YamahaParExcellence

Wow...87 non-ethanol? That's impressive...but a little too far from Toronto to gas up...lol. Still impressive for regular grade!

I can believe that...but...(a sick sounding laugh...) they HAD an HD to trade in on. Their HD dealer, at least------------------>delivered one to them... Enjoy your beaut!

That seat looks da*n fantastic. Happy and safe rides. For not getting my bike yet...as I typed the facts...it is totally the dealer's malfeasance, and yes...not Yamaha Corp. THEY (Yamaha) did try to deliver my unit in February. The dealer did me wrong by not contacting me, to advise...and ask if I would accept it at my house, before denying the delivery attempt. But...letting this charade drag on...isn't in my play list. Like I said, if he can give me a definitive YES...we have it coming...here's a copy of the shipping VIN by the end of April, then fine, but if not...not interested any longer. Your bike looks great! I should have had mine since mid February! At least, a chance to say deliver it to me, via dealer trailer or truck....and yes, not Yamaha's fault. They need to take this up with their dealer...and I hope they lurk here. If they contact me...I'll surely give them the particulars. You can bet...but not before I get every dollar refunded that's owed to me, right? Right.... Cheers, Joe

On this trip, we visited Gananoque, Ontario and spent three days there. One of the key draws to this region, well..is the very region itself...The Thousand Islands. Yes..there are a thousand islands in the St. Lawrence River, where it runs and fans out into Lake Ontario. If you were on a boat, and let's say going to Quebec City, Quebec, you'd have to pass right by all of them...and the Gananoque Boat Tour takes you out for over 4 hours, and for the price...is one heck of a great marine-on-water experience. Here is myself and the Mrs. snapping a few of the major views. We rode our 2008 Honda Gold Wing to a bed and breakfast...walked most everywhere...and simply had a ball. Then, on the way back to Toronto, did some time in downtown Kingston (also highly recommended for a ride 'n stay) One of the key visits, is the island (Heart Island) that hosts the spectacular; Boldt Castle, of which you will see we visited on the marine tour. Very interesting history, of who/what/when/and why for this true castle amongst the Thousand Islands,...link below. Final comment, while on the tour, you will (by tour guide) be given information about the various islands you cruise by...those owned by Hollywood movie stars, current and from the past. An island once owned by both Laurel and Hardy. Thousand Island Dressing? Told where that came from...and the circumstances of how it was (in a panic...) invented. A highly recommended and 'Joe' approved (lol), riding destination for two... BTW..some of the island homes, full time residency, or vacation for the rich....are in some cases, 2,000 sq feet, or more. Some...postage stamps, from never being renovated from the '20's and 30's. Bring money...lots of great dining and wine sipping opportunities,...plays to see...and oh...when you view the picture of a house that has a side house (PUB) attached to it...that was the bed and breakfast we stayed at. Our Wing was parked where you see at the farthest end of the front porch, a while picket gate. There was room for 4 bikes the size of Wings and Harley's. The rooms were fabulous...and you were right across from the live Play House...where half of the plays, are outside upon the water...with you viewing the actors from a grand balcony. That alone..was a highlight! https://ganboatline.com/ http://www.boldtcastle.com/visitorinfo https://boldtcastle.wordpress.com/stories/love-story/ And...Clayton, New York: http://www.1000islands-clayton.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Clayton-NY.mp4?_=1 Important information for Canadian riders...if you want to visit Heart Island (Boldt Castle) you MUST have your Canadian Passports on your person. Without that, you will not be allowed to get off the boat originating from Gananoque, Ontario. Heart Island is American territory, and you will pass through U.S. Customs on the island. So, without further ado...let me share some of the views with you, and perhaps entice you and the co-rider, to take it all in, yourselves! Hope you enjoy 'our' tour... --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"No kidding!!!!" Not happy wife...for you, a miserable life...lol.

"Ouch! LOL!"....

