ediddy

My services were included in the price of my bike so I have everything the book calls for when it is due.

I talked to a Kawasaki dealer last week also. He went to the dealer show recently. He also said no one knows what the price will be. Also said the bike wouldn't go into production until January. He said Kawasaki asked dealers how they felt about the bike and asked for their input. One thing he said he would like to see was a way to slide the rear passenger backrest back. I think he said the older models were built so you slide the trunk back about 4". He said this not me, eveyone doesn't have a wife that weighs 105 pounds so the adjustment would be good for the, ah em "full figured women". But it was interesting that Kawasaki was asking the dealers for their input. I also talked to a yamaha dealer the same day and I told him there were a lot of people disappointed with the 09 venture. He said he was just as disappointed. He said the touring market was a big market but yamaha doesn't seem to care about getting their share. He said a dealer usually only gets 2 ventures each year. He also said yamaha makes a good product but they do things their way and they don't listen to anything the dealers say. He said he had been going to dealer meetings for years and has head many good suggestions but yamaha couldn't care less about what the dealers say. I think he may be right.

I would go but I'm afraid since I'm from Georgia there would be an Alabama Bike Rally Priviledge Tax.

I don't want to offend anyone from Alabama but that state is not business friendly. I saw a bumper sticker a few years ago that said "make getting welfare as difficult as it is to get a building permit." I know that was a joke but it is so true. Now for the rest of the story. I work with motorcycle dealers to provide insurance coverage for their customers when they buy a bike and need insurance before they leave the dealer. I am available on the weekends when most bikes are sold. I work with some dealers in Columbus, Georgia which is on the line of Alabama. When you drive through Columbus you will see almost as many Alabama tags as Georgia. So I needed to be licensed in Alabama to help those customers. I went on line an completed an application for an Alabama non resident license and paid the fee of $67.00. The next week I received an email stating that my license was approved and I could go to the Alabama Insurance Department web site and print a copy of my license. I thought, wow, these people have their act together. When I went on the web site there was a message that I must license my agency in Alabama also before I could write insurance there. The agency application was nine pages and I had to pay a fee of $127.00. I did this and after several weeks I hadn't heard anything so I called the Alabama department and got the voice mail of Antwone. He will not return your call. I finally called and asked for his supervisor. She searched and couldn't find my application but the $127.00 charge was on my credit card. She asked me to fax a copy of the agency application and she would process the agency license. Weeks went by and I didn't hear anything so I faxed her a request for the status of the application. I got a reply that all Georgia agency license applications were on hold and would not be issued until Georgia reached a reciprocity agreement with Alabama. Weeks went by and I finally got my agency license and I was relieved that all was ok now. Not. There was a memo with my agency license that stated I had 20 days to register my corporation with the secretary of state in alabama or my agency license would be suspended. I called the secretary of state and asked what I had to do to register with them. They said to go on line and complete a short application and mail it to them, with a check for $175.00. I was completing the application and there was a question that said to list the name and street address of my registered agent in Alabama. I called and asked if the registered agent would be me. They said, do you live in Alabama. I said no and they said well you can't be the registered agent. I said I don't know anyone in Alabama. They said well you can't do business in Alabama but we can fax you a list of companies that will act as your registered agent in Alabama. I got the list and guess what? I had to send them $125.00 to act as my registered agent. I got this done and thought whew, I'm glad this is over and I can now write insurance in Alabama. But guess what? A few weeks later I received a letter from the Alabama Department of Revenue that stated I had 60 days to file a business priviledge tax form and there would be no extensions. I called them and asked why I had to file a tax form when I hadn't even done any business their yet. They said it was for the priviledge of doing business in Alabama. I said OK I will complete the form but all of the questions will have a zero filled in the blank. They said we don't care as long as you pay the tax. I completed the form with zeros and the computed tax owed was zero except there is a minimum tax due of $100.00. Two days before the deadline line I mailed the tax form with a check for $100.00 and thought, I am through with this nightmare. But, guess what. A few weeks ago I received a notice from the Alabama department of revenue that I filed the tax form late and owed a $50.00 late filing fee. I thought they would by the postmark date but evidently went by the date the form was received. Even the IRs goes by the postmark date. Anyway I am through with those yahoos in Alabama and I don't see why any company would do business there. For all of you that live in Alabama I know you don't have anything to do with this and I don't want to offend you but I am burnt out with the state of Alabama.

