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V7Goose

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Everything posted by V7Goose

  1. V7Goose
    If it's dripping from the shock, then the only possibility is the shock is bad. There are several vent hoses near the shock on the left side, but they rarely drip more than a drop or two. The bottom line is that if there is ANY oil on the bottom of the shock, the shock is bad. All 2nd gens have had problems with weak rear shocks - it is not uncommon for them to fail in 10 - 15,000 miles. The minor design change they made somewhere around 2005 or 2006 made the problem a little better, but not much. Goose
  2. V7Goose
    Please give me the link for the thread you were looking at - ain't no way I ever said I wanted a higher RPM!!! There are people here who think we should all have the higher gear ratio of the VMAX on the RSV, but I AM NOT ONE OF THEM. I personally think the stock gear ratios on the RSV are just about perfect for this bike in its current trim. There WAS a time when I did a test running only in 4th gear to compare the 2nd gen MPG with the 1st gen at the same RPM (the quick answer: the 1st gen gets better gas mileage than the 2nd gen because it is lighter and more aerodynamic - the 2nd gen gets bad MPG if you do not cruise in 5th. - just like you would expect). On your second note - your clutch is slipping. YOu need to put a PCW spring in it. Goose
  3. V7Goose
    There is nothing special about setting the idle speed, nor is an exact idle speed very important for synching the carbs. If you do not have a shop tach, you will have to guess at the right RPM - the spec is about 1,000. Typically, 1,000 RPM is a bit faster than most of us would set it just by ear - the bike will idle nicely at 650, where it sounds pretty good. BUT, these engines have VERY low oil pressure at idle, so I'm pretty sure there is a good reason for that idle spec. I'd start by setting it to what you think is a bit fast - you won't hear individual engine pulses. The adjustment is a thumb screw just under the right rear edge of the tank. Goose
  4. V7Goose
    Your question makes no sense to me whatsoever. Goose
  5. V7Goose
    No idea what caused the break. Highly unlikely that it would be replaced under warranty, but worth a try. Any pipe joint compound marked specifically for ABS will repair it perfectly and permanently. Goose
  6. V7Goose
    I get four of 'em a month now - come on by and we'll roll down there together. Goose
  7. V7Goose
    If it doesn't actually touch the metal, it will be fine; no melting at all. I have mounted several of them just like that with zero problems. Goose
  8. V7Goose
    Stick a little piece of Velcro on the riser caps for the handlebars - the long 5-function meter fits perfectly there. Goose
  9. V7Goose
    I'll preface this reply by saying I have NOT done this pesonally, nor have I closely examined the bike looking for a way to do this. However, I think it would be quite possible to hold the clutch basket with a strap wrench or some other tool, especially if you use an impact wrench to remove the basket nut. Please note that there are a number of members here who HAVE personally replaced the clutch basket, so someone should be able to give you first hand advice. Goose
  10. V7Goose
    Personally, my preference is for the PCW upgrade. Nothing against Skydoc, but PCW has done us right for a long time, and there is no "learning curve" with them. But it sounds like you already have purchased the alternative. Not sure what is included, but if it is the same as PCW's kit, I'd just go ahead and replace the clutch basket, put in the new single plate in the back of the stack (removing the half plate, wave washer, wire, etc.), then button it all back up with your stock spring. When you eventually get a decent replacement spring, it can be put in quickly. If it is done fairly soon, you won't even need to replace the gasket again. Goose
  11. V7Goose
    A hot key is a potentially bad situation - it should never happen. The only cause for heat in the switch is resistance in the contacts, which means the switch is in the checkout lane. You can verify the problem by using the schematic and an ohm meter - disconnect the two plugs to the switch and ohm out each circuit, based on the key position. Of course, the problem you have is with the switch in ON. Closed contacts measured from the plugs should read zero ohms. Anything other than zero, even one or two ohms, is a problem and will generate lots of heat. No use spraying any cleaner in the key hole - the key tumblers are physically isolated from the switches. If you want to try and fix it, you will have to dismantle the switch section on the bottom. I have never had the ignition switch off these bikes, so I cannot help with any guidance there. Goose
  12. V7Goose
    I have the smallest and cheapest HF trailer with 8" wheels, and I have zero problems pulling it loaded or empty at any speeds up to about 85 (don't think I have had it faster). Some people have stated that all these small car trailers need a longer hitch to pull steady, but I do not find that to be true. I will provide one caution, however, make CERTAIN the frame is square when you put it together. There is enough slop in the bolt holes to allow it to be tweaked off-square either way when you tighten it all down, and that will absolutely affect how it pulls. The same caution applies to making certain the axle is square on the frame. Goose
  13. V7Goose
    I do not know what your noise is, but I'd say it almost certainly is not the typical clutch basket whine. This whine is often called a chirp also, because there is sometimes a slight warble to it, similar to the sound of the Jetson's space car in the old cartoons. But I have never heard it characterized as a growl. Your best bet to determine if the noise you hear is "normal" or not is to try to hook up with another Royal Star owner who says they have the whine and compare bikes. Goose
  14. V7Goose
    No, no, no, no, NO! RAISE the seat by 1 1/2 inches, not lower it!!!!! I ain't buying no bike designed for some midget! Goose
  15. V7Goose
    Your oil level is fine as long as it shows any air bubble above the oil with the bike straight up. The sight window has a full mark near the top, and in my experience, anything at or below this mark will not cause excess venting from the crank case breather. If you ever did have it too full, then there is a lot of oil coating the inside of the vent tubes and the air plenum that will slowly work its way out the drain tubes over time. One contributing factor is that the drain tubes have check valves that prevent the carbs from sucking air in that way, but those valves make it even harder for all the oil coating the inside of things to work its way down. I hadn't thought about it before, but it does seem possible that a strong wind blowing across the drain tubes would create a vacuum that might pull residual oil out. That should be easy to check by just taking two clothes pins or spring clips with you and pinching the bottom of the drain tubes shut when you park. You will need to look closely at the tubes to know for sure which are the drain tubes from the air plenums (the ones with oil and crap around the opening). There are four tubes there, two from the air plenums, one from the tank overflow, and one from the coolant overflow. Good luck, Goose
