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MAINEAC

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Posts posted by MAINEAC

    Tire rotation is backwards

    in Royal Star Venture Tech Talk ('99 - '13)

    Posted

    Running a rear tire on the front is fine... running a D404 is fine... I have my 2nd rear D404 mounted on the front with no issues... It gives you 3/16" more rubber and a higher load rating than a front tire... Manufacturers do suggest mounting it opposite the arrow... I ran a Bridgestone radial rear once with the arrow and the tire cupped at about 3K miles... I'm running a Kumho car tire on back...

    Tire Question

    in General Tech Talk

    Posted

    It's not about radials and bios ply, and I know that manufacturers are putting both on bikes. It's about the compound of the rubber and the style of the tire. (design and function) and those recommendations are current. Even within manufacturers it's not advisable to run with a Dunlop 404 on the front and E3 on the rear and visa versa.

     

    Bias vs. Radial

     

    "Not all tires are created equally. Or rather, not all tires are created in the same way. Bias and radial tires are both very different in the ways they are made and, unless approved by either the motorcycle or tire manufacturer, they should not be mixed on the same bike. Because of the differences in the way they are constructed, the two types of tires both have different advantages and disadvantages and most motorcycles are designed to work with one or the other. Trying to switch up the tires will most likely lead to more disadvantages than improvement in ride quality."

     

    2 - Front and Rear Tire Matching http://www.dunlopmotorcycle.com/info-center/care-and-maintenance/

     

    Remember, the correct matching of front and rear tires is important to obtain optimum performance and handling. Follow the Tire Selection guidelines.

    Mount only tires marked “front wheel” on the front position and only tires marked “rear wheel” on the rear position.

    A new front tire with a worn rear tire can cause instability.

    Mixing radials, or mixing radials with bias or belted-bias tires, may adversely affect handling and stability, and should only be done when specifically fitted and/or recommended by an OE vehicle manufacturer. It should be noted that many factors other than tire incompatibility can affect the handling of a motorcycle, including the weight and height of the rider, mixing worn with unworn tires and the fitment of luggage or fairings. Consult the motorcycle manufacturer before making modifications from stock.

     

    Can I mix tyre construction front to rear? http://www.avonmotorcycle.com/

    Yes, but only to the combinations below:-

     

    Front Rear

    Radial Radial

    Bias Radial

    X-ply Radial

    Bias Bias

    X-ply Bias

    X-ply X-ply

     

    No offense Dach but most of your post sounds like Manufacturer's Psycho Babble that they print up in the event of a lawsuit and to sell more tires... Most of that stuff is pure crap.. You see in the REAL world Bikers try stuff and learn from others that have tried stuff... That's what we're doing here right here in this thread.. Most of us don't want quotes off some Manufacturers website... We want REAL experiences.. But since you seem to be enamored with the Tire Manufacturer's so called information (BS Disclaimer)... Look up on the Metzeller site where it says you CAN run a REAR tire on the FRONT (Contrary to your post) as long as you mount it with the direction arrow going backwards... I know I saw it there and I'm living proof that it can be done... I've done it a few times... I run a Dunlop 404 150/80-16 REAR fire on the front of my RSV with no ill effects... It gives me 3/16 more rubber than a front and increases my load range...

     

    Moral of the story... Let's pay a little more attention to Real World Experiences and a little less to the agenda driven manufacturer's disclaimers... THAT'S what this and other Forums are about... Rant over..

    Tire Question

    in General Tech Talk

    Posted

    Dacheeta, You just saved me from having to post that. A Raider comes right from factory mixed as well as a lot of HD, and of course Running Darkside, I've run a mix. The mixing thing is for vehicles with more than two wheels, then it can be a problem. Like on a car.

     

    That was ME telling Dach about the Raider...

    Tire Question

    in General Tech Talk

    Posted

    I know the manufacturers sites advise not to mix, only run a matched set. Back will usually go first right down the middle.

    ACTUALLY......Manufacturers are putting out bikes with radials and bias tires from the factory... I believe the Star Raider has a radial on the back and a bias up front... I have 40,000 miles plus with a Car tire Radial on the rear of my RSV with NO issues... Your information is outdated... That USED to be the recommendation...

    Need to move farther back on my Venture

    in Bike Accessories

    Posted

    Here's my 2 cents... 120K on a RSV with 3 different seats and a lot of long days in the saddle with a 34" inseam... Standard midnight, Pillowtop, and a Corbin... Corbin sits you further back but it also lowers you just as much as it is lower so the difference with legroom over the standard is negligible... Your pillowtop is probably your best bet as far as legroom... Tho the difference is probably only an inch...

     

    Your best bet is longer highway pegs like these.... http://images.leatherup.com/imagesproc/L2ltYWdlcy9wcm9kdWN0L2xhcmdlLzQ5LTQ0NjdMbmdob3JuT2Zmc2V0RHVhbGx5LmpwZw==_H_SW700.jpg

    Steelers Year?

    in Watering Hole

    Posted

    Well the Steelers have a cupcake schedule the rest of the way... 2 games against the Ravens are the only 2 games against teams with a winning record and the Ravens are very beatable... They SHOULD end up 12 - 4 IF they split with the Ravens and should make the playoffs...

    Steelers Year?

    in Watering Hole

    Posted · Edited by MAINEAC

    I didn't see the game but.... A Beat down????? A 24 - 20 roller coaster win is NOT a Beat Down in my book....

     

    Patriots 45 - 7 over the Rams WAS a beat down...

    A Simple Solution to prevent frustration....

    in Royal Star Venture Tech Talk ('99 - '13)

    Posted

    Or you can do what I did and buy a spacer that someone here makes and sells... Now I can split my fairing without messing with the light bar... Some ppl complained about them messing up those plastic deflectors but I took those off as one of mine was missing the rubber bumper and scratching my midnight fork covers... I think they just clutter up the front end and I've been taking unnecessary stuff off...

