Venturous Randy

A guy that I worked with sent me some pictures of one of his friend's Goldwing trike and a truck tire. This guy was on his trike and his wife was on her trike in front of him. A wheel/tire came off an 18 wheeler and came across the median and nailed him. He did get some injuries of road rash, a mild concussion and some chest pains, but he is doing OK. This guy was really lucky and for sure lucky his wife was on her own bike. RandyA

PM sent. RandyA

I never put the engine in my bike. I did not realize until I got it back together that there had been some moisture issues in one cylinder and did not take the head off to see how bad it was. RandyA

I agree with Brian, sounds like 2nd gear to me. On some bikes, it may not jump out of 2nd gear completely, but just ratchet under wide open throttle or under load as it gets worse. There are several ways to fix it, from doing the undercut on 2nd gear and replacing the thrust washer to replacing all the affected parts to picking up a used 86 and up gear set and forks off Ebay. Some people may find it easier to pick up a later model engine and replace that. I have a low mileage 83 transmission that has never jumped and with the thrust washer change, it would be good to go. If you start buying new parts to rebuild yours, you will probably be in the $500 to $700 range real quick. I believe I also have an 86 up that I was going to put in the 83 engine, but I put an 01 trans in it. RandyA

Hey, the Squid man, I hope you have a great Birthday. RandyA

A cruise is what got me back on a motorcycle after 20+ years off. Laura and I went on a cruise to the Bahamas in 95 and while there we booked a snorkeling trip. When we met up at the designated spot, we were told it had been canceled. So, we are standing there looking around and there was a guy there with a row of Honda scooters and we decided to try one out. It was a bit nerve racking being back on a bike and especially driving on the "wrong" side of the road. We had a blast and ended up renting another one the next day. It was great getting off the usual tourist strip and eating in restaurants where the locals ate, which were not only cheaper, but better. When we got back, I bought a Yamaha 850 special with hard bags and a windshield and then my 83 Venture. I hope you enjoy your cruise. RandyA

No, this is just Vietnam. For anyone added later, it would have to have been Vietnam related, such as a positive identification of found remains or some other reason. RandyA

Viet Nam Veteran Statistics A little history most people will never know. Interesting Veterans Statistics off the Vietnam Memorial Wall "Carved on these walls is the story of America , of a continuing quest to preserve both Democracy and decency, and to protect a national treasure that we call the American dream." ~President George Bush SOMETHING to think about - Most of the surviving Parents are now Deceased. There are 58,267 names now listed on that polished black wall, including those added in 2010. The names are arranged in the order in which they were taken from us by date and within each date the names are alphabetized. It is hard to believe it is 36 years since the last casualties. Beginning at the apex on panel 1E and going out to the end of the East wall, appearing to recede into the earth (numbered 70E - May 25, 1968), then resuming at the end of the West wall, as the wall emerges from the earth (numbered 70W - continuing May 25, 1968) and ending with a date in 1975. Thus the war's beginning and end meet. The war is complete, coming full circle, yet broken by the earth that bounds the angle's open side and contained within the earth itself. The first known casualty was Richard B. Fitzgibbon, of North Weymouth , Mass. Listed by the U.S. Department of Defense as having been killed on June 8, 1956. His name is listed on the Wall with that of his son, Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Richard B. Fitzgibbon III, who was killed on Sept. 7, 1965. · There are three sets of fathers and sons on the Wall. · 39,996 on the Wall were just 22 or younger. · 8,283 were just 19 years old. The largest age group, 33,103 were 18 years old. · 12 soldiers on the Wall were 17 years old. · 5 soldiers on the Wall were 16 years old. · One soldier, PFC Dan Bullock was 15 years old. · 997 soldiers were killed on their first day in Vietnam . · 1,448 soldiers were killed on their last day in Vietnam . · 31 sets of brothers are on the Wall. · Thirty one sets of parents lost two of their sons. · 54 soldiers on attended Thomas Edison High School in Philadelphia . I wonder why so many from one school. · 8 Women are on the Wall. Nursing the wounded. · 244 soldiers were awarded the Medal of Honor during the Vietnam War; 153 of them are on the Wall. · Beallsville, Ohio with a population of 475 lost 6 of her sons. · West Virginia had the highest casualty rate per capita in the nation. There are 711 West Virginians on the Wall. · The Marines of Morenci - They led some of the scrappiest high school football and basketball teams that the little Arizona copper town of Morenci (pop. 5,058) had ever known and cheered. They enjoyed roaring beer busts. In quieter moments, they rode horses along the Coronado Trail, stalked deer in the Apache National Forest . And in the patriotic camaraderie typical of Morenci's mining families, the nine graduates of Morenci High enlisted as a group in the Marine Corps. Their service began on Independence Day, 1966. Only 3 returned home. · The Buddies of Midvale - LeRoy Tafoya, Jimmy Martinez, Tom Gonzales were all boyhood friends and lived on three consecutive streets in Midvale, Utah on Fifth, Sixth and Seventh avenues. They lived only a few yards apart. They played ball at the adjacent sandlot ball field. And they all went to Vietnam . In a span of 16 dark days in late 1967, all three would be killed. LeRoy was killed on Wednesday, Nov. 22, the fourth anniversary of John F. Kennedy’s assassination. Jimmy died less than 24 hours later on Thanksgiving Day. Tom was shot dead assaulting the enemy on Dec. 7, Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. · The most casualty deaths for a single day was on January 31, 1968 ~ 245 deaths. · The most casualty deaths for a single month was May 1968 - 2,415 casualties were incurred. For most Americans who read this they will only see the numbers that the Vietnam War created. To those of us who survived the war, and to the families of those who did not, we see the faces, we feel the pain that these numbers created. We are, until we too pass away, haunted with these numbers, because they were our friends, fathers, husbands, wives, sons and daughters. There are no noble wars, just noble warriors. Please pass this on to those who served during this time, and those who DO Care.

