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skydoc_17

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Everything posted by skydoc_17

  1. skydoc_17
    Hey Stephen, I actually used a 7/16-14 S.S. bolt and used the old "smoke Wrench" to put a few bends in it. That's why I said it would be easy to make on in the opposite hand. That ram mount looks like it would be multi-purpose enough. I have attached a few pics. Earl
  2. skydoc_17
    Hey Jay, Great to see you post again. After having a pretty ruff year with two back surgeries, I wish you the best of luck with yours. It will be great to see you at Don's Maint. day next year. Keep us posted on the outcome of your surgeries. I too would like to know a bit more about this "wonder drink" you mentioned. Feel free to PM me with the details. Earl and jean
  3. skydoc_17
    Hey Stephen, I fabbed and machined up the GPS mount pictured below and have been wondering if a similar mount on the opposite side would work for a water bottle mount. If you are interested, PM me. Mike, as always your "thinking outside the box" always impresses me. Earl
  4. skydoc_17
    If you look at it closely, you can plainly see that ALL of the fat has been removed from it! A quality product, I'm sure! Earl
  5. skydoc_17
    Hey Ray, Thanks for the plug! I do sell a Upgrade Kit for the front of the Second Gen. RSV and RSTD but do not sell a kit for the back. http://www.venturerider.org/classifieds/showproduct.php?product=2445&title=2nd-gen1996-2010-r1-caliper-swap-and-s-sbrake-lines-21&cat=22 Many of the Second Gen. owners have said that there is just a bit "too much" braking power on the rear wheel of there bikes, so an increase in braking power to the rear wheel is a moot point in my opinion. Now, who ever designed a 800 pound motorcycle with a pair of one piston calipers up front should be flogged, but I bet that engineer saved Yamaha a million bucks with that design change! I for one, like to know when I grab a handful of brake lever that my bike is gonna' stop! Earl
  6. skydoc_17
    Hey Joe, Usually, when I talk about something on my bike I describe the location as if I was sitting on the bike in the "riding position". If the noise you are hearing is on the left side, then it is not the clutch. The Clutch Cover is located on the right side of the engine next to the water pump. As far as the "grabbing clutch" upon release goes, if you haven't changed your clutch fluid in a while and it looks like Coke, then a clutch fluid change might be the trick to smooth out that grabby clutch. If you could share a bit more info about the location of the noise, does it happen when the engine is warm, cold? This might give us an idea of which direction to guide you. Earl
  7. skydoc_17
    Now Dan, I consider you like a brother, but I fear a BEATIN" is commin' your way, if you think for a moment, just because I have been laid up all summer with my bad back that I wouldn't ride directly over to your house and do burn outs in your front yard! You pot stirring old devil you! By the way, I hope you are feeling better. (You must be, you have been raggin' on me all day long!) I am very glad you are in better spirits. Your brother from anther mother, "Slow Poke" Earl
  8. skydoc_17
    With all due respect to you Pete, I think your bike would have done much better with a FUNCTIONING Fuel Pump in your bike! That gravity feed fuel system works great on a lawn mower but is not conducive to "drag racing" down the interstate, as you found out. I do like to "blow the cobwebs out" from time to time, and it is ALWAYS a pleasure to ride with a fellow VR.ORG member. Sometimes, I even let them PASS ME! (But not often) Earl
  9. skydoc_17
