Need Some Knowledge and Advice

[BG Hawks]

I have a 2006 RSV with just over 12,000 miles. Purchased this last year and I'm the 3rd owner. Seems to run great and I don't have any complaints. I will admit that I'm not a gear head but can tell when something sounds different or is not right.

 

Got the bike out 2 weeks ago and ran with no issues. Was able to get it out yesterday for a quick run. Noticed this morning that I have 2 drips from the bike. 1 from the first ride and 1 from yesterday. I looked under the bike and I see 4 hoses and I believe they are the carberator air intake. 2 of the hoses are dirty; 1 more so than the other. Have not tore into it yet as I'm hoping to get some help.

[Yammer Dan]

Sea-Foam.

[skydoc_17]

Hey Scott,

The 4 tubes you are referring to are in deed the overflow tubes for the Carbs. Keep in mind that because these tubes are pretty close to ground level, they collect road dirt and dust thrown up off the road from the tires. As Yammer Dan has mentioned, a dose of Seafoam in the fuel tank will help with sticking floats. No need to get crazy with the Seafoam, but with the Ethanol in the fuel these days, regular usage is not a bad thing. The other thing to do is ride this motorcycle regularly! These bikes don't like to sit! Not to mention, it does your soul a service to ride regularly. This is a common issue with bikes that sit a lot. Try the Seafoam, and put some miles on that puppy! YOU and your bike will feel much better for it.

Earl

[Scooter Bob]

I have a 2006 RSV with just over 12,000 miles. Purchased this last year and I'm the 3rd owner. Seems to run great and I don't have any complaints. I will admit that I'm not a gear head but can tell when something sounds different or is not right.

 

Got the bike out 2 weeks ago and ran with no issues. Was able to get it out yesterday for a quick run. Noticed this morning that I have 2 drips from the bike. 1 from the first ride and 1 from yesterday. I looked under the bike and I see 4 hoses and I believe they are the carberator air intake. 2 of the hoses are dirty; 1 more so than the other. Have not tore into it yet as I'm hoping to get some help.

 

What was the drip, oil or fuel?

 

I thought at least one of those hoses was crankcase breather, and will push a little oil mist onto the kickstand when running hard, or if the oil level is a bit on the high side.

 

Just my , Scooter Bob

[aspen60]

At least one of those tubes are a crankcase breather tube and if the oil was ever filled up to max you get a little drip now and then out the tubes. I even get drips when the bike sits out where its windy, like the wind is sucking it out by blowing across them, when i park in the garage nothing, and I watch how much oil I put in very carefully now, never going above half way up the sight glass.

[rumboogy]

As per advice from the great people on here...a drip now and then is normal, but also be sure and keep your oil level around 1/2 in the sight glass. I had mine way over the half mark (almost to the top) and I would get a drip occasionally.

 

Also...like the others have said...lots of dirt and grime will accumulate on those drains.

 

Enjoy the bike!

 

Wally

[bongobobny]

Yah!! Half a can of sea foam in a tank of gas and ride it like ya stole it (or rented it) and you should be a happy camper!! Do this every other month. You should change plugs every year as well not because they will be shot, but to keep the bike running problem free!! As stated, keep the oil about half way up the site glass...

[Guest]

As a point of reference, halfway up the sight glass would be 3.5 qts of fresh oil with a new filter. Manual calls for 3.9 qts.

[LilBeaver]

Something else to check would be the bottom of your shock to see if it is all oily, greasy and dirty. It is possible that your shock is letting go too.

 

A drip or two of oil out of those hoses, as folks have mentioned, may not be that big of a deal. But I know that I certainly like to know where it comes from...

[V7Goose]

Hey Scott,

The 4 tubes you are referring to are in deed the overflow tubes for the Carbs. Keep in mind that because these tubes are pretty close to ground level, they collect road dirt and dust thrown up off the road from the tires. As Yammer Dan has mentioned, a dose of Seafoam in the fuel tank will help with sticking floats. No need to get crazy with the Seafoam, but with the Ethanol in the fuel these days, regular usage is not a bad thing. The other thing to do is ride this motorcycle regularly! These bikes don't like to sit! Not to mention, it does your soul a service to ride regularly. This is a common issue with bikes that sit a lot. Try the Seafoam, and put some miles on that puppy! YOU and your bike will feel much better for it.

Earl

I am sorry, but this information is not correct. The carb overflow tubes on a 2nd gen are routed forward to the opening of the air filters. Those four tubes below the bike are two drains from the air plenums (where the crankcase breather is vented), the tank overflow, and the coolant overflow. An occasional drop of oil from those air plenum drains is completely normal, but overfilling the engine with oil will make it much worse. And there is a very specific reason why one of those drain tubes always has more oil/dirt crud on it than the other one! See my detailed explanation in post #11 in this thread:

http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=56649&highlight=vent+tubes

 

Seafoam is an excellent product which will do great things to keep your carbs clean in normal use, but it is not needed and will do absolutely nothing for the issue with oil dripping from those vents.

Goose

[skydoc_17]

Thanks Goose,

I stand Corrected!

Earl

[BG Hawks]

Thank you to all who responded! I certainly can breath a little easier now.