Yep..it's a 91 octane rated gas sipper. Perhaps because of the huge coffee-can displacement and volume burn on those pistons. Also...probably to have no issues with the four valve seats?!? But..that's what they recommend. You just know that somebody is going to try to run regular in their SVTC 'just to see'... Good luck...lol. If I end up not getting my SVTC at all...It is going to be interesting this year, running my Kawasaki ZR7S (rated for 87 octane) on 91 octane through Arizona...and see if I can hear any different top-end sounds... I have always wondered if there was some slight ping happening, but brushed that off to a busy dual cam on bucket shim top end. This will be the first year that I run ONLY Shell Premium Nitro in CowFace...and I will be listening for top end sounds on full throttle roll outs...onto the freeways, etc. Will be interesting. Of course, if I EVER get my SVTC...than the 91 octane dance is a given.

Thanks Zoey! We've been thinking about joining up at Costco's for awhile. This certainly would be a 'shove' in that direction. Good to know that all Costco gas locations are 91 octane, ethanol free. Thanks for the come back! Joe

Thank you for posting! You're killing me... Here's what I found out from Yamaha...and I'm quite upset about it... I didn't lay out my $500.00 deposit until the last part of October/17. So..I actually missed the Priority Delivery Program window. My dealer said that they (by what Yamaha Canada) told them...was that they should start delivering to dealers around the first week of January/18. Anyways...I was monitoring the web like a hawk, and saw (even on this forum site) that other's had started to take delivery of their SVTC's. I let it rest until around February, and then started to call weekly my dealer, to see if they heard anything about my getting my bike shipped to them. They kept advising me that they were told; 'it was coming'. So was the second Revelation... Anyways, I then got a call that (about three weeks ago) that it was 'on the dock'. Ok...excitement and anticipation starts to mount. Well...quite frankly...here's what happened, and the bottom line, is that I got played by my dealer. Will I get my bike? He now tells me by the end of this month (April) Here's what happened...Yamaha Canada called my dealer in mid February, and advised (this is finally the truth coming out of the owner of the dealership (because I threatened to contact Yamaha Canada directly and get to the bottom of this very late delivery...) to tell them that my bike shipping carton is being sent. He DECLINED it! Didn't want to have the space taken up with its footprint, when I advised him that I wanted to take delivery of it after the snow and salt get's gone. Fine...he said, when I purchased it back in October. Never told me he didn't want to, or wouldn't store it on site, on the day last October being ordered. So...Yamaha Canada did not send it to him...but sent 'my reserved bike' onto another dealer. They don't keep it in their warehouse either. So then...my dealer ('cause I wanted to start seeing this come into the dealership and get readied for March 1rst) called Yamaha to have my bike sent to them. Guess what? THEY DIDN'T HAVE STOCK TO SEND HIM! Then..(I'm now really getting pi**ed, and who could blame me...) So, my dealer did NOT tell me the truth...in that he has been 'waiting and waiting' upon Yamaha Canada to send him my ordered bike. A crock of B.S.! It never did pass the 'stench' test...anyway, all these months since October.... So, where I am today...quite frankly is in limbo. My dealer (he called me last early last week) and advised me that he has been in contact with 'higher up's' at Yamaha, and they have three metallic reds coming in this month, and that one of them WILL be assigned me, as he explained to them that it was his fault...not the customer's in that when they wanted to send my bike last February/18, he refused the delivery (for storage space constraint, ((he also sells snowmobiles, generators, etc)) and wanted space for those, in season. WTF!) Ok...but what he SHOULD HAVE DONE...is to have called me...advised me that Yamaha Canada wanted to send in mid February, he could not store it until late April, or May...and could he deliver it to my house by truck? If I would have got that courtesy call, back in February, I would have said yes...rather than my wanting to have ridden it home, in April or early May. I never got the option! So, (my cry in my beer story is almost over, lol) I don't 'have' a hard delivery date from my dealer or Yamaha Canada. What I have, is a less than happy experience with my first Yamaha dealer experience. Will I get the bike? Frankly, I don't know. I DID tell my dealer, that we are done...the deal is cancelled if I do NOT have it physically by the end of April. I ordered the bike on the 28th of October..and this coming 28th of April will be 6 freakin' months...to the day. That is enough time for any (way over enough reasonable time) for a purchaser, to get a bike he/she ordered. I could go right now to a number of Toronto area dealers, and buy a bike right off their showroom floor (lots of Grey's around)...and yet, I don't have mine? I'm going to get my deposit back...and be done with it, for this year, if I can't get a red crated dealer stock from any other dealer. If not...(I don't do floor models...) I'll wait for the '19's to come out...and will only purchase, if I know that I order...and it gets shipped within two-three weeks from Yamaha Canada's stock. This has left, quite frankly a **bad taste** in my mouth...but not anything regarding the bike. It's regarding dealers that once they have you...their interests, come before yours, as the customer. I have learned a lesson in all this. So folks...wish me luck. I wish to join you folks that have already been taken delivery of..and are enjoying your rides. Either it happens for me, within two weeks...or I'm done. The Yamaha dealer WILL be cutting me a check for my full trade in and cash deposit. THAT is what I might end up only taking 'delivery' of. I do have my Kawasaki ZR7S, so am not out of riding for this season...but my wife...lord, my wife will be so bummed out. She does not like to ride behind me on the Kawa...and I don't blame her. Sport Bikes, were never meant for two up...heck...just look at the co-rider seat of any of 'em... I wouldn't want to be sitting on that...with being able to lean my head ON MY KNEES! LOL. So...that's the story about a man named; Jed. Wish me luck...I really want to own one...and not merely a vapor bike as the bride, and myself as the groom standing for 6 months at the Yamaha alter... Post Edit: The only saving grace of this whole experience, is that we wanted to sell,or trade, our 2008 Honda Goldwing anyways...and I got actually, a private sale price...so not sweating that. I'll get my full trade-in and $500.00 deposit back. It is the Yamaha dealer, that will ultimately lose here. No sale of an SVTC, to a cross over from Honda, customer...and loss of his going forward, shop revenue maintenance expenditures. Either I will get my SVTC, will look at '19's, or will look at the Harley Ultra Classic (with Milwaukee 8) in the Fall. I know that I can at least----> GET ONE! Yamaha in general really stumbled on their SVTC and Eluder introductory year, roll out. No doubt about that! Joe

