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V7Goose

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  1. V7Goose
    Anyone can nominate anyone for an award, for just about any reason! Some of them are self reported, such as veteran status or membership in the PGR. The others are typically suggested by someone else for you, but don't need to be. If you think you deserve one, send Freebird or one of the moderators a message and we'll take a look at it. To see what awards currently exist and who has them, just click on the "VRAwards" in the middle of the top header bar. There you will also find links to either request an award or recommend one for someone else. Goose
  2. V7Goose
    There is not much info to go on here. It would have been extremely helpful if you had done the finger test on the header pipes while it was not running right so you could be sure exactly which cylinders were not running right. It is unlikely that only one was bad, since this bike will start and run great on three cylinders. If you want to see just how well, simply pull off one of the rear spark plug caps and try it. Of course, if it was particularly cold and damp that morning, maybe three cylinders would have been as rough as you describe, but I doubt it. I'm more inclined to think you have a problem with the fuel pump. You said the bike had been sitting for a week, so normal fuel evaporation would make the fuel level very low in the bowls, and the bike would behave quite similar to what you describe. Did you happen to notice if the fuel pump was clicking when you first turned the key on? After a week, it should have taken several seconds to stop clicking. Goose
  3. V7Goose
    Removing broken bolts is always a risk. In my experience, easy outs rarely work well, no matter if they are Craftsman, HF, or from any place else. They are all prone to break, and the very design generally forces the broken bolt to be expanded and pushed into the old threads as you try to back it out, thus just locking it in harder. But I still try them first. HF does sell them, and theirs seem to be just as good (or poor) as Craftsman to me - both will break if you are not careful, and both have lifetime warranty. I'd suggest you also get left-hand drill bits. Sometimes those alone will remove a broken bolt as you are drilling it. Do not try to use the largest possible easy out, as that causes you to drill too big a hole, making the sides very thin, and makes it more likely that the easy out will distort the bolt like I described above. If the bolt does not move fairly easily, then give up on the easy out and go ahead and try to re-tap the hole to the original size. If you are good at keeping the drill properly centered and straight, the tap will usually just chase the old threads and all will be good. Goose
  4. V7Goose
    Quite a few do carry those. Ace carries a good selection of both chrome and SS bolts in both metric and SAE. You may have to buy all four if you want them completely identitcal, but you won't know until you look. Goose
  5. V7Goose
    Since those bolts are not a safety or mechanical engineering item (meaning critical internal engine part), I'd just go to the hardware store and buy cheap replacements. Probably get hardened steel bolts, not just the lowest grade. Just take out one of the good ones and take it in to find a match. I think Stainless steel would probably be a good choice. I know Ace would have them, and probably any of the big box hardware stores too. Goose If for some strange reason you cannot find them locally, just let me know - I can probably pick them up here and mail them to you for about $10.
  6. V7Goose
    Actually, it is a lot more simple than suggested by Skydoc. I think there is about a 95% chance that you just have a simple leak from the rubber plug under the fake fin cover. Do not run the bike too long with those covers off or the plug (s) might blow completely out when the pressure builds as it comes up to temperature. When you remove the cover, look near the bottom in the center of the cylinder wall and you will see a black rubber plug with a threaded metal insert. When you change the coolant, you use the top of a spark plug to pull out those plugs and drain the water jackets. If you look inside the fake fin cover you will see a flat spot that is supposed to push on that rubber plug and keep it in place. When they get older, those plugs sometimes leak. Replacement is simple, but you can also just place a dime or washer on that flat spot of the cylinder cover to simply apply a bit more pressure on that plug and stop the leak for now. Goose
  7. V7Goose
    This is a normal situation. Despite how badly the boots crack, I have never found one leaking. In fact, the pulsing you see pretty much proves it is not leaking. To test them, spray each one with carb cleaner or WD40 while the bike is idling. If there is a vacuum leak, the engine speed will change. To see what that will sound like, pull off one of the rubber caps on the nipples for syncing the carbs and spray a bit in there. , and WELCOME Goose
  8. V7Goose
    As far as I am concerned, ALL comments here, from the OP, me, and anyone else, have absolutely nothing to do with Ventiureriders. The OP specifically requested thoughts and suggestions concerning his desire to try and impose his values on some group with which he rides. My comments were specifically directed at that, and only that. I care absolutely nothing about whether his group tries to dictate morals on the riders or not, but he asked for thoughts about his desire to try to change THEM (that other riding group), and that is what I and some others offered. As for all the people here who offered comments on their own drinking decisions while riding, while they do not specifically address his request for suggestions, they DO give him some idea how others feel about the subject in general. I apologize to all for any failures I have in writing so that my thoughts and opinions are not completely clear. I do not care if anyone agrees with me, but there is no point in participating in a discussion if you are not understood. I do NOT apologize for not being politically correct. PC has no place in my life, but I will try to avoid a diatribe on how vile it is. Goose
