V7Goose

Well, I been to Ohio several times, and I got to say those roads, surface wise, are about the WORST in the nation - even worse than Louisiana! But that won't stop me from coming back at the right time - just thought I'd whine a little! Goose

Excellent decisions, big guy! Goose

Maineac, you seem to have a very wrong understanding about my response to you. I am very sorry that I wasn't able to make myself clear - obviously my fault - but I'll try one more time. I do NOT have any problem with your contrary opinion - in fact, it is needed and I welcome it. You will see in my original reply that I tried to acknowledge that it was both valid AND provided value. I also specifically stated that I was NOT trying to ask you not to say it. I don't doubt you got poor mileage from your tire - If I did, I would be unhappy too, and I'd say it; no reason you should not say it too. Your mileage was a statement of fact that no one can dispute, and I have no problem at all with that. I guess the real problem I had was your flat statement that "they act like they're on ice" with no acknowledgment that MANY other members have replied to you in numerous threads that they have found exactly the opposite with Venom's in wet conditions. That is the kind of "fact" that can mislead someone who hasn't seen all of those other discussions. I doubt if I would have had any urge to respond at all if you had simply said something like "I thought they act like they're on ice," or "Others here seem to think they handle well in the wet, but I do not." Then again, maybe I'm just too danged sensitive and read too much into a flat literal statement. I do think it is very good that you share the fact that you found them slippery in the wet conditions. For a prospective buyer to know that the opinions are not 100% positive is very good. It's just that, personally, I also think that when we share those types of opinions, either good OR bad about a product, that we do owe it to the other members to acknowledge if we are aware of a significant difference in our own stated opinion. Not that we need to state the other side - let the reader go do the research and find those statements themselves if they want, but by acknowledging they exist, we give them the ability to decide on their own. Anyway - sorry for the long-winded reply, and I am sorry that I ruffled your feathers. That was not my intent. Ride safe, Goose

I have used them a few times when the price has been right. Always delivered what I ordered, usually quickly. The only time they irritated me is when they seemed to put my tires on a truck and the driver must have stopped for two weeks of nooky coming over the Rockies! Couldn't believe how long it took, but in all fairness, that complaint is really against Fed Ex Tortoise instead of them. Goose

Yeah, we know you don't like 'em - we've seen you state this like it is a carved-in-stone fact or something many times. But you never seem to acknowledge that you are possibly the only one who feels that way about them. What's up with that? You might be able to drum up one or two others who will agree with you, but even if you can, you are in the smallest of minorities here on this subject. Your personal opinions on these tires, or anything else, are certainly valid for you, and do provide some valuable input for others - it is good to hear opposing views. But, ... I'm not asking you to not say it, just consider both sides. When you know that virtually everyone else disagrees and thinks these tires wear very well and handle superbly in the wet, it would sure be nice to see you acknowledge that and say you disagree rather than the way you make statements of "fact." That is what would REALLY provide value to our members. Thanx for listening, Goose

Why shift so early out of 3rd? You can take it all the way up to 96 before it hits the limiter! Goose

Yup, it is sure scabbed up pretty bad! Interesting that they chose the one picture that seemed to almost hide it all for the primary one. But no biggie - can't begin to tell you how much I appreciate your taking the time and effort to make a special call to me to clue me in on time - I REALLY do appreciate friendship like that! Thanx again Goose

Looking for a replacement right rear crash bar for an RSV - the chrome crash bar right in front of the right saddlebag. Mine still has some road rash on the lower corner after my wreck last year, so now I would like to replace it. Anyone know of a good one available at a nice price? Thanx! Goose

At that speed, I do not believe an out-of-balance tire would affect anything. But do look closely at the tire all the way around the rim on both sides. There should be one or more very fine lines or ridges in the rubber that are perfectly concentric with the rim. If they are not perfect, then the tire bead has not properly seated, and this will cause all sorts of problems.

