where I first found that the majority of Royal Stars I have worked on tend to come a bit out of sync as the revs come on. I never find it hard to get the initial sync at idle, but like I said above, it tends to take a while to finally get it so it stays in sync off idle. Because I now know it is a problem, I make sure I check the sync both ways every time I do it. Goose

Yup, that was the correct link - not sure why my post wasn't updated correctly the first time I tried to fix it - It showed the new link, but still took us to the bad one! I had to first delete the bad link, then go to a new line and paste the new one to get it fixed. I guess that will teach me to not test a link when I post it, huh? Thanx again for the update. Goose

Just found a very economical multimeter with tachometer that some of you may be interested in for work on your bikes - it's from Harbor Freight, item 95670, and the price through 12/26/08 is $24.99 (normally $34.99). Here is a link to the item for more info, but the price is in the current retail flyer. http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=95670 Goose

I have synced an awful lot of carbs on these bikes, and I, too, used to think it was very common to have slightly different sync between idle and cruise RPM. Back then, I always chose to set them at 3,000 if I couldn't get them to stay synced when I opened the throttle. My theory was that I spent way more time around 3,000 RPM than I did at 1,000. BUT, I am a bit of a perfectionist, and I just HATE "close enough," so I was never really satisfied with that solution even though the bikes ran well. I have since found that with extended back-and-forth retouching of the sync between idle and cruise speeds, I would eventually get them completely dialed in so the sync was the same. So it can be done, just takes time and patience. My suggestion is two-fold: First, remember that the spec is .4" Hg difference, so if the change isn't more than that, you are good (e.g., you could even have one carb that was .4" high at idle, then .4" low at 3,000 and still be in spec if all the other carbs didn't change). Second, if the difference between idle and cruise speeds is fairly small, say less than one inch Hg, and you just can't seem to get it any better, set the carbs spot-on at higher engine speed and enjoy the ride. Finally, if you REALLY insist on them holding the exact sync as you open the throttle, then keep at it - it may take more time than you like, but you'll get it! Goose

Really appreciate the info - such a callous disregard for the customer is reason enough for me to never buy anything with the Gerbing name on it! Goose

Which item were you using, the ThreeBond or the Plastex? Goose

Rick's note on the correct torque spec is important, and not just for this one number either. The Yamahaha service manual has MANY incorrect torque specs! I recommend double checking the torque chart and the torque numbers in the specific maintenance section, then even using the conversion numbers in the manual or an automatic conversion app on the web (easy to find with any google search) to convert one of the metric torque specs to SAE spec and see if it comes out right. That is a bit of nuisance, but considering all of the wrong torque numbers in this very poor manual, it is worth the trouble. Goose

The mounting bar is bent. May also not be attached correctly. In addition, the small tabs on the fairing at the end of the bar that should secure the bar from excess vibration are broken. One brand new RSV I worked on didn't even have bolts in the center of the mounting bracket - just one zip strap (can you say "really dumb dealer?" Sure you can)! I have worked on a number of these windshields and mounting bars, and EVERY ONE has had a mounting bar that needed some reshaping to match the curve of the fairing. Most are fairly good, but a couple have been so bad that the windshield clearly did not fit correctly. A number of our members watched me reshape one at Don's maintenance day last year. They should probably just order you a new bracket instead of trying to fix the old one. While they are in there replacing the next windshield, take a look at those broken tabs and have them replace the inside fairing too, then go to the tech library and find out how to make a brace that will fix that problem. Goose

OK, one more shot here - the Big Texas Toy Run is this Sunday, 12/21. Gonna be cold, but not wet or icy (Saturday is about 75, but Sunday will be in the 30s!). In addition, there is a special PGR mission on Saturday to meet some kids in Fort Worth who are DONATING some of their own toys for us to take to the toy run! If you can make it, it would sure be good to see y'all out there! Ride Safe, Goose

For an RSV with a thunk in front, make sure you have the fairing bolt under the headlight in place, and it is snug. Without that bolt the fairing will move quite a bit. Goose

Yup, those are the gloves I was talking about. But they fit me better than they do the dude in the picture. Looks like that guy had all his knuckles busted backwards! Goose

