videoarizona

http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?511-Tightening-the-Steering-Head

Shinkos

((@videoarizona Hope we can also meet in person someday! As you know, I have a house in Arizona as well....no Venture down there, only a Goldwing..but hope to take you up on a meet and eat if the moons align!)) Absolutely. Just need to let me know in advance when you'll be down.

Yes...but that is the only attachment I can see. The shaft of the center nut is "loose" around the top of the triple tree if the nut isn't there. So once the center nut is loosened, you can still tighten up the bearings. At least, that was the way I saw it when I did that this past summer. But maybe I was wrong....you know far more about it than I do...obviously. Guess I'll take another look at it when I lower the front end the rest of the way...another 1/4 inch.

Me either. Loosening the center main nut was all I needed to tighten up the bearings. To me, it seems the center steering stem "floats" in the top triple tree cover hole made for it...it isn't tied down to it at all other than the center nut.

((I'm mainly depressed with the look and design of the bike and limited range. I associate Motorcycles with Freedom and not being tied down....)) I hear ya. I agree about design. Right now I'm wondering if Yamaha does come out with a new Venture...will it be worth my investment to buy one with the limited amount of time I have left to ride. The hands hurt, the upper body strength is slowly going away and the fear of getting run over is becoming more than just a vagrant thought in my pea brain. We shall see... david

Before you go into leveling links, I would suggest you look into the free modification of lowering the front end. I lowered mine 3/4 inch and will lower it 1/4 in ch more. The difference was like adding power steering. That and getting my front tire repaired so it doesn't leak and keep pressure at 40 pounds would help tremendously in the slow corners. There is a lot of info and pictures here on an earlier post about lowering front end.....may even be in the tech library. It sounds like a lot of work and does take time, but it isn't difficult at all. Add to that, the head bearing adjustment, mine was to loose, and my 05 RSV's personality on slow speed maneuvers changed nicely! Yes I was tired from 100 plus miles of twisties on the Devil's Highway, but we had already ridden 6 hours to get there, and I ended up with a 12 hour day in the saddle. So I'm not complaining at all about riding the RSV anywhere! Remember I do have the stock front 150 size tire. Going to a 130 would make it even easier for slow speed turns. Bottom line: there are 3 things you can do to improve the low speed handling of an RSV and 2 out of 3 are free. Last, I have a 1st gen as well....if you really want another scoot...then my recommendation is to buy a late model 1st gen. It goes through twisties like a modern sportbike, just a bit heavier. Yes you will have to modernize the brakes and maybe do some other work on her, but will take 2 up through any twisties all day long! And yes, when I get off either of my 2 Ventures, I do look back and smile. If ya needs some help...I'm new at this stuff (about 2 years now on Ventures) but will be happy to chat about my recommendations. Phone in my profile. david

I put a Shinko on my 89. Had a bit of a sway, too. Found out if I pump the tire to 42lbs, all is good. Not sure if it was the tire at 38 or not. Just know the higher pressure stopped it for me. I have 230's on front and rear. Love how well it sticks and handles.

Whoa! Nice list Dion, thanks. When I got out in 73, I really felt like I had come back to a different country. The military was not appreciated. At least now, I'm beginning to think this is changing....slowly...but still changing. Hmm..if I want to drive back up to Tucson twice tomorrow, I can eat free all day. Doesn't beat my cooking...but does beat my having to wash the dishes!! Cool.

Yikes! Hope you don't feel bad...a lot of people don't know this. The only caveat to using antennas these days is how far the station is from your home. The old analog days, fringe reception was snowy but possible. Nowadays, the digital signal simply drops. The FCC calls the new stuff "progress". Well, I know a number of engineers that disagree with that. Yea it's a better picture, but very difficult to get in a city, in the car or from far away. (one of the reasons the old large antennas work so much better than any of the new ones). Once again, the FCC chose the wrong transmission format. Sigh...

Actually, you don't need an HD antenna. Any good old VHF/UFH antenna that used to work back in the analog days for your area...will still work today. I dusted off my large roof top antenna from 25 years ago and it's grabbing local Tucson channels over 40 miles away! Radio Shack and others might argue about this but the only thing that's changed is the signal is now digital instead of analog. That plus some stations had to re-align their frequency due to swapping of channels. It's still VHF or UHF carriers. Also...still against the law for any HOA to refuse to allow you to use a TV antenna.

Since many of youse is Vets (like the Engrish?)...suggest you may want to scarf up some free grub for lunch on Vet's Day...this Wednesday. http://www.texasroadhouse.com/ Enjoy! david Now where is my DD214 ??

Sounds like your scoot is getting anxious to hit the road! Good work! Keep us informed...

Interesting. On my 89 with stock tires, etc., 4100 rpm is about where I am at 75mph.

Is there a community college (or trade school or high school with welding/metal shop class) nearby? Sometimes they take on outside projects to teach the kiddies how to....

Yikes! Glad you are OK!!

Yeppers...me too! But I do like the idea of buying a couple of remotes and mounting them hidden on the bikes. Getting tired of trying to remember which jacket has the remote!! Grins!

Sounds like a good plan, Jim. Puc is right, you probably have some corrosion somewhere common to the two circuits that have the voltage drop. Like maybe the run switch or something like that. Resistance will show you the problem. Good luck and let us know what you find! I'm at 50K miles and did buy djh3's bypass relay and installed it...just in case!

I found it by accident after spraying the tire. It's right where the rim and tire meet. About one inch in length and leaks from 40 pounds down to about 34 then stops leaking. I marked it...

Thanks all. Appreciate the inputs. Going to take another look at it this weekend. Have a board meeting to prepare for, but after that on Saturday, I can get greasy and down and dirty and maybe take the tire off and see what's going on. From your thoughts, I see it can't hurt. david

Been reading about those who have had slow leaks in their tires. Didn't find anyone who let the air out, cleaned the area and put air back in. I was thinking of putting bike on lift, letting most of air out then running a plastic handle or something like that around the rim right where the leak is...between the rim and the tire. Maybe a piece of gunk not cleaned out when new tire went on? I'm a bit shy about doing this as I don't want o get into the position of not being able to get the tire to seat again. I don't have any sealer or such but could use some soap and water while trying to reseat tire. Thoughts appreciated...

That's what we did. The heaviest cold weather clothes were packed in the saddlebags. Tools and such in right bag, clothes in left. Trunk had only very light stuff all day long. My regular clothes was strapped to pillion seat. My passenger...grins!

Sounds right to me. and my thoughts exactly! I pushed my 2nd Gen pretty hard last week in the twisties....but did finally slow down about 3/4 way down the mountain as I was getting tired. The scoot is great for sweeping turns at speed and loves the highway too...just not made for the short turns and narrow twisties at slow speed. I got about 60% of the turns right...the rest...not quite so. Only went over the line twice. It's just a big bike to push through the turns. Oh...and my front is lowered 3/4 inch. Front tire has very slow leak and only had 36 pounds instead of 40 I had in the morning. Running normal 150 width tire too. The last two items didn't help...but the experience was important to me. I do take my time with a group...it's my ride...

Well, it seems Mr Fool has done it again! Reports are streaming in from the outer boonies...for us locals to batten down the hatches, pull the women and chillins inside .... as the dreaded "Snowbirds" are heading this way! Yep! They are streaming West in cattlecars, wagons, RV's and Buicks. Yikes! Darn...I was hoping for a few more weeks of peace and quiet....so goes the neighborhood... Sigh... david