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greg_in_london

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Everything posted by greg_in_london

  1. greg_in_london
    The imperial gallon is based on the ale gallon, whereas the US gallon is based on the wine gallon. (Source: [ame]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gallon[/ame]) Must say something about the different national priorities....
  2. greg_in_london
    Ok, well sorry I've been slow getting back. It took a little while to clock up any miles and then we were on holiday for three weeks and then back to work. I kept track on mileage and fuel top-ups, but there is no consistency to types of use. Overall, though, I was acutely aware I had not had time to balance the carbs. They felt as if they were misfiring under accelearation at highish revs, but on a gentle throttle did rev cleanly. It felt as if it were less torquey, but the clutch still slipped, so maybe it just ran into higher revs more easily. I'm not sure. I've left fuel amounts in litres, so you can work it out in your funny sized gallons, but my estimated mpg figures are imperial. Mileage 250 filled tank 355 14.75l 32mpg mixture of traffic and A-roads 448 13.6l 33mpg " " " 558 15.65l 32mpg A-roads and motorway 675 15.1 35mpg A-roads, choke left on by accident 787 16.5l 34mpg A-roads and motorway. Traffic jam (40mins) in Dublin. 868 11.7l 31mpg mixed Irish roads, some hills.. [During an Irish music festival the trip meter got reset, which is annoying as I was pulling a trailer for this part of the trip and I wanted to compare this mlieage particularly.] 086 12.6 31mpg Irish roads, mostly without trailer 181 16.0 27mpg Diverting through Wales, striking scenery, but wet and slow. 268 12.5 31mpg A-Roads and motorway 376 15.7 31mpg nearly all motorway, heavy rain Probably not useful to others, as I have a sidecar, but it is still possibly a small improvement. I just don't know when I'll be able to tweak the carbs. It does sound as if I have a small exhaust leak too, but in all the time away, it was never dry enough to want to crawl underneath to have a look notthat I would have been able to do anything, anyway.
  3. greg_in_london
    630 USD 'buyer fee' 85 USD 'premium fee' bid 775 USD Never mind the bid price, I won't do business like that.
  4. greg_in_london
    Well on Saturday I finally got aroung to pulling the carb slides to do both carb diaphragms and the spacers under the c-clip. I know it is always better to do one job at a timeand check the differences, but doing two jobs at the same time alos means that they both get done. The diaphragms went much more easily than I expected - so much so that I worried I was cutting a corner somewhere. I used a flathead screwdriver to open the two plastic rings slightly to make it easier to work the diaphragm out, just pulling gently. I then stretched the inner lip of the new diaphragm over the two discs and worked the lip into the gap with a thumbnail. I would have preferred to have used some lubrication, but the rubber grease was not to hand and none came with the kit. In any event, they went together easily. I used the ones from the group buy deal. I measured the plastic spacer under the clip on the needle (no adjustment on my 83) as 2.5mm (120 thou) and the washers a neighbour provided were about 0.6mm. Three of those made 1.8mm (70 thou according to my calipers). [if some early Ventures DID have adjustable needles, wheras others did not, this mightlend credence to the idea suggested in that long thread on economy I started last year - there could hve been significant difference in carburation on some bikes, which might not even have been model specific !] First impressions were pretty good. Winding it open in first had a sound as if the bike was clearing its throat at about 5 thousand, but I didn't usually rev that hard in first, so wasn't sure if that was new. At all other rev/speed combinations it seemed very happy. I'm aware that any new change always seems to have a honeymoon effect, probably because I want it to work, so today I'm going to do a few miles to see if the mpg has improved.
  5. greg_in_london
    I wouldn't worry too much about old trailer tyres unless you can see that they are cracking/split. Their main job is to carry weight without transmitting forces and even if brakes are fitted, they won't act much of the time. Use some common sense as well, though. If you have caravan tyreson a 150lb trailer at 55mph, well then you won't ever have a problem. If you have the cheapest, lightest duty tyres and overload your trailer to 1000lb and then do motorway journeys in the sun without checking tyre pressures...... then buynew tyres that are up to the job. Or go somewhere in between depending on how much attention you want to pay on long journeys.
  6. greg_in_london
    "Found it" !!!! - what made you think it was lost ? Get it out of your pocket and take it back.