Love this Texas weather - 76 degrees Sunday, 35 yesterday, 27 today! One of the PIA items we need to do when it stays below freezing for a couple of days around here is keep the leaves out of the pool skimmers so the water keeps flowing and prevents freeze damage to the pumps and filters. This can be especially problematic when we have such a cold snap so early in the season before all the leaves are off the trees. As you probably know, sticking your hands repeatedly in water that cold can really be painful. I normally use a pair of neoprene fishing gloves for that job, but I recently bought a new pair of gloves that I thought I would try. Two of the things I just don't think a man can have too much of are glues and gloves, so when I saw a dirt cheap price on a set of waterproof work gloves at Harbor Freight last summer, and found they were actually beg enough for my hands, well, I just had to buy them. These are Western Safety, item number 96612. They are completely waterproof, Thinsulate insulation, and have reinforced non-slip working surfaces on palm and fingers. I think I paid about $6 for them! I can't vouch yet for how rugged they are, but I can absolutely confirm that they are 100% waterproof and WARM. I really expected them to just be water resistant with a bit of leakage around the seams, but not so. I have had them completely submerged within about 1/4" of the cuff numerous times, and even after the water freezes on the outside of them while I continue to work they remain completely dry and warm inside. I have an extremely hard time finding any gloves big enough for my hands - most extra large gloves don't even come close. But these in extra large are just perfect. I don't think they would make very good riding gloves in nasty weather because the cuffs are not long enough to go over your jacket sleeves. But they are sure nice to have when you have to do anything else outside in cold wet weather. Goose

I wasn't really trying to push you into changing out your stock tires early, although I do think that would be a wise decision. I was more concerned with your having enough information to decide what you really wanted to put on next. Nobody could convince me to change out my stock Brickstones early either. And like you, I didn't really think there was anything wrong with them. In fact, I defended the handling of the RSV with OEM Brickstone tires on several forums back then. Yes, I did notice the very heavy feel at low speeds, but I didn't have any problem with it; and after all, this IS the heaviest touring bike sold! What else would I expect? And at anything above 1st gear, it didn't seem to have any problems at all. I made several trips to the Texas Hill Country and the Ozarks and had a blast in the twisties. But that was when I had nothing else to compare to them on the RSV. To top it all off, I'm the kind of person who just can't waste anything - I even over eat when I KNOW it is better for me to throw the extra food away! So even if I had really believed the tires were as bad as they were, I probably would have just worn them out anyway. But there is just no way to adequately describe how much of an eye-opener the first set of Avons were on that bike after living with those cruddy OEM tires! Bottom line is that just because I could ride the RSV with Brickstones on it didn't mean they were a good choice. Goose