You're welcome, Puc... I should have had this years ago...! 15 minutes at the most, and your tire, chain and sprockets are dead on. Enjoy yours.

.... the Chain Alignment Tool by MotionPro MotionPro.com https://fortnine.ca/en/motion-pro-chain-alignment-tool I got my delivery today, so decided to walk into the garage and check this puppy out. IT WORKS! So easy...you merely place the body of the tool over links that are over the rear sprocket, and snug it up. Then you move the alignment rod as far forward in the tool's rod channel, so that it is at the longest length facing forward out of the tool's blue body. Then merely stand up...and visually sight the rod along the right side of the chain wall. No string this and that, like the old days, where you had to sight the front and rear wheels to alignment and then fine tune the rear settings to get 'close' to a perfect rear wheel alignment and save your tires and chain. Those days are over with this sweet tool. You can use it anywhere...anytime..and again, you sight the length of the rod that is locked and in parallel sync, to your chain sprocket and rim...(and believe me...easy to spot even the slightest play out or misalignment!) and if you do see (or measure along the rod to the inside side wall edge of your links, (but just as easy to visually see a misalignment) a greater gap between the rod and the inside edge link wall at the furthest point on the rod from the base of the blue tool body...then merely, loosen off your adjuster nuts, after backing off your axle nut...and using the bolts for this purpose, watch the rod...and align either outward, or inward, until the rod body is perfectly parallel to the edge of the chain wall. Tighten everything up...torque your axle nut...check to see that the rod is still perfectly parallel to the inner side wall of your links, and you are done. Good tire non-scrubbing alignment...and good alignment of your sprockets and the chain that connects them. This tool absolutely pays for itself...in less tire wear, better bike handling, and of course...more miles on the chain, before needing replacing. I really thought I had a dead on drive chain to sprocket setting. I put on the tool...and my rear wheel, was NOT parallel...but was pitching slightly out to the left. Not good for the chain, the sprockets...and the tire. It took me 2 minutes to adjust my rear rim...and get a perfect 1/16 inch space from the rod to the chain wall...all along the entire length of the visual rod. Joe

