New Owner '05 RSTD/Power??/Windshield

[yuckly]

Hey Ya'll! This is a fantastic site! this is a long thread to give a little background on my situation, and its raining so i have nothing better to do......sorry...

 

I am a new rstd owner and a fairly new rider. I hadn't ridden for 25 years when i bought a vtx1300 last november and racked up 2500 miles over the winter (not crazy mileage, but that's a lot of 50 mile rides). brrrr!! but loved it!

I went to get new rubber on the front of the VTX and was tooling around the Honda shop looking at bikes while I waited. I sat on a used '05 RSTD that i had seen many times at the shop and just sat there in awe thinking, "some day..." Well, much to my surprise the asking price was way less than i expected. It had everything on it that i wanted on my VTX so I traded up!!

 

The day i went to pick it up, i fired it up and started to walk around the bike admiring how beautiful it was and getting really fired up! Then i noticed a gas leak from under the tank- kinda flowing off the petcock and dripping down on the cylinder vents. Abort mission, up on lift, tank off, let's figure this out. They said that the bike had been sitting and needed some gaskets replaced and also floats in the carbs. "it didn't do that when we tested it", "this happens when it sits for awhile", etc. Ok. get'r fixed. back on the vtx...

 

Ok cool. Go back 5 days later and it is ready to go. Of course, it is not a v-twin so i had to get used to the differences in torque (i guess?) and running the V4 at higher rpms. When i got it out on the highway and started to crank the thottle it was not responding and I was having trouble getting it over 65mph?? wtf? Well, part of this was that i was shifting into overdrive (5th) at too low a speed and did not realize that 4th gear had that type of range to it, BUT OD was doing NOTHING?? I had the throttle pegged and NOTHING. I returned to the shop and they rode it- everything is fine. Put it on the Dyno, everything is fine.

 

Ok, rode it again. NOPE, everthing is not fine, and returned to the shop and told them this can't be right? I only got 100 miles to a tank of gas??!?!?!?!. The mechanic rode it and came back and said you are not crazy, 5th gear is just dumping fuel into the carbs. Its not getting enough air. The mechanic said that the filters needed to be replaced as they were probably soaked with gas and it was limiting the airflow. it ran fine 1-4 but sputtered in 5th. Long story short, they put K&N's in it for me, the mechanic took it out and said all good and he had it over 100mph.

 

It WAS noticeably better. loved it. nice power. learned to run higher rpms, pretty much never get it into 5th gear around town. daily rider. frickin' LOVE it!!! Also started to realize what a big friggin' windshield does to power?? never rode a bike with a windshied?? took it off one day and i was like- holy sh!t, this is the way it is supposed to run!! still though, no long highway miles...

 

1200 miles later, I was riding down toward Myrtle yesterday and the frickin wind was insane. Got the big windshield on and I am desperately trying to maintain speed and i am just getting slowed down and pushed back from 60 to 52, then hit an air pocket and speed up to 65. I am pogoing back and forth and starting to get irratated. Finally i just hammer the throttle in 4th to 65 and shift up to OD, and it just bogs down and sends me back down to 50... so...

 

They question after this long frickin history of my life IS:

Is it typical for the windshield to cause such powerloss in windy situations?? If so, why dosesn't the bike have enuff power to push thru the wind? Is there something wrong with carbs or an adjustment that needs to be made?? what the heck should it do?? if i have to take the windshield off to go 75 mph, doesn't that defeat the purpose?? I wanna ride out west this summer! This just doesn't seem right??

 

I appreciate your time in answering some questions for this newbie:depressed:! educate me VentureRider.org!!!!!

 

Thanks! Pete

[eusa1]

Welcome to the funny farm!

There is no reason or any amount of wind that would keep that motor from pulling you and your windshield into the trpple digits.

Post your city and location and see if a fellow member could come and sync your carbs for you?

my guess is that your only running on 3 cylinders??

good luck and keep us posted.

Ps/ spend the 12 bucks!

[Phoneman1981]

Welcome to the site. I also own an 05 RSTD. You came to the right place for advice and assistance. Not a nicer bunch of owners. I agree, no windshield should hinder you that much. Keep us posted. Just wondering how you discovered the VR site?

