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Rick Butler

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  1. Rick Butler
    Condor, The brace you are looking at appears to pretty much be an exact copy of the latest of the 1st Gen Super Brace. In fact I bought one of their first ones for my 86, which at that time was about 1 1/2" thick. Later they must have realized that they had over engineered it and made it thinner. For those don't know the history of the Venture and the Super Brace, this was one of the best additions for your bike to affect handling. Even though the Ventures already had a decent for brace, it didn't compare to the Super Brace which was a precise fit and really made the forks feel solid. So I think what you are doing is a geat deal for those who don't already have one of these braces or are not aware of what they do for the bikes handling. The only thing I would be concerend about is, does this person know that the fork diameter changed in 1990 when Yamaha went with the rubber fork boots. When I move the brace from my 86 to my new 91, I had to relieve the circumference a bit so it would slip down past the rubber boots. However it might be that most of the owners of these 90-93 Ventures have taken off these boots and opted for another option for deflecting bugs and dirt from the fork lowers. And as far as the issue with the recessed hole being a water trap, a chrome or nickle hole plug (the diameter of the resession) with a little clear silicon hole on it makes for a nice looking water-proof cover. Good work, Rick
  2. Rick Butler
    Fred, I have a close friend with a Mustang seat on his RSTD and it's my observation that the back of the seat could use some curvature cut into it. This would not only give you more leg room to scoot back in the seat, but it would also provide a better curved back to take the pressure off the back of your butt above the tailbone. This has been one of my primary modifications to the stock RSV and TD seats which also have a flat back of the seat that applies undue pressure to the back of your butt. JMHO, Rick
  3. Rick Butler
    You know guys, For as much money that some of us have invested in our Ventures, that last thing I would ever do is opt for a cheap filter, much less cheap oil. In fact with over 90 k on my 02 RSV, I buy the best oil and filters on the market.....AMSOIL. Plus I get 8k out of an oil change with AMSOIL's extended drain interval schedule. But on filters, I think the article you found, pretty much supported my beliefs in the OLD AMSOIL filters. Yeah a year ago AMSOIL came out with their nanofiber technology for oil and air filters, which surpasses anything in this market today. For years now in autos, AMSOIL has had a 24,000 mile oil. However they did not have a filter that would work for that long, where they had you change the filter after 12,000 miles and top it off with fresh oil. But now with this new filter technology, they have a filter that will last for 24,000 miles. But that's just for autos, where they suggest that for our bikes that we change filters every oil change. So enough of my opinion, but here is the information on their filters for your information: http://www.amsoil.com/StoreFront/eaom.aspx So if you trade out bikes like you do your socks, use the cheapest oil and filters you can buy. But if you want to get everything you can out of this major investment of ours, for as long as you can, buy the best lubication and filtration that you find. Like they say, if you have a $50 head, buy a $50 helmet. The same goes for oil/lubrication and filtration for our trusted mounts (whatever brand or model). JMHO, Rick
  4. Rick Butler
    Sorry Dave, I guess I should have posted when I decided to go ahead and pursue this venture. And yes, I had previously only done this for my close friends. So now all I have done is to expand my circle of friends where I have decided to help those Venture Riders who need help with their seats. I know from my experience that most of the M/C manufacturers still haven't figured out what it takes to make a decent OEM seat. A few have gotten it better, the GL1800 being one of them but most of them keep doing what they have always done....keeping aftermarket seat makers in business. What I have found on all of my seats is that most just need a little modification to make for a better saddle, even many of the aftermarket seats. A 2 hour saddle has always been my benchmark for a decent seat. And from my mentor "Papa Jack" I picked up the importance of a tailbone relief which takes the pressure off the tailbone and on the sit bones, which really seems to work. Of course from all of the seats that I have done recently, I have certainly gained a bunch of experience. And a final layer of memory foam has been a nice addition before stapling the cover back on. Besides, I'm retired after 35 years in corporate America and now I'm doing something that I really enjoy....working on friend's bikes (and seats) and riding anytime I want to. Linda and I have already pretty much traveled all of North America since we started in 1980 so we see no use in buying a motorhome or toy box to now see America. Of course there are still a few places we would like to go back to again and smell the roses Regardless, I'm here to help where I can, Rick
