dynodon
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Everything posted by dynodon
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does your video camera have a "steadycam" feature? Look for it, a lot of the new ones have it. It may not solve all the problems though. One thing I tried years ago when portable video was bigger than what they use at TV stations now, I wrapped my camera in 3" of foam from building car seats, and then tied that to the luggage rack of my MGB. The recorder part was briefcase size tied down in the passenger seat. Man, glad those days are over! LOL Anyway, some "thinner" foam than what I used, but probably at least 1" thick cut so the camera pops into it, may work, and rig up some sort of mount that will hold it. Just an idea. Or maybe a hanging contraption like they use on microphones? OH, just thought that the best video I see comes from helmet or body mounted cameras. your own body becomes the vibration absorber, so find a way to mount to your helmet or to your body (chest/shoulder?).
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WE live at the top of a slight hill, and our drive is hidden to traffic coming up the hill. Also, we can't see vehicles except maybe tall semi's if they are just about to crest the hill. Can't get the city to put a hidden drive sign up. when we leave our driveway, I usually really gas it because the city also had the stupidity to raise the speed limit that had been in force for decades from 35 in front of our house to 45 AT THE CREST OF THE HILL! So now instead of cars pushing the 35 limit and coming over that crest at 40 or so, we now have them coming over at 50 or more!d Was leaving the drive turning towards the hill a couple years ago when a city cop came over the crest at 65+ with no lights on. I floored it and he zigged and missed my bumper by inches. I drove to city hall and complained. No way they should crest that hill that fast under any circumstance, and especially without lights.
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You can do the main functions with gloves on, but even sitting at my desk it is hard to input addresses and cities on the small "buttons" on the touch sensitive screen. so plan on doing that carefully, I have gone to using a pencil eraser or a blunt end of a pen. Just don't push real hard with any hard objects!
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I just thought of something that may apply in this situation, but would be something to look at for anyone putting a car tire on a bike. SOME car tires are built with one sidewall stiffer than the other, to allow for a decent ride, but reduce tire deflection on turns. I would think this type of tire would be absolutely UNSAFE on a bike where it should be equal on both sides. I would recommend that you stay away from any tire that has the words (outside or this side out etc) on it, or that is directional or asymmetric in tread pattern.
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When? Today is when, and Why is because I needed a ride. Check out the Scavenger hunt under Fun and Frivolous to see me getting the current target! Yes, that is still going on....Why? Because it is fun! When? For a long time before and to be.
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I wanted to put this pic in with the snow inflatable stuff, but forgot, I am proud of my 8 year old grandson, and thought I would post these scans of his Hockey card. He loves the cold obviously! We are really proud of him, second season playing hockey in Peoria, IL and he had two hat tricks this year along with an invite to a traveling team (a big deal I understand). He looks so grown up in the pictures, but when the game is over and the pads come off, he and the others are just kids and they STILL run around and play hockey. I wish I had that much energy, never DID have that much energy!
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Well, I gave you all a lot of time. Today was 28 degrees and sunny and I had to go get some tickets to the RAIN (Beatles tribute band) to take my grandson to the event, and decided to take the bike and try out my new heated gloves in really cold weather. Total ride was about 1.5 hours and 25 or 30 miles. Was pretty comfortable, but I was glad to get back in before dark. On the way back, I knew there were some inflatable Xmas scenes around town and I found this one, surely one of the biggest. After taking these two pictures, I discovered there was almost twice as much around the other side of the house, but I already had the camera put away and was ready to get into the warmth! So if accepted (I am in the mirror on my bike) the next target will be: You, Your bike, and a snow plow, parked, junked, not attached to the front of a truck, but it has to be a fairly big snow plow blade of some sort! For those in warm climates (and good for those in the cold too!), how about we add a city/county dump truck or some big truck with the city logo on it. Double points for a city dump truck with the logo AND a snow plow!
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Naples/Ft. Meyers and out into the central portion from alligator alley up to lake Okeechobee,........ that area.
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I'm going for a ride in S. FL on the 30th, anybody care to meet up?
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Why? Because it is sunny and near freezing (on the wrong side) and I haven't been on my '86 VR for over 2 weeks. So I am going for a ride. THAT IS WHY DARN IT!
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Last video on that one page shows it pretty clear as missile that has gone astray and is spiraling till they blow it up. Wild some of the images, but I do think many are doctored up.
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Something that hasn't been answered yet is exactly where this gash is. If it is in the tread on the side, then it should not be a problem, because the grooves are deeper than that. IF it is in between the tread blocks then it might be close to or in the cords. Also we don't know how LONG the slice is. IF it is 3" long, that is bad, if it is 1/4" long, maybe not a problem. We can assume it isn't leaking any air, or can we? That is fairly easy to test though. If it is on the true sidewall of the tire then I would be wary of it, but if the cut is very short, I would feel better than if it was 3" long. Some more info would be helpful, but basically, if truly on the sidewall, then the safest thing would be to replace the tire.