....and for us Puc...it was a talking point consideration. Like I said before, Mama would freeze back there on the Wing, on early Spring, and Late Fall coming-homes. She and I (in our 60's ) welcome some lower extremity heat...and riding up here in Canada, or touring mostly above the Mason Dixon Line...we have no worries...April, or July, or October! The engine design and concept, works for us...and I will type the truth of how it all compares to my 5 run Gold Wings...in feel, handling, feature to feature sets, or features, to lack-of-features, and of course, how the big V-Twin all ties it together. But heat worries? Phew...nada...bring it on, baby! April or mid July.

Can you point to internet confirms? Thanks...that would be my back up then. I found this...will look to see: Apparently, in Ontario, we have many choices...cool! https://www.pure-gas.org/index.jsp?stateprov=ON POST EDIT!!!!! OK..so this list isn't worth the paper it's printed on...check this out as reader comments: Esso - ESSO 6192 Lundys Ln, Niagara Falls ON 905-353-0020 Ethanol-free octane ratings: 91 GPS coordinates: N 43.08907 W 79.09732 (located from address)Updated by Demo, January 28, 2018 15:48 CST All their gas contains ethanol...they said their 91 was ethanol free...no sticker on pump...did sample test on their 91 it contained ethanol...told them to stop claiming the gas was ethanol free. Updated by sam, May 20, 2016 8:33 CDT I was just told by the attendant that all their gas has ethanol Joe

Here's a Toronto Star feature article on this blend.. https://www.thestar.com/autos/2015/07/09/premium-gasoline-can-save-drivers-money-shell-says.html Quote within the article: "...At 91 octane, the new Nitro+ has the same rating as the V-Power it replaces, but also includes a new additive package that the company says will reduce engine gunk, corrosion, and wear. It also contains no ethanol." And this right from Shell Canada's site that I just searched and found: 11. Is Shell V-Power NiTRO+ premium gasoline safe for all vehicles? Shell V-Power NiTRO+ is effective in all gasoline-powered engines found in conventional, modern and hybrid vehicles as well as motorcycles, snowmobiles, and leisure marine vehicles. Shell V-Power NiTRO+ premium gasoline in Canada does not contain ethanol. For my fellow Canadian riders...and especially SVTC /Eluder riders..here is the ENTIRE scoop from Shell Canada on this blend: https://www.shell.ca/en_ca/motorists/shell-fuels/shell-vpower-nitro-plus-faqs.html#vanity-aHR0cDovL3d3dy5zaGVsbC5jYS9lbi9wcm9kdWN0cy1zZXJ2aWNlcy9zaGVsbC1mb3ItZHJpdmVycy9mdWVscy9zaGVsbC12cG93ZXIvZmFxLmh0bWw https://www.shell.ca/en_ca/motorists/shell-fuels/shell-nitrogen-enriched-gasolines.html Another personal observation...in that the SVTC and Eluder are air/oil cooled...and that the greatest hot spot in the entire engine is the valve seat and valve body...so having a super clean valve body, and valve seat, and,...not being insulated by carbon and other pollutants (phosphor) will allow the max heat transfer AND, will not have the metal content heat escalating, due to those very combustion deposits. So, in my view...another greater push to use this or some similar fuel blend, for our babies... Post Edit: From yet another sub-header: Shell V-Power Nitro+ premium gasoline contains 0% Ethanol.

Man, that's got to be such a pain, Jeff! I guess that I will consider myself lucky to only have to go a mile or more away from the homestead. What we take for granted...small and large! Good idea though about bringing that gas back...and perhaps a couple hundred pounds of prime venison! Speaking of venison..that reminds me to make some more home-made, hickory smoked jerky. Waiting for a sale on chuck...lol.