Hey N3FOL, three times now you have commented on probably keeping your OEM Brickstone tires. Because the issues between Metzeler and Bridgestone tires are so different, I wanted to make sure you picked up on the general feeling about the OEM tires from experienced owners of these bikes. I'm not trying to harp on your opinion - if those are what you want, that's cool, just make sure you know why. Don't make the wrong assumption that because Yamahaha chose them as stock tires, they must be good. The primary reason for ANY mainline manufacturer of mass produced equipment to select a specific tire for OEM fitment is MONEY. The tire must be CHEAP for them to purchase. In fact, it is not uncommon for the exact OEM tire to not be available for retail purchase at all. It does seem stupid for them to put on a tire that is even worse than average and even makes the bike handle poorly, but that is what they do just to save a few bucks on each unit. As further evidence that there is nothing special about the OEM Brickstone that makes it good for the RSV, let me contrast it with the other OEM tire available - the Dunlop 404. These two different OEM tires fitted to the exact same bike (the majority seem to come with the Brickstones, but not all) handle VERY differently! The vast majority of the owners of a stock RSV with Brickstone tires complain about how heavy the bike feels and how tough it is to handle at parking lot speeds. In contrast, not many owners with stock Dunlop tires complain too much about that. If you are putting your faith in the fact that the tire must be a good choice because the manufacturer selected it, how would you explain such a major difference in handling? I did a lot of very specific tire tests and comparisons on the RSV a few years back, including physically measuring the different brands of tires. The stock Brickstone front tire is over half an inch WIDER than any other brand in the stock size! This, combined with a relatively poor profile shape for our bike, is why the bike feels so ponderous when fitted with Brickstones. It also partially explains why switching to a 130/90 front tire makes such a dramatic improvement in handling at parking lot speeds. But the 130/90 tire is not the only solution - just switching to ANY good brand in stock sizes will dramatically improve the feel of the bike and slow speed handling (remember, all other brands, even the other OEM tire, are more narrow in the same stock size). But it is not just the front tire width that matters - a specific tire profile affects the handling even more, and bike tires are often designed with "neutral", "progressive" and "aggressive" turning profiles. A progressive profile will tend to pull the bike into a slow turn faster the more the bike turns. What makes the stock RSV so ponderous in the parking lot is an aggressive profile that feels like it is trying to slam the bars all the way to full lock as soon as you start to turn! To keep from falling over you have to constantly fight the bars to push them back towards center. Unfortunately, most tire companies don't tell you which profile they use for most tires, so only trial and error will tell. There are MANY MANY MANY riders here who have switched off of the OEM Brickstone tires even while they were still relatively new (meaning they should have been handling as well as possible), and everyone I know of who has done that has been completely blown away at the improved handling they found from any other brand. That is an important point to consider, since we often assume that a lot of the improved handling a rider experiences comes simply from switching out old worn-out tires for new good ones. Until you either try it on your own bike, or get a chance to test ride another RSV with decent tires, you really cannot imagine the difference. I'd like to say "trust me" on this, but ask around - see what others say about their comparison of any brand to the stock Brickstones. In addition to the weight and slow speed issues, the other problems I have personally found with the OEM Brickstones include lack of traction (I constantly had problems with the rear tire breaking loose on relatively moderate acceleration), very short life (my rear was down to the cords in 8,000 miles, terrible tracking of grooves and surface imperfections, and the worst howl I have ever experienced when even slightly leaning the bike (just weaving in a lane was enough to start it). The howling began after only a few thousand miles and just got progressively worse as the tires wore. Other than the poor traction, the OEM Brickstones are not dangerous like the Metzeler tires are on this bike, but you will never know just how bad they are in all other aspects until you try something else. Goose

There is a cluster of vent tubes right in that spot, including crank case, air plenum and coolant overflow. Coolant often feels oily, and just one drop of oil does not always show dark color unless it is really old and nasty. I'd keep an eye on it but not be too worried as long as the bottom of the shock is dry. Goose

There are many threads on this site dealing with this subject. Simply do a search on "narrower front" to find a lot of them. I documented my thoughts most recently here: http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=20815&highlight=narrower+front Goose

OK, I tried out the Colortune yesterday, and I don't think I am impressed at all. My plan was to use the Colortune on one cylinder, then compare the CO % of that cylinder with the others using the exhaust gas analyzer. Since I cannot find any published specifications from Yamaha for the right CO level on this engine, that seemed like a good way to approach it. The problem is that the Colortune does not seem very specific. I could turn the fuel mixture screw a LONG way in either direction without seeing any change in the color of the flame. After turning it out a lot I did eventually see a yellowish flame as I should, and if I turned it in far enough I would eventually see it begin missing a lot (mostly just a weak spark), but there was a huge range between those two points where all the sparks looked the same. I eventually just turned it in to the ultra lean point, then turned it out just a bit past where the spark seemed to be regular without any missing. The interesting part was that when I compared this setting with the original position of the mixture screw, it was almost identical! Coincidence? I have no idea. One other problem that may have contributed to the lack of a clear setting was that the spark was constantly jumping from the top of the Colortune plug to the engine, potentially causing a lot of misfires that would affect what I could see. But since this engine seems to have a dual-fire ignition with a waste spark in every cycle, there is no way to be sure how many of those arcs were really causing a misfire. I was doing this inside my garage on an overcast day where I thought the light was about right to easily read the Colortune. In addition, I was working on the left rear cylinder where it was very easy to look right down on the plug and get a clear view of the spark without needing to use their mirror attachment. Finally, I purchased the 12mm Colortune specifically for this bike instead of the generic 14mm unit with a 12mm adapter. I am glad I did this now, since the 14mm with an adapter would have had the Colortune plug sitting much further out of the cylinder, and I would be wondering if maybe that was why I found it so inaccurate. I have not yet tried out the exhaust gas analyzer, but I'll let y'all know how that goes soon. In the mean time, I would be interested in any responses from others that have actually used the Colortune. What did you think? Goose

