Midrsv
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While I don't ride in fear, I do believe in stacking the deck in my favor as much as possible. That's why I have passing lamps, extra tail and brake light and always wear a helmet. That being said, it seems to me that going for the maximum load capacity on tires would be another step in my favor. Given that together, thanks to me, my wife and I max out the 400 lb load capacity of the bike and then add saddle bag and trunk contents along with the tounge weight of the trailer we are probably pushing the capacity of the rear tire. So, when it comes time to replace the OEM Bridgestones on my '07 in the spring I probably won't use the Michelins I have stored in the basement and will instead go back to Avons with the highest capacity. Anybody want a good deal on some Michelins? DT
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Brad, I have a new set of Michelins in my basement that I had planned to use on my next tire change. I checked the load rating on them and the front is 760 lbs and the rear is 827 lbs. DT
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I experimented with a small set our members list from the excel file which I downloaded from the site. I was able to export a csv file but it was not the correct format. You may have to provide the location coordinates. I looked at several csv files which I downloaded and all has the coordinates. To get this to work we may have to create a registry where members provide their location data including coordinates in the proper format. I have no idea how the lists on the POI factory were created. Dennis
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Brad and Lonna, My heart sank when I read the subject line. I was very relieved to hear that things aren't worse than they are. As others have said, the bike can be replaced. I am thankful that you guys are still with us. My thoughts and prayers are with you. Dennis
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OK guys, I have spent all evening researching how to convert our member list to a Point of Interest (POI) file that could be imported to a Zumo or similar GPS. I have installed all of the Yamaha dealers into my GPS as POI's. What I have discovered is this it should be possible to do this but it is beyond my ability to do it. I think one needs XML programming skills or something like that. The POI loader can read a CSV file if it is in the proper format and I don't know what that is. If anyone would like to attempt this task you can read more about it from the forums on www.zumoforums.com. Also, in the process I found another site, http://www.poi-factory.com which has numerous POI lists that can be downloaded and installed. For example, you can download a list of all Krispy Kreme locations. Even if you don't want to take up this task and you have a GPS, especially a Zumo, you should check out these sites. There is a lot of information there. Sorry I couldn't be more help. Dennis
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If it is not waterproof it is darn close. Last summer I rode through storm that forced me into a rest area and the bike sat there in a downpour until the rain let up. The Zumo is still working. DT
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My unit is about 7 months old and I just received a free update to the maps which I installed last night. So far I haven't noticed any difference. DT
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I assume you mean the internal battery in the GPS was drained and you couldn't get the GPS going again. My 550 occaisionally goes brain dead and won't power on. There is a reset button sequence that brings it back to life. You push the power button and the upper left button at the same time and hold them for a few seconds and then it powers on. The first time that happened I was ready to send the thing back. Before I did that I did a little research and found the reset method. Dennis
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I wouldn't consider it dumbed down as compared to the 2610. It has a few missing points but so did my 2610. The menus take some getting used to when coming from the 2610. I sometimes thought the 2610 was easier to negotiate but once I got use to them it's not been a big deal. I think the MP3 player is just a player with no tonal controls. I rarely use the MP3 player since I have the XM. I control the sound with the bikes radio tone controls. I can't answer your question about the 3D maps because I switched mine to 2D the first day I had it and haven't switched it back. A big plus for the Zumo is the ability to add POIs from a list. That's how I added all of the motorcycle dealers. I don't think the 2610 could do that. Dennis
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I definitely consider the GPS a safety tool. I have the Zumo 550 it is great when traveling through a strange city at rush hour. I just concentrate on the traffic around me while I listen to Betty (our nickname for the voice in the GPS) give me directions on approaching turns. It doesn't totally take the place of reading the road signs but it is pretty darn close. Here are a few advantages of the GPS over paper maps. My GPS has all of the Yamaha, Honda & Kawasaki dealers loaded into it with phone numbers. Last summer when I had a flat tire near Grand Island, NE, I was quickly able to locate a dealers, punched the phone on the GPS and called to check on a replacement tire. At the second dealer (Honda) I found a tire and was back on the road in a couple of hours. Paper maps can't do that. I like to have the GPS screen set to show me a mile or so ahead. That way when I am in an unfamiliar area I can quickly glance down to see what the upcoming turns are going to look like so I can be prepared and not surprised. As an example check out the photo attached that was taken on Beartooth Pass last summer. Paper maps can't do that. The Zumo with the XM adapter can give me weather and traffic updates. On the trip I saw storms on the map behind us as we were heading east in WY. Because of that we chose to push our lunch stop out an hour or so in order to avoid be caught by the storm. It worked. On that same trip I was the lead bike with 6 other bikes following. Toward the end of each day with a couple of button pushes I could search for hotels up ahead and once I found one to our liking I would hit "dial" on the GPS and it would phone the hotel so I could check availability and make a reservation once I had confirmed the plans with the other riders via CB radios. All of this while traveling down the interstate in rural NE, WY or MO. Now I know there are those that may think this is unsafe while motoring down the road. However, I feel it was perfectly safe considering where we were and the little traffic that was around us, I probably had the cruise set anyway. I certainly wouldn't do that while passing through St. Louis. In my opinion and based on my experiences with 4 GPS units, anyone serious about cross country touring should seriously consider spending the extra money for the Zumo 550 or equivalent. The summer of 2006 my wife and I rode to CO, WY and SD with the help of a Garmin 2610. It was extremely helpful on that trip because we traveled alone and we didn't have others along to help with directions. The Zumo 550 is much better suited for bike travel. When you are comparing prices be sure to compare the total cost with whatever mounting hardware you need. The 550 comes complete with bike and auto mounts with nothing else to buy. Also, when you move the 550 from the bike to the car there are no cables to disconnect or reconnect. Just pop it out of one mount and drop it in the other. Just my opinion. Dennis