LOL...or something like it...and as I said at the first of this thread, since I am using this gas...I haven't bought anything else for additives (so there is another reason that the pump shock gets canceled out). I always used Sea Foam...and also used M.M.O. Now? Nope..so no added cost, other than this gas. You'd think I worked for Shell as a shill ...lol..but I don't. I just found a great gas blend that is making all my gas engines...garden, snow, toys, cars...run the best I have ever seen. On the grass trimmer...one pull. Chainsaw...one or two pulls. Before with ethanol? I carried my Rosary...in my back pocket... BTW, for whenever you and your better half, wish to visit the Great White North...well..not so 'white', in July, lol...come here on practically fumes...and then fill that bad boy of yours up with the Canadian 'Good Stuff'....lol. Take back a few gas cans with you...to California, along with three or four two-fours of beer. (You might need to use a trailer!) Put it on Craig's List, the gas...not the beer, lol...and rake the money in! LOLOLOL Who knows...maybe there is good money in this idea...sort of run it like booze in Prohibition. (Knock at the door). Door view slides open; "Yeah?" "I want some of that Canadian Shell Nitro". "Yeah? You got money?" "Yep..right here..." "Ok...meet me around back and stay quiet...". "No problem, and oh...Queasy the Mole sent me". "Yeah..good ole' Queasy". Door view panel snaps shut......... Hmmmm...... Cheers, Joe

Yes...and if you also want to, you can call any of the customer numbers on the Shell Canada site...and verify that Canada wide, Shell Premium Nitro + (they use the plus sign as the blend on the gas pumps) is indeed totally ethanol free. That's the only one though...their regular and mid grade all have ethanol. Also, this is Shell's decision to give you unadulterated gas at the premium level. Some of the other major player's up here...also spike their premium blends with ethanol. So, that being I told my wife, that we will always fuel and 'butt' up...around finding a true corporate Shell gas station. I don't know about the convenience/shell also, combo's. I only speak for stand alone Shell gas stations. I think sometimes you can get the slippery sam happenings with convenience store/gas fills. If by your question did you mean did I ever use the water and separation thing on this thread? No...but my 15 percent better MPG, is there, because of no ethanol. Ethanol sucks for BTU energy output...and is the cause of so many people getting ripped off on MPG, forced to use the stuff. The first time I ever decided to use Shell Premium (Canada) Nitro (for its nitrogen content) plus (for the additive packages of cleaners and friction modifiers), I thought that something was wrong with my gas gauge. On the exact same routes to work, same traffic, same, same, the needle didn't start to move for over 2 days of the week. What a difference running this gas makes...and it is probably costing me nothing more by the next time I visit the pump. Front end sticker shock...negated by back end MPG obtainment. The fuel has more inherent BTU (British Thermal Units of energy measure) , so less is required from the injectors for any road condition, than when they were injecting gas/ethanol. I intend to use this for life, unless Shell Canada starts at any point to add ethanol. If they do...then I will go back to the regular with ethanol. To burn premium that has ethanol, (unless you need the higher octane rating) would have no 'juice' or benefit, IMO. BTW, if you know for a fact that they are adding more than legislated California Weights and Measures legislation allows for...I'd certainly lodge a complaint with the California agency responsbile for oversight, and see what shakes down. That is downright Consumer Fraud.

Yep, the SVTC does run a large oil cooler that sits just behind the front forks, and in front of the front cylinder...and the two large air scoops feed the beast. The spin on oil filter sits in front of the engine, so also is in the cooling air stream. With its metal casing...that will radiate oil heat as well.

I'd guess that best to answer that, would be to go onto Shell Canada's site and see if the answer to your question is there. But in Canada...Shell Premium Nitro Plus at 91 octane rating IS totally ethanol free. Pure petrol...plus cleaner additives and friction modifiers. It's truly a really great blend, and I use it now in all my gas engine'ed lawn and garden equipment, my snowblower, the bikes...and the van. Nothing else, unless I am forced to use something in its place. Very great success with it. I am getting on average in my van...about a 15 percent better fuel economy, which pretty much cancels out any cost difference between the Premium and their Regular. Front end cost at the pump...but back end savings to negate it. Their Regular, though is like anybody's else's Regular. Ethanol laced...