Well DavidD, question me all you like - that's no problem at all. But I do suggest you re-read my post and actually pay attention to what I said, then address your questions to that. I "make such a post" because those are my opinions (and I am very careful to clearly state where I have an opinion vs a fact), but more importantly, I think the facts clearly support my opinion that Metzeler is a terrible company and Metzeler tires on an RSV are an unwarranted and stupid risk that no one should take. Furthermore, absolutely nothing in your post or the quote you use in any way disagrees with what I have said. Let me show you: The fact upon which I mostly base my opinions here was stated this way: "The key to our concerns here is that a relatively huge number of Metzeler tires on Royal Star bikes have integrity problems when compared to all other tire brands." I have expanded on this in many other posts, as have other members. Now I admit that without hard numbers, that "fact" is anecdotal, but if you disagree with it, say so. You did not. I believe I have seen more than enough evidence to prove that WAY MORE Metzeler tires on the RSV catastrophically fail from carcass delamination, including huge chunks of tread being thrown off clear down to the cords, than ANY OTHER BRAND. I further stated that neither I nor anyone else know the true cause of these failures, but it certainly should not be weight related since the Metzeler tire has a higher load rating than Yamaha requires for this bike. The only other "fact" that I stated was that Metzeler refuses to stand behind their warranty and insults their customers by blaming them for the failures. Again, without hard numbers, this "fact" can be considered anecdotal, but strangely enough, your quote even seems to support it: "Cory Johnson from Metzeler/Pirelli says between 75 and 80 percent of the tire warranty claims he reviews are caused by underinflation." If you disagree with my belief that Metzeler disallows more warranty claims than other manufactures, or refuses to cover as much of their customers' costs when they do replace a tire, or more often blames their customers for the failure of their product than other manufacturers, then say so. My belief in this "fact" is based on the inordinately high number of first hand reports of these problems from owners on this and other forums about Metzeler, and the almost nonexistent number of the same types of reports about any other tire manufacturer for the Royal Star bikes. Now let's address the rest of the quote you seem to like. I'll just paraphrase it all and summarize it as 'correct tire pressure is important.' I fully agree with that and everything in the quote. In fact, NOTHING in my post even implied that I disagreed. I didn't address the inflation issue at all in that post, but a simple search will show you where I have dealt with it in detail on other posts, including how it is, in my opinion, a complete red herring when used to "justify" the failure of Metzeler tires on the RSV. Even your magazine quote does not address the failure issue. It starts outsaying "Tire manufacturers spend a lot of time determining what pressures will provide the best compromise of performance and tire wear on the street." A "compromise of performance and tire wear" is NOT the same thing as preventing catastrophic tire failure! In plain language, here is why I consider Metzeler's excuse about underinflation being a justifiable cause for their catastrophic tire failures so disingenuous: By definition, the percentage of riders who have underinflated Metzeler tires on a Royal Star must be the same as those that have underinflated tires of any other brand. But ONLY the Metzeler tires seem to delaminate from this condition in any significant numbers. In addition, many of the members here have sworn they carefully checked their tire pressures (especially after all the reported failures) and their Metzeler tire failed when inflated to maximum sidewall pressure. But let's ignore that last bit - suppose for a minute they are all mistaken and all of the catastrophic failures have been caused by underinflation, just like Metzeler says. If Metzeler tires are the only tires that routinely delaminate from this, doesn't that prove they are an unwarranted risk? It does to me. And THAT is why I want to share my opinions on this with our members. DavidD, please understand the purpose of this response to your post. I have absolutely no problems or concerns with anyone who disagrees with me. Nor do I feel the need to defend myself against disagreement. In fact I find disagreement and different opinions very healthy. It leads to rounded discussions and getting all the facts on the table so others can make up their own mind. But you only implied you disagreed without actually saying you thought anything in my post was wrong. And you did state that you wondered why I would make such a post, so I thought I should tell you. Ride safe, Goose

