darthandy
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Everything posted by darthandy
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Speaking of vintage ads...these are from a 1970 Cycle World. Sure do miss those Norton ads. Love that roadside assistance ad... at least the girl is wearing a helmet!
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These quick oil change places are famous (or infamous) for telling people there is something wrong with their car based on the color of their engine oil or that their transmission oil needs to be replaced because it is "dirty" (Really? They can tell it's dirty just by looking at it?). If the vehicle starts well even in the cold and it holds a charge even after several days of not running, chances are that it is still in good shape. If you would like to verify its condition, take it to a trusted mechanic or dealer and have them check it. Or simply check it with a volt meter yourself to see how many volts it's putting out. Never, ever trust these quick change oil places to diagnose anything on your car. Personally, I avoid them as I don't trust them to even put in the correct viscosity oil since the employees tend to be high school students who rarely, if ever, know anything about vehicles or servicing them. I have a good independent mechanic that I take my cars to and he has spent years building up an excellent reputation for doing good work and charging fair prices. If you don't have one, check with your friends and relatives to see who they go to.
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They carried it at our store for a few weeks a couple of months ago. Once it ran out, they never restocked it and I haven't seen it there since. Of course, they're well known around here for doing that!
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Normally you need to lean out your mixture at higher altitudes since the air is thinner and pressure tends to be lower. What this means is that at altitudes of about 5,000 to 6,000 feet above sea level, you are getting less air through the carbs and therefore you are running "rich" with normal jetting. You may therefore have to drop jet sizes to compensate. How much? Good question...wish I knew! Try to find someone with a similar bike in your area who has re-jetted or perhaps see if you can find a knowledgeable (and friendly) mechanic with good carb experience. Unless you can find someone with useful experience and/or knowledge, it will be a lot of trial and error to get it right. Good luck!
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I disagree...I seriously doubt that his IQ actually reaches that level!
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Even with water cooling, there are some differences in operating temps and conditions among the cylinders. My Triumph 900 triple has a different jet size for the middle carb for this very reason. All in the name of efficiency - better power, mileage and smoother running - oh...and cleaner emissions too. Fuel injection does a better job of balancing fuel distribution, which is why we're seeing it on more and more new bikes.
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I'll be going either Friday or Saturday. There is a $3.00 off coupon for Friday or for Saturday after 5:00 p.m., but I hate the thought of getting caught in rush hour traffic on the way out Friday afternoon, so Saturday a.m. is looking more attractive. Went last year and was impressed by the displays and custom bikes (Got some nice pics of those.) The vintage bike club I also belong to (C.V.M.G.) had a nice display with some very interesting machines..well worth seeing.
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There are various types of power inverters that change 12 V. vehicle power to 120 VAC (Household) power, if that's what you need. Many of them plug into a lighter type power socket. The problem there, of course is that they will run the battery down over time. Not sure if that is what you're looking for, but it's a start.
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It is possible since battery tenders usually have more delicate electronic innards than a fridge and are therefore more susceptible to a power surge. It seems less likely that a surge could get through to a battery since the tender would get fried and stop passing any electricity in a case of a major surge. I would plug in the tender and take a reading with a volt meter at the battery to see what kind of voltage it is putting out when the battery is low. That should give you a good indication as to whether or not it is putting out proper voltage. Also, check the tender's instructions to see if it should be unplugged from the wall before unplugging from the bike (Most of them operate that way.). If that procedure is not followed when required, it can eventually damage the tender to the point that it won't put out a proper charge. The instructions should also contain the voltage that the tender will put out under various battery conditions so you can check to see if it is charging properly. That's all I've got...maybe someone else here will have better info, but I hope this helps.
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For what it's worth, I pulled out my June 1986 Cycle World (Had it handy from doing research prior to buying my '87 VR in Oct.) in which they tested 6 touring rigs. The '86 VR in that test turned the quarter mile in 12.95 sec. at 102.72 mph. If memory serves, Cycle Canada turned about the same time and speed on a 1986 VR around that time as well. Now if I can just find the issues with the 1800 Goldwing and RSV tests. Oh, in case anyone was curious, the GL1200 Aspencade SEi from that test turned 97.28 mph in 13.45 sec. No doubt who won that race! The quickest bike of the six was the Kawasaki Voyager XII at 12.90 sec. and a terminal speed of 102.11 mph. Quicker time but lower top speed. Not that any of this info will settle any arguments...but that's half the fun of these comparos, isn't it?