  9. V7Goose
    I do not have a hack on my Venture, but it has WAY more power than you need for one. Back in the day when sidecars were more popular they were fitted to everything from 250cc machines on up. My hack is on an old air-cooled twin with roughly half the horsepower of the Venture, and I have toured fully loaded all over the country, including some wild passes in the Rockies, without any problems at all. Goose
  10. V7Goose
    Jerry, all you need to do as read his second paragraph - set apart all by itself so you couldn't possibly miss it (?). "I am thinking of suggesting that the Club adopt a strict "No alcohol while riding" policy." He asked for suggestions - I gave him a simple one: live by your own values and stay away from other people if you do not like theirs. He responded with a clear statement that he did not understand what I said, so I explained it in detail. You may call that a "flame", but I do not. I think it is very wrong for people to try to impose their values on others. But that does not mean I disagree with a discussion of those values. In fact, I think it is very important that someone who is concerned with things being done in a group to which they want to associate to voice those concerns and be willing to actually listen to the responses they get. In this case, I would strongly suggest that Panjandrum bring up his concerns with the group so that they know how he feels, but that is NOT the same as trying to impose a new rule on them. I do hope he is honest with them though, and that he says just what he posted here - that he is concerned that some of them are either incapable of deciding what is appropriate to drink or do not have the ability to control how much they drink. You cannot have an honest discussion unless you are willing to be honest about your feelings. Goose
  11. V7Goose
    Well Sir, you are the one wo asked for "Any thoughts or suggestions?" And a definition of "moral" is " of or relating to principles of right and wrong in behavior". This is exactly what you are trying to do - you have decided that the behavior of some people does not conform to what YOU believe is right, and now you want to force them to conform to your personal belief of right behavior. Personally, I'd love it if you would behave the way I think is right, but I would never dream of trying to force you to do it by coming into your group and trying to impose new rules on you. And I do not believe at all you actually care about the safety issue. How about imposing a new rule on the group that everyone must ride 10 MPH below the posted limit? Wouldn't that be safer? There is already a law that imposes a strict maximum blood alcohol content, but you are not satisfied with that; you want to prohibit it all together. If you actually did care about the safety issue, you should be insisting on pre-ride safety inspections at a minimum, and maybe even a demonstration of basic riding skills. If you want to force your personal ideas of right and wrong on other people, start a new group and post your morals right up front so that everyone who is allowed to be near you knows that is a requirement for your acceptance. Do not try to use the back door to ruin an existing group for the people who beat you there. Again, YOU asked for suggestions, so if you do not like them from me or any of the other posters, well, maybe the problem is yours. I do not deliberately intend to insult you or otherwise upset you, but I do believe your thoughts and proposed actions are wrong. Goose
  12. V7Goose
    This shoddy company has been getting away with dumping these dangerous tires on us for WAY too long. PLEASE report this event to the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. The process is quite simple - here is the link: http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ They won't do anything for just one or two reports, but if everyone who gets screwed from Metzeler reports it, it won't be long before something is done. These cases are just too obvious. Thanx! Goose
  13. V7Goose
    I suggest you live with your own decisions and morals instead of trying to force them on other people. If you do not like the way other people are, then stay away from them. Goose
  14. V7Goose
    Wonderful pictures. What you have is the classic problem that seems to happen to a lot of Metzeler junk on these bikes, but no other brand of tires. And when you complain to the company, they will immediately tell you the problem never happens and you are an incompetent fool that destroyed your own tire through total ignorance. More importantly, this is a wonderful example of why so many of us here stridently yell about how dangerous Metzeler 880 tires are on this bike and will never own any Metzeler tire again. Ever. And we wonder why there are others that continue to say it is no big deal, just because it has not happened to them yet! Goose
  15. V7Goose
    You say you ride your bike every week, but you do not give enough information. How often, and how long/far between starts? Do you ride it once a week for 7 miles, or every day for 30 miles? In general, you need to ride for at least 30 minutes after a start to fully re-charge the battery, and that assumes your battery STARTED at full charge. Of course, that amount of time you actually need to replace the starting charge depends on the average engine RPM, how much current is being sucked up by accessories (including the radio), and the exact state of the charge when you start. It is very very common for people to slowly destroy a battery by rarely ever allowing it to regain full charge. The only way to know for sure what charge state the battery is in is to use a digital volt meter. The battery in this bike must be at a minimum of 12.8 V (after sitting for several hours) to be considered at full charge (the voltage right after shutting down the engine is of no value - you must wait for the float charge to dissipate). I do not know of any way for a shop to actually check a battery and say it is good but only needs charging - you CANNOT check it until it IS at full charge. Goose
