Mike G in SC

Looking to replace my Larin MC jack (MAL-2C). The jack bottle died, second one to do that. (but must admit it does not get used often) Also, the balance with the Venture on it is very poor, actually downright scarry. Seems to be a toss up between the Pit Bull and the J&S. Want something sturdy, good balance with a Venture in the air, and good warranty. I do alerady have Carbon One's adapter. I may see what's at the IMS this weekend in Atlanta. Suggestions? Thanks, Mike G

Four years ago if you told me gas was headed to $3 a gallon I would have been shocked! Cause then it was $1.87 !!!!!!!

There are three Yamaha Dealers out there that I use that have similar pricing, Stadium, Yamaha of Cucamonga and Central Yamaha in Plano TX. http://www.centralyamaha.com/ http://www.yocracing.com/ http://www.stadiumyamaha.com/ I think when I was looking for some part, Yamaha list was $215+ and they were $168. BUT: My local dealer, Extreme Sports Yamaha in Sumter SC will normally let me bring in, or call in the OEM accessory price I found at, say Stadium, and he will match. He will match IF it is from a true YAMAHA Dealer site,,, which these are. (He will work with me on non-Yamaha but may not match, IE Tires.) I do have to pay sales tax, but no shipping. And then if I have a problem, I got local support. It may be worth your time to see if your local Yamaha dealer will price match. Win Win. Mike G.

In the words of Lewis Grizzard: Brother, I don't think I would have told that one!

Thanks Don, Will look before I leap,,,, to Lowes. Mike G in SC PS: Hour later. Done. Did need to run down to the local hardware store for four 6mm x 1" button bolts (stainless, why not), four nuts, four lock washers and two flat washers. Always more fun to swap jokes at the hardware store then buy stuff you didn't want at Lowes. Yeah, on my 2009, Yamaha did not weld nuts to other holes, but at least they were there. So needed nuts & washers. Only the two front bolts will go back to original holes & welded nuts. Longer part of the job is remembering why you have that much stuff in your trunk and what you want to put back. Yeah, a flattened small roll of toilet paper,,, put back in. And, yeah, pull the passenger seat else the com cable will probably pull loose. That was EASY. Gives wife an extra inch of breathing room and if I add a back rest, not so much in her way. Thanks again, Mike G.

A couple of my RSV friends have moved their trunk & passenger backrest back 1" by removing the mount bolts and and repositioning the whole assembly back one set of holes. Seen it done with 4 bolts and 6. Seems like a simple idea to give the passenger an extra inch of breathing room. I did not see this in the RSV tech library. Is there already a post on "How to"? I hope to do this today. (hints from my friends: Remove the passenger seat when you do it because when you move the trunk, it will pull on the com cord. The one with 6 bolts got said he picked up 6mm bolts from Lowes.)

There's two similar threads floating on this, gas additives. As for fighting ethanol, water or winterizing also consider Startron. My savy Yamaha dealer (who also sells watercraft) recommends it above any other additives. From the other thread: Look for STARTRON in stores. In WalMart it is in the marine section next to the boat oil. The bottle is Windex blue. About $8 but goes a long way. It is for both ethanol and water in gas. Good stuff, will make ethanol gas safe (stable) for months. http://content.westmarine.com/images/catalog/large/5617741.jpg

Look for STARTRON in stores. In WalMart it is in the marine section next to the boat oil. The bottle is Windex blue. About $8 but goes a long way. It is for both ethanol and water in gas. Good stuff, will make ethanol gas safe for months. http://content.westmarine.com/images/catalog/large/5617741.jpg

Al, as this is your thread,,,, not stealing it,,, Carol and I are going to be coming down from the BR Parkway from a few days of riding and will also stay in Kennesaw on Thursday night. Not sure if same hotel as Jerry, but same exit off I-75. Then may head home after the event (?). Mike G.

