videoarizona

Nice one, Van...! Next target: Your bike and.....a firetruck and/or an ambulance with a fireman/EMT standing next to your bike...

Went for my Saturday run with VR. Passed two known "Pieces of art": One could be considered a sculpture, the other a statue. Youse guys and gals decide if either of these makes the grade... Well known restaurant...now closed. Amado, AZ. Well known restaurant called Wisdom's...with two chickens in front. Serve Mexican food in Tumicacori, AZ.

That's nice. Now if my HOA wouldn't mind me keeping that outside! Here's a trailer I really like! david

Well, I stand corrected. Looks like the link Steve posted has the originals as the first choice. Yep...I'll go there after my ride today. Need to find a statue here in southern AZ for Scavenger Hunt....!!

Craig, I have the Cramp Buster too....but figured I would cut the Grip Puppy shorter on that side to make room for Buster. The California group that used to sell them I think is still there, just not the web site. I emailed them last week and got back an email that said I could still order Grip Puppies (the originals) from them by phone....haven't done it yet so don't know what the situation is over there... It seems you could only buy them there or in the UK. The ones on ebay don't seem to be the originals....so not sure I would trust them. Originals should run around $25/set, if memory serves?? They didn't tear up or break down like a simple foam grip would... The Kuryakin ISO grips seems to have excellent reviews. They would be my recommendation if I replaced my grips... There also is a ton of info on various cycle store sites about how to take off grips. Getting the old glue to separate seems simple enough using the right tools (Thin screwdriver, WD40, etc.,) and the only hard part would be taking apart the throttle assembly so you can slip the grip off, then put the new on. FWIW david

Got mine in and they look like they will fit on the front just fine. Just need to find a way to mount the wire screen..... Didn't get the rear ones yet. Will wire the fronts for running/turn. But first, need to go for a ride in the morning...!

Interesting Idea, Doug, using the regulator. Will look into that. Well...with lots of miles under my belt on the road (fun travel), I've never met a gauge that was accurate to another. Just ordered that digital gauge. We'll see how that works. Found my VR rear tire was scalloping...so I took it's air pressure to max on sidewall...the heck with 40 pounds!

Ben, I have no clue how you were able to piece the fairing back together. I see the results but am completely mystified. Good job! Thanks for sharing your repair link...eyeopener for this kid!

Wish I had known this before I bought the plast-aid stuff....but I know it now! Thank you for that, Heather! I heard back from Interstate plastics. Big on-line retailer. He recommended Kydex material. Easily transformed without special tools. IE, possible for us to form shapes with the stuff using a little heat... http://tinyurl.com/oo3uxm3 In reading the product liturature...looks like it's strong, not easily damaged, Stands up to impacts, scratches, comes in a variety of colors and textures....etc.. Nothing back yet from the Past-aid people. Been over a week....so don't think I'll be doing business with them again...especially now we know, thanks to Heather, that the same stuff can be had just about anywhere....

Don't know if this shop can make curves...but: http://www.emachineshop.com/machine-shop/Custom-ABS-Plastic-Parts/page472.html Download CAD software, design your part, send it in. Soon, we will be able to do this at home with our own 3D printers....on ABS!

The piece shattered when I put side pressure on it....the rest stuck to the ABS. The instructions say you can let it harden up a bit then form it and stick it. That's what I did. I ended up taking two pieces of aluminum, coating it with JB Weld on both sides and let that harden overnight. It seems to be working. I sanded it some to even it out a bit, then drilled my holes and used JB Weld to attach that piece to the ABS section. I put the section back on the bike today and screwed it down snug...Crossing fingers. Heather....that looks like the same size piece I made. If this doesn't work...I'll head back to store and get some makeup stuff! Thank you! BTW, the company (Plast-Aid) hasn't yet responded to my question about why it didn't work.... On my other tab fixes I did use good old epoxy. I'm a firm believer in the West System as I use it for my boat projects. Guess I should have stuck to that. Although Epoxy needs a good thickener and fiberglass cloth as it's to brittle by itself. I didn't know we could use heat to bend the ABS. Guess I'd better find some and do some more experimenting. Thanks!

When the court system and the law no longer recognizes "I didn't see the motorcycle" as an excuse, we will get legal parity with those who drive cars....

I always use liquid tape on my crimped connections on the boat...and on the bikes. Solder doesn't handle vibrations well. Covered with heat shrink or electrical tape. Prefer heat shrink to seal the connection. You know..I think it really depends upon the connection type, load and area of connection that determines the degree of vibration and corrosion.

http://www.sealmate.net/

I was out staring at my fuel knob. I "think" you are on reserve. It almost looks like there is a remnant of an arrow on the top side of the knob. Looking at one of your pics. Either that or a goober....! Easiest way to check is ride until reserve light comes on...if motor doesn't die at some point after, you must be on reserve! http://s1078.photobucket.com/user/Rip_Parsells/media/DSC05943_zpsbc85f454.jpg.html?sort=3&o=8

Yep...the 1st gens are sport touring bikes. Handle really well..nothing sedate about a 1st gen. Glad you made the ride back safely!

Thanks Vito! Ordered them! david

Really pretty...sigh!

Rats...all gone.

> Ben Prairiehammer suggested I do that to my VR. I coiled the extra cable in a figure 8 under the seat. Taped it down. My CB performance increased dramatically! From what the manufacturer said, the antenna and the cable are pre-tuned at the factory....so if you install it as is...you are pretty close already. My SWR tests came out very nice! fwiw...

Prayers Up for him and his family!

Not trying to be smart about this....but...the top burn docs in the country disagree with you... The "abrasion" causes heat which is what burns the skin layers. Burns actually occur below the layer being "burned". The top layers are injured by the abrasion, the bottom layers are injured by the heatgenerated. That is what makes a burn deadly. I'm hoping Steve's injuries aren't that deep...just surface abrasion. david

Steve, I have a good idea what you are going through, having spent lots of time filming burn victims and what they go through. That's what a road rash is...a burn. For that reason alone, I put up with the AZ heat in my helmet, jacket, gloves, pants and boots. Don't care for the heat...but not fond of the other at all..... I'm sorry to hear you deposited "lots o skin" to the road gods...but here's hoping you will heal fast! Thanks for letting us know what happened. Time to go check some fender nuts....so to speak! Have a great trip to the Aloha State! I love Kauai! Prayers Up! david

"Retire" means you are no longer working for someone else. Now it's time for you to work for yourself. Keep this in mind and you will never regret "retiring"!!! Congrats and enjoy! david