  7. greg_in_london
    Looks like you modified a passenger mounting plate to attch your rear fram to, correct? Is it bolted to the frame or did you fabricate a attachment bracket? Not quite sure what you mean. I removed the aluminium footrest plate and cut a steel plate to a similar size and then welded on eyebolt heads, plus a mount for the footrest. As it was mild steel it was all straightforward. The picture of the front is pretty bloody dark!! I'm guessing you attached it where the engine crash guard used to be? I need to look to check. I made a plate to spread the load, but it doesn't really do much. I used a female eyebolt to attach to a bolt coming through from behind the frame bar. and the upper looks to be where the horn bracket was mounted? Again, bolted on, or a custom bracket for the upper arm. I just found an accessible section of frame. The horn is still on the mount it came on. I used another piece of plate, drilled a hole at each corner and used two exhaust clamps to attach to the frame. The eyebolt head was again welded to the plate. Ask me again if that doesn't make sense. did you create a subframe for the lower front, or is it strictly one sided (left) did you weld this as well or use existing mounting bolts. If it can be made strong enough, I'd be tempted to create a subframe or mounting harness which bolts onto the frame on the same points where the engine crash guards and horn mounts are. I wouldn't argue with anyone that says a sub-frame is a better solution. I didn't use one, though and I've had no trouble in 8-9 years and 30,000 miles of heavy use. Possible even include the radiator mounting points, but haven't had time to look into that yet. Won't have my car till later in the month though, the first shipper justcancelled the quote due to traffic violations !! In other words: just as well!! I'll keep y'all posted. Good luck - hope the above helps.
  8. greg_in_london
    Hard to say, my bike is on the right side, the sidecar is next to it in the conventional place. Righting wrongs has always been the prerogative of knights errant who were once much more common on this side of the pond than they ever were than yours, notwithstanding one particular Connecticut Yankee. How could right be wrong ? That sounds like a reference to far eastern mysticism - be careful - you might not be old enough to remember the congress commission on unamerican activities - you'll have to check across the Water Margin for that one.
  9. greg_in_london
    I think it's just a regular thread - is yours too stiff to move ?
  10. greg_in_london
    I have some pictures here, but yours'll be on the wrong side. http://s252.photobucket.com/albums/hh10/greg_in_london/venture/ Let me know if you have an questions. Legal requirements may differ on your side of the pond.
  11. greg_in_london
    I used Sonic Springs, who had a choice of spring weights and was very happy with the result right from the outset. Their spacer was a heavy walled plastic tube that I could cut to my desired length - works !
  12. greg_in_london
    I think lighter weight outfits are more fun on the twisties - there is just so much input needed from the rider and so much feedback too that it is really fun. And it's soooooo stable in a slide and you can lift or slide wheels ar will, especially when the weather and road conditions get worse. And what the others said, except also that you're still in the fresh air, get to smell the roses and everybody on the road is much friendlier. Mind you, I always have the outfit in addition to solo bikes, not instead of.
  13. greg_in_london
    We have someone who comes to our rally who has a leaning sidecar. I might have pictures somewhere, but I'd have to look. Google turns up a wide range of hits on 'leaning sidecars', for example: Armec products: http://02a2379.netsolhost.com/sidewinder.html Something historical: http://thekneeslider.com/archives/2008/01/02/flexible-tilting-sidecars/ And the Flexit, which I think is what our visitor has: http://bmwmotorcycletech.info/flexit.htm Having said this, though, they're pretty unusual even among a minority interest. In the 1980s there was also an awful strap-on arrangement called a 'sidewinder' made to take advantage of a gap in the learner laws, but the less said about those the better.
  14. greg_in_london
    A couple of points: Yamaha messed about with their recommended fuel levels over the different models. A couple of the relevant models are in a table at http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=20950&page=9 - in other words check the manual for your model. 3/8" (about 9mm) is too high a fuel level -in fact it is close to the overflow level. (The lower the number the higher the fuel level.) The one carb at 5/8" was the only one close to right. You can check the fuel levels reasonably accurately with the carbs off, with just a fuel container connected. While they are apart, you probably will find a float height that you can physically measure - check what the fuel level is on the carb closest to the correct level and then measure the height with the bowl off. Then you'll have a figure to aim at. [sorry - I've not done mine for a while and don't want to guess a wrong figure.] Oops - that wasn't a couple.
  15. greg_in_london
    Another shot in the dark, but as I'm not quite sure what you mean here - are the diaphragms as flexible after you reglued them as before ? If the piston doesn't move freely anymore then you might get this response. How far did you tear then down, anyway ? Did you get into the gasket behind the jet body and the o-ring on the nozzle ? Were they okay/did you replace them ? Just thinking out loud.
  16. greg_in_london
    I used to think of it as upper body exercise when I used to use the bike and sidecar regularly, but now it gets used now and then for major trips, always heavily loaded. So I don't get to build up my strength, just abuse my body. Mind you, the suspension upgrades have made quite a difference.