    I am going to start this post by saying that I DO NOT PERSONALLY Own a Second Gen. motorcycle! BUT, more and more of the older ones are coming into my shop as they go out of warranty for repairs. Here is what I can absolutely tell you about the rear brake caliper on the Second Gen. bikes I have worked on. First, the rear caliper on the Second Gen. bikes is EXACTLY the same as the rear caliper on the MKII VR! It is a 4 piston two piece caliper, basically 25 year old braking technology on your brand new 2010 RSV or RSTD. Who knew! This caliper takes the same set of brake pads that the MKII VR does. Of the 6 Second Gen. bikes that have been to the shop for rear brake work recently, all but one has had a misalignment of the rear caliper bracket that positions one set of the caliper pistons CLOSER to the rotor than the other set of pistons. Most of the time, it is the inside set of caliper pistons that are closer, but I have seen it the other way as well. So, I am assuming that there must be motorcycles out there with the rear caliper positioned correctly on the rear caliper bracket and are not seeing any abnormal (one sided wear). You are one of the lucky ones if this is the case. (I saw this on one of the 6 bikes I worked on, the problem with this one bike was a stuck caliper which required a rebuild) I have machined a shim set that has allowed me to reposition the rear caliper bracket to help center the caliper but the offset is not consistent enough for me to be able to sell this shim set as one of my "KITS" in the Classifieds. The install of the shim set is at best a, "Hit and Miss" deal, with the rear axle being removed and reinstalled many times until the proper alignment is found. I would spend more time on the phone talking to distressed Second Gen. Owners who were trying to install the shim kit and were having a rough time of it, than would be practical. So I do not offer this kit at this time in the Classifieds. I do offer this service at the shop, but this is one of those "drop the bike off for a day" and pick it up later deals. Even with my reduced labor rate of $30.00/hour, this could be a $100.00 mod with parts and labor. There is a break even point with the additional brake pad wear and the fact that you are not spending riding time "flipping" the brake pads, BUT it doesn't come in a single riding season for the average rider. I hope this has answered some of your questions about That "Pesky" rear brake on your Second Gen. RSV and RSTD bikes. Earl
  10. skydoc_17
    Hey Scott, Thank you very much for the kind words! The Clutch Spring Upgrade Kit got off to a somewhat shakey start, but with the addition of the BEST quality Clutch Diaphragm Spring available, the kit I offer is now as solid as any kit offered on Ebay or other sites, and cheaper too. Thanks Again, Scott. To you Dan, All I can say is, "you must have me confused with that Skid fellow that lives over your way" That rides the Second Gen.! Old, but not so slow, Earl
  11. skydoc_17

    screen name

    skydoc_17 replied to a topic in Watering Hole

    Hey Ken, I must admit that even though you do resemble "Mr. Krabs" somewhat, :rotf:with your big paws, and your Sasquatch height, you are in no way a crabby person, are kind and generous, polite and thoughtful. Perhaps KEN PENN, or perhaps KENNY PENNY :crackup:would fill this void you have to attach a name to a man I simply call KEN, my Friend! If ever there was a person on this planet that DIDN"T need to call attention to himself with a catchy tag line, it would be you KEN, my friend. Earl and Jean
  12. skydoc_17
    Hey Doc, Because the back pressure has been reduced by the drilling of the stock exhaust mufflers, You will need a slight change in your riding style to keep the motor from stumbling in the lower RPM range. Don't "chug around" in the 2500 RPM range when shifting gears, run the RPMs up to 4000 plus before shifting. When running thru town in a reduced gear like third or forth, keep the RPMs at a steady 3500 plus RPMs. This runs the Carbs. in the "Main Jet Circuit" exclusively, and cuts out the idle circuit completely. It sounds to me you may have a small amount of blockage in the Idle Circuit of your Carbs. ( 900 RPMs to 2500 RPMs) As RandyA said, a Carb. Sync., and a fresh set of plugs, would at least give you a baseline for Maint. on your bike. Have a good close look at the Air Filter, if it is the paper one, and it looks loaded up, and you don't know how old it is, REPLACE IT with either another paper filter or spend the bucks and get the K&N unit and never buy another filter for your scoot again. To minimize problems with the Carbs., install a new fuel filter as well. A few ounces of Seafoam in a full tank of gas, and regular riding will clear up that pesky Carb. blockage problem unless you chug around in 5th gear at 45 MPH and ride your bike once every two weeks. These bikes LOVE RPMs and love to be ridden regularly. These engines were "tuned" from the factory as far as the intake (air box) Carbs. and exhausts (Mufflers) goes, If one or more things are changed in this system, then some changes have to be made in riding style, or the mods become more of an annoyance than anything else for everyday riding. Because these Carbs. run rich by nature, the needle shim mod might be helpful. If the low RPM stumble persists, I have a set of MKII VR stock mufflers and the needle shim mod kit if you are interested. It sounds like lunch with Randy might be just the ticket to get your bike tuned up and running better, he knows his stuff. Earl Earl