Absolutely no way they are going to put any significant design changes into that 10 year old platform. The factory reps I spoke with in Canada didn't claim to have all the answers - in particular, they were not sure when the new design was going to be released, but they did seem pretty certain that the only change we would likely see in 2009 was possibly something to make MP3 connection easier. Goose

OK, I'm only going to hedge my bets here just a little, but I think this statement is wrong. Frankly, even though I had looked at this circuit several times, I had completely missed the connection with the neutral switch, so the above statement intrigued me. I have just taken a quick look at the schematic again, and I am pretty sure that the carb heaters are ONLY on when the bike is in neutral! I'm going got examine it a bit more to be certain, but right now I am pretty sure I am right. If so, them my modification to add a cut-out switch would seem pretty unnecessary! I am still not positive, however, since my own observations when riding in the winter and watching my gauges seemed to show a distinct voltage drop when I thought the carb heaters were on. Perhaps this was simply the power of suggestion? I'll post a confirming note one way or the other once I am certain. Goose

Your description is classic for contaminated brake fluid. Probably moisture. Brake fluid (other than DOT 5, I think) is a virtual sponge to moisture. That is the primary reason that all instructions state to use a NEW bottle. When the brake pads heat up from use or dragging, the heat causes the moisture content to vaporize and expand. When you push on the peddle, you only compress the vapor, never the fluid. The same thing happens if you have air in the circuit, but it is not as sensitive to heat. Your descriptions sounds more heat related. Change all the fluid. Goose

Wow, you just muddied the water with that reply! Metzeler 880s on the RSV are quite dangerous IMHO (research many other threads on Metzeler here), but to the best of my knowledge, they don't howl in a lean. They have the same type of tread pattern as Avons and Dunop E IIIs, which are some of the quietest tires you can get! Need to cogitate on this a while to try and grok what is really happening. Goose

Hey Buddy, calm down. I don't care what you ride or where you ride, that is your business. But what I call 'em is my business. Whether you go to Eureka Springs during the wing gathering over Labor Day won't make any difference to me, and probably not to the other refrigerator riders there either. Just like my presence or absence won't make any difference to anybody either. But I'm still plannin on goin'! I know you are welcome at our gathering there later in September, and I assume you are welcome there on Labor Day with the refrigerator crowd too. Maybe I'll see you there, and maybe I won't. If you see a pretty silver bike that looks more like a motorcycle than a refrigerator, it's probably me! Ride safe, Goose

Read my post here (#5 in the thread): http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=23438&highlight=knee I know it doesn't make sense to have those instructions in a thread about muffler gaskets, but I was responding to a question in the thread starter. Goose

When we talking about Lowell? I have stuff I need to catch up on around here, but I might be tempted in a ride like you described! I wasn't planning on another trip 'till the end of August when I am going to meet a bunch of refrigerator riders in Eureka Springs. Maybe I'll get off my ass and get caught up quicker. Goose

Just the standard rattle can - no mixing.

I used the rattle can for both base coat and clear coat. If you use a spray can base coat, you MUST use their spray can clear coat or the base will not cure correctly (according to them). With normal automotive paints you wet sand with something like 1200 between coats and before the clear, with their rattle can paints you don't touch it at all between the last base coat and clear. That is another reason why your surface prep needs to be impeccable. You can wet sand between base coats, but since the paint coats are so thin, you can't do much. Goose

I can't say for positive, but I HAVE seen some tires on the SWMT web site shown with red "out of stock" label. This implies that all other tires are in stock, either on their premises or at the supplier. When I sent email inquiring about future availability date on one marked as out of stock, I got an immediate reply that it would be at least 6 weeks, so if I needed it sooner, I would need to order elsewhere. This is the kind of up-front honesty I appreciate. Goose

Disgusting stock Brickstone tires will do that after about 3,000 miles, even when they still look and feel perfect. Dump 'em! Goose

