petekadish
-
Posts
299 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Gallery
Events
Store
Everything posted by petekadish
-
I took apart my old DynaGlo Kerosene heater cleaned it all up and gave it a complete tune-up. I then installed the new heater wick, double-checked the quality of the K1 kerosene and filled up the heater. I then took it out to my well-ventilated garage and fired it up. I'm happy to say that it works great! The little bit of odor it gives off is negligible. No smoke is visible and it puts out nice heat. I let it run for about four to five hours and it took the chill out off the garage just enough to where I could stand working out there for a little while. I know that I could probably conduct an experiment and find out the answer for myself, but I figured that with the vast amount of knowledge and experience which we have here, that some probably already knows the answer. So, my little trivia question for you... How cold does it have to be, for you to begin seeing water vapor from your breath? When I first brought my heater in to the garage, I was breathing out big vapor clouds. After the heater had been on for a few hours, all I could see was a few little vapor wisps. Obviously, it had become warmer. Once again, thank you for all the help with this heater project. Everything works well and safely. Now, if I could just defrost all the snow and ice off the roads so that I could ride on some dry roads for a little bit. I am so through with winter mentally. Happy New Year & Be Safe! Pete.
-
Wow! I really should consult with all of you on more things which I think that I'm start enough to attempt, and then I realize that I should have listened to my wife. I am always impressed about the degree of knowledge everyone so freely shares here. And, not just the technical knowledge but the sincere concern for each others small or large challenges. Association with this group is a blessing. I have used this kerosene heater (an old DynaGlo) quite extensively in past years. When I was first married, this heater helped off-set our heating bill. So, we have used it inside quite a bit without any problems. We never run it unattended or after we have gone to bed. And, we would never run it anywhere which didn't have adequate air circulation. On some of these cold winter days, I'm just hoping to run it in the garage to try and take the chill off so that I can work on my bike a little. It's a two-car garage with a big door in the front and a regular size door in the rear. I figure that if I keep the big door closed, I just might be able to generate enough in there to make it bearable - at least I hope so. It's in the teens today. Tuesday it's supposed to be zero degrees. That will probably be colder than I'll be able to deal with. But, maybe in a month or so. Anyway, again thanks for the great tips and advice. Be Safe. Be Warm! Pete.
-
No, not in my bike. I'm smarter than that. Okay, this is way off the topic of bikes & ridin', but the roads are icy, it's the middle of winter and I'm trying to get caught-up on my "to do" list, and I'm looking for a little advice. Last winter, I pulled-out a really old kerosene heater to see if I could warm up my garage enough to putter around with my bike (okay, I guess this is bike related). This heater hasn't been fired-up in probably twenty years. But, it's still in great shape and operates just fine. So, I went out and bought a few gallons of K1 kerosene and filled up the heater. Well, it actually did work well. However, when it was time to turn the wick down, it would not lower enough to extinguish the flame. That was a challenge. I finally ended up smothering it with a tin-foil cap. Anyway, someone recently suggested that my problem with the wick not lowering was probably because the wick was really old and needed to be replaced. So, I got on-line and ordered a new wick. I have my new wick all ready, to put in the heater, but a new concern has been raised. I read somewhere on-line that Kerosene doesn't store well and the quality degrades after a while. Well, I still have about four gallons of the kerosene which I purchased last winter, plus the remainder of what has been sitting in the heater since filling it last winter. The four gallons has been stored inside the garage in a sealed fuel container and I don't expect that any moisture has been able to get in to either that container or in to the heater. If we were talking about fuel for my bike and I had any question about putting anything questionable in it, I wouldn't. It's just too much potential trouble for the little money I could save by buying a few gallons of gas. But, since the mechanics of the heater are so much different than that of an engine, is it all right to try to use this kerosene I bought last year. Or, has it probably broken down or degraded to where it won't provide acceptable performance? I don't want old fuel to cause me any further problems. But, if I can use one year old kerosene, then I won't have to figure out how to dispose of what I have left - I'll just use it. I will wait to do anything with it until I receive some feedback. Your suggestions are appreciated. Thanks! Pete.