  13. skydoc_17
    Hey Mark, Those "Coolant Nipples" are pressed into the Cylinder Head at the factory, even if you could buy them as a separate part, the old ones would be a "Bear" to remove. I have had only one 83'VR motor where the nipple was so bad on the rear cylinder that I machined a thin walled Stainless Steel "sleeve" and pressed it into the I.D. of the old nipple to solve a leaking problem. This is why I always use Distilled Water in the coolant system of any VR's I work on. I have also seen JB Weld used to "patch" one of those coolant nipples, it worked, but that fix is not to my liking. Unless the sidewall of the nipple has actually broken thru, you should be OK. For some extra Insurance, use a dab of RTV (don't go crazy with this stuff) around the nipple before you install the Rad. Hose. Another thing to watch for is if the end of the Rad. Hose has rusty metal embedded in it, either trim the hose back to virgin material or replace the hose, you'll be glad you did. Replacing this hose at a later date with the motor in the frame will cause you to pull a few hairs out, I assure you. A new set of Spring Clamps is also a wise investment seeing as the old ones are 28 years old. The only other option would be to replace the entire Cylinder Head. (With another Cylinder Head that is also 28 years old!) Good Luck with your Project, Earl
  14. skydoc_17
    Both Jean and I are praying for your dad. Earl
  15. skydoc_17
    Thanks a bunch everyone, for taking time out to help Jim, (JC'SFOLLY) get his bike running properly! You gents that are Electrical Geniuses are the best! Gary, a special thanks to you for helping Jim with an MKII VR TCI. And to you Don, All I can say is.......Don't you have some leaves to rake!! Earl
  16. skydoc_17
    Hey Dano, The engine that was swapped into his 83'VR is from an 86'VR. The #2 Carb. draws vacuum for the Boost Sensor from the tube in the intake boot. (Like a regular MKII VR, NOT The 83'VR) I believe that the timing is retarded, which causes the spark plug to ignite the air/fuel mixture BEFORE the piston reaches top dead center. Which in my opinion, would cause this motor to run HOT. Jim is trying to find an MKII VR TCI to plug into his harness to see if the different TCI will advance the timing enough to solve the overheating problem. He has been thru the entire coolant system and the TCI is pretty much the only Item we have not swapped out yet. If I had one, we would have checked it out, but alas, I don't. Hey Gary, (Dingy) is there any reason that you can think of why the MKII VR TCI would not plug into the MKI VR wiring harness? I can't think of any, but you dealt with the MKII motor in your MKI bike. Aren't you using an MKII TCI on your "Monster MAX" bike? I would be personally grateful for any help anyone could give Jim in regards to finding an MKII VR TCI for his bike. Earl
  17. skydoc_17
    Hey Andrew, Both Jean and I are very glad that you were not hurt any more than you were. I wish I could say that it has never happened to me but I would be a lier if I told you otherwise. Check Ebay for that Mirror, rest up and heal properly. Over the winter months would be a great time to address your braking issues. You should be good to go by spring, both physically and mentally. My dad used to tell me all the time about riding motorcycles, "it's not a matter of if, but when!" Thank goodness you had your jacket and helmet on, you did good there. Thanks for sharing you moment with us, It helps the rest of us step up our "A" game when riding. Earl and Jean
  18. skydoc_17
