Prairiehammer

OBERLIN, OHIO!!!! That's a long, long, long ways..(400miles)..is there food and beer? JK

religious experience.... Now, I gotta figure how to get there...when is it again?

WOW ! I find it amazing that Pioneer would trek 250 miles to help with one of the MDs. Gratifying, but amazing! Thanks to Pioneer! Too bad I won't be able to make it to the MD, sounds like a good deal!

David? Where did you get those fork tube protectors? The accordion styled factory ones on my '90 are falling apart. And apparently, the ones you have fit without modification in spite of the Superbrace or Condor brace?

Although, technically I am a veteran of the "Vietnam Era" (I served on active duty with the First Infantry Division, USArmy from 1972-1975), I am reluctant to join the various Vietnam associations. I don't want to be perceived as a wannabe. I did not go to Vietnam. How can I, in good faith, claim membership in ANY of those associations? I support them and of course ALL veterans, but cannot claim to be a Vietnam Vet. I am certainly proud to commemorate the Fiftieth Anniversary of the Vietnam War and honor those who actually were there in that hell hole. Bloody Red One

Don? Are the Guardian Bells still available? I'd like two, if so. Kevin

Hi, Shorty, Sorry to hear you rode with Yooper. No stops? Jeez! So that's how he puts so many miles on every year. I am planning a much more leisurely ride, lots of stops. But that may change if I start to run short of time.

Jack, mark me down as paid. Sent payment this morning. Kevin

Thanks to all for the suggestions and tips. Though I have never ridden north of Superior, I did circle Lake Huron a couple times and remember one cold July when the temps were in the thirties (F) during the day along the north shore from Manitoulin Island to Sault Ste. Marie. We were camping and need less to say, the Woman was not content. I shall try not to repeat that error on this trip. My biggest concern on this trip is that in an attempt to see as much as possible during the day, I will find myself a long dark ride (I have no desire to bag a moose or bear) from the reserved motel. On the other hand I don't want to arrive at our motel at noon and find nothing to do and wish I could put another couple of hundred miles behind us before dusk. Usually, I try to be much more lackadaisical about a tour; stop whenever I want, eat whenever is convenient, spend the night wherever a stay is available. With the limited accommodations along the North Shore, and heeding the warnings of others, I feel I must plan ahead and make reservations. And of course, keep 'em.

Frogmaster: I am familiar with the whitefish in the traditional Door County fish boil...what a memory...night bonfire...blazing oil overflowing ...succulent fish and veggies and potatoes...MMMMM

Ic23b: Any chance you recall the name of that motel east of Marathon? It seems Marathon is kinda sparse on "fine lodging" to put it nicely. I'm perfectly content with a clean "Mom and Pop".

Thanks Sylvester and Yammy. Yammy, I am concerned that, although the daily mileage isn't great, I am going to be straggling into a reserved motel either stressed that I get there or just plain tired of riding. There's so much to see! I have been checking the various chambers and visitor centers enroute and find some intriguing places to stop and see. I am wondering if having a reservation is necessary, ie. allowing a bit more freedom as to where we shall spend a night. Like I said in OP, I am thinking August...would we be well advised to have reserved rooms? Or just wing it?

I am planning to do the LSCT this summer and I think it should be easy to do in 8 days, counting the day to the Circle Route from North Central Illinois and the day spent going home from the Circle Route. IOW, I think we will spend 6 days on the Circle Tour. I am interested in your experiences on this Tour (on a motorcycle, of course). We (Deb and I) don't plan on making any "Iron Butt" runs while on this trip. I am currently planning for the longest day to be 265 miles from Marathon, Ontario to Grand Marais, Minnesota. Any suggestions for places to stay and for places to eat and for places to "don't miss"? Although I am thinking to take this ride in August, do any of y'all think otherwise? We haven't decided if it will be a camping trip or motels or both. If, camping I will be pulling a trailer. Is the camping a good idea for old folks like us?

