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Freebird

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Everything posted by Freebird

  1. Freebird
    Don't you want another RSV? I just got an email from a member who wants to trade his 2000 MM RSV for a burgundy Nomad. Also, if any member is interested, here is the info he gave me. "i want to trade my 2000 VENTURE MM, WITH 22,000 MILES ON IT, ITS IN EXCELLENT COND. I WANT KAWASAKI NOMAD 2000 MODEL THAT IS BURGANDY IN COLOR. MY VENTURE IS A VERY GOOD BIKE, BUT IT A LITTLE TALL FOR ME, I HAD A NOMAD A FEW YEARS AGO AND IT FIT ME PERFECT. CAN ANYONE HELP me? enforcers i'm im eastern nc"
  2. Freebird
    I changed to Mobil 1 motorcycle specific at the second oil change. That being said, I would really have no problem doing it on the first change. These modern engines don't require the "break in" time like older engines did. As for a filter wrench, I don't even bother with one. I have a large pair of Channel Lock pliers that I use to remove the old filter. New filter is put on and tightened only by hand. I do get it TIGHT but you can get it plenty tight without a filter wrench and often people over tighten them with filter wrenches.
  3. Freebird

    Gasoline odor

    Freebird replied to a topic in Watering Hole

    There are so many places to look and none will be easy to find the problem because the gas evaporates so quickly that it's sometimes hard to see where it is leaking. Start with what has already been posted. Also check that the carbs are seated well in the rubber boots at the bottom AND top of the carbs. Also make sure that you are not leaking at the fuel petcock. The nipple there is just a press fit and I've seen them leak.
  4. Freebird
    I can't add much to what has been said but would sure check the ignition switch first. I have to assume that the dealer DID check all the fuses which are located in several places by the way. BradT wrote up an excellent article on the ignition switch and it is in the tech library. Basically though, there are two bundles of wire coming out of the switch. One has three wires terminating with a connector and the other has two wires. Try unplugging the two wire one and jumpering it out.
  5. Freebird
    Really hate to hear about all these accidents lately. Glad you are OK and I'm sure that with all the great members we have here, the bike will rise again. I parted out a gold '84 last year but unfortunately, it is all gone now.
  6. Freebird
    OK...just so that I won't be accused again of "no response"...I thought I had better respond. I have not really ignored this request and have replied in the Darksiders social group that I would give it some thought. In fact, I have given it a lot of thought and am still on the fence about it. With the proper disclaimers, I'm not really concerned about a lawsuit but even when I added a disclaimer at the top of the social group it upset some people. So.....at the risk of sound indecisive..which I sort of am on this issue..I'll give it some more thought. BUT....I promise a decision within 3 or 4 more days.
  7. Freebird
    I really wish I had a good answer for you. There is a procedure in the service manual for testing the resistance of the primary and secondary sides. The procedure is incorrect for the secondary side as it says to read resistance from the plug wire to the center core and that will always read open. You have to read from the plug wire to one of the posts on the primary side. That being said, the one that I just replaced reads fine when I check it that way. It also appeared to be fine when I checked the fuel mixture using my Colortune. It was apparently breaking down under load though. So....I honestly don't know of a reliable way to test them. Maybe somebody else will have some input.
  8. Freebird
    Are you folks NUTS????? Listen, I was born and raised in Texas but I can tell you, you do NOT want to hold a rally in Texas in August.
  9. Freebird
    OUCH...that STUNG Swifty.
  10. Freebird
    I think some off the members have answered this already and I thank them for the support. They are correct, it was discussed and put to a vote long ago. I also said in that post "I thank you for the 28 years that you dedicated to ensuring all our freedoms, including my right to try and run a private organization in the way that (with our members help and input) I see fit." Nothing in the statement that you quoted has changed.
  11. Freebird
