Leland

28" C-C

Bought a new Neosho Streamliner Deluxe trailer http://neoshotrailers.com/steamline-deluxe/. Not a high end trailer, but I like the included features for the price. They were very good to deal with. For the wiring, I used a Hopkins 5-Wire flat Endurance plug http://www.hopkinstowingsolutions.com/products/vehicle-wiring-connectors/5-wire-flat/ wired to an Electrical Connection trailer relay isolator http://www.electricalconnection.com/wire-harnesses/hrns-trailer.htm. They offer a sub-harness for the Venture, but not the TD so I bought a harness from Steve (M61AMECH) here. An excellent product and great service. I also added a Signal Dynamics BackOFF XP brake light module. The Tour Deluxe only has a 5.3 gallon gas tank and if I get 35 mpg, I'm doing good. I am sure that that will drop even further pulling a trailer. Gas stations can be few and far between in certain regions out here so I wanted to be able to carry extra gas. I wanted the gas (weight) as close to the axle and as low as possible and not in the luggage compartment. I mounted a 2 gallon RotopaX with a LOX Pack Mount purchased from http://www.rockymountainatvmc.com/p/738/27861/RotopaX-Fuel-Pack?term=rotopax underneath the trailer. I realize that it is not mounted in the most convenient spot, but its' use will be the exception and not the rule.

New water heater DOE efficiency standards take effect 4/16/15. So you know the price of water heaters will be going up.

Thanks to this post, went ahead and checked mine (30,000). Looked fine. Sprayed some contact cleaner on them for good measure.

I have always said that I should have been a weatherman. If I got paid for being wrong, I would be rich by now.

I had a defective speed bleeder (installed on clutch). Could not stop leak by tightening. Had to replace it. That was my second defective speed bleeder. The first one that I had installed on the rear brake would not bleed. The check valve was stuck.

On the store page, hit the "spreadsheet" button and it opens an excel spreadsheet.

This trailer http://www.meyerstrailer.com/ has brakes. Never heard of it before, but it looks like a good idea and price wise at about $3,500.00 not completely out of line. The brake system only adds $455.00 over one with no brakes. I wonder if the brakes grab if in stop and go traffic? I suppose if they did grab, you could install an orifice valve like Rick Butler uses on his 2nd gen. rear brake mod. I guess they're hydraulic. I have never pulled a motorcycle trailer, but every thing that I have read talks about the need to increase braking distance.

The damn fox said "yum". He got one of my chickens.

I too take the wheels into the dealer to mount new tires. Two out of three times they have mounted the front tire backwards according to the arrows. The first time, I had the wheel re-mounted to the bike before I noticed it and had to return to the dealer. The second time I checked before I left the dealer and made him change it immediately. Mounting tires is the only service that I allow the dealer to perform and they have screwed that up more times than not.

This auxiliary battery looks pretty cool. Check out the video at the bottom of the page. Would be cheap insurance when out by yourself. http://www.twistedthrottle.com/antigravity-batteries-micro-start-xp-1-jump-starter-and-personal-power-supply

More info FYI. My digitizer was shipped by this company http://www.palmdr.com/cart/garmin-zumo-450-and-550-digitizertouchscreen-p-174.html and worked great. I notice on this website, that for what appears to be a reasonable fee, they will do the repairs for you and also offer other repairs. I have no first hand experience with their work.

Well, after reading this, I did a little surfing and found this http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=528905&highlight=digitizer . Paid $26.98 (including freight) for the new digitizer and it works like new. Miss Garmin lives to "re-calculate" another day.

I bought my Zumo 550 in January of 2007 and it just failed two weeks ago. It has been in use since day one in my service truck if not on the bike. I think that I got my money's worth.

I understand carrying a chunk of fuel hose to bypass the fuel pump, but why not just bypass at the pump itself? I cut a short piece of 5/16" O.D. copper tubing and bent into a "U". The pump appears easy to remove with just two small bolts holding the bracket. Once the pump is pulled out some, just take both inlet and outlet tubing off and insert onto copper "U" using the stock clamps. You need to disconnect the wires anyway. I don't see why this won't work. The fuel will seek its' own level. You will still have to keep adequate gas in the tank. Be easier to stow. The copper only measures a little over two inches across. Hopefully I won't have to find out how well this works.