I erred, Gary about the mod to the clutch on the '83. I did this back in 2002 when I replaced the friction disks and just didn't remember what it was called at the time. The mod was to remove the piano wire clip and the odd ball (half friction?) discs at the back of the basket and substitute an extra full friction disk...IF I recall correctly. I'm not certain if it (the mod) had a name. Anyway, since the MkII diaphragm pressure plate is apparently problematic, (at least on my bike) is it feasible to use a MkI pressure plate or MkI complete clutch assembly on a MkII? WHY, did Yamaha change to the diaphragm arrangement from the six coil spring setup? Aren't the diaphragm clutches in the Second Generation bikes going south, as well? And the fix is a Barnett 6 spring setup?

Will a Mark I clutch pressure plate work unaltered on a Mark II clutch assembly? I can get the entire clutch basket complete with friction plates and steel plates, pressure plate, springs, etc. for a Mark I. Will it swap into my '90VR? The '90VR with 17K miles is now slipping during a 4th gear roll-on. I did the "double D" mod on my '83...is there a similar modification applicable to the Mark II clutch?

I'm a carpenter from Illinois...hammering nails in the Prairie State...Prairiehammer

Hey, Jack You can change my status to supporting member now. Kevin

I just had an Elite 3 installed on my 1990 VR front by the local Yamaha stealer. I ordered it through them ($164 with tax) and had them install it ($76).

Thanks for the replies: Erik, as I stated in my last post, I have done what you recommend---several times. Brian, I will try the Techron, if I can find it. Currently, the hot fast idle is not happening. I am not absolutely sure as to the cause since I did several things in an effort to remedy the problem; spray cleaned the carbs yet AGAIN, removed the manifold clamps and modified all the clamps to allow tighter clamping, sprayed silicone spray up into the pressure/vacuum switch, continued to run Sea Foam through with the fuel, air/vacuum leak test with PROPANE and discovered a small leak on #4 that spraying carb cleaner around did not find, reseated the diaphragms and slides, synchronized the carbs AGAIN, making sure to start with the synch screws backed off, etc. It finally started to behave normally. Well, at least it didn't race as it warmed. It is still near impossible to modulate the cold engine with the "choke". It is either too fast or too slow while trying to warm the engine. Once warmed up, it is mighty fine, except for an annoying tendency to fall on it's face as I attempt to smoothly take off from a dead stop. I have to spool up the rpm and feather the clutch to make sure it don't stall. I believe the carbs are running lean overall, because of the low fuel level, but I don't have the gaskets and o-rings needed to remove and disassemble the carbs to make the fuel level adjustments and those parts are not scheduled to arrive this week before I go south. It is getting 38 mpg consistently through several tanks of BP and Shell Premium fuel. Leaving on a 3000 mile trip to Florida and back this weekend. Wish me luck.

Thanks Dan and Jeff, Dan as a matter of fact I had read your post sometime back about taking the pump and sticking the hose in a can of Sea Foam, er, at least I think it was you. Anyway, after draining and flushing the tank, i put a full can of Sea Foam into the tank, and got the bike started with a lot of choke and actually idled on Sea Foam for several minutes. I let everything sit overnight, drained the tank and carbs, and filled with fresh gas. I have been running the recommended dose of Sea Foam in the tank since. With the air box off, I rigged an extension to the carb spray tube and have sprayed with force down through all the jets and orifices available from the top of the carbs. I have removed the diaphragms and slides and have forcefully spray carb cleaner through any and all orifices in those areas. I have removed the pilot screws (don't lose the tiny spring, washer or O-ring!) and have sprayed through them until I see the cleaner coming out at other remote locations. I have not used compressed air yet, though. Maybe next. Kevin

Thanks, Carl I was hoping that I wouldn't have to take the carbs off the bike and separate them and get inside, but you are probably right. Sigh! There's no way to open those jets and passages from the outside? Kevin