Dion, Below is a cut & paste of a cut & paste from 2009. That was on my RSTD. Will be the same for a RSV. I got lucky the other day by tapping the pump, that got me home. But it's really nice to know about setting up for Gravity Feed. Mike G in SC Like Jim said, Gravity Feed. I found my 2009 post about it(below). I ran for a week, almost 1000 miles until the dealer could get one in. Mine went at about 50k. If you get stuck, like Wizard said, you can re-route the fuel line to the carbs. in 15 minutes. Remove the seat, remove the rear tank bolt, lift the rear of the tank for access to the carb port. Pull the line off the top of the filter and re-route it to the carbs. (obviously you have to pull the line that came from the bottom of the pump to the carb.) Make sure you have a good needle nose pliers for the clamps. Oh, and a flashlight incase it happens at night. You should also open the left side cover and disconnect the electrical connection to the pump so it won't try to poop out any remaining gas. If you think you may do this for a while, buy a small cheap inline filter and a couple of inches of gas line and put it inline close to the fuel cutoff valve. You are good for lot's of miles this way. Might have issues if you let the tank get too low. Ah, and don't smoke while you are doing this! BUT,,,, now thinking about it, you could simply carry a 3' length of gas line (same size as comes off the pitcock). Maybe even put a small inline filter in it. Then, if you need to do the Gravity Feed thing you would simply run this line from the tank to the carb port. You would still have to lift the back of the tank to do it. So, then you would not have to pull the line off the filter/pump area. But do remember to open the left side cover and disconnect the pump. That is a bunch cheaper than carrying a spare pump and a lot less complicated too. I think I will head to Autozone for a few feet of gas line. Mike G in SC

If you have passing lamps installed (corectly) there is also a little on/off push button on the inside left of the fairing. (near that 12V outlet) I normally leave them on (mine are always on) but if group riding at night and your extra lights are too bright for the guy in front of you,,,, you can turn them off. PS: Hey Al W. Maybe see you in Kennesaw on Oct 19? Me and Carol and Jerry Mefford are going to the FTC drop at the Yamaha factory.