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I have always stopped the bike, stay on, stand up, lean forward, brace both legs wide and hold the brake on, while holding onto both grips. Then nod and tell my passenger to get off or on. I don't trust that the sidestand will hold or the bike not move, and I have never come even close to losing balance this way. One other benefit of doing it this way is that I now have the bike balanced and ready to go instead of having to get it off the sidestand. I have to believe that getting the bike up off the sidestand with two people is harder than just stabilzing the bike as the passenger gets on or off. Also how many times have you or someone you know put the bike on the sidestand to have it roll forward some or not be properly on the stand and the bike fall over? But whatever way works for YOU is the right way!
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Glad you are OK, and sorry about the oops. It happens to all of us or will someday. A thought....if it is just rash on the fairing, then just do some repair. If not broken, a body shop should be able to easily fill in the scratches, and repaint, maybe even spot it in and cost would be pretty low compared to a new part.
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Well, Snopes can't find it. Might be true or just new enough that it hasn't been investigated yet. Wait, theres more...I investigated a little more and several lists/blogs have this and call it a "joke" and nothing more.
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I agree not to over inflate, but also do NOT under inflate! Too little air will risk the tire coming loose from the rim (do these have tubes? If not, then for sure do not under inflate!) and it can overheat easily. And this is the best advice for continued safety: 1. Tongue Weight. Keep about 10% of the total trailer+load on the hitch ball or mount. Prevents weaving. 2. Keep your load packed so it can't shift and move weight back. Some moving forward is better than any moving back. 3. Check the tires and bearings at EVERY stop! Feel them with your bare fingers, and if they are hot, let them cool, check bearing adjustment and grease and air pressure. For almost any decent trailer, the bearings should remain cool or lukewarm even in hot summer travel. Tires can get warm but should never be too hot to touch even in summer. 4. Check your hitch and chains etc at least twice a day, at the end of the day and before taking off at least, and at every stop also while you check your tires and bearings. If you can upgrade those 8" wheels/tires to 12 or bigger, do it. Bigger tires ride better, won't get as hot and look better to boot.
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I have the 765T and have some advice. First, if you are buying the "T" version for the traffic feature, you may want to reconsider. This traffic is from radio stations and only covers a few areas. The radio receiver is in the cigarette lighter power cord. If you hard wire the unit with the accessory cord for that purpose, you lose the "T" traffic function as it does not have the receiver. What the hard wire cord does have is a light in it that probably will run down your battery unless you wire it so the power goes off when you turn off the ignition. Also, the traffic function is not very good, because it does depend on the radio station to have up to date traffic. My son has a Blackberry type thing and gets traffic from the internet, and it is MUCH more accurate and covers a bigger area and updates much quicker. I think some of the more expensive Garmin GPS units that require a monthly fee have the internet traffic. If that is important, get the internet version. (that is what my son called it, maybe it is really something else, but what ever, the 765T isn't very good for traffic info.)
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Never read the Consumer reports article, but I did own a DynoJet dyno. With it I was able to confirm HP increases (at WOT, Wide Open Throttle) in peak hp on EVERY vehicle I installed a K&N filter on. This included a 160 hp truck, 220 hp SHO (I have put 145,000 miles on it, done regular oil analysis and if the filter passed 1600+% more dirt than a stock filter, it would show up for sure, and it doesn't!) older cars including a Pontiac with tri-power and more. Never found ANY evidence of dirt getting past the filter. The DynoJet can show as little as 1 hp and I was able to verify HP and torque increases with synthetic oil, and with every K&N filter. I consider this very good proof that a K&N does what it says at least for HP, but again, this is only at full throttle and only visibile near and at the peak hp rating. Any decent filter that is clean will flow plenty for any engine at part throttle. A "race style" filter may be worth it to the person looking for every last .10 hp, but to most of us, it will never be felt, and may not be worth it.
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I bought mine from e-bay, and for what you want, why not just use an old bed sheet? I have a fitted cover (the one from E-bay) to use when on the road, but for in the garage, I don't mess with it, just throw and old bed sheet over it. In doing a quick search, this is the cover that I bought, and this store seems to have a good price. leatherup.com, the Nelson Rigg deluxe cover. http://tinyurl.com/ylo32fw
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I have done white glove (OK, white shop towel, really clean ones) on my intake tracts for years, and never seen anything at all using K&N filters. One way to test this is to do oil analysis. If an air filter is letting dirt past, it shows up quickly in an oil analysis in the Silicon numbers. On one of my cars, this number shot up one test, and I checked my K&N filter, yep, it was mounted such that a hole was rubbed in it. I sealed it with some gasket maker, and the number went back down. I know there are those that claim a K&N won't filter as well as paper, but I have never seen any evidence of this that holds up. Like anything though, it depends on being properly mounted, properly maintained. If in doubt, use a factory style paper filter. The difference on a 80 to 120 hp engine is minimal. on a 500 hp race engine the difference is a lot more, but to the vast majority of us that just ride like normal people, a HP or two is never going to be noticed or missed.