I have a 1990 VR that has been sitting for eight years. After putting a new battery in, it started right up, but didn't idle. I drained the gas tank (the fuel in it was amber) and refilled with BP Premium spiked with 4 oz. Sea Foam. I've cleaned the carbs and checked the slides and diaphragms, and adjusted and cleaned til I'm blue in the face. The bike will idle and has decent throttle response until it gets hot. When it gets into mid temperature gauge territory, the idle begins to climb until it is at 4.5K and I can't stand it any more, where upon I shut it down. This scenario happens whether sitting in the garage on the center stand or while riding. Sooner or late the idle will climb to the 3-4.5K range and make stop lights rather embarrassing and shifting very ugly. I've been running Sea Foam through and have adjusted the pilot screws to 2.5-3 turns out (notably, turning the pilot screws in all the way or out all the way has NO effect with idle). I have synchronized the carbs (using mercury sticks) and they are very nearly perfect and never seem to change synchronization. I have tested the pressure sensor (vacuum sensor, boost sensor) and find voltages well within spec (2.18 when at atmosphere, .65 volts at .90kpa on a mityvac vacuum pump). Pulling vacuum on the pressure sensor causes an increase in rpm...sometimes. Idle must be over 1000 rpm for pressure sensor vacuum to effect it, apparently. I removed the pressure sensor and it's harness and connectors and cleaned them. I removed the TCI connectors and cleaned them. Some of the spade connectors were corroded, but not bad. Still, though an increase in vacuum always caused a voltage drop, this voltage drop did not always/usually result in an rpm climb ON A COLD TO WARM engine. I checked for vacuum leaks at all the usual suspects; the pressure sensor vacuum hose and restricter = AOK, the sync plugs = AOK, the carb to head boots = not AOK. Number 3 and 4 seemed to be leaking at the carb bases. I checked for leaks with carb cleaner spray. Regarding the leaks at #3 and #4 carb boots: I removed the clamps and ground off the tabs that seemingly prevent the clamps from tightening too tight (?), and reinstalled the clamps on the boots and re-tightened. Spraying with carb cleaner around the newly tightened boots did not result in idle change, IE, no leaks. Curiously (and significantly ?), pulling the sync plugs off the idling bike, one at a time, has little effect on the idle, EXCEPT for #2. Opening the sync port on that cylinder, slows the idle significantly. I have checked the float bowl fuel level and found all to be at 19mm below the reference line. I have monitored the fuel level on the running bike and it has remained very stable at this level. (I have rigged four fuel level gauging tubes attached to the carbs for testing). I realize that the fuel level is lower than spec, but that also indicates that an overfull fuel chamber is not causing the hot high idle, doesn't it? Or, could it be that the hot engine is running leaner and leaner and perhaps the lean condition is causing the high idle? I changed the spark plugs (NGK DPR8EA-9). The old plugs (NGK DPR8EA-9) looked new, including the rather white porcelain. Perhaps running a bit lean? (However, during the course of testing and fixing, I ran through a tank full of premium and got just 25 mpg. Granted there was a lot of stationary running, testing, full throttle "testing", etc. The mechanical parts of the throttle system are up to snuff: cables free and lubed, idle stop screw allowing for fully slow idle, carb butterflies all equally closed, and though I had a slide hanging initially, all slides/diaphragms are AOK. As the bike sat there idling nicely away at about 1000 rpm, I was beginning to feel like I had fixed this vexing problem of high hot idle, but NO!, soon the rpm began to climb; first quickly to 3000, but then soon was at 4500 and I couldn't take it anymore. About 10-15 minutes has elapsed. I pulled the pressure sensor vacuum line from #2 and immediately the rpm dropped to about 1500 rpm. I reattached the vacuum hose and it zoomed to 4500 again. I shut the bike down and had a beer. I have been chasing this for days and am discouraged. I am seeking some new insight from someone out there. I have reviewed all pertinent threads, especially the one from warthogcrewchief this year, where he had a similar problem, but his solution doesn't seem to fit my problem.