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My wife gave me a pair of battery powered heated gloves for Christmas. I had my eye on a pair of Gerbing battery powered gloves for $199 but thought they were a bit expensive so I didn't put them on my list. So I was surprised to open up a pair from Hammacher Schlemmer. I was really skeptical when I heard they were only $25. I went for about a 15 mile ride this evening after dark with temperatures in the mid to upper 30's and I must report that my hands and fingers were quite toasty. They have a battery pack on the back of each one that holds 4 AA batteries and they are supposed to work for 6 hours on high or 8 hours on low. For insulation they use 40g Thinsulate. Even with the power off they are quite warm. I don't know how long they'll last but I think they were worth $25. Here's the link.. http://www.hammacher.com/publish/73123.asp DT
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Before things start getting really crazy later tonight and tomorrow I just wanted to stop for a moment and wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and best wishes for a safe and Happy New Year. Since I don't have everyone's mailing address I thought I would just attach our Christmas card here. We always use our Golden on our card. Merry Christmas! Dennis
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Brian, I recently paid 13,800 for an 07 so your deal seems fair to me. I've been riding RSVs for over two years now and have put 40,000 miles on the two that I have owned. I moved up to the venture from a Vstar and it take some getting used to. I commute to work with it and run errands around town all the time on it. It was great getting out yesterday on it to do some Christmas shopping. The power is fine. Not as strong as a Goldwing but still more than adequate. The RSV is the best value on the market. DT
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Got a new 57' HD television for the family room and HF bike lift for the garage (pick that up tomorrow). DT
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Did you guys download the assembly instructions? One of my big concerns is the number of bolts that it takes to put it together with. Would you have to go over the thing before every use and check the torque on all of them? And Don, I know you're getting old, so let me make this easy for you.... http://www.discount-trailers.com/images2/motorcycle-trailer-12.jpg Dennis
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Has anyone ever seen or used one of these trailers? http://www.discount-trailers.com/motorcycle_trailer.htm I've been thinking about either building or buying a 5x10 trailer. I saw this and it interests me because it would fit through my basement door (60" width) for storage. My concerns with the design are the relatively narrow track which may be mitigated by the low center of gravity. Also, I don't know how sturdy the trailer would be without a full frame. Would the diamond plate flex? Just curious. DT
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I always have 2 green lights on the meter (without the jacket on), even at idle. Dennis
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Jack, Keep an eye on the voltage. I have the Kuryakyn volt meter and with my Warm-n-safe heated jacket and passing lamps I can start out with a fully charged battery and the jacket turned up to about 80% with 2 green lights on the meter. After about 20 minutes in traffic I have to keep the engine revved a bit to keep 1 green light on. At idle I lose both green. As soon as I disconnect the jacket it only takes a minute or so to get the voltage back. I would expect if I rode for several hours I would continue to lose the charge. At about 50% on control there is no problem. Your vests may pull less from the electrical system sine you don't have arms. I do like the looks of the Synergy jackets. If I were buying again that would be it. Dennis
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Lone Eagle, Let me add my recommendation for the Zumo 550 or 450. I have the Zumo 550 and I rarely connect it to the computer. I create nearly all of my routes on the GPS itself. It has all of the features you need right out of the box. There is no software to add to it. Creating routes with multiple waypoints is a little cumbersome but once you get used to the interface it is fairly easy. While researching GPS units for a friend to give as a Christmas gift I found that most of the sub $300 units did not have the ability to store routes or to create routes with multiple waypoints and that is a feature you really want on a bike GPS. In most cases when you select a destination the GPS will attempt to route you in the most fastest, most direct route. When on the bike I rarely take that route and instead select waypoints to force it down those country roads. I won't travel on the bike without the GPS now. DT
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I would doubt that the inside of the tank and engine would see that type of moisture. There shouldn't be any air flow into those cavities to bring in the unusually moist air to cause the condensation. Just an opinion. Dennis
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I am probably going to be buying one of the Harbor Freight lifts. They have a deal now at $200 for the hydraulic unit vs $379 for the air lift unit. I don't mind spending the extra money for a air assist if it is worth it. During the riding season I would probably use the lift 3 or 4 times a month for cleaning and service. I'm sort of thinking that a couple of years from now I would be enjoying the air assist while I have long forgotten about the extra money spent. Those of you with the foot operated hydraulic units, do you regret not having the air assist? After using yours would you pay extra money for the convenience? DT
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Harbor Freight Bike Lift on sale!!!! Save $150
Midrsv replied to KiteSquid's topic in Poor Man Tips and Fixes
Further discussion on the HF lifts can be found at: http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=17061 DT -
Sorry Todd, I just checked and the link is working for me. It takes about 15 minutes to retrieve the file on a broadband connection. On my system a window opens and asks me to either open or save the file. I save it and then unzip it with winzip. You're right about "Going to the sun highway", there is a pucker factor there. Also on Beartooth highway. Dennis
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We travelled in mid July and attached is a copy of our route out of Jackson Hole. We travelled in a clockwise direction on the loop. Dennis
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OK, I think the link should work now. My server had a problem. Here is the link to the slideshow again: www.traynorphoto.com/glacier.zip Dennis