A Harley friend showed me his new HD waffle cushion a few weeks back. I rode out to Branson MO, and before the trip back I went by a HD dealer and bought the large cushion. I RODE STRAIGHT BACK 950 MILES !! Just fine, thank you. Sells for about $90, called the Circulator Seat Pad. It's pretty thin for what it does, maybe 1/2" compared to my old Carolina Butt Buffer was about double that. Never got monkey butt either. http://www.harley-davidson.com/gma/gma_product.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524448774082&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302491575&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=2534374302491575&bmUID=1250226560583&bmLocale=en_US http://www.harley-davidson.com/media/images/hd/common/hd_spacer_e204.gifhttp://www.harley-davidson.com/media/images/hd/common/hd_spacer_e204.gifhttp://www.harley-davidson.com/media/images/productphotos/PNA/51076_09_M_250d4.jpg http://www.harley-davidson.com/media/images/holiday2003/en/mask_dealer_1a1c5.gifhttp://www.harley-davidson.com/media/images/hd/common/hd_spacer_e204.gifhttp://www.harley-davidson.com/media/images/hd/common/hd_spacer_e204.gifhttp://www.harley-davidson.com/media/images/hd/common/hd_spacer_e204.gifhttp://www.harley-davidson.com/media/images/hd/common/hd_spacer_e204.gifhttp://www.harley-davidson.com/media/images/hd/common/hd_spacer_e204.gifhttp://www.harley-davidson.com/media/images/hd/common/hd_spacer_e204.gifCirculator Seat Pads http://www.harley-davidson.com/media/images/hd/common/hd_spacer_e204.gif Keep comfortable on your next long ride. These breathable Circulator Seat Pads feature 3-D construction that promotes air movement and reduces heat build-up where the rider's body touches the seat. Designed to keep the rider cool by reducing the perspiration build-up between you and the seating surface, the Circulator Pad can be installed and removed in seconds for easy cleaning. The low-profile design minimizes seat-height change compared to inflatable pads, while enhancing comfort with its shock-absorbing construction. Manufactured of UV-stable materials, these seat pads resist fading when exposed to the sun. Elastic under-seat strap and non-slip base provide secure installation, and the available Circulator Passenger Pillion Pad attaches to the rider pad with hook-and-loop tabs. http://www.harley-davidson.com/media/images/hd/common/hd_spacer_e204.gif http://www.harley-davidson.com/media/images/holiday2003/spacer_cccccc_1a21e.gif This product is available in multiple variations. Be sure to look for the one that fits the specific model and year of your motorcycle. http://www.harley-davidson.com/media/images/hd/common/hd_spacer_e204.gif http://www.harley-davidson.com/media/images/holiday2003/spacer_cccccc_1a21e.gif51076-10 http://www.harley-davidson.com/media/images/hd/common/hd_spacer_e204.gif Large Seat Pad - 16.0" width http://www.harley-davidson.com/media/images/hd/common/hd_spacer_e204.gif Fits Softail® and Touring models with Original Equipment and accessory seats. Will not fit Spring seats and Road Zeppelin® seats. http://www.harley-davidson.com/media/images/hd/common/hd_spacer_e204.gif MSRP US $89.95 http://www.harley-davidson.com/media/images/hd/common/hd_spacer_e204.gif http://www.harley-davidson.com/media/images/holiday2003/en/btn_selectdealertoaddcart_1a1b2.gif http://www.harley-davidson.com/media/images/hd/common/hd_spacer_e204.gif http://www.harley-davidson.com/media/images/holiday2003/en/btn_logintoaddwishlist_1a1a6.gifhttp://www.harley-davidson.com/media/images/holiday2003/spacer_cccccc_1a21e.gif51078-10 http://www.harley-davidson.com/media/images/hd/common/hd_spacer_e204.gif Passenger Pillion Pad - 13.0" width http://www.harley-davidson.com/media/images/hd/common/hd_spacer_e204.gif Fits Original Equipment and accessory passenger pillions. http://www.harley-davidson.com/media/images/hd/common/hd_spacer_e204.gif MSRP US $69.95 http://www.harley-davidson.com/media/images/hd/common/hd_spacer_e204.gif http://www.harley-davidson.com/media/images/holiday2003/en/btn_selectdealertoaddcart_1a1b2.gif http://www.harley-davidson.com/media/images/hd/common/hd_spacer_e204.gif http://www.harley-davidson.com/media/images/holiday2003/en/btn_logintoaddwishlist_1a1a6.gif Download Instruction Sheet http://www.harley-davidson.com/media/images/gma/en/btn_pdficon_25332.gif http://www.harley-davidson.com/media/images/hd/common/hd_spacer_e204.gifhttp://www.harley-davidson.com/media/images/hd/common/hd_spacer_e204.gif http://www.harley-davidson.com/media/images/hd/common/hd_spacer_e204.gifhttp://www.harley-davidson.com/media/images/hd/common/hd_spacer_e204.gifhttp://www.harley-davidson.com/media/images/hd/common/hd_spacer_e204.gifhttp://www.harley-davidson.com/media/images/global/en/btn_zoom_1dc10.gif

Take in in while under warranty. You can get the Mr Gasket $45 pump but the dealer will replace the Mitzibushi $300 pump for free. My 2009 RSV (43k miles) almost left me stranded in the boonies Sunday. It acted like it simply ran out of gas. I drifted to a side road. Tried to start several times. Would fire then die. I started to set it for gravity feed but instead gave the pump a couple of good taps. It fired and ran strong. I changed my ride plans and headed back home. The next morning I turned the key 4 times before the pump cut in. So, last night I dropped it by the shop. They will check it out and most likely replace the pump. BUT it is intermittent,,, so I hope they DO replace it. I got a mountain trip coming up in a couple of weeks. But, I did stop by an AutoZone yesterday and yes they do stock the Mr.Gasket ($47) 42S pump, on the shelf. If for some reason my shop does not replace my pump, I may buy one of these and hope I don't need it (?). Mike G in SC

Simply put, that's Balls!

Saw an O'Rileys flier Sunday, $6.99.