    Before I alter my rear wheel...

    in Watering Hole

    Posted

    MMR - I found a link with the specs and a picture at Vulcan Tire... But they are showing none available.... http://www.vulcantire.com/tire_detail/powerstar758_t.htm_3762?refad=Froogle3762

     

    Kumhos seemed to have dried up for a while but started showing up again... I found some at Discount Tire when I was in FL.... here's the link....

     

    http://www.discounttire.com/dtcs/findTireDetail.do?fcpr=&c=2&ar=80&fcsr=&rf=true&fcs=false&rd=15&ct=null&rc=FLOINT&cs=165&ra=searchTiresBySize.do&tc=KUMPA1&pc=33387&fclr=&cf=false&fcb=&sw=false

     

    Good Luck...

    inputs on the venture's, likes and do not likes

    in General Tech Talk

    Posted

    I have an 03 Midnight Venture with 130,000 miles on it and have been coast to coast pulling a trailer.... It's the best "Geezer Glide" out there... I have owned GWs and Harleys and the RSV is the best bike I've owned... All I've ever done to the motor is adjust the valves at 50,000 miles and I had a coil go bad in Texas... It always seems to be the right rear coil that goes... The replacement was back ordered so the Ind. Bike shop I went to put in a used V-Star coil and it's still in there... been about 5 years now....

     

    I had the rear shock and ignition changed under warranty just before it ran out...

     

     

    Clutch... I feel the clutch is weak by design... Some guys use the stock pressure plate with a stiffer than stock spring and add a 1/2 plate or something like that to upgrade it... I spent a few extra bucks and upgraded to a Barnett pressure plate which is like an automotive pressure plate with 6 springs... It has a little harder pull on the lever but you don't even notice it after a week... I think it was money well spent after 80,000 trouble free miles... The stock clutch was slipping in 3rd under full acceleration when I got it in 05 with only 10,000 miles on it... I don't know if it was abused or not but some here have had slippage on low mileage bikes...

     

    The Stator... The factory stator is barely adequate to run the bike with lame-ass 30 watt sealed beam passing lamps... if you want to run better lights and some other accessories and/or heated gear you will want to upgrade the stator to an aftermarket higher output stator... I'm on my 3rd stator... I run 55 watt H3 passing lamps to give me a fighting chance with critters at night here in Maine and elsewhere....

     

    Tires... Most RSVs seem to come with Bridgestones which just about everybody agrees are junk... I didn't know how bad the 'Stones were until I switched to Dunlop 404s... I LIKED the 404s when they were $60 - $70... They handle well and were cheap... Some here will bash the 404s and love Avons... I did not like the Avons on wet roads and heard too many horror stories about Metzlers on RSVs... They were my favorite tires before my RSV... Now I run what I call the high millage combo... A Kumho 165/80- 15 car tire on the rear and a Dunlop 404 REAR MC tire on front... Rear tire on front requires you to mount it opposite the arrow... This combo gives me about 20,000 miles between tire changes... I'm on my 3rd Car tire and will get another when this one wears out... It's a heavy bike and eats up tires pretty fast...

     

    I don't have ANY problems with slow speed handling like some have mentioned... But I'm a big guy and have been riding for over 40 years... I tried the optional smaller front tire but didn't like it... felt like I had to do more correcting in the curves than with the stock sized tire...

     

    well that's my 2 cents worth... Some will disagree with my assessments but it's MY story and I'm sticking to it....

    Before I alter my rear wheel...

    in Watering Hole

    Posted

    Big Cat...I am way too old and too wise to install a car tire onto my motorcycles. Most of the people that have gone to the Darkside, have either come back...to the light...or have at least admitted that there are serious concerns with the soft/flexible sidewalls of a car tire on a motorcycle that puts a large amount of load on the sidewall of tires when cornering. I am all about experimentation...but far too smart to do something like that.

     

    I'm not sure who these "people" are and can only comment on my Darkside experience... I'm on my 3rd Kumho and have about 50,000 miles so far on car tires and have no "concerns" that you mention especially considering the 1200 lb load rating... I prefer the handling of the CT over a MT (70,000 miles on RSV with a MT).... I won't run another MT unless they stop making Kumho or I'm stuck on the road... But what do I know???

     

    "I'm not a smart man" ~ Forest Gump

    Safty chains on your trailer

    in Trailer Talk

    Posted

    I saw a magazine article on a guy with a Harley lost his trailer with chains at slow speed... it was a dirt road... by the time he got stopped his rear fender was bashed and he holes in his saddlebags... From the tongue of the trailer rocking back and forth on the chains...

     

    The big thing is keeping your tongue latch assembly tight and it can't come off the ball... Also put some kind of pin or lock in the latch so it can't pop up...

     

    I've done about 30K miles with a trailer and haven't lost one yet...

    Blacked out Chrome

    in Royal Star Venture Tech Talk ('99 - '13)

    Posted

    I painted my whole bike with bedliner paint and in the process i painted the chrome VW Bug headlight ring and the chrome windshield trim... I tossed the plastic chrome accent pieces a few years ago... The whole paint job cost me about $80 including sandpaper... I also painted the clear plastic pieces at the bottom of the fairing...

     

    Shinko tires

    in Watering Hole

    Posted

    I wouldn't run a Shinko if YOU bought it for me.... I've seen them and they are the equivalent to a Cheng shin... very flimsy and they wear out fast... but what do I know?? I run a car tire on back and a Dunlop 404 rear tire on the front...

     

    Dunlop 404s are fine... I ran quite a few miles on them before I went to the Dark side and prefer them over the Avons, Bridgestones, and Metzeler on a RSV...

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