What's interesting then, is that with piston sizes the top of large coffee cans, Yamaha has gone the air/oil cooling route..and with special (like my Kawasaki ZR7S Sport Tour) oil jets that shoot up under the bottom skirt of the piston, using the entire piston, piston rod, and large bearings as heat surface dissipation. I can't see Yamaha putting all stakes upon their air/oil/ceramic cooling solutions, and not having the hard metrics of head temperature constraints, in all phases of the SVTC's development. They could have used their water cooled four banger...but didn't need to, so...our 2018 SVTC's running down the road for say, five years, will be the make or break for their design decisions. I do know that they can run in mechanical simulation, any number of thousand miles of 'wear and tear'...so does the above article concern me as an SVTC purchaser? Not in the slightest. Yamaha has too much skin in the game to be so very reckless, to market an almost 1.9 Liter air/oil cooled v-twin..and not have a handle on life expectancy of said motor. Again...we'll have to see in over the next few years of the 2018's being out in the wild. In the mean time, and personally, I sleep nights waiting for mine to take delivery of. I have Yamaha's good and longstanding name in the game, to rock me to sleep, lol.

Nope..or Shell (in Canada) would not have an ethanol-free premium on the market. In all the tests that you can view upon the internet...engines running this Premium...the valves look brand new, as well as the seats.

I truly believe she will, Dale...for my wife really responded to the inclusion. As to date, she has warned me countless times of deer standing near the roadside, or just about to leave the thicket they were hiding out in, but my eagle-eye 'rear' saw them on her eye-radar, while quite frankly, my attention was somewhere else for safety. I can only imagine how many times my 'rear' has saved..... my rear!.... Joe Also; I can't tell you how much that safety Co-Rider lecture and field demonstration resonated with all the riding couples there that day at the Wing Ding, I was mentioning about. Quite frankly, I certainly would have never come up with that idea...of her pushing me down...then standing, rising upon her pegs/floorboards and leaning over me...and safely taking our bike under her control..to the side of the grassy road...and then gently coax it to fall over onto its grass-facing (that's what they taught and demonstrated on an older-used-for purpose, Gold Wing) side. The female co-rider (demonstrator) pulled herself from the back of the bike (on its side) and then in mock...pulled her rider to a fully reclined position on the grass..and started CPR, while someone (also in the team) 'ran' up...and started a 911 call. It was so dramatic...and you could see how this was life saving for BOTH the riding team. That image, has never left us...and we have always practiced either we talk...or if we are silent...she rubs my shoulder four times per hour..and asks me if I'm 'all good'. We feel totally safe, that if (god forbid) she ever has to take over the control of the bike...she knows how...**is confident**...and would be the sole reason that we survived what could have been a catastrophe. If you want, review the technique with your wife. If you have a center stand...put the bike on it. Both you and her mount the bike...you simulate cardiac or fainting distress..and let her push you gently forward...start to step up on her pegs/boards, pushing upon your back with her chest to hold you secure...and grab both handle bar grips...and simulate pulling in, and keeping in, the clutch lever...and then start to **VERY GENTLY** apply front brake 'simulated pressure' to 'move' the bike over to the side of the highway, or roadway. That's what they taught us to do, for those that have a center stand...or a side stand that could allow you to be on the bike doing this life-saving practice maneuver. I hope you never have to have this happen in real life...but to know...that your co-rider KNOWS what to immediately do, if she gets no response out of you...or sees you in distress, is piece of mind, that a price can't be affixed to! Joe

...or it can be produced from my wife's attempt at rice pudding. "Shhhhhhhhshhhhhh...glad she doesn't read the forums...for I'd be in deep ethanol right now...with some major back-firing's...."

I thought the exchange rate was at a 22 % added hit..or .78 cents U.S. Has it changed that much since yesterday?

I see this, only in areas where a rider can't even get a full ethanol-free blend. For if you can, by the amount of volume you lose in extracting ethanol from each gallon of gas...you might as well pump ethanol free premium, no matter that it would cost more money per gallon, than regular, ethanol laced. Your loss of volume in a regular gallon, would cancel any or all added cost from the Premium ethanol free.