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You're right...this was debated just a few weeks ago. I believe it was V7Goose (I'm not sure if I got that right) who explained why it was important to run the motor (On the road, not idling) for at least 1/2 hour. Over the years, I've read or spoken to engineers and mechanics who gave the same explanation. That is...the temp gauge shows the temperature of the coolant. The oil is more viscous (thick, so to speak) and takes longer to heat up to a temperature that will cause any moisture to evaporate. Not getting the oil temp high enough will allow more condensation to form but not be "boiled off". The biggest problem this may cause is on the first ride in the Spring when many of us get overly excited and rev the engine higher than we should. If there is enough moisture present it could cause excessive wear to occur on the bearings or in the cylinders. This won't necessarily cause an immediate problem (Although in theory, the engine could seize, but that's rare ) but over time, it could reduce the time to overhaul of the engine. A quick and easy solution is to keep revs low for the first 30 to 45 minutes of the ride so that excess moisture should get "boiled" off. Short rides and idling over the winter months have never been proven to do any good but on the whole, given today's better materials and technology (Say since the early '80's - thanks to more water cooling and tighter tolerances) they don't do as much harm as they used to.
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If your wondering what to get me for Christmas....
darthandy replied to SC89Venture's topic in Watering Hole
Well, well...I wondered what happened to those left over 1960's Triumph engines when the Meriden guys gave up. It even has Amal carbs...and the original Triumph twin shake. I just have to get one of these! -
Haven't used them myself yet, but I'm thinking of getting heated glove liners (Gerbing). They are to be used under summer weight gloves and should reduce the bulk normally associated with heated gloves. Plus, you get to keep them if you switch bikes. Of course, they also "tie" you to the bike, but then the urge to ride does that pretty well, anyway. Just a thought...
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Just to help clarify things for those who don't know the whole story.... The event took place at the Seaway Mall food court here in Welland, Ontario. The singers were from a choir that was putting on a show later in the week and decided that this would be a fun way to get in some publicity. The public was unaware of the happening and the video was shot by someone from the choir. It was a very nice surprise for those present and very appropriate given the closeness of Christmas. I wish I had been there! As I previously mentioned, there have been no complaints in the local newspapers or to anyone of note. You would have to be one very arrogant and ignorant jerk to complain about something this nice and joyful! Oops! Did I just say that out loud? Sorry!
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Speaking as a resident of the city (But I wasn't there. darn it!) the response has been overwhelmingly positive. While I'm not religious myself, I thought it was a great idea and I've yet to meet anyone in the area who didn't agree. As for potential complainers..well...after seeing the great response to this lovely action, they pretty much kept their mouths shut. Now...if we could only get some politicians to practice that same mouth shutting technique, things would be even nicer.
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WindRiver Thermalectric Rechargeable Heated Boots
darthandy replied to friesman's topic in Watering Hole
I'm looking for heated gloves (Or glove liners.) and boots myself. Over the last couple of years, I've read a few tests that all had the same result. Battery powered clothing tends not to get very hot...it's OK for hunting and hiking, but the wind blast from zipping around on a motorcycle (Even a fully faired one.) seems to overpower their heat. And of course, there is that problem of batteries going dead at the wrong time. Right now I'm looking at plug-in heated insoles and either heated gloves or glove liners. That seems to be the least expensive way to go and since the amount of snow (And resulting salt) that we get around here puts an end to the riding season by early December till late March, this equipment should be enough for me. Hope this info is of some use. -
Oh, I forgot to mention. My bike came with a set of new Metzeler 880's and, as I mentioned, there have been no handling problems so far. And I really like that I've got all that ground clearance (For a touring bike!) since I tend to corner a little quicker than my touring buddies. The habit comes from riding those sporty bikes over the years, I guess
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Yes, I did. Watching that Crown Vic go up with the tape holding it to the crane's cable was incredible. Even more incredible was the fact that it was the paint, not the tape, that finally let go. Say...I've got an old bike with a cracked frame...you don't suppose?
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Hi Oldgazer and welcome to the group. Your profile shows a '91 Venture Royale which should be quite similar to my '87. I picked mine up a few weeks ago and had to super slab it home during a windstorm. I found the handling really good and resistance to cross winds and other vehicle slipstreams to be far better than I expected given its "sail area". It sounds like you may have one or more problems. As has been mentioned, steering head bearing tightness / condition, tire brand and size / pressure could all affect the handling. Frankly, 32 psi front and rear sounds a bit low for highway riding. I would be tempted to bump the front to 34 or 35 and the rear to at least 36 and preferably 38. I'm sure others with more knowledge will be along soon to help as well.