    I understand your argument but it is not the first time I have heard it. I created this site to provide a harmonious place for all of us who enjoy riding and discussing our bikes to hang out and enjoy one another's company. As the owner and creator of this club, I made it very clear when I embarked on this adventure 4 years ago that it was going to be free of pornography, political debate, religious debate. I sincerely admire and honor you for your 28 years of service. It is people like you that enable us to live in a free society. You may not realize though that part of that includes my right to start and run a private club and implement the rules that I feel will best work for the organization. Freedom of speech is a wonderful thing and is absolutely necessary in a free society but some folks don't realize that it is not an absolute right. You have no right to walk into a bank and scream "THIS IS HOLD UP...EVERYBODY ON THE FLOOR"...you have no right to walk up to the airport screening area and screem "I HAVE A BOMB"....you don't even have a right to go to church and stand there screaming obscenities during the service or at a town hall meeting and stand there screaming and disrupting the entire meeting. There have to be limits along with our freedoms. I thank you for the 28 years that you dedicated to ensuring all our freedoms, including my right to try and run a private organization in the way that (with our members help and input) I see fit. VentureRider.org is a private club. Free to join but privately owned and operated. I have visited many sites that do allow total freedom of speech, posting of nudity, etc. For me they have not been pleasant sites and very often full of fighting, bickering, etc. I did not build this site to let it turn into that. There are literally hundreds of sites where you can go to debate politics, religion, look at pornography, etc. I have no interest in hosting such a place. I hate censorship but the few rules of this site are written up in a "STICKY" at the top of the "Watering Hole". Any member who hasn't read that, should do so. If you see anything there that you simply can't live with, then you would probably be happier at some other site. I don't want to see a single member here leave but I don't want anybody here who is just miserable because they can't bash one of our politicians, president, soldiers, whatever.
  12. Freebird
    Yea, Honda is sure not immune to problems. They have had their share of them over the years. Don't misunderstand, I think that they are great bikes and would not hesitate to own another one if they come out with one that I like but they have their issues like anybody else and I can tell you from personal experience, they are no more eager to admit and correct the problems than Yamaha is. My last experience was with the Honda Shadow Ace. I used to have a discussion forum for that bike and a LOT of our members started noticing that the batteries were overheating and spewing acid out onto the frame. The acid was eating up and corroding the frame in that area. The Ace used a specially designed battery that was offset, narrower on one end. It was about 4" wide on one end and then about 3 inches from the other end, offset to about 2" or so wide. We contacted the battery manufacturer, Yuasa, and they told us that it was NOT a good battery design and that it was overheating but they had designed it to Honda's specifications to fit in the area they had. They said that we needed to contact Honda about it because they had told Honda that it was not a good design. Honda then claimed that it was the problem of the battery manufacturer and that they were not responsible. We went round and round on this and after MANY letters and threats of lawsuits, Honda finally admitted the problem, got a new design for the battery and replaced them. They also paid to have the frames cleaned, sanded and repainted. They did not do it willingly though. Before that, my last Honda as a V45 Magna. The problem with those bikes and also the V65 I THINK, was that the cams were made of too soft a material and wore down prematurely. I don't think that Honda ever owned up to and offered any resolution to those owners.
  13. Freebird
    All of mine were high the first time I checked them also. I wonder exactly what affect that has on how the bike runs and performs? I know that mine runs much better now but I did so many things, I'm not sure what the affect of this was. It is a fairly big job but is much easier the second time. It will probably be a LONG time before I pull mine again though.
  14. Freebird
    OK, fair enough but I still love my RSV. That's why there are so many different bikes on the market though. We won't all have the same experiences. I would like to see the total cost though. You say that it will cheaper and more reliable. I don't think that statement is all together true. It may be more reliable than YOUR RSV and I'm truly sorry about that. Mine has never let me down anywhere. As for being cheaper? You get it equipped exactly like a Venture and report the total. Stereo, CB, Trunk, Hard bags, fairing, electronic cruise, hard lowers.........add all the options to make it the same as a Venture to the selling price of that bike new. From what I've seen on the cost of aftermarket fairings, bags, trunks...etc. from companies like Corbin and others...I doubt it will be cheaper and then remember to custom paint everything so that it all matches.
  15. Freebird
    Done. We'll see how it works out. I may cut it back to two full lines later.
  16. Freebird
    I think I would try the fire and ice first. It is a long established procedure for many things. When I was an electrician in a power plant, I installed hundreds of bearings to motor shafts that way. Freeze the shafts and heat the bearings with a heat gun or in an oven. They would slide ride on.
  17. Freebird