-
Dude! That Rocks! I wanna go shoot one now. Are you in to hand-loading yet? I'm curious about what a hot load would be for that gun? Years ago, I was in to some serious competitive handgun shooting sports. I.P.S.C., etc. I finally lost the arms race to all of the other top-gunners with their optical sights and bottomless bank accounts. It was one of those hobbies which began kind of casual and fun and then after some time took all of my weekends and free time. And, always cost more and more money. Finally, I decided that it was just too consuming and expensive. I still have my S&W 686, 2 Glocks, a fully tricked-out, Colt 1911 Competition .45 ACP. and a few other odds & ends. I still enjoy shooting though just for fun. Merry Christmas & Be Safe! Pete.
-
Last night, one of our local Utah news stations featured a story about a family in a neighboring city who has put together the mother of all Christmas light shows. I thought that I had seen a pretty good one on the internet a couple of years ago, but seriously you have got to see this one. Since you’re probably too busy, to come out to this neck of the woods, it’s creator was kind enough to put his entire light show on-line to share with us. http://www.holdman.com/christmas/video.asp Enjoy! Pete.
-
Throughout the summer I sometimes thought that the engine heat off my new Venture was a bit excessive. However, now that it's wintertime, I have decided that it's not too bad at all. I guess that it's all perspective. Pete.
-
Hey Dave! (This is Dave, right?) Just so you're aware . . . there's no membership dues for someone to come ride with a Star Chapter. We always welcome anyone to go on rides or attend events with us. If it's more an issue of riding with groups (more than just a few friends), I understand that. I have a couple of close friends who I ride with all the time, but they aren't interested in the group-riding thing. Personally, I like just about any excuse to ride as long as people are safe and "attitudes" are left at home. I have a feeling that there are a lot of people who think that most organized riding clubs are full of lots of rough stereotypical biker-gang types. And, sure sometimes that's all too true. However, most of the people I know and ride with, are middle-age, church-going folks who just enjoy riding and like to share their interests with like-minded people. Of course not everyone I know and ride with goes to church, but everyone I ride with is always respectful of each other and understands the importance of being a good example of responsible riding. I say this because sometimes non bike-riding people are sometimes surprised when they find out that I ride, or that I ride with some people who look like like tough, biker-type guys. They'll comment to me that I just don't look like a biker, or as a friend of my like to think of himself as - A Riding Enthusiast. It's interesting though, most riders I have met don't show any surprise that I'm a pretty conservative guy who doesn't smoke, drink, etc. Fellow riders are just happy to meet another rider most of the time. And, isn't that the way it ought to be? I would be excited to join another meet & eat. Just let me know the details and in the meantime, let's hope it warms up soon. Be Safe! Pete.
-
I guess the reindeer game was just too challenging for my limited skill set. Just too much trajectory figuring out for me. For those like me who lack blowgun techniques, you might try your batting skills here: http://n.ethz.ch/student/mkos/pinguin.swf Enjoy! Pete.
-
Longer to get there . . .? Oh yea, he's making reference to the fact that those of us second gen. riders tend to take the longer route sometimes because it's just so dang enjoyable to ride the new and improved version Let's keep the communication lines open so we can begin talking about getting together. I always enjoy meeting some new riding buddies. Be warm! Pete.