Technically that would work, but you will need to make sure the charger you use has enough current to both handle the needs of the accessories AND charge the battery a little. I don't know how much that is, but I'd suggest at least two amps output. I did not measure the full current draw on ACC when I was messing with the bike the other day, but it seemed to be over 1 amp. It would be a lot easier if you just added a new power plug to the plastic plate behind the seat on the left side. There is already a plug there the correct size that you can just pop out, and a power jack at any auto parts store is about $10. Just wire it straight to the battery and fuse it at 10 amps and you can even use that to run an electric air compressor. Goose

The fairing power plug is totally disconnected with the key off - you cannot do that. Most modern electronics have capacitors that hold enough voltage to keep it alive for a short period when the power shuts off, usually less than a minute. This is true of the RSV. You can briefly disconnect the battery, but if it is more than a minute or so (I haven't actually measured it), you do loose the radio, clock and odo memory. I suspect it won't even hold it for 30 seconds. I had the battery out for over a day, but the float charger connected to the battery cables maintained everything for me. Goose

Personally, I have no problems at all with the Harbor Freight float charger (currently available for $5). I ride all year, so I have never needed a battery tender for winter storage, but when I crashed the 05 last year it sat for close to six months waiting for me to repair it. After a couple of months the battery was down to mid 11 volt range, so I charged it with normal charger and then picked up one of the "cheapies" from Harbor Freight. I was a little worried about it, since you most often really do get what you pay for, but it worked perfectly on the RSV until I finally fixed the bike three months later. That was a full year ago, and I just took that four year old battery out and had it load tested to see if I needed to think about replacing it. Nope - it passed load testing with flying colors! So I think my $5 Harbor Freight "cheapie" was a great buy. Goose BTW - here is another great use for a battery tender: I have added a second cigarette lighter type power outlet just behind the seat on the left side (the hole is already there on an RSV), wired directly to the main fuse. I added a cigarette lighter type plug to the float charger, and by plugging it in there, I am able to remove the battery without loosing the radio presets or the trip odometers! You can't use the front power outlet for this since it is disconnected with the key off, and even in the ACC position the bike pulls more current than a little float charger can put out.

I believe you will find that uncomfortable for extended viewing. In addition, if anyone in the family has a tendency to do do something else while watching TV, such as knit or read the paper, you will find that it is hard to just glance up at the TV to see the picture. That height will require a complete head movement. Under most conditions, comfortable TV watching means the center of the picture is either at or a little below eye level. The muscle tension to hold the head up to focus higher will become uncomfortable over extended viewing. Recliners will help some to angle the body back. Goose

Listen to timgray (post #14 above), he knows what he is talking about! ONe thing I did not see while skimming all the responses so far - reconsider the placement above the fireplace. Even if you don't have to worry about the heat, the height of the TV may be a problem. This really depends on the specific configuration of your room, both the mantle height and how far back you will be sitting. But, in the vast majority of cases, the wall above a fireplace is too high. Think about sitting the front row of the theater. One more thing to think long and hard about - what are you going to connect to the TV? Think cables. I am a bit of a geek with audio and video stuff, and the mess of cables behind even my most simple setup will gag you. Absolutely no way to run these things to a TV above the fireplace unless the entire wall is custom made just for this purpose! Goose

OK, I over-reacted based on your first post. Thank you for the clarification. When you said "the part is shipped and was damaged.", I think all of us (or at least those who responded here) believed you were already in a pickle. I doubt I would ever order from a place that told me up front they would refuse to stand behind a part that I received damaged, but I guess that is an individual call. Good luck, Goose

OK VentureRiders in North Texas, the Big Texas Toy Run in Tarrant and Dallas counties is coming up Sunday, 12/21/08. We usually have between 60,000 and 80,000 bikes on this one: http://www.thebigtexastoyrun.com/printaflyer.html There are departure points in Dallas, Fort Worth, and Grapevine. Anyone want to meet me in Grapevine to form up together? Goose