Don, it is hard to suggest whether to sand it down or fill it without actually seeing it. If you can see the black plastic in the bottom of the scratch, then I would fill it. Go to the auto parts store and get some glazing compound. This is much thinner than normal body putty and does not need to be mixed. It is designed for final surface prep before painting to fill minor scratches, air holes and other imperfections after sanding down body putty. If it seems a little too deep for glazing compound, I'd probably just mix up a little JB Weld and use that - it will be runnier and easier to use for a scratch than body putty. If you don't see the black in the bottom, then it is not all the way through the paint, so just carefully wet-sand. Probably start with 400, then go to 600 and 800 in final prep for the paint. On gently curved surfaces I like to use a very stiff foam (almost like Styrofoam) as a sanding block. This conforms to the curve while ensuring perfectly 'flat' and even pressure to get a completely smooth surface. If 400 doesn't seem to be cutting fast enough, go ahead and drop down to 120 at first, but be careful to not cut too much off - remember, you still need to smooth and polish with several other finer grits before you get ready to paint. If you don't cut all the way through to the plastic, you won't need primer. When wet sanding, use a steady stream or mist of water - it doesn't have to be a lot, just constant to keep the cut material washed away. Trying to keep the sandpaper wet by an occasional spray or dipping it won't work. Once the area around the scratch is completely smooth, wet sand the whole lid lightly with 800 grit to cut the glaze and prepare it for the new paint. My experience with ColorRite was excellent, even painting just a part of the lid on my Liquid Silver bike. I mention the color because heavy metal flake is one of the hardest things to match besides yellow, and Liquid Silver is VERY heavy flake. This color is one of the very few that ColorRite warns right up front that it may not match (I think they use the term "factory variance" or something like that). Their clear coat sprayed PERFECTLY. I think their paint is over-priced compared to any other automotive repair paints, but it seems to be the only reasonable option for us if we need to match color, and it DID work great. I forgot to order the primer from them, but I used Duplicolor primer and it worked excellently with the ColorRite paint. Rustoleum plastic primer did NOT work. I had a big spot on the front outside corner of my bag lid ground off, and I just patched it and painted the front 3 or 4 inches of the lid. Yes, I can see a transition in the silver where I faded the paint line, but even knowing it is there, I never notice it unless I decide to actually look for it. In retrospect, I think I should have just painted the entire lid. The match on my Liquid Silver is so close that I am absolutely certain that it would not be possible to notice the lid as any different from the lower bag. I say this because I cannot see any difference in the front part of the lid to the bag beneath it, and I painted that all the way down to the lip. I believe that one can each of color and clear will be more than enough for one full lid. In fact, I am sure I have enough left to do the whole lid. The paint looked excellent right after spraying - the cans did a wonderful job. I only got spiting once when I decided to give just one little more shot at the end of a coat without wiping off the little ball of paint that had collected on the orifice. Frankly, this was my own fault, as I shouldn't have tried to give it that last little shot instead of a full even coat. I followed the directions and let it cure for about 4 days (took a long ride with my brother down to Corpus Christi), then used a polishing compound on a wool bonnet to feather the paint line and really bring out the shine of the clear coat. Frankly, my surface prep on the actual patch itself could have been better, as I had a couple of almost microscopic air holes that I gave up on and thought the paint would fill (it won't! - make sure your surface is perfect), so some day I will re-do the whole lid. Make sure you follow their directions on the paint, including doing a full test spray including clear coat before you do the real job. If you don't have a spare ABS part to practice on, you might try the inside of the lid! The number of layers of clear coat will adjust the final color (it provides a slight softening and yellowing as it gets thicker) and will probably be important to matching a color like yours. The polishing compound I used was Kit Scratch Out auto finish scratch and haze remover. This stuff is so fine it won't really remove any scratch that is deep enough to feel, but it polishes great. If you haven't done any polishing before, give me a call and I can give you some pointers to assure a good result. It is easy and doesn't really need expensive equipment for a relatively small area like a saddlebag. I am not a body work and paint expert, but I think I got excellent results. Let me know if I can help more, Goose

Need a lot more info here. What you described could easily be a bad fuel pump or clogged fuel filter (that is the first thing I'd try). But when did it start? How long has this been going on? Have you let it warm up? Have you checked the fuel flow from the tank petcock? Do you hear the fuel pump click when you turn the key on? For how long? Goose

Either tire will work fine - they are the same size. The H and V are speed ratings - H is rated at 130, and the V is something higher. The H also has an 80 load rating, where the V tire is only a 74 (same as the stock tires). Although I have never used the V rated Avon, in my experience with V rated tires on other vehicles, they will wear out much faster than an H rated tire. The bottom line is that the 80H rated tire will safely carry more weight (even if the RSV is not rated for that much load) and should last longer. Goose

Heck, maybe my mind just works weird (yeah, it does, but never mind that), but I think that email is just fine. Customer got everything he asked for, and more. Not sure why he found the need to go a bit overboard on the bit about returning it from el salvadore, etc., but I don't hold that against him. He is clearly standing behind his product. Goose

You described it perfectly! Really stupid design, huh? I designed a simple modification to allow them to work on ACC, but never implemented it because I added emergency strobes instead. I guess I should try and find the modification and see if it works anyway. I know my notes are sitting around somewhere. Goose