  16. V7Goose
    Unfortunately, this bike does not have much extra charging capacity, so be careful. You can certainly run two 35W bulbs in place of the stock 30W driving lights, but not WITH them. You cannot replace the stock 30W bulbs with 55W without shortening the life of your battery, and you absolutely CANNOT run two 55W bulbs concurrently with the stock driving lights. I strongly urge you to get a decent voltmeter and install it on the bike before you make any changes to the lighting. By decent, I mean any digital meter or analog meter with such gradations that you can easily see the difference between 11, 12, 13 and 14 volts. Do not waste your money on any of the LED indicators that simply use multicolored lights to entertain you. I personally like the 5 Function digital meter you can find at places like http://www.casporttouring.com. Goose
  17. V7Goose
    Well, I'm available just about any time, but I'd prefer the weekend. I'd rather work on the bike during the day with natural light than at night. I'll be around this weekend if you want to ride up - I'm just on the west side of DFW, close to the intersection of highway 360 and 121. Give me a call and I'll let you know exactly where. Goose
  18. V7Goose
    You don't say what part of Texas you are in - if it is DFW area, just bring it over and we'll get it all sorted out for you. It's really not too hard to diagnose. If you are not in this area, we can start a dialog on how to sort it out, but it is really easier for me to work on it with you than write about it! Goose
  19. V7Goose
    5.5mm ID Goose
  20. V7Goose
    Those bolts are very easy to fix. Step one is to use pliers or a small screwdriver to pull out a few staples from the seat cover around where the bolt was - just enough to pull the cover back and get your finger up over the top of the plastic pan. Now use a tape measure or piece of string to measure the distance from the top of that plastic block to the bottom of the old bolt. Go to Ace Hardware (ore some suitable substitute in the great frozen north) and buy a new bolt of the proper size. The best choice is a carriage bolt, since they have a square base that will bite into the plastic and keep it from turning. Step two is to pick a drill bit as close as possible to the actual bolt size, then drill out the old bolt. Starting small would help ensure you don't slide off the bolt and drill to far to one side in the plastic. I had absolutely no problem with this step, and if it is just a bit off center, that won't be a problem. Step 3 is to just use your finger tips, curved hemostat or offset needle-nose pliers to push that new bolt up into the seat foam far enough to get it down into the new hole you just drilled. If you didn't make the hole too big, you are all done except for replacing the staples. If the hole is a little sloppy so that the bolt has a tendency to push back up when you put the seat in place, you will need to smear the upper part of the bolt and the bolt head with something like silicone rubber and let it set up overnight before you mount the seat. Enjoy the ride, Goose
  21. V7Goose
    Putting slightly shorter struts on the rear shock (sold by DiamondR as Leveling Links) raise the rear of the bike 1", thus changing the rake of the forks and slightly shortening the trail. The changes to the steering geometry make the bike handle much snappier at slow speeds. As an added benefit, the raised rear end makes the bike look better (at least to me), increases cornering clearance on the mufflers, and makes it more comfortable for riders who are not midgets (in my book, a midget is anybody under 5'5"!). Goose
  22. V7Goose
    RAKED????? What the HEEDOUBELEL - did you turn a Venture into a chopper???
  23. V7Goose
    Well, I didn't include troubleshooting steps because his earlier posts said he did not have the knowledge for that. But if you're gonna start pulling stuff and looking at it to find the problem, better pull the Regulator/Rectifier and check for burnt pins and melted plug - that's where I'd put my money if I was betting on a WAG. Goose
  24. V7Goose
    Well, you do have at least one add-on to your bike: the driving lights (I can see them in your picture). If someone has changed those bulbs from the normal 30W to something larger (fairly common change, unfortunately), that is enough to slowly kill your battery in some conditions. No way I can diagnose your bike with only the limited information available, but it could certainly be a charging issue where it can't quite keep up with the load - either tooo much load or damaged charging system - that fits all of your symptoms. If that new battery wasn't properly charged before it was put in (ALL new batteries need charging BEFORE going into service to reach full capacity and life expectancy), it wouldn't surprise me to have it not start the next day if there was anything at all amiss with the charging system. It shouldn't be too hard to figure out, but you do need to find someone who actually understands bike charging systems and electrical circuit troubleshooting. Here's a hint - if they didn't find the problem with a digital volt meter, but then did not use an ammeter on the individual circuits, they do not know what they need to know. Goose
  25. V7Goose
    To straycatt: I am sorry if you took offense at my statement, for it was not directed at you. In fact, your post was not even on the board when I started typing my reply, so I didn't see it until after I posted. Even though I was not trying to offend you or anyone in particular, I cannot apologize for what I said, for I would consider myself very stupid if I rode in shorts, and I was talking about myself. I will admit that I shake my head and wonder about the decisions people make whenever I see anyone riding without a helmet or other proper gear (speaking about what I consider proper, of course). But I absolutely and totally believe and defend in their right to make whatever decision they want. I'm a big believer in the Darwin theory. Despite the above statements, I have absolutely no use whatsoever for bicycle helmets, and I have no doubts that many other people will consider me stupid for that - doesn't bother me a bit. Ride safe all, Goose
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