MiCarl

The only thing using too high of octane will harm is your wallet. It won't harm the engine. Not 100% sure on the RSV but Yamaha typically specifies RON (Research Octane Number). Pumps in North America are labeled in PON (Pump Octane Number). I've read that if you take RON - 5 you get a reasonable value for PON. So 91-5 = 86. Around here regular is generally 87 octane. Your Lincoln will specify PON. I know my wife's Lincoln specifies 89 octane, which of course isn't available around here. It goes 87, 91, 93 in this area. The Lincoln operates just fine on 87, it retards the timing to prevent pre-ignition. Problem is the fuel mileage drops enough it costs just as much per mile as putting in the 91. So we use the 91, at least we have to stop less. I can see where under certain conditions you might get a little better MPG from the higher octane. Might not be worth the extra $$ though.

Eventually. The Thermostat doesn't keep the temperature down, it tries to keep the temperature up to a minimum level. I had the instrument cluster off/apart on mine. When I reassembled this morning I started it up to make sure the temp gauge worked and it came off the peg in just a couple minutes. If you have a thermostat installed it should do the same. Once it reaches the thermostat temperature the rate of increase will slow because the thermostat lets coolant circulate through the radiator. The radiator is large enough it dissipates a lot of heat, even when still and without the fan on. At idle it'll take a long time to get hot enough to turn the fan on. It's very rare my fan comes on, only in stop and go riding. You know when it does not by the sound but by the skin blistering on your legs.

Assuming BlueSky's load rating information is correct the 130/70 isn't up to what Yamaha specifies, which is 65H. I wonder what kind of outfit you dealt with that they don't know how to properly look up a tire and convert between metric and alpha sizing......

The gauge on my '89 typically only rises about 1/3 so long as I'm moving. Stop and go it can go all the way to the red line where the fan kicks in. I think what you're referring to is the posts about at which temp the fan kicks in, not where the motorcycle usually operates. It'll have to idle for a long time for the fan to kick on, especially on a cool day. When the gauge just reaches the red the fan should kick on.

It's not supposed to work below 30MPH. This is the classic system of a brake or clutch switch not closing. The computer sees the pulses from the speedometer reed switch and sets, but immediately detects that the clutch or brake is pulled and automatically cancels the cruise. This will happen if the brake or clutch pivots are worn - common.

Loose is open. While you might not need to pressurize with the progressive springs (many forks don't have a way to add air) the trapped air on top of the oil does act as a spring. You're right that the "air spring" might not be necessary. But if the system isn't sealed when the forks compress air will exit and air will re-enter when they extend. That will bring in dirt and moisture. I have yet to see a fork that is vented, which is what you're proposing.

You don't want to leave the equalizer open. Aside from getting dirt and moisture in the trapped air is part of the suspension system.

My original point was the cost of your healthcare is heavily subsidized. The government gets the money for the subsidy through taxes. I believe you have some form of Value Added Tax, which is a type of sales tax levied at each stage of production rather than at the cash register. Politicians like the VAT because the tax is hidden in the retail price so you gripe about retailers ripping you off instead of griping about politicians taxing you. When someone imports something the VAT (they probably call it something else on imports) is assessed at the border. That is a major part of the reason retail prices on most things (except health care) are higher in Canada than the U.S. We have our own hidden taxes in the U.S., but that is a different subject.

I'm sure a large part of it is the Value Added Tax, which we don't have in The States. Gotta pay for the "free healthcare" somehow.

I'd worry about the transmission. It's a bit like an automatic in a car where the engine turning pumps the lubricant through the innards. Either rent a trailer or pull the drive shaft.

To summarize: Your motorcycle is broken. It needs to be repaired, not re-jetted. Most likely you've got issues with the carburetors. There are a lot of parts that need to come off to get at the carburetors and the carburetors have lots of tiny internal pieces. With all that is going on at Maintenance Day I wouldn't attempt them there.