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...I carry duct tape! Come on...I'm a guy.... I've seen all the Red Green episodes! Of course I haven't tried some of his experiments yet...I made the mistake of letting my wife watch an episode. Now when she sees me with duct tape, she starts following me around with a hockey stick...and she doesn't play hockey! Oh ... and of course I have CAA Plus coverage (Similar to AAA RV coverage in the U.S.) and even had to use it this summer when my Triumph battery died while waiting in line at customs to go to the U.S. Had to push the bike through customs...Oh joy! Fortunately, they have an arrangement with AAA and they sent someone to boost me. Then, when I got home, I had to find and fix my charging system problem. I will print that member list though..that seems like a great idea.
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For what it's worth, here is a link to a site where people are writing in to review the tires they have used. http://motorcycletirereviews.com/ It may help you decide or just make the whole process more difficult. One thing caught my eye, though, since the PO of my bike had just had Metzeler ME880's installed before I bought the bike. In the review section, one of the reviewers seems to work for either a wholesale firm or directly for Metzeler (Which would make him biased, of course) but what he says does make sense. I've noticed this for other tires...namely, that some tires seem more adversely affected by incorrect tire pressure, either requiring higher or lower pressures than normally recommended. According to this guy, the Metzelers work best with the maximum air pressure that is suggested for them. It could make a difference and I plan on checking mine more closely since that is what I have, like it or not, till they wear out.
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OK, thanks guys. I think that covers it. I had planned on most of what was suggested as I had already done that for my Triumph. Some I hadn't thought of, such as tire plugs and a small pump. That could be a lifesaver on a long trip if there's no shop nearby. I was more concerned with something that might be specific to the VR - you know, a left hand wound widget requiring a full flex 33 mm combo wrench/ratchet or the like. I had thought of a small 4 lb sledge, some bailing wire and a rock but then I remembered...I only carried those to help out the occasional Harley rider that I would see by the side of the road. They say those bikes are much better now though, so I've stopped carrying them!
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When I bought this VR a few weeks ago, I noticed that it was missing the bag lliners and toolkit. The owner had bought it this way so he didn't have them. I can go to the nearest luggage store and get bags that should fit reasonably well, so that shouldn't be a big problem (Yes, I know...famous last words!). I am about to assemble a tool kit myself (Come to think of it, I had to do that for my Triumph too.) and I was wondering if there is anything special I should keep in mind? I'm thinking in terms of known problems that can be easily fixed on the roadside if you have the right tools...I mean other than a full tear down and rebuild! For instance, the pick up coil on the older Triumph's were supplied by different companies and one of them had somewhat poor quality, so the coil likes to die fairly early in its life. Replacing it on the side of the road is doable in about 20 min. or so if you have the proper Allen wrench. So ... anything like that to keep in mind for the VR? Thanks in adavance.
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Hippo Hands, warm chaps, snow plow for bike& snow tires.......
darthandy replied to a topic in Riding Gear
Sorry, I just got around to reading this thread , so my comments are probably too late to help...still, just in case... I have had a set of Hippo Hands for over 20 years and they are great. The newer ones are even better as they have made design and material changes to keep them from "flapping around" in the wind. This becomes very important if you have to pull your hand out at speed and then try to re-insert it! Also, be careful where you get them (If you haven't already!) because there are imitators but the quality is much lower (Don't ask how I know!). The real ones are made in St. Catharines, Ontario up here in the Great White North. I have even taped hot packs to my handle bars when it was especially cold and I had a long trip ahead (Yeah, yeah, I know...I need to get heated grips!). Thanks to the Hippo's stopping the direct wind blast the extra bit of heat (with my winter gloves on) kept my hands quite comfortable for several hours. Hope this is of some help. -
Hi Ken. You will most likely need some type of orifice (Think along the lines of a carburetor jet) in the hoses leading to the dials. This will restrict the flow of air and ease the pulsing of the needles. What you want is to have all the needles indicating the same level (I'm assuming you have a 4 gauge set..if not, things will get a bit more difficult). I used to use an old (20 years actually) mercury tube type but will be ordering a Carbtune set shortly. That avoids the pulsing problem and, from what I've heard and read, it is more accurate. The price is under $100 USD and it will pay for itself after only a couple of uses - sooner if the dealers in your area charge what ours does around here! Oops...Art was quicker on the submit...so now you have a consensus.