    I think that would be a lot of fun. That is only about 20 minutes or so from my house. Don't know if they would allow such a thing or not though. As for the burnout contest, I think I'll pass and just watch the rest of you.
  18. Freebird
    I changed to synthetic at around 2,000 miles and would do so again next time. Everybody has a different opinion on that though and I'm not saying that mine is any better than yours. I agree with changing the rear end oil at around 800 miles the first time. I would agree to change it again at around 2000 miles but after that, I change mine once a year. I don't use Yamalube in anything though. I use Mobil One synthetic in the rear.
  19. Freebird
    Have you ever repacked the head bearings? Yamaha puts about as much grease on them as they do on the rear splines. Too many people just tighten them but never go to the trouble to repack them. At 80,000 miles, if you have never repacked them then it's probably too late and they need replacing. I think if people would go to the trouble to repack them early on then they will last for many more miles than that. It's not a quick job but do it once and they will be good for a LONG time.
  20. Freebird
    I think that you may be right but I hope not. If that is the case, then the only NEW bike that will really appeal to me is the Harley Ultra. I think it would be music to the ears of our first gen owners though who never liked the cruiser styling of the RSV. By the way, I was driving along Route 33 just east of Weston, WV today and there was a Vision riding in the lane beside me. First time I had actually seen one expect in pictures. I really wasn't sure from looking at the pictures whether or not I liked the style. I can pretty much say for sure now that I honestly don't. Just not a bike for me.
  21. Freebird
    I'm not really suggesting that we should be riding that fast. It's just that I KNEW my bike was not running right. Acceleration was not what it once was and me trying to open it up was just sort of my final way of confirming that I was right that there was something wrong. Acceleration is MUCH stronger now also. Don't worry about the rubber caps. They will probably break up when you remove them if they are cracked. They get brittle over time. Most auto parts stores have new ones that work great. I've replaced mine a couple of times over the years. If they are cracked, you need to replace them anyway. You could be sucking air through them already.
  22. Freebird
    There is absolutely no reason to run high end gas in the bike. The manual calls for 87 Octane and that's what I've run in mine since buying it in '99. I've tried mid and high grade from time to time with no improvement of any kind, performance nor fuel economy. I change my oil every 3,000 miles. I run pure synthetic and could go longer but it's just an old habit that's hard to break.
  23. Freebird
    I see a problem there also. I've never had even a hint of front end shake on the RSV at any speed. I'm not sure about the Royal Stars. I know that due to the smaller carbs and restricted air flow that they were a lot less HP than the RSV and the newer RSTD. That may be about right on a fairly stock Royal Star.
  24. Freebird
    Last week, I replace a bad coil on my RSV. It was the right rear (number 3) coil. I was talking to a couple of other RSV owners today and they commented that everybody they know who has had to replace a coil it has been the number 3 coil. If you have replace a coil, which one was it that was bad? I'm just wondering if there is a pattern here and if so, why the number 3 is going bad.
  25. Freebird
    Over the years, I've seen posts from several people who have claimed that the top speed on their RSV is about 90 MPH. I've never understood that and am now wondering how many here have bikes that top out around that speed. What got me thinking about this was that over the past months my bike was not running well. A couple of weeks ago, I opened it up and found that 90 MPH was all it would do. Now I had had mine to close to 120 MPH in the past so obviously something was wrong. Unfortunately, I got frustrated and took somewhat of a "shotgun" approach to the problem and so don't know just exactly what corrected my problem. I changed plugs but had done that before so I know it wasn't the problem. I also changed my number 3 coil which I think was breaking down under load. I pulled the carbs and reset the floats. One was a bit high. I also suspect that the air box was not seated good on top of at least one of the carbs. The bottom line is that when I was done, I took it out again and it runs like I knew it should. Acceleration is very strong and I took it up to about 112 and it was still climbing pretty good. I have the Speedohealer so that is true speed. I was later talking to my friend Bob Dakin and he told me that his Midnight Venture has never run faster than about 90 since the day that he bought it. I am convinced that there is a problem with his and he is going to come over one day soon so that we can figure it out. How many of YOU have the same problem? If your bike tops out under 100 MPH, I am sure that there is a problem and I don't think it would be that difficult to figure it out.
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