[yuckly]

pete monkey junction area

[RandyR]

don't even use 4th in town. 4th is for over 50-55mph. 5th gear is for over 65mph (and no head wind, use 4th in a headwind).

 

as mentioned, check to make sure you're firing on all 4cyclinders. Let the engine cool. start it up. carefully feel for heat near the exhaust headers.

[yuckly]

the VR site came up whenever googling about the bike. I was part of VTX cafe, so I was looking for a forum.

[yuckly]

thanks RR. I think that was what i was doing? Once i get out of my neighborhood, it is all 55mph 4 lane around here. I never use 5th, but then again, i really can't.

 

I will check the cylinders. haven;t fired it up yet today.... will report back.

[jfoster]

I agree too on running on three cylinders. I too went from a vtx1300 to a rstd, to me the power difference was noticeably better than the vtx. Fuel mileage reports vary like opinions, but on my old 06 rstd it avg 32 to 37 mpg for 29k miles with the stock windshield.

 

Fwi, I rode mine in 5th gear from 55 mph and up and never had an issue.

[motorcycle_1300]

Having owned a 2001 royalstar(not the rsv) and having the tall windshield on the bike I can say you should have no problems pulling from 40 mph on up in 5th gear. My previous dealer replaced the head gaskets on my 2007 venture. While putting things back together they broke the right front cam shaft. the bike ran real rough kicking and bucking in both 4th and 5th gear. once I got up to about 65 I could shift into 5th without the bike bucking like a car in a drivers ed class. fought with that dealer for three months getting told the bike was running fine, and knowing better. one day decided I had had enough and started doing my own investigation. feel your cylinder walls is one noticable cooler than the rest? pull plug wires one at a time is there one that makes no difference in performance? if so in either case that cylinder is not firing. find another dealer have them straighten out the bike. Only cost me 800 to have another dealer fix my bike, Yamaha wouldn't cover the repair under the warrwenty said it was dammaged by the first dealer and therefore not covered. Next look to the carbs/ air flow. consider the ignition system. In any case things are not right. Being a Yamaha dealer does not mean the mechanics are factory trained. There are levels of certification Yamaha assigns the dealers a bronze level shop just means they have been trained via a dvd course( corespondence course) just a little better than the training you can get in art on a book of matches. Silver and gold indicate a much higher level of training. Just because a shop is certified does not mean the mechanic working on your bike knows his butt from a hole in the ground. Look for a local star riders chapter in your area ask them where to go.

 

Al

[Phoneman1981]

the VR site came up whenever googling about the bike. I was part of VTX cafe, so I was looking for a forum.

 

 

Thanks. Just wondering. I learned about the VR site via word of mouth locally and got involved a while after purchasing my bike. The advice and help are priceless. Best $12 I have ever spent. The friendships are PRICELESS!!!!!

[yuckly]

all cylinders are firing. burnt my fingers? haha!!

 

Not a yamaha dealership where serviced. that could be an issue to start...

 

I will ride today and see what happens? I appreciate all of your responses and please, if you are around wilmington shoot me a message.

 

Sincerely, pete

[Yammer Dan]

Sea-Foam?? Miracle worker on these carbs. There are a lot of cleaners out there but most have chemicals that will harm the carbs. Sea-Foam is costly but well worth it. Use a good strong dose 1st time to clean things out. I use a whole can to less than 1/4 tank of gas on one that really needs it. Put it in tank then run long enough to insure carbs are full of mixture. Leave it sit at least overnight then ride it like you stole it til you have to fill up. You will see a difference.

The carbs leaking gas when you got it could have been cured with Sea-Foam. That is a good sign floats were sticking a little. They probally just cleaned a little. Soaking in the Sea-Foam and using a little after will keep the gas we have to use now from cruding things up.

[wes0778]

all cylinders are firing. burnt my fingers? haha!!

 

Not a yamaha dealership where serviced. that could be an issue to start...

 

I will ride today and see what happens? I appreciate all of your responses and please, if you are around wilmington shoot me a message.