Insurance (other than health care) is regulated by state law. Any answer from outside Nebraska isn't probably worth much. If the policy was bought through an agent I'd work with my agent on the deal. I'm a bit surprised by the run around. In my experience insurance companies have blanket contracts with salvage yards where the salvage operator pays X% of the NADA value. So long as they're getting X (or more) from the owner I don't know why they'd screw around with the paperwork and transportation. I think it's most likely they got their internal communications screwed up and a few phone calls could straighten it out.

Some other things to look for: When pilot jets get plugged up it's not unusual for an owner to crank up the idle so the thing draws some main fuel. Then when the carbs are cleaned the idle is really high and needs to be turned down. Not a problem unless: 1) Owner adjusted the idle with the cable adjuster - making the cable too short. Make sure you have some slack in the throttle cable. 2) Owner adjusted the idle by turning the sync screws. This should be caught by a visual inspection of the synchronization while the carbs are off the motorcycle.

The XJ carburetors have a little link that the throttle cable attaches to. That link needs to be pointing up when the carburetors are installed into the boots - otherwise it catches on the head and holds the throttles open. The other thing that can happen on an XJ is the throttle cable doesn't drop down into the seat and that will hold the throttles open too.

The part number for the screw he is chasing is a 2nd gen drain screw. Quite a bit different orientation than the 1st gen screw. I'm not sure they can be accessed at all with carburetors on the motorcycle and certainly not easily replaced.

There are individual ports in the header pipes just ahead of the collector box. The ports are plugged with a hex head screw - 10mm head I think. Probably not going to be a fun task getting them out. Realistically you'd be less time and money with a digital tachometer and a set of vacuum gauges. The little bit extra you could get from a gas analyzer only matters if you need tenths of a second at the track or need to make the EPA happy.

Boats.net and Partzilla are the same business (Outdoor Network). For some reason they offer Yamaha motorcycle parts on their boat parts site. When you get parts the box they're shipped in have both names (and a couple others too).

Your new plates are dragging a bit. That torque tends to lock the transmission in gear. The extra force you're using to move the shifter causes you to shoot right past neutral. Did you soak the new plates in oil before you installed? In any case, once they get a little wear it'll probably go back to the way it was.

That one just gets capped.

I agree with you on the techs. The Yamaha certification doesn't necessarily mean anything.

Don, here is what I think can happen even with treated fuel. The fuel will eventually evaporate from the carburetors and since there is no new fuel available the floats drop, lower than they do in normal operation. Then if everything isn't perfect a float can stick in the low position. Tapping should cure it.

There are two seals back there. One on the pump side to keep coolant in the pump and one on the engine side to keep oil in the engine. That drain is between them so you find out you have a bad seal before filling the crankcase with coolant. You need to replace the seal.

I assume you're talking about your 88. Upper bushing: 3JJ-23125-00-00 - METAL, SLIDE 1 Lower bushing: 3JJ-23171-00-00 - PISTON,FRONT FORK Partzilla has them in stock. If the shop you're dealing with doesn't know how to look them up it's time to find a new shop.

We've got one at our vacation shack. I was worried about it being hot because it is a summer place and there is no AC. I haven't had a problem with it. We use a quilted mattress pad so that probably makes them all feel similar temp wise. BTW - I love that one too. It's an 8" memory foam from Walmart sitting on a rigid base (no box spring). You absolutely cannot feel the other person move which I really like. I'd consider using one for a replacement at home but the wife isn't sure she'd like it for every night (something about her knees being sensitive to the bed....). Last weekend we stayed over at friends' place that had bought a 12" memory foam for their shack and temporarily put it on the bed in their guest room. I found it very comfortable with the box spring under it too. No idea how long they hold up though........ One thing - memory foam stinks to high heaven first few days after you unwrap it. I think they also recommend letting it have some time to expand before using it. Don't plan on sleeping on it first couple nights.

I've got to strongly 2nd this. They sold my parents on their quality big time and they pretty much insisted I get a set. I went into the Fairlawn Ohio store 21 years ago and ordered a queen set sent here to the Detroit area. My wife and I have been sleeping on it for 20 years and we're not small people. It's just starting to show some wear. As I recall it was pitched as a 20 year mattress so that would be about right. I expect in the next year or two we'll be getting another one.