Hey veep1, I have talked the problem I have had with read ends so much that I'm afraid some people on here are sick of hearing but here goes. I have an 05 venture and yamha has replaced the rear end 5 times. At approx 1700 miles after the last rear end was installed I got home from a trip and when I backed out of the garage I hear the rear end clicking. I was so upset I called yamaha and demanded they give me a new bike. The asked that I let a yamaha factory rep look at my bike one more time. The factory rep pulled the read end and said there was do damage but the the pins in the rear end were dry. He recommends greasing the rear pins with Honda moly 60 dry lithium grease and asked me to let him do that and see if it corrected the click. It stopped the clicking. He said in the past yamaha recommended greasing the rear end with the old grease they used at each tire change which ws usually around 6 or 7000 miles. But today with tires lasting 12,000 to 15,000 miles that doesn't work so now yamaha recommends using the honda moly 60 grease. Good luck.

One more thing. Any customer service rep with yamaha that says the whine isn't a problem is full of BS. There have many hundreds of complaints and I was one of the loudest complainers. The problem is when you call yamaha you probably get a call center with a first line service rep that can't handle anything other than a routine small complaint. You have to get up the line to get someone that knows about the problem. I remember a guy on this site that I think was from south carolina and I think his name was Kit Carson, that did substantial testing on the whine and even had the name and phone number of someone with yamaha that he talked with more than once concerning the whine. He got so frustrated that he traded his venuture in on a goldwing. You can look up his old threads on this subject and probably find the name and phone number of the yamaha rep he talked with.

Hey Paventure, On the trip I mentioned it was just like the clutch whine. When I backed off the throttle the whine would go away. There was a point at about 83 to 84 mph where the whine would go away if I held the throttle constantly at that speed. If I pulled the clutch in and coasted the whine would go away. I could only do this on an interstate highway. I would have bet my life that it wasn't the rear end and was shocked when the service manager said it was the rear diff. This may not be your problem but I would get the dealer to check out the rear diff just to be sure.

Hey paventure, Your whine may not be the clutch basket. It could be the rear end. I had the I basket installed and the whine was completely gone. Approx 5,000 miles later I was on a trip with my brother-in-law. My bike was screaming so bad I had to stopped at a Bass Pro Shop and get some ear plugs. I thought the whine was back. We were somewhere around Chattanooga, TN and I went around him on a four lane. The next morning at breakfast he asked me what in the world was wrong with my bike. He could hear the whine before I even got next to him. I got home and took my bike back to the dealer and asked them if they could get another clutch basket for my bike. The service manager said he would check it out and call me. He called the next day and said my rear end was bad. He said the pinion gear was worn out. Yamaha replaced the rear end under warranty and the whine was completely gone again and hasn't come back. Your problem may not be the clutch basket.

If I waited until I could pay cash I wouldn't own a motorcycle or auto. I know its best to pay cash but in the real world sometimes you have to finance. When I bought my 05 RSV September 3, 2005 yamaha financed my bike at 6% interest. My bank's rate was higher than that. The interest rates with the manufacturers many times are lower than the bank. Also, since I own my own business I need to leave my credit with the bank open as much as possible in case I need to borrow for business purposes. Back to the way you were treated. I've heard of this with auto dealers many times but this is the first with motorcycle dealers. I have had friends that bought autos from dealers and signed the paperwork and drove away in the new car and then 5 to 7 days later get a call that they had to pay a larger down payment or bring the car back. I talked to a friend of mine who is an attorney and he said in Georgia the deal isn't final until it is accepted by the finance company and they can do this. A few years ago I traded a car for a toyota 4runner. I closed the deal and drove off with the new 4 runner. Three days later I got a call from the dealer saying that I was going to have to pay $2,000 down in addition to the trade in. I told him to get the auto I traded ready and I would bring back the 4runner and get my car back. The dealer told me to give him another day and he would call me back. He called and said if I would pay $750.00 more they could make the trade. I told him to get my car ready and I would bring the 4runner back. The next day I drove to the dealer and told them to get my car ready. The sales manager said if I would keep the 4runner I wouldn't have to pay any additional money down. I said get my car ready, I don't want your 4runner. He then said if you will keep the 4runner you won't have to pay any addtional down and we will lower your monthly payment by $50.00. I said look me in the eye and listen closely. Bring my car to me. He then said if you will keep the 4runner you won't have to pay any additional, we will lower your monthly payment $50.00 per month and give you free oil changes for the life of the vehicle. I told him I thought trading for a vehicle was supposed to be a pleasant experience but they had made it a nightmare and I was sick of them and their 4runner and to give me my car. I drove away. A friend of mine referred me to a dealer in Conyers, Georgia and I called them. They sold me a 4runner with more options for $3,500.00 less and with my car as a trade in with no money. I drove to Conyers and purchased the vehicle. Some dealers are honest and will treat you right and some try to screw your if you will let them. But don't give up, find another dealer.