 

Sincerely, pete

 

Like Dan says, Seafoam!!!!

But if one cylinder has been running REALLY rich, then it may be time for a spark plug inspection and replacement.

[Yammer Dan]

Like Dan says, Seafoam!!!!

But if one cylinder has been running REALLY rich, then it may be time for a spark plug inspection and replacement.

 

:sign yeah that::sign yeah that: Sea-Foam doesn't help plugs. I wouldn't change plug til after I ran the Sea-Foam. It can kill a weak plug.

[spke]

Had a similar issue one day when I was working on my RSV. Had taken the lower fairing off to work on Cruise. Got it fixed and went for a ride with fairing off. Bike ran like CRAP! in 4th and 5th. Thinking "now what have i messed up". Checked everything over good and tried again. Still the same. Then dawn broke over marblehead. With the fairing off I was getting too much air in the intake. Running real lean at speed.

 

Look for something like that affecting your intake(s). There's a couple little hoses that hang around near the lowers that need to be in still air (I think).

 

sp!ke

[RSTDdog]

If you are really running on all 4 cylinders and you can't get over 65 with the windshield on a couple of things come to mind.

 

First I doubt they did a thorough job cleaning the carburetors. There are 4 of them, one for each cylinder, and doing this right takes the better part of 4- 6 hrs. Everything needs to be clean and spotless inside. There is no "thats good enough" when it comes to carbs. A couple of partially plugged jets, improperly adjusted floats, it may run but not great.

 

Another issue may be the fuel pump. It has an electric fuel pump. If this is bad, it won't move enough fuel to the carbs under load. If you turn the key on, without starting, you should hear it run for a bit and slow down and stop as it builds the pressure up. Best time to listen for it is when its cold before you start it the first time.

 

How many miles on this bike?

 

I would investigate the fuel pump as well as the fuel filter. If you can't hear the fuel pump run, take it off the bike, squirt carb cleaner in both sides of it and cycle it on and off several times. Use some jumper wires and a 12 volt battery. Its a solenoid type electric pump and varnished gas can lock it up just enough so that it doesn't pump fuel. If after doing that the fuel pump doesn't work, you will need to replace it. The Yamaha one is pricey. A quick search here will turn up an automotive pump that some use as a replacement. Replace the fuel filter while you are in taking off the pump.

 

As someone else mentioned, check that the fairing lowers are on (black plastic things on either side of the radiator and they partially cover the airbox. These bikes will not run right with the lowers off. Also check that no one has drilled holes or other wise modified the airbox.

 

If you are not mechanically inclined, you need to get this bike to someone who knows what they are doing. This bike running correctly will do 95 in 3rd with the windsheild on and two up.

 

Welcome to the site, let us know how you make out.

 

RSTDdog

[Dave77459]

I'll just add some anecdotal comments to give you some data points from a guy that actually rides an RSTD....

 

Dealers very frequently don't know how to do a carb sync, and sync'd carbs make a huge difference.

 

Heading to West Texas with a strong headwind, I was out of gas at 80 miles. Not on reserve, but pouring gas from a can into my tank because I was dry. These windscreens are huge and efficient, but they kill mpg. On the other hand, they keep you dry in downpours and allow you to relax enough for 1000+ mile days.

 

On my recent ride to Leakey, 500 miles or so, I was in 5th gear maybe 10 miles. I was only doing 70-75mph, and 5th lugs with any headwind and going up hill. Even if it doesn't lug, I don't get the crisp response that I like with 4th gear. I get better economy in 4th at those speeds anyways.

 

I know some people claim SeaFoam is a miracle agent, and I am glad for them. If you try it, I hope it works for you.

 

Good luck,

 

Dave

[RSTDdog]

 

Heading to West Texas with a strong headwind, I was out of gas at 80 miles. Not on reserve, but pouring gas from a can into my tank because I was dry. These windscreens are huge and efficient, but they kill mpg.

Dave

 

Not to Hijack the OPs thread (which I am doing), but I think this statement needs a few more data points. With a 5.3 gallon posted capacity , the above translates into 15.0 MPG assuming you left with something close to a full tank (fuel up to the filler neck?)

