Argo

Looking for a trailer hitch for my 86VR. Have searched high and low on fleabay to no avail. The internet only comes up with a few sources for the MKII bikes and they are rather expensive. If nothing else, I can fabricate one if anybody can provide dimensions or let me know what the attachment points are on the frame. Thanks, Argo

made2care, I have seen worst on the welding. That being stated, I would look closer at the weld in the second picture. The bead in the lower RH corner may have a crack in the center of the weld bead. Could be just a scrape, scratch or the way the light hits it but definitely warrants further investigation. The bead on the upper corner of the gusset in the third picture really needs to be finished better. Reduces the chance of something catching on the sharp corner and area to have dirt etc. build up and start corrosion. Argo

cptriker1, Limited experience as I have had my 86 only a little over a year, so take it for what it is worth. Bike has been gone over completely by a very knowledgeable mechanic who is familiar with the bike and systems. Carbs were completely torn down, cleaned and rebuilt with quality parts. Haven't made any long hauls, mostly 1-3 hour rides, some by myself and some two up. Mostly on back roads just enjoying the ride. Just carrying usual items such as tools, spare items etc. Most of the time we never get out of third gear, and that is definitely something that I had to learn. Lugging the V-4 isn't the thing to do. Not that it can't to a certain degree, just not the thing to do on this bike. I have found that short runs with a good amount of stop and go, the mileage can be down into the high 20's. Trips that I have made by myself with more highway miles at 60+ mph and the mileage definitely goes up around 40 mpg. Even at 70+ mph, run into much of a headwind and/or a grade and you will be down shifting to keep the rpms up. Argo

Freebird, As I do not have your issue I cannot give first hand knowledge, but I am familiar with individuals that are cross eye dominate. Most are trap shooters and there are a couple of ways that they deal with that issue. One is to do as you have tried and that is to shoot left handed. The other that some have done is that they have a second sight rib mounted to the left of the barrel. That probably wouldn't be an option in your case with a pistol. My first suggestion would be to look at "red dot" or laser sighting systems. One that is highly recommended is the the line from Crimson Trace Grip Sights. These are very compact as the are located entirely in the pistol grip. There are also others that can be mounted under the barrel, on the frame or trigger guard. Possibly the main reason you are hitting left of your aiming point is that you haven't "adjusted" your shooting stance to compensate. By that I mean you probably have maintained the same basic stance and body position that you have become accustomed to in the past. This could mean that you may be holding your head the same and positioning the gun in line with your left eye and the target. This is all well and good for a sight picture, but muscle memory takes over when the trigger is pulled and the shot breaks. To compensate shooting right handed, assume your normal stance and body position without trying to get a perfect sight picture. Rotate your head slightly to the right and tilt to the right to get your left eye in line with the sights and the target, then get a good sight picture and break the shot. Let us know if this helps any. Other than these suggestions, the only thing I can add is to try different techniques until you find one that works for you. Then practice, practice, practice until it becomes second nature. Regards, Argo

Hi, I just did this repair on my 86VR. Here are the parts that I used, which are available from McMaster-Carr. Shoulder Screw, 1/2" Diameter 1" Long Shoulder, 3/8"-16 Thread https://www.mcmaster.com/catalog/128/3513 3088A932 Low-Carbon Steel Round Shim Set, 1/2" ID I chose the 1/2" shoulder bolt in case the hole in the side stand and/or the mounting tab were worn oversize. I pulled the side stand and set it up in a mill to ream out the hole and threaded side to 0.500". This could also be done with just a 1/2" drill bit and in a drill press. If a mill or drill press isn't available, it could be done with a hand drill if you take care to keep things lined up and solid so as to not drill/ream oversize. I did use a hand drill to ream the mounting tab. The 1" long shoulder bolt should be the correct length. The shims can be used under the head of the shoulder bolt to tighten things up a bit if the side stand and/or the mounting tab are worn. The oversized locknut doesn't require a washer. While mine wasn't as loose as some have described, it did tighten up nicely and operates smoothly with virtually no play. Argo