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I have used and sold K&N filters (for cars) for a couple decades. I also used to run a chassis dyno shop (Dynojet) for cars. I can say with authority that a K&N filter makes HP, but only at full throttle and for things like drag racing. You won't notice it in regular 1/2 throttle riding/driving, because a regular paper filter will flow plenty of air for that use. As for MPG, K&N tries to claim some MPG benefit, but again, MPG is checked at small throttle openings (most people, no matter how hard they say they drive/ride, probably spend 98% of their time at 1/4 throttle or way less!) and in those cases, again the paper filter flows plenty for zero restriction. (this assumes the paper filter is new or fairly clean.) But the K&N IS a good filter, it filters well, and it is reuseable for many years, and easy to clean. Some K&N filters are meant to replace the stock filter, in that case, replacement is exactly the same as the stock filter. Custom setups of course require you take off the stock setup and install the new one. K&N filters all come properly oiled from the factory, to clean, use the cheapK&N brand kits available at any parts store and clean with the recommended cleaner. spray to soak it, then let it set for 10-15 minutes, and then rinse under a gentle stream of water. NEVER use high pressure air or water on a K&N filter. Let it air dry for several hours, and then put a LIGHT coat of the oil on the pleats. I like the spray oil, just spray the top of each pleat once and let the filter sit 10-15 minutes, then touch up any spots that are not light red. DO NOT over oil! The only way you can contaminate your air sensors/path is to over oil. NOTE: oiled foam filters are infamous for being over-oiled, sometimes from the factory, and this type of filter can easily contaminate your sensors or air path. Again though, properly oiled, they won't be a problem, it is just so easy to over oil the thick foam style fitlers. I like K&N, but the "performance" benefit is small (but still worth it when striving for every last HP, and a bargain in $/HP) and usually just 1-5 hp in most cars for a stock replacement style. Full kits can give more HP depending on how restrictive the stock system is. It takes a good dyno (like a DynoJet) to "see" the improvement, but it is there. And again, don't expect any measureable MPG improvement unless you truly do spend all your time near 100% throttle (impossible unless you live/work on the salt flats!). If you plan on keeping your bike a long time, and do some of your own service, you will be $ ahead with a K&N filter over the long haul. If you trade/sell every year or two, just use a paper filter.
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I bought Synergy heated gloves from Wingstuff.com and like them so far. Like SOME Gerbings gloves they are heated only on the top surface. I didn't realize that some Gerbing (and maybe other brands) come with wires on both the top and bottom. For the best cold weather protection get the type with wires on top and bottom. So far my thumbs only seem to get cold on the bottom, but I am finding ways to deal with this. I suppose the type with wires only on the top really would be best used with heated grips, that should solve all the problems, but I didn't want that much stuff taking up electricity capacity. the person having problems should check to see if they can exchange the gloves for the type heated top and bottom. (back and palm I guess is a better way to say it). Doesn't excuse bad customer service though. I have found Wingstuff.com to be responsive and helpful.
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Windshield HEIGHT advice
dynodon replied to ablumny's topic in Royal Star Venture Tech Talk ('99 - '13)
I have seen a style of windshield that has what I would call a "flip" at the top that curves away from the rider. Like a spoiler on a car. This would allow the shield to be short enough to see over while still maybe pushing the wind over your helmet. Also, can you look at how far back you sit? If you move or add a backrest, would it help you sit a touch closer, still in comfort and miss the buffeting? Finally, have you tried different helmets? I have used a nolan open face that I liked, but it always had buffeting. Without changing anything but the helmet, I got rid of my buffeting. I went with a Shark Evoline modular. This helmet, for some reason has no buffeting, either with the chin bar down or back. Best helmet I hAve had to date. Also the least air under the chin or face shield. It is heavy, but that has absolutely not been a problem for me so far. Try some different helmets, you might find a solution there? -
The Question of Why has been proposed and the possible answer is going to be very hard to define without a serious discussion of the effects on the Id and Ego, or the Ying and Yang if you will. Philosophers through the ages have struggled to come to terms and define the essence of this issue without much success or even without any happiness. Thus Why becomes an issue of quality of life and trying to find the route to the ultimate behavior to accomplish any goal. Thus bringing in the issue of Football, and why Football can mean a game played mainly with feet, and also mainly with arms, and also mainly with the entire body depending on the country you live in. Geographical boundaries being what they are, the global conditions and issues involved in Why boggle the mind. So I say......SQUIRREL! Where was I? Oh yea, time for a Beer. Is the Florida, Arkansas game on yet. Why not?
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had to take a car trip today and saw several inflatable winter things, one in particular I wish I could have gotten a shot of had a Harley looking bike and rider (full size) with lights and such! Didn't have a camera with me. Darn.