  5. Rick Butler
    Principle, I can fix your seat and my cost is only $35 plus shipping (for the driver section). I read the Rider article on Spencer with keen interest as his approach to seat mods is pretty close to mine except that I use 1 1/2" memory foam as a top layer. My approach has always been to change the foundation foam to more fit the butt and cut in a tail bone relief to take the pressure off the tailbone and get it on the sit bones. And even though I have done many bike seats, my specialty has been mainly Venture (1st and RSV) seats as well as RSTDs. I have also recently done both sections of a Stratoliner that turned out well. I'm currently working on Rick Turton's seat off of his 85, which is pretty aged and a challenge but I'll make it better for he and his wife. I'm in the classified section if I can help you out, Rick
  6. Rick Butler
    David, Both Fieldsheer and Olympia make a set of mesh overpants that come with a water-proof quilted liner, which is good to about 50 degrees. Both the pants and liner zip all the way to the hip and go on and come off very nicely. In fact since I bought these, my chaps have gone up in the attic. And the nice thing about them is that they have all the protective armor and padding so you can wear shorts underneath them if you want. Rick
  7. Rick Butler
    Brad, Are you refering to the proportioning valve off of a 1st gen? If so, I also have one that I'll never use along with a junction block to take one line in from the master cilinder and two out (one with the valve to the rear caliper and the other to the front. I also have the metering valve for the left front caliper. Rick
  8. Rick Butler
    Condor, The trick to those 3 bottom primary cover bolts is to take a regular 5mm allen wrench and cut the short end off (with a dremmel with a cut-off wheel) leaving about 3/8". This will allow you enough room to get behind the exhaust and loosen them up. Then with the long end of a ball end allen, you can take them out to the point you can finish up with your fingers. In fact the entire cover will come off without draining the oil by leaving the bike on the side stand. Hope this helps, Rick
  9. Rick Butler
    Craig, The panel that Rod suggested is a good one. If the have O'Reilly Auto Parts stores up there, they usually carry them for only about $6. And like he said use at least 10 guage wire from the battery. But remember that if you wire it up direct, it (and anything wired through it) will be hot constantly. I have always controlled electrical devices like this with a good 30 amp accessory relay that has been mentioned in several posts on wireing items like horns and running lights, etc. And I triggered this relay with that 10 amp accessory white plug (just the 2 wires, one hot and the other ground) over on the left side that no one knows what to do with. That way your fuse panel only is hot when the ignition switch is turned on to Acc and ON. Hope this helps, Rick
  10. Rick Butler
    Kent, I mostly agree with your suggestion that a RSV will handle just fine with "Leveling Links" and a 150/80 front tire. Finally all of the major manufactures are making a 150 front tire for the RSV. For the longest time you had to settle for a secondary tire like a D404 when the 130/90 (or MT90) was available in any tire. However I have been running the narrower front 130/90 with Leveling Links for so long that I don't feel comfortable on anything else. I have recently ridden a friends Midnight with leveling links and an Avon Venom 150/80 front tire and it still feels lazy in the turns. But I am certainly a more aggressive rider that most RSV riders. I still remember what it was like to thrash the Arkansas Ozarks on my 1st gens. But on this bike we had a 120 on the front and a 140 on the rear. So really a 130 front with a 150 rear on a RSV is not that far out of line? My move to a 130 front tire and later to develop the leveling links was primarily an attempt to make the RSV handle as good as the earlier Venture Royale. But if any of you don't wish to install the leveling links but want a better handling bike, then changing out to a 130/90 front tire is certainly a good change. And for those of you who are inseamed challenged, I also endorse lowering the front end to achieve the same attitude change that the leveling links provide. Thusly if better handling of no interest then stay with stock and the status quo. But also remember that "The best you have ever ridden, is the best that you will ever know". JMHO, Rick