-
You might have had the first Meet & Eat for this last week, but there are a whole bunch of us Star Riders (many with Ventures) who meet, eat and ride regularly here in Salt Lake & Utah County. Actually, there's a little less riding lately. Apparently some people seem to be uncomfortable riding in temperatures in the teens. Check out our chapter web site at: http://www.starutah.org/SLC_NEW/index.htm The pictures on the front page are of our chapter Christmas party which we held in Salt Lake this last week. Congratulations on the new bike & Merry Christmas! Pete & Sandy
-
Thank you Don! You have done a great job with this site. This community is again one of those examples where if everyone had to be paid for that which they offer, then we couldn't afford it. But, because that which is shared comes from the heart we all benefit. And, thank you to everyone else who contributes here too! What a great site with truely nice and helpful people. You guys are all like the friendly next door neighbor who I can visit with while working on my bike in the driveway or in the garage; always willing to share some helpful advice, a joke, and even some good-natured ribbing. With all of the upside-down thinking and general craziness of today's world, this forum is a nice mental get-away with some friends. Merry Christmas & Be Safe! Pete & Sandy Kadish Orem, Utah
-
Here in central Utah we can get seriously cold, and I have quite a collection of gloves. It seems like most of us try to cut some corners (financially) when outfitting some of our riding gear initially. After all, stuff is expensive and we typically don't spend all that much time riding in really cold weather to justify really expensive gloves. However, many of us have had some memorable trips when we were ill-equipped and were painfully miserable. During those trips we would be willing to pay almost anything to relieve the pain and let us enjoy the rest of the ride. Well, last winter I took a ride that was only about twenty miles away, but it was also only about twenty degrees. Couple that with wind-chill and . . . well, I'll just let you see how cold that was: http://www.weather.gov/os/windchill/index.shtml Anyway, I survived but I also resolved that I was absolutely going to invest in heated gloves before this winter. I carefully researched my options and was always put-off by how much the quality heated clothing cost. After remembering how cold I was, and after reading a lot of personal testimonies I finally decided on Gerbings - http://www.gerbing.com/heat/glovesg3.html Well, it's now December 1st, and I have had a number of occasions to put them to the test. And, all I can say after spending $169 on the gloves and another $69.00 on a duel heat-controller, is that it was worth every frozen penny. In fact, I was so pleased (and toasty-warm) with the the gloves, that I spent another $200 on the Gerbing Jacket Liner. Oh my goodness! And I thought the gloves were nice. The jacket liner is heaven! And, one of the great features is that now I don't have to feel or look like the Michelin Man on cold rides. Yea, it's quite a chunk of change to drop on clothing. I mean, it's not even chrome. But, if you think that you might be in some cold riding situations, you'll never regret having quality gear. Now, I could run through a whole list of all the ways I rationalized spending that much money on gloves, but the bottom-line was that I could not deal with riding with frozen hands anymore. It just takes all the pleasure of the ride away, when all you can think about is how cold you are. Besides, how safe can you be with decreased reaction time, and when you can't feel your controls? So there you have it. Ask others who have purchased quality electric gear and I expect that you'll hear pretty similar opinions. Be Safe (& Warm) Pete.
-
Hey Dale! This summer I rolled over 12,000 on my new Midnight Venture, but before doing so I decided that it was time to research and purchase just the right GPS. My criteria was that it had to be small but had a screen which was easy to read even in the middle of the day, could be mounted on my handlebars but could be easily removed for security reasons, had touch screen, had an memory expansion card which would hold and play .MP3s, and which didn't cost too much. After hunting around a bit on-line (mostly on EBay), I found a place which sold refurbished Garmin Nuvi 350s with a complete manufacturer's warranty for less than $300. I then found a RAM Mount which is designed specifically for the Nuvi and which mounted perfectly on my handlebars. This model is not considered waterproof, but then I didn't see that (or experience it) as a problem. If I get caught in the rain, then I can easily take it off and set it in my tank bag or pocket. If I really needed it while riding in the rain (which I really don't do much if I can avoid it anyway), I could easily put a simple sandwich bag around it and that would work fine. I like the fact that I can run it off the bike's power while riding, or off it's battery power when I'm off the bike. This has proved very useful in motels or on lunch breaks. I have had no problems with it and have been very satisfied with the purchase. Hope that helps! Pete.
-
Good feedback guys. Thank you! Very helpful stuff. Pete.
-
Good idea! I should take some pics. of it. I'll do that after work today and post them this evening. Pete.
-
Hi Guys! I just purchased a friend's (pull behind the bike) trailer and it has the perfect place to mount an ice chest cooler rack right between the hitch and the bed. So, now I'm looking for some suggestions where to look for this type of rack. It would also be nice if I could use it alone (on the hitch) without the trailer. Anyone have some ideas or pictures to share? Thanks & Be Safe! Pete.