  17. greg_in_london
    This is a picture of leading links on another sidecar outfit I have. http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh10/greg_in_london/sidecar/DSCF1032.jpg Instead of relying on telescopic forks, the forks are fixed tubes, supporting a swingarm with the front wheel mounted in it. The result is far more rigid, rolls over bumps far better and usually allows some adjustment of trail to give lighter steering.
  18. greg_in_london
    I always change when I'm approaching the 1mm legal limit (in the UK). With the sidecar I don't see a real difference in tread regardless of the depth of tread, but no tread at all in the wet realy does not help braking. On a heavy duty tyre I get 4,000 miles on the back, but that's with a big sidecar, often with a trailer tent.
  19. greg_in_london
    If it was my comment you referred to, I questioned the accuracy of similar gauges that I have used here, but I've not actually used Emgo products. I'm sure expensive gauges could be accurate if looked after. Cheaper ones would have more variation and time, corrosion and the occasional impact could potentialy affect them more than stainless steel rod or mercury gauges. Other people may have had different experiences, especially with different makes.
  20. greg_in_london
    No rev limiter.
  21. greg_in_london
    Well I was using plain Jane lead acids with continual starting problems when someone lent me an Odyssey which was not being used. Despite sometimes leaving it for months at a time between start-ups the Odyssey has been reliable for about four years. I don't know how old it actually is. I'm thinking about buying another AGM which will fill up the space completely for the time when I have to return the Odyssey. I certainly recommend it, but maybe a good gel battery would have been fine too. I've got an unfilled lead acid just sitting on my shelf if anyone locally thinks they're as good.
  22. greg_in_london
    Sorry - I was commenting on the original post - if he has one that is faulty, check it and send it back if necessary. As to whether the Morgan carbtune is well engineered, well I've got one and it works fine. It is durable and will survive in a toolbox in a way that other gauges won't. Before that I had the use of a 75cm long (at a guess) set of Morgan mercury gauges which were excellent. Mercury gauges I believe are more accurate, but much less transportable. My only experience with dial gauges has been with Davida products, but I always felt that there was way too much variation between gauges and that I couldn't trust them. Certainly not after a few knocks. Then again, sending them back is easier for me. I have the opposite problem with MotionPro products, but postage is MUCH easier now than ten years or more ago. Bottom line is that there are different designs, which each have their advantages and disadvantages. Choose which meets your needs and then order from a supplier you trust. IMHO: accuracy: 1st mercury 2nd stainless steel rods 3rd dial gauge convenience: 1st dial gauge (can be at any angle) 2nd stainless steel rods 3rd mercury durability 1st stainless steel rod 2nd dial gauges (but any damage will not be visible) 3rd mercury (but any damage will be visible.) There are actually another couple of type of gauges - digitalones and those where the pressure difference between two intakes is compared, but I have no experience of those.
  23. greg_in_london
    Ditto the above. Connect all the tubes to one steady (or as steady as possible) source and see if they read the same. If they don't, ideally get a picture, then send them back to Morgan. Or rather email them first, then send them back.
  24. greg_in_london
    I have some pictures of my sidecar fittings at: http://s252.photobucket.com/albums/hh10/greg_in_london/venture/ Unfortunately it probably won't help much as you have the sidecar on the wrong side, but it may be of some interest. You might find some other pictures in the sidecars and trikes thread...
  25. greg_in_london
    Now we're acting like a family and having a bust up when we should be resolving a problem.. Simple fact is that an up front membership will reduce the number of new members. An alternative is to allow guests to post, to ask questions and get advice. If they want to be more a part, they can join and then their name appears and they get avatars and all that (if they want them). Then I suppose that blocking obnoxious guests and spammers will become more of a problem. Trial membership is a pain for many people, whose participaion is likely to grow over time. If their trial has run out before their second visit, will they bother ? Don't get me wrong - I've paid my bit and it wouldn't bother me to pay a little more. I was quite happy to subscribe to Venturers.org when I posted there - BUT their subscription sign up required setting up a permanent mandate for some reason and they had no work around, so I left - Don's doesn't so that's easy enough. For what it's worth, I think that the technical forums, not just the library should be open to all, with a tag under the name stating that a person is a guest or a member, depending on their subscription status. Access to the watering hole etc should be members only. Information as a hook / social benefit. Easy access to encourage participation with login names so moderation remains effective. An automated offer of membership after, say, ten posts, twenty logins, whatever. Membership status clearly visible - so no moaning from non-members is tolerated... Just my suggestion - don't expect everyone to agree. Don - hope things go well. Unfortunately I doubt the fees will go far in adding any support financially.
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