  11. Rick Butler
    Yeah Jason, Your carbs look to be stock. But I see that maybe the diaphrams may have been changed out because the bolts in the diaphram covers have been changed out. So like Condor suggested, you need to pitch the cover and get a stock one. And if you want to pay the postage from Dallas, TX, I'll send you one that I have had laying around from my early Gen 1 days. Rick
  12. Rick Butler
    Jason, So you say that your bike came with the air box this open? And it runs good with decent mileage and you think it's running rich? What do the intakes under the carbs look like. I would guess that this is a box that has been modified for a Tuggs induction or DynoJet V-Boost kit. Or maybe someone who has installed V-Max intakes with a solid cross-over. And if so, the mains are probably 150s instead of 125s. Regardless, the K&N filter will work just fine without any changes. But if this box is on a stock bike, the top needs changed out. In fact I think I have a stock lid laying around my storage somewhere. But get us a picture of the intakes, to satisfy my curiousity, Rick
  13. Rick Butler
    Jason, If your air box has 4 - 1/2" holes, one drilled in each outside corner of the top cover, you are alright. But if it has more holes, larger holes, or holes drilled in the body I would to need more information about these holes before I could give you any more advice. Rick
  14. Rick Butler
    Yeah Stu, I don't know what I was thinking about when I said three. I just got back from a short ride where I realized that this space could only support two guages. However you are right about the possibility of using digital guages if you could find the right ones. I was thinking round to better complement the speedometer. Rick
  15. Rick Butler
    You know Stu, For some time now I have felt the location of the cassett player would be a perfect place to mount a set of small round guages (water temp, oil pressure, amp or volt and possibly a small tach). I think you might have room for a tach and a guage on either side, where you would probably end up taking the door off and making a guage blank on both sides of the fairing to give the assembly the most support. But from what you said about the glove box, I guess there is no adverse effect from just removing the cassett player, right? But would we loose the internal MP3 plug? Interesting, Rick
  16. Rick Butler
    Tom, I agree totally on EBC HH pads, but on the front only. They are really TOO GOOD of a pad for the rear 4-piston caliper. The last thing you want on a RSV or RSTD is a rear brake caliper that has a better bite. My advice on the rear caliper is the stock pads from Yamaha. JMHO, Rick
  17. Rick Butler
    Bucky, Before you can get an answer to whether a "H" basket will work, you need to know what basket is in the bike. To do this the basket must be pulled to where you can get a look at the backside of the gear. The alpha code is hand etched there. If you have a "F" or "G" basket, then a "H" basket will probably work just fine. In most of the cases I have seen that a "I" basket was necessary was when the bike already had a "H" basket in it. And a first gen basket will work just fine as long as you go up at least one character. This whine issue has been around since 1983 but has only become such an issue with the emergence of on-line owners groups. Back then we thought that it was just the way it was supposed to be. And if we heard any strange noises, we just turned up the volume on the radio. Rick
  18. Rick Butler
    Nathan, I just looked at your photo and for someone your size, you need to install leveling links rather than lower the front end? This mod is only for the inseamed challenged, who wants a good handling bike. You will loose a little ground clearance by lowering the front but it will level the bike and set the attitude for better handling. Rick
  19. Rick Butler
    Larry, What you need is a Sky Hook. Just kidding (just on the name) but seriously you need to suspend the entire fairing and handlebars to get them up and out of the way. I have a eye-bolt in my ceiling that I use two sets of tie downs. One to lift the fairing and the second to hold the handlebars. Once you have the headlight off and the 2 12mm nuts off you can pull it loose and pull it up. I've attached a couple of pictures of this contraption along with a few others of when I last did one. Hope this helps, Rick
  20. Rick Butler