Monster Ovals probably would sound good, maybe just a tad loud per what you say. But list for $800. I have Barons 4-2-2 on my RSTD, yeah loud. You don't want that,,, per what you say. I tried a few things on my RSV to get it just above stock. Chromewerks were way loud for me. Tried another set of Barons. Like you, just looking for some deeper sound but no headache on a day ride. I then picked up some older '95 (good shape) RK cans off this site. You will either need some mount adapters or some are using P-clamps now. And then some decent pipe clamps (ebay for $36) The whole setup was about $100. Anyhow, the RK cans are good. Noticable, but not loud. But does get past the stock pipe sound of the engine. Did a 950 mile straight thru this month and ears are fine. Mike G

Wes, If you do both, you will save on gas as you will be constantly going downhill. If it is all about lowering then, yeah, lowering the front mechanically gets 1.5" and the small tire will get another "bit". The small tire is only minor effect for lowering. The primary reason for the small tire is handling. I don't think doing both will "hurt". Mike G

My 06 RSTD had the smaller tire when I bought it used at 17k miles. I did put another on at my first front change. But I had some higher speed handling issues and decided to go to the larger stock size. I prefer the stout stock tire. But if you are going to spend time wishing you had tried the small tire,,,,, then do so. It's not going to produce results that you will HATE. Both my Royals are lowered, both have the stock size. Just put on a E3 on my RSV last week. Good tire.

Jack, that's a desk! Now I understand the discomfort. Sorry, had to. Hope you do see the shuttle today. I watched a couple take off when they had rockets under ithem. Mike G

Jack, got some photos of mine before I sold it. One piece. The "wings" of the front rider area are what will make shorter inseam not fit. I got 29-30" inseam and could not "walk" the bike while sitting on it. So, they are custom for height & weight. Mike G PS: George not stealing thread, just had a RSV question.

Jack, Being in your side of the country, you might look into Russel Day Long Saddles (North CA). I bought one used off the STAR Touring forum for my RSV but then found the PO was 6'4",,, I'm not. They are very custom made for the rider. I sold it to a guy 6'5" and he is loves it. It's a one piece for rider & passenger, almost looks like you stole it off a a Wing. Nice looking. They build it for you, about $900 new. I bought and sold this one for $300. Mike G in SC

My 2006 RSTD had an Ultimate set since I bought it in 2007. You know, I just never give a thought to doing a 400-500 mile day. I now have over 90k miles on it. Mike G in SC

AKR, The link went to what looks like my virus: you have been infected with one of the FakeHDD\Defragmenter rogues that hide your files and Start Menu. But, did not get a fake "click here" screen. I have been using the combo of Webroot and Advance Windows Care, but will look into the Malwarebytes product. My son, who has learned alot in the last few years, is bringing the box home today with new drive, restored W7 and was able to find most files and restore my mail. He suggested the new drive so I could still look on the old one if something is still missing. So with that, what "on-line" backup product are people using, Carbonite, Mosy,,? Want to do, say 3 PC's (which, unless you piggyback may leave out Carbonite). And thanks all. Mike G.

Hey Joe, Webroot is a major paid AV product. I previously used Norton then Kasapersky. Don't know if they would have done better. (Webroot is "live" or "cloud". Has good reviews. Been using it on 3 machines since May. Retails for $60 at Best Buy.) So, if no one's heard of this virus,, heads up and back up. Thanks, Mike G. link for Webroot: http://www.webroot.com/En_US/sites/bbi/sem-wsa-3prod-comp1/?esvcid=S1348065573_ADOGOE_AGI1548_CRE16529888240_TID18342_RFDd3d3Lmdvb2dsZS5jb20%3d&RC=4929&sc=701F0000000dDP2&utm_term=webroot&id=1&gclid=COTul83vwbICFQGDnQodZhIA6w

My PC was fine and dandy on Thursday PM. I go on Friday AM and my desktop only had the wallpaper and one icon, the recycle bin. START, PROGRAMS,,,, none found. Windows Explorer,, no user files, programs unuseable. Cutting to the chase, the files are there but Icons and program listings are gone. Files (pictures, documents and such) are found, but not in folders. I do have a newer AV program in use, WebRoot (Essentials, a cloud AV product. been ok for months). So, my son, who is more current on PC installs, is working on restore. Said it's pretty nasty. There are several IT pro's here. Do you know what virus took me down? I have googled for info, found some info, but no one says what the virus is. Anyone know this one,,, and how to avoid it. Thanks, Mike G.