RonK

-- I have about 12,000 on my GT now. I get 50 almost every tank full. If I hot dog a little, or have a lot of headwinds, it will drop to 48-49. That's mostly at an elevation of 4-6,000', if that makes any difference--I don't know. I'm usually pretty easy on the throttle and not much of any ride is 70 mph. That's gps corrected mileage as my car tire rear also puts my speedo right on and the odometer is 1.7% over actual. --

-- I understand what you said, but the OEM m.c. tires used to heat up more # when hot than these do. I don't know if the Ride_On has much water in it, but it is used quite widely. If you are indicating that tires will not do this, then I will have to look into it as I know air will expand when heated. If it's a real problem, then there is an industry wide problem. --

-- At 11,250 miles, my OEM rear tire was close to bald in the center. I have a 9,000 mile trip coming up so.... I just got a new 205/55RF16 Bridgestone Driveguard on my Eluder. Fits just fine. No rubbing or bottoming out. My speedo seems to be right on now. My odometer reads about 1.7% over actual mileage. Measured with my gps. I'm running 30# in it which seems to corner well and doesn't follow ridges in the road much at all. It does take noticeably more effort to make turns, but it's not a problem. It's a fun way to get upper arm exercise. I also balanced it with 16oz. of Ride_On sealant/balancer. I do use a Hawkshead tpms which supposedly are pretty accurate. As to measuring, I talked to the manufacturer on accuracy. He said a number of folks have returned items they said were inaccurate, but when they tested them they were all spot on. He told me of the way they test. I mention this as my main gauge was compared to four different gauges from tire shops here in town. All said theirs was totally accurate. Not only were they all different from mine, but some were as much as 3# difference. At some point you have to decide who to believe. I decided on the $200. Hawkshead. Along those lines, my tires heat up on a moderate day (75° today) about 4# when warm. So even if your bike is low a couple of # when you start out, you'll be over the cold normal pressure real soon. So maybe that cold pressure isn't as important as we like to think. One little pssst when putting the valve cap on can move the needle 1# sometimes. --

-- I just discovered there are left and right antennas. The longer based one is the left CB antenna. I says which near the end if the black rubber part. That could matter. I never paid attention to which one was on which side. --

-- Found the switch. Nobody replies to my call outs. But I did discover that the two antennas are not the same. The one with the longer base is the CB antenna and should be on the left. It says on the rubber area near the end if it is a left or right antenna. I may not have had them on correctly. --

-- Okay. Thanks. I think I found it. You activate it with the forefinger of your left hand. I will pull outside tomorrow and see if I can hear anybody. I presume I can somehow talk through the mike in my helmet. The helmet speakers and mike were set up by the JM company in Tuscan Arizona. I should have asked them at the time how to work it. But then, even my dealer didn't know anything. They could barely get the bike started. --

-- I can't seem to figure out how to talk on my c.b. The manual shows some push/talk button, or something, I would presume on the left handlebar of my Eluder GT. I can't find one. --

-- Your tire started out with 10/32" of tread. 3000 miles and you've used 2/32". That's only 12,000 miles to get to 2/32". Not good compared to most riders on car tires. But then that might be why the tire is so cheap. Most folks are getting over 20,000 miles on some like the Driveguard, but they cost around $141. or so. One thing we always need to factor in too is the cost of shipping, taxes, mounting and weight method. It all adds up. --

-- I use Balistol for my hands, seats, rubber, wood, guns and leather. --

-- Well, duh! Raise the bag on that side. --

-- I suppose Yamaha anticipated more heat in that area as the pipe has two layers of shield. I imagine one could try wrapping them--not sure how well it would fit around. Haven't tried it yet. One thing I've found is that wrap I've used on other bikes only works for a short time before the heat comes through anyway. --

-- Man, are you telling me I've had c.b. all this time and didn't realize it? I'll be. I did read in the manual that if you had it, all persons had to stay at least 22" away from the antenna. It must be pretty potent. I guess if TWater, the o.p., doesn't mind being sterile for the rest of his life, he's okay. --

-- When I got mine, my arms were in the way of the mirror view, so I adjusted the whole handlebar to where it worked best. Have you adjusted yours up slightly? Or where you need it--where the handlebar meets the risers. --

-- I have not hauled mine yet, but with my full chock, I intend to haul my Eluder by tie straps going to the lower forks between them and the wheel, just above the axle, looped around the fork, and back out such that they are pulling a little to the side but mostly forward and backward on each side. I have E-tracks, so it's easy to use them to hook on to. Then the back will be secured, on my bike, with a tie from one side, around the sissy bar, then down to the other side rail. This prevents any side to side motion or tip over movement. --

-- I had my helmet speakers set up at J&M when I purchased the GT last April. I ended up being able to just purchase a helmet from them that already had the speakers installed. Now though, I don't keep the GT down here. For this area I use one of my RoadStars. --

-- Summers in CO where there are lots of rides out of that western city. Winters in Wickenburg, AZ where there are not so many rides any time of year real close. In AZ it's down towards Gila Bend, over to Bagdad or up to Prescott. But the winter upper rides are rather chilly. --