What is it for? RandyA

Drifting works. RandyA Or, find you a gravel road. Or do what I do, just make a conscious effort to do some swaying back and forth at low speeds to scuff them a little on the side. I don't think I would want to attack a new tire with a sander or side grinder.

For all you know, this may be something like the Craigslist killer. In this case, this person may be looking to hook up with someone to harm them. Then again, it may be someone who is married and they may want to just play around on the computer with anonymity. Either way, it is not the right thing to do. Just don't be surprised if the FBI shows up at your door one day with an arrest warrant, and guess what, you look just like the guy they are looking for. RandyA

I know a wife of an old Air Force friend that lives in Jane Lew, WV and she is having the same problems you are having. Her husband died about 14 month's ago and she is trying to get some things done around the house. She is also having problems with contractors showing up and the same crap. Is this a West Virgina thing or the same everywhere? RandyA

You have not indicated that you have any problems with 2nd gear, but rattling while on the side stand is another indication you have a worn thrush washer in your gearset. RandyA

I am having a very noticeable rattle under the bike and I am trying to determine if it is a loose baffle. I have another collector that I had a sleeve welded on where one of the pipe connections had broke off and when I look into the muffler tube hole I can see what looks like a baffle. When I stick a foot long rod in and peck on the baffle, it is solid. When I pulled the right muffler off, where the knock seems loudest, and did the same thing on the collector on the bike, it also seems to be mounted solid. It there another baffle in there that I am not seeing or feeling that could be loose? RandyA

If he would just listen to his old man. RandyA

Many bike shops have grips like the foam ones that are lass than $20. RandyA

I have found that what they really like is when you ask them if they are part of the Village People group. RandyA

Last year I went about 12,000 miles and expected to go at least that many or more this year. But with only going about 9,500 miles this year so far and the eye injury, I probably won't even make 10,000 miles.

Gerald, those look very good on there. RandyA

Well, I am at the point where my eye is filled level with the horizon, in other words, if I am looking straight, the liquid line is just about in the center of my vision. The crazy part is the least little movement causes it to slosh from side to side. Speaking of my vision, I can not see anything except light images either above or below the liquid line. I am hoping that is normal for now. I guess if were not for picking up the cinder blocks, I could go help Yammer Dan and it would be easy to keep them lever. May not be sraight, but they would be level. RandyA

Yeah, my first thought also. Did he even mention us or do you think he may be a little embarrassed with some on here? RandyA

I don't know Dan, this last week I am feeling pretty old. No, Rocket, I have not tried the Mexican dish you had, but Linda and I did talk about it last week. RandyA

I have done that before. RandyA

I am not sure what you mean by part of the threads left. Did the bolts seize up as you were removing them and strip the threads some as they were coming out? RandyA

Well, today I drove the car for the first time with one eye. Man, is it different. Since it is my right eye, it is much more of a blind side to the right. I really have to pay close attention to any traffic and to double check good before changing lanes. Another thing that is obviously affected is depth perception, whether it is walking and dealing with steps or driving or even reaching for something. The other factor is I noticed my left eye got tired a lot quicker. I know that this sure has given me even more of an appreciation for those that have had to deal with the loss of one eye, even though my situation should be temporary. RandyA