-
Hey Guys & Gals! First thing . . . I love this forum! All of you are awesome! However, during the warm weather I am typically either out riding or puttering around outside during my free time, rather than sitting in front of my computer. Yesterday, we reached a record high (for this time of the year), it was 69 degrees. So, I took advantage of the nice day and got all of the remaining leaves raked up, mowed the lawn and trimed the edges and I'm now prepared for the snow and winter weather which is supposed to arrive tonight. he highs are supposed to be in the 40s today! Of course, I will still do a little riding over the next few months now and then (I've got my Gerbing jacket liner & gloves this year), but for the most part my bike will be seeing a lot of garage time from now until spring. The good part, is that I will be able to visit with everyone here more. During these next several cold months, I would like to be able to tinker in my garage a bit making upgrades to the bike, etc. But, typically my garage is too cold to spend much time in during the winter. So, I have been thinking about a propane heater. I have an old Kerosene space heater, but it doesn't quite do the job well enough. At Autozone (an autoparts store here) I saw that they had a propane torpedo-style heater which looked like it might work all right. My garage is an attached, two-car size with a few insulated windows and a regular-sze back door. It's not insulated but can be mostly draft-free and would be considered pretty well ventilated. Ideally, it would be nice to have a full-size industrial garage heater, but I'm not quite up to that point yet. So, I'm looking for a a smaller alternative. I have also tried a couple of smaller space heaters like a dish-style and a box-type, but I found that they didn't work as well in a garage as the do inside the house. I don't want to spend a lot (I know that's relative sorry), but I would like to find out what my choices might be. Has anyone found something which works well for them and can offer some suggestions? Have a Happy & Safe Thanksgiving! Pete.
-
Just a thought . . ., I remember reading about a couple of incidents years ago where someone was either cleaning or refinishing a basement concrete floor with something combustible. Fumes filled the room, and then drifted to the pilot light of a waterheater which resulter in a massive explosion and fireball and resulted in some serious injuries. Pretty scary stuff! That's definately one of those lessons I would rather learn from someone else's experience. Be Safe! Pete.
-
Now, I'm about the only person who I have ever heard bring this up regarding Lemon Pledge, but I'm pretty sure that my suspicions are correct. Lemon Pledge attracts yellow jackets. Now, I have had some people say that the Yellow Jackets are just attracted to all the dead bugs on my ride. That sounds reasonable, but pretty much as soon as I returrn my a ride I clean-up the bike. And, even after giving the bike a good wash and polishing it up with Lemon Pledge, the Yellow Jackets still seemed to hang around the bike. And, when I stopped using the Lemon Pledge, and it wore off, the Yellow Jackets went away. I know that my bike is sweeeet, but I'm no fan of Yellow Jackets. Bee Safe! Pete.
-
I don't like wearing helmets . . ., unless I'm riding in wintertime cold, or the rain, and then I don't mind them too much. However, now that I'm getting older and a little smarter, I realize that I need to overcome this attitude. Over the past few years I have tried a number of different helmets and found that I prefer different styles depending on the season. With my new Venture I also now use a headset/intercom system (Air Riders) and that is influencing my choice to wear a helmet more often. My current quest has to do with full-face helmets. If I wear a full-face helmet, it has to be a flip-up. I always ride with glasses or sunglasses and this is the style I prefer. When I wear my full-face, it's my XL, HJC Symax. The price was fair and it was pretty comfortable (considering that I don't really like wearing helmets). This past summer I road about 12,000 miles and had the opportunity to ride through a number of states which required I wear a helmet. During that time, I experimented with a few different helmets which really reminded me why I don't like helmets - it's because I'm not comfortable in them. Most of my riding is here in the Mountain West (Utah), and it's HOT here in the summer. Thank goodness it's not humid here, I don't think that I could cope with that. I tried a XXL, AGV 3/4 Helmet that was kind of cool-looking and pretty inexpensive. But, I soon discovered that the lack of cushioning on my forehead was unbearable. I then purchased an XL, HJC 3/4 and was pretty satisfied with that as a non-full-face helmet. A little while ago, I either heard or read somewhere that different brands of helmets have different fits and feels. So, I decided to try on a helmet which was far more expensive than I thought I would ever consider. I also tried a XXL instead of just an XL (I got a big head). I couldn't take it out to ride with it, but I did try it inside the store, and I think I can begin to understand why they cost so much more. What a difference over the less expensive ones I have tried. It actually felt all right. The helmet I tried was a Shoei Multitec. It was really comfortable. Secure but not too tight, it was a positive first impression. So, I put a down-payment on it and thought I would check and see if anyone here has had any experience with this particular helmet and especially using it with a headset. I really hope that this will be a helmet purchase I won't regret. Not that I want to test it's safety effectivness, but I do need to (learn?) to be happy with it so I will use it. For those who know, is the Shoei Multitec pretty quiet? Are different size cheekpads available? Any concerns I ought to be aware of about them. The best price I have found through a local dealer is $410. Your opinions are appreciated. Be Safe! Pete.