    Dunlop uses one of it's softest rubber compounds in the construction of the D404. So when you ride a motorcycle with a set of these tires on it you could actually get the smoothest ride you may ever experience on that bike. Unfortunately, with the soft rubber compound comes LOW mileage. If this tire was on an HD that was only ridden a few thousand miles a year, it would not be much of a problem, but with many RSV's being ridden tens of thousands of miles a year, The D404 could become pretty expensive to replace more than once. From a safety standpoint, there aren't any major issues that I am aware of, other than these tires seem to go bald in the middle of a long trip, usually on a Sunday, in the rain!:rotf:I would not be afraid to run a D404 with good tread but I would keep a close eye on it, as it seems to wear really quickly thru the last 1/3 of the tread. For the $120.00 you spent on rim and tire, sounds like you got a good deal there. After all, it could have been a "Brickstone" on that rim just as easily. Earl
  19. skydoc_17
    Hey Richard, You Old Softie You! You did a good thing. Earl
  20. skydoc_17
    I have Quoted a set of directions that V7Goose has posted before, Kent put the time and effort into the directions, I mearly copied them to get you started in the right direction. Thank you Kent for your effort. Earl
  21. skydoc_17
    Hey Brian, You mentioned that you just redid the brakes. A common problem on the First Gen. VR's is too much Brake Fluid in the rear Master Cylinder. The Brake Fluid expands because of the heat from the exhaust collector and applies the rear brake as you are riding down the hi way. Check the rear brake rotor to see if it is a "bit blue" from excessive heat, (you might also feel a "pulse" in the rear brake pedal from a warped rotor) If you remove the plug bolt to the rear Master Cylinder and the Brake Fluid is pretty much right up to the plug hole, then the M/C is over filled! I use a syringe, but you can use a suction bulb that you would use on a baby to clear his nose to remove an ounce or two of brake fluid for expansion. Hopefully. you haven't warped the rear rotor to badly or cooked the seals in the rear caliper and the removal of the Brake Fluid will solve the problem. If you need a rear rotor, PM me. Earl
  22. skydoc_17
    Hey Zane, I have two MKII VR Front Ends. I sent you a PM. Earl
  23. skydoc_17
    Hey Larry, I usually change the Final Drive Oil every time I change the rear tire. If you have recently purchased your scoot, or it has never been changed, then now is a good time to address this issue. At the left rear of your bike, behind the saddle bag, you will find the final drive. Use what ever you use to level the bike from side to side. (Carbon One Lift Adapter, M/C Jack, etc.) Since I usually do this maintenance when I am removing the rear tire for replacement, I remove the left rear saddle bag. If you are just doing the Final Drive oil, you MAY be able to squeeze in there and get it done without removing the bag. There is a plug in the bottom of the Final Drive Unit, with a drain pan under the drain hole, remove the plug and let the oil drain out. You will need a pretty small drain pan, and the unit only holds about a pint of oil. While the ol is draining, I remove the fill plug, (half way up the unit, on the angular surface) I clean both plugs and the area around the holes. When the oil is finished draining, put the drain plug back in and tighten. Fill the Final Drive Unit with 80W90 Hypoid Gear Oil until it is just barely coming out of the fill hole, install the fill plug, Re-Install the side bag if you have removed it, lower the bike to the ground, and go for a ride! Hope this helps, Earl
  24. skydoc_17
    The Barnett Clutch Spring set-up is actually a copy of the MKI VR (1983 to 1985) set-up except for the nifty purple pressure plate. I have attached a pic below of the stock MKII (1986 to 1993) Clutch Diaphragm Spring. I have also attached a pic of the steel clutch plate so you can see what you are looking for in a good plate. The "dimple pattern" on the steel clutch plate would be gone if this plate were worn out. Now, for the techies, here is my standard disclaimer, BOTH steel clutch plates and friction discs SHOULD be checked with a micrometer to determine if they are in spec or not thickness wise. With that being said, let's be real here, if the steel clutch plate is not blued from overheating and the dimple pattern is still there, it's a pretty safe bet that the steel clutch plate is not worn down enough