Well Miles, according to your previous itinerary, I thought that you were travelling through Wyoming. You could have stayed at my place here in Denver (burb) and changed your oil too.

Good idea! Looks very nice. I've always thought that that space would be ideal to mount an auxiliary fuel cell.

I wonder if the front shock's air pressure has anything to do with tire wear? Since the bike was new, I have left the front air pressure at 0#. I just bought a zero-loss pump a few weeks ago. Now have them set at 5#, which I do like better. Of course, I have now commited the number one troubleshooting sin. I have changed two things at the same time. Tire pressure and fork pressure. So, if by chance I do get better tire mileage, I won't know for sure why. Oh well, I can live with that.

Well, I don't get it. I read numerous reports of people getting 20,000 miles on E-3s. I don't come close. History: 8,500 miles out of original Bridgestones. Rear tire was at cords, but the front had plenty of tread left. Replaced both with E-3s, set at 36# front, 41# rear. 10,609 miles out of this set of E-3s. Not great, but I figured it was in the range of what some get. No cords showing. After reading about running higher pressures, I figured that that was probably my problem. Replaced both with E-3s, set at 40# front, 41# rear. 7,282 miles! This is all I got out of the front E-3 set at 40#. It was at the wear bars. Not cupped. Just uniformly worn out. Now the rear still had tread left. I am sure that it would have gone at least another 3,000 miles, but I went ahead and changed both while I had the bike jacked up. I set this new set at 36# front, 38# rear. Will see how it fairs. FYI, Yamaha says up to 198#, 36# front and rear, over 198#, 36# front, 41# rear. I am 170# and ride solo most of the time. I have the dealer mount and balance the tires. No beads or Ride-On. Have never had an issue with a tire feeling out of balance. I own numerous quality tire pressure gauges and have checked their calibration. Also have an air compressor. My bike has a centerstand and I check my tires at least weekly. Have never found them far off, but will add air if even a pound low.

I know mine is due when the right hand grip starts to vibrate and put my hand to sleep. When I first got the bike, I could hardly stand the vibration. Put my hand to sleep almost immediately. And this was moving from a '66 Harley FLH! I thought that I knew a thing or two about vibration. The good folks here enlightened me on the carb sync (and how the dealers always seem to get it wrong).

Can-Am filed for a patent for a leaning Spyder. http://www.asphaltandrubber.com/news/can-am-spyder-leaning-patent-application/

Horsepower is a measurement of work performed. It started when the boiler (steam engine) salesmen of yore were asked by potential customers, "if I buy your boiler, how many horses can I replace?"

When others talk about getting 40+MPG, I'm lucky to get 33. When others talk about getting close to 20,000 miles out of a Dunlop EIII, I can't get 10,000 out of a front or rear. But I consider myself fortunate because I don't have a whine.

Thanks for the offer, but my brother is a Chrysler retiree. The new Ram 1500 have a very low payload capacity. I would have to get a 3/4 ton. Plus, you cannot get a supercab from Dodge, only a crew (4 door). And their short bed is only 6'4" instead of Ford's 6'6". The 8' won't fit in my garage with an extended cab.

I am in the market for a new work truck and would like the opinions of the learned members here. My '01 Dodge Ram 5.9 diesel has 303,000 miles. I rarely tow a trailer anymore and am looking at the Ford F150. My main question is should I chance the Ecoboost or stick with the more tried and true technology of the 5.0 V8. I like the idea of the twin turbos Ecoboost, especially considering that I normally drive at elevations between 5,000 and 10,000 feet. There is no shortage of people on the internet forums having problems with the Ecoboost, but I am sure that like anything else, it is typically the people having problems that are posting. The one thing that I do find curious however is that the local (Denver) dealer's inventory is virtually void of Ecoboost equipped trucks. I don't know if this is because they can't keep them in stock or Ford is not making them. Thanks for your thoughts.