-
I've got a beautiful trailer for sale, but I suppose that it's a little out of the way from Texas. But just in case, I'll include a link to some info. on it. I would also consider a trade for a really nice "pull behind my bike" trailer like a Bushtec or an Escapade. If I can't find a great trade, I'll be in the market to purchase one. If anyone has any leads, please pass them on to me. Thanks! http://www.ksl.com/?nid=218&ad=2027904&cat=&lpid= Be Safe! Pete.
-
Sorry about that! Yea, my former ride that I installed the Dyna 3000, was actually a '96 Royal Star Standard. And, I did find that the Dyna 3000 was a worthwhile performance enhancement. It doesn't make the bike go any faster (we all know that black bikes are the fastest anyway - with the Black-Cherry coming in a close second). However, the Dyna unit does help to move the bike out of it's stock, Rev-limiter powerband so that you can wind it up a bit more in the lower gears. But like I said previously, after putting on about 9,000 miles on my new '07, RSV I'm not really sure that it would make all that difference. I'm actually pretty happy with the way it feels now. But, then I also have said that about my original windshield, my backrest, and most recently about synthetic motor oil. But, then again . . . . there's no Dyna unit available for the '07 RSV at this point yet anyway. That's okay though, Im not running ourt of things to spend money on for my bike yet. That never seems to be a problem - finding stuff, that is. Paying for it is a continuing challenge. Pete.
-
Sorry about that! Yea, my former ride that I installed the Dyna 3000, was actually a '96 Royal Star Standard. And, I did find that the Dyna 3000 was a worthwhile performance enhancement. It doesn't make the bike go any faster (we all know that black bikes are the fastest anyway - with the Black-Cherry coming in a close second). However, the Dyna unit does help to move the bike out of it's stock, Rev-limiter powerband so that you can wind it up a bit more in the lower gears. But like I said previously, after putting on about 9,000 miles on my new '07, RSV I'm not really sure that it would make all that difference. I'm actually pretty happy with the way it feels now. But, then I also have said that about my original windshield, my backrest, and most recently about synthetic motor oil. But, then again . . . . there's no Dyna unit available for the '07 RSV at this point yet anyway. That's okay though, Im not running ourt of things to spend money on for my bike yet. That never seems to be a problem - finding stuff, that is. Paying for it is a continuing challenge. Pete.
-
Hey Leonard! When I got my new '07 RSMV this year, I was going to put my old Dyna 3000 (from off my old '96 RSV) on my new ride. I figured that both of them were Royal Star 1300s, so it ought to work. But, before doing so I decided to contact Dynatech and double-check with them. They told me that my old Dyna 3000 unit should not be installed on the new '07 RSV. They do not have a Dyna unit which could be installed on an '07 RSV, and . . ., they informed me that "they do not yet make a Dyna 3000 for the '07 RSV". So, I sold my old Dyna 3000 last week. However, I have found that with the increased performance and more recent technology on this eleven year old (newer) bike, that it's just not needed as much. I have clocked about 9,000 miles on this new bike in the last few months, and have yet to hit the rev-limiter, and I don't really baby it either. I think that the 32mm carbs just help with the pick-up better than the old 28mm carbs on my '96 did. Hope that helps! Be Safe! Pete.