 

What was the sum total of the conditions that led to 15.0 mpg? Wind speed, Bike speed, Loading, trailer???

 

I think the worst tank I have ever seen was in the 25 mpg range, riding two up ( 360 lbs)with the windshield and bags packed. I can't envision headwinds alone dropping me another 10 mpg but I don't tow a trailer either. My typical tanks are in the 33-35 mpg range two up with the windshield. Any headwinds capable of dropping me to 15mpg I would probably choose not to actually ride my RSTD in those.

 

Without more facts, getting 15 mpg tells me you may still have some running problems.

 

RSTDdog

[djh3]

My best guess would also be a carb sync, sedement issue. Throw some sea foam at it (I also use Berrymans B12) and ride it. I know we have some memebrs around your area that could maybe help you out with getting carbs sync'd.

As far as maintaining speed, yea you should be able to run 70-80 in OD with no problem. I have a RSV and mine pushes the big ole fairing and tall windshield right down the road, even two up. Enjoy your new ride.

[yuckly]

been doing the seafoam since i got it.

[RandyR]

I suggest try to make one of the Meet & Eats in your area and get one of the experienced riders to take a look-see.

[etcswjoe]

Welcome to the forum. You are fairly close to several members just look on the Membership list. If you really want the bike looked over good come to Maintenance Day at Don's in two weeks.

[yuckly]

I spoke with dealer and will be taking it back to get serviced again. figured i would give them another shot on their dollar since i will be out of town for the weekend?

 

I will report back next week.

 

thank you all for your responses and help. I really appreciate it!!

[Dave77459]

Not to Hijack the OPs thread (which I am doing), but I think this statement needs a few more data points. With a 5.3 gallon posted capacity , the above translates into 15.0 MPG assuming you left with something close to a full tank (fuel up to the filler neck?)

 

What was the sum total of the conditions that led to 15.0 mpg? Wind speed, Bike speed, Loading, trailer???

 

I think the worst tank I have ever seen was in the 25 mpg range, riding two up ( 360 lbs)with the windshield and bags packed. I can't envision headwinds alone dropping me another 10 mpg but I don't tow a trailer either. My typical tanks are in the 33-35 mpg range two up with the windshield. Any headwinds capable of dropping me to 15mpg I would probably choose not to actually ride my RSTD in those.

 

Without more facts, getting 15 mpg tells me you may still have some running problems.

 

RSTDdog

The tank was completely full (I have punched holes in the filler neck) and I was riding unencumbered by trailer or pillion. I was going 75-ish mph, because the speed limit was 80mph and I didn't want to get run down. I think the big difference was the 40+ mph headwind. I did say it was a strong headwind, right?

 

This was a there-n-back ironbutt to Balmorhea; 550 miles there, 550 miles back. On the way back, the wind had slacked (of course) but was still blowing. I passed 150 miles on the return first tank with just barely seeing the count-up timer. I stopped because I had to pee and the next station was a further 50 miles.

 

Hope this clarifies somewhat,

 

Dave

[Guest tx2sturgis]

Since Yuckly has not reported a vibration issue, I tend to believe its not a carb synch problem. The carbs may still be slightly out of sync, but probably not enough to cause a low power situation that noticeable.

 

The bike may have air leaks in or around the carb manifolds or diaphrams....causing a lean running situation. Or maybe the fuel filter has gotten partially plugged. Just a guess here, but it could be related to the original gas leaking problem, or the mechanics lack of expertise on the repair. Leaking gas is not normal, there was something wrong that caused that, and it may or may not be related.

 

I would focus on the fuel flow issues. As one member wrote, it could even be the fuel pump.

 

These bikes have plenty of power to push the bike down the road in 5th gear at 50-100 mph, although grabbing a lot of throttle in 5th below about 60 mph is not very rewarding. 5th is a true overdrive and is mainly for holding a cruising speed.

 

I know this has to be a frustrating time, but with any luck, and a good mechanic, or help from a knowledgeable member here, you will get it figured out.