    Don, Have you seen Renegade's Garage Motorhomes? Everything you would need for 1/2 the price of a big motor coach and it's on a Freightliner chasis that can be serviced just about anyone that services Frieghtliner tractor trailors. http://www.westsidemotorcoach.com/Renegade%20garage_units.htm Rick
  21. Rick Butler
    Nice going Kent, Most folks don't do anything with this outlet, if they even know it exists. However I cut the connector off and use it to trigger an 30 amp accessory relay to power a 6 outlet fuse panel that I found at O'Reilly Auto Parts (for $13). This provides 6 fused outlets in a nice panel that will fit behind the battery that will only have power when the key is turned on. And no I don't have this fuse panel on my bike where I only recently discovered it, but have installed it on several friend's RS Ventures. The first time I saw one of these fuse panels, it came from RIVCO where I later saw the same panel at O'Reillys. When I started wiring up stuff on my 01, I built a buss bar that I attach individual fused wiring to, which is supplied power from the battery through the same type of relay that is triggered by this accessory outlet. Thanks, Rick
  22. Rick Butler
    Nice going Kent, Most folks don't do anything with this outlet, if they even know it exists. However I cut the connector off and use it to trigger an 30 amp accessory relay to power a 6 outlet fuse panel that I found at O'Reilly Auto Parts (for $13). This provides 6 fused outlets in a nice panel that will fit behind the battery that will only have power when the key is turned on. And no I don't have this fuse panel on my bike where I only recently discovered it, but have installed it on several friend's RS Ventures. The first time I saw one of these fuse panels, it came from RIVCO where I later saw the same panel at O'Reillys. When I started wiring up stuff on my 01, I built a buss bar that I attach individual fused wiring to, which is supplied power from the battery through the same type of relay that is triggered by this accessory outlet. Thanks, Rick
  23. Rick Butler
    Orrin, When you say "Queen Wilhemena and Nebo and Mountain View state parks", are you going in this direction or the other way? And where is Eureka Springs in this trip. The reason I ask is, yeah, I'd like to work you up a route. Even though I live in north Texas, in the past 20 years there is not one paved road in this corner of Arkansas that I have not ridden at least once, some of my favorites countless times. In fact there is a rock road south of Calico Rock that I have taken 3 of my Ventures down many times (with friends) just to take in the view from a 150 ft cliff overlooking the White River. But if you have not been up Mt Nebo yet, I have one bit of advise.....it is not for the weak of heart or inexperienced on tight switchbacks. I'm guessing there are maybe 20 tight switchbacks that are all off camber where you meet yourself while going straight up. The best attack is always a late apex and you have to stay in the throttle. I love this ride, especially going down and the park, cabins and views from the top are just spectacular overlooking the Arkansas River. There also one other park close to Russelville that is a "must visit" even if just for breakfast or lunch at the rustic lodge...in Petit Jean State Park. In fact if you going from Nebo to Mt View, it's right on the way. And Magazine Mountain is also just West of Nebo where there is a brand new lodge at the top with more great riding and fantastic breath taking views. Let me know if I can lay out something for you, Rick
  24. Rick Butler
    Sounds to me that they really don't know how to mount tires? Do they know that the OEM tire is a 150/80 and you are asking them to mount a narrower tire? If so, maybe they don't want the [possible liability. Did they leave it mounted and give it back to you or did they go ahead and demount it? They should have a band that they can put around the outside of the tire to sqeeze it in a bit to the bead to spread. Outside of that, I'd take Redneck's advice. Rick
  25. Rick Butler
    John, This is a very good balancer and the only drawback is that you need a couple of stools to rest the ends on to balance the tire. But for a little less money ($99 for the standard), No-Mar makes one just as good which already has the side arms built in. http://www.nomartirechanger.com/06Balancer.html They both will balance a tire within 15 degrees of the balancer being level, so you don't need a level surface to sit it on. If you have the time, first check just the rim on the balancer for the heavy spot and mark it. Then if the tire has a dot on it, mount it over the heavy spot on the rim that you just marked. Now not all tires have this mark for the heavier part of the tire, where Avons have a mark on the inside of the tire that denotes this spot. Rick
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