On the windshield, I have a taller one on my Eluder as the stock one was buffeting my head a lot. Much better on the new one, although I don't know the height difference offhand. The trade off is I can't see over the top as well. As to the risers, I got some Roxes for my RoadStar and they are an improvement. I did have some trouble with getting them tight enough not to slip on the chrome. If they do, I will shim the chrome-to-polished aluminum clamps with some wet-or-dry sandpaper. According to the Rox tech I talked too, that's a good solution. I plan on putting some on my Eluder too, but can't until I get back to Colorado in May. --

-- So it seems. I'm not using it at all as I use a different bike for 6 months while in AZ for the winter. Mine didn't quit anytime during the 6 months I used it last summer. I will just carry a battery for insurance this summer. That procedure with the key is quite a trick--don't want to do it much. If the battery just gives less power so you are aware it's about to quit, that gives one some leeway. --

-- I came across this Hannigan. It's the model I would get if I were getting one as the rear end most matches the rear of the Eluder. Price is great. It would be at least $4,500. if new. https://www.smartcycleguide.com/L52506422 --

-- On your '18 Venture/Eluder, have you had to change out the battery on your remote start key fob yet? If so, how many months or miles of use did you get on it first? And when it quit working, did it just stop completely or get weaker and weaker? --

-- Any new to you hearing aids would have to be adjusted by an audiologist for your needs. As to the VA taking back old hearing aids, no, they won't. The ones shown in the first photos look to be pretty old. I have been wearing some from VA for ten years or so and they have progressed to where I've had three models in that time. --

-- I would be afraid that sand and dirt will get in the pocket area on the back where the sides curve down and forward again. I have had that problem with bras and unless you removed them every day to clean underneath, you had paint scratches and rust. That said, I do have tank bras on two bikes, but they are only in the center area and don't collect sand underneath. They protect from belt buckle, but there is some clear bra on the sides. For my Eluder gas tank, I had a shop put on a clear plastic bra, sort of like contact paper, but permanent, totally transparent, and protects against my jeans. I also have the clear bra on the top, front and sides of my side bags and front of my fender and fairing. I have some of that stuff on my car and pickup that was put on twenty years ago and still looks invisible. --

-- You bring up a good point. If one had bad swingarm bearings, what would that be like? Would the bike vibrate more? Would it be squeaky? Would it freeze up? If it were something that would gradually get worse, but you would know it for 10,000 miles--just gradually getting moreso. How would the cost of replacing the parts be compared to the 16,000 mile check be? And then if you had the dealer replace the parts, would the cost be much more? How much are we talking about? Of course we have all had the bike that's never had the swingarm touched and it seems to be fine. I have one Road Star with about 110,000 and never been greased. Maybe it's like comparing the cost of insurance to the cost of failure. And the likelihood. I'm not trying to argue with anyone here. Most of you have probably done more work on your bikes and have more experience than I do, so you may be able to give some facts from experience. Example: on that same bike I just replaced the intake manifold which I had never done before. It took some work, but with the help of the guys on the RSClinic, I got it on. Now I'm an expert. Well, anyway, I could offer some hints if someone were asking. I say some of this knowing how hard it is for some bikers to believe in Darksiding, for example. The fact is that all the negatives about a car tire's demise comes from those who have never experienced the problem, but is a problem only in theory. That's kind of what I want here are some facts, not theory. Although I know it's hard when we're talking about a brand new bike that not many riders have even gone over 10,000 miles yet. Maybe all we can do is guess. But again, the thoughts from some experience in this area is more likely on this site than anywhere else. --

-- Du-Rron, Okay, so you say that if nothing else, you suggest the tech checks the (1) valve adjustment, (2) swingarm re-lube, (3) neck bearing re-lube. Is there anything else that is an absolute? I just don't want to get near the $1,600. estimate for all the stuff listed in the owner's manual. I don't know how much of those things I can do. Never done any of them before. --

-- Now I know that many riders are real sticklers for doing everything dictated by the OEMs, while others stretch everything they can. Some bikes are totally stock, use only branded items (I'm not talking HOG people here), and service even more often than recommendations. I suppose I'm in the middle. I use the oil and filter I want, plugs I want, and even go Darkside on tires. Sometimes I do some extra things like upgrading some wiring or changing to an LED headlight. But when it comes to internal engine work I get the dealer's mechanic. I know my tools, time, talents. I just found out today that the dealer wants about $1,600. and two days to do the OEM manual scheduled 16,000 mile check on my Eluder. These include some things like checking clutch, brakes, electrical parts, bearing lubing and more. My abilities would include being able to change oil/filter, change plugs, check/change battery, pull wheels for new tire mounting. Seems like my bike experience is that those items I mention I do are the most common things needed on any regular basis. I don't know how much I save by doing those regular things, I know I have some satisfaction from just them. All this said, I believe I'm inclined to not have the dealer do his $1,600. checkover. I would then be hoping (praying if inclined and one thinks it would help) that those items he would do will last many, many miles before needing attention. Any thoughts here? --