  16. V7Goose
    If you rarely ride in the rain, you have nothing on which to base a comparison of the wet traction of those or any other tire. All normal street tires will have less traction on wet roads than dry, but some are MUCH worse than others. And some wet road conditions are MUCH worse than other wet road conditions, especially if it has not been raining haed for a while. I do ride in the rain a lot, and I have tested a lot of different tires. Personally, I find the Avon Venom tires do provide significantly better wet traction that most other tires I have experienced. The Dunlop E3s are good too, but not up to the Venom in my opinion. I hope you enjoy whatever you choose to run, Goose
  17. V7Goose
    Proper maintenance of the rear end is always a good thing, but that is not your problem - nothing in there is going to create a vibration unless something is REALLY wrong and about to eat itself. You need to check tire balance. Goose
  18. V7Goose
    The chrome ring is held in place only by tabs bent over the back of the light housing. Carefully bend them out enough to pop the ring off. It will be a bit hard to get put properly back in place with the visor under it, but it will work. Be very careful to make sure the ring is seated all the way back on and the tabs are properly bent back in place, or you might have to split the fairing again in a week or two to fix it! I had mine come loose on one side within a couple of days because of that! But after redoing it correctly, it has been fine for over 80,000 miles. Goose
  19. V7Goose
    All electrical conduction is through PHYSICAL CONTACT between two metal pieces, not through grease or other magic substances. The problem we often have is surface corrosion on the contact points in various plugs. Even when the initial contact is good, corrosion (same as rust) can work its way along a piece of metal and eventually build up an insulating layer between the two pieces. Just unplugging and replugging causes the pins to scrape off the surface corrosion and make it work properly again. Dielectric grease does nothing to improve the connection between the pins, but it DOES stop the surface from corroding and interfering with the metal contact. Goose
  20. V7Goose
    You are right; the law is bad. But the people who CAUSED it are much worse. The ONLY reason it exists is because disgusting inconsiderate maggots have pissed off 99% of the rest of the world by thinking they have the right to intrude on everyone else's life in an infantile attempt to get people to look at them. It is THOSE jerks who have ruined it for the rest of us, not the law makers. I hate government in general, and really despise the intrusive laws that get stuffed down our throat every day. But I completely understand why the rest of the public will give up their own freedoms just to shut down the a-holes that think it is OK to make intrusive noise. We are our own worst enemies. Goose
  21. V7Goose
    The most simple test is to just grab a piece of heavy wire and touch one end to the battery + and the other to the + terminal on the horn. That will tell you instantly if it is a horn problem or a wire problem. Goose
  22. V7Goose
    Would you mind clarifying just what you mean by "drowned" the horn? I have ridden WAY more than 500 miles in frog-strangling conditions - including several single stretches of close to 1,000 miles where the rain and road spray were so bad that many cars were pulling off, and I have never had one bit of problem with the Stebel and Wolo horns mounted in the place of the stock rear horn. HOWEVER - the first one I mounted I was not particularly careful about how I positioned the relay, and that DID give me a problem. It was easy to just tie-strap the normal black plastic relay to the wire bundle behind the horn, and without a lot of thinking, I positioned it with the connections generally facing up (keeping the terminals away from the metal engine parts). The first day that I spent about 10 hours straight in the rain killed the relay - got lots of water and dirt in there and just corroded the whole thing. I now mount the relay inside the right battery cover - just tie-strapped in the upper right corner next to the carb heater thermal sensor with the terminals down - never had a single problem there. Goose
  23. V7Goose
    The wire that is NOT red/black. Goose
  24. V7Goose
    You either need a tach designed for a TWO cylinder engine, or you need to buy/make an adapter that allows you to bridge two coils together. The two rear coils are under the battery (you can see them below the swing arm), and the other front coil is below the frame backbone on the left side, near the one you already found. Goose
  25. V7Goose
    For anyone who has made their own links, I would also strongly suggest that they DOUBLE CHECK them. Not only must they both be EXACTLY the same length, but the MAXIMUM distance from the bottom of the hole in the stock length to the bottom of the hole in the new shorter link must not exceed 1/4" - that raises the rear 1 full inch. I am not saying that you cannot make them shorter than that and still have them work, just that my experience with the Leveling Links that do not cause any problems is limited to ones that are no more than 1/4" shorter than stock links. You also want to make sure the bolt holes are not too big to allow any slop or motion of the links on the bolts. Goose
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