I had a similar problem. Bike would die while riding and then after a few minutes would re start. One day it wouldn't start at all. I noticed that when I switched my bike on I didn't hear the fuel pump run. Took it to the dealer and the fuel pump was bad. The mechanic said he could tap the fuel pump and it would begin to run. It was replaced under warranty.

My 05 had the whine. I went to my dealer, Tallahassee Powersports, Tallahassee, Florida, and they installed the I basket. My whine is completely gone. Now the rear end problems I had were something else. I have been amazed at the attitude and responses some dealers have given people. Tallahassee Powersports has never questioned me anytime I have been in with a problem. I leave the bike for the warranty work and when I pick up my bike they tell me if I have anymore problems to let them know. They never say anything about money. They have replaced the clutch basket, fixed the problem with the radio sticking on a station, replaced the rear end 5 times, replaced the rear shock and most recently replaced the fuel pump. All of this was bad enough but if my dealer had jacked me around I might have walked in with an AK47. Yamaha has never backed up either. Every time I have called the district service manager in Kennesaw, Georiga he has gotten a factory rep on the problem or called the service manager at the dealer. I do fault the yamaha corporation for not correcting the problems with the whine, shock and fuel pump. The yamaha corp is a strange corp. They don't promote the venure and don't seem to care about the problems with the bike.

I can't use my cycle pump with the acc plug. It blows the fuse. I have to take off the seat and use the battery clamps to hook my cycle pump to the battery.

Hey Lewis, Glad to here all went OK. Hope Charlene continues to recover. Our prayers are with her.

Who was it that talked to a rep at yamaha and the rep said he would be pleasantly surprised at the changes in the 09 model?

Hey DragaonRider, Thanks for letting me hang out with you while I as in Newnan. It was good to see you again. The 05 venture you mentioned that was at cycle city power sports is a good deal for someone. The previous owner spent a fortune on chrome and other upgrades. It is a good looking bike. Ride Sage! Eddie

Hey Whozleft, When the yamaha factory rep looked at my bike the last time I had trouble with the rear end he recommended honda moly 60 grease. He said he uses it for his personal use and it is the best he has found. He sent the service manager at the yamaha dealership to the honda dealership to get their moly 60 to grease the rear end of my bike.

I can't wait until Sept 9 to see what happens.

I will be at cycle city powersports in Newnan saturday sept 6. Anyone interested in meeting up and possibly riding in the area or having lunch or something? Thanks, Eddie.

That was a good video. I hadn't seen my relatives in awhile.

Hey CMIK, What year model ultra classic did you ride and what was it that you didn't like? Thanks, Eddie

Good ol GEICO.

My fuel pump went out at 36,000 miles. If my bike didn't have the 5 year warranty I would be bankrupt by now.

I am in southwest Georgia so I know the heat. The clearview shield is excellent. It not only has the vent but the shield sweeps back a couple more inches than the stock shield which helps with wind buffeting. I have the extra large clearview and it has eliminated all of the wind buffeting my wife used to get riding on the back. You won't go wrong with the clearview. We ride through Gray several times a year going to the mountains. Next time we are coming through I will try to give you a call.

Hey Boo, You need to check around for better rates. GEICO came into the market giving the coverage away to get market share. Now the losses are coming in and they are losing money. A woman was in my office last week that has GEICO. She was in the left lane and someone in the right lane came over and hit her car. She called GEICO and reported the claim but said she didn't want any payment yet. She paid for her damage out of her pocket and the other guy paid for his damage. Guess what? She just received her cancellation notice, because of the accident even though GEICO didn't pay anything. Paying all those actors, cave men and the gecko is costing too much money. Things like canceling a policy for no reason is the first sign a company is losing money. It was just a matter to time before they started cracking.

Can only speak for Georgia. If you are going less than 15 mph over the speed limit it is considered a minor violation by most insurance companies. Some companies don't even charge for the first minor violation. If you are going more than 15 mph over the speed limit it is considered a major violation and can be rated as much as a DWI. You were only going 13 mph over the limit. As far as going to court most state troopers are well trained in testifying in court. Usually city policeman aren't. Just because the leo doesn't show up doesn't mean the case will be dismissed. As some said it can just be postponed until they can be in court. One thing you can try is when you know the court date call the leo headquarters and ask if trooper so and so is going to be off on that date. If it is his day off he will be more likely not to show up. I have people come in my office for car insurance all the time that say their speed was lowered or they took a driving course and were told it wouldn't be on their mvr but it is. If it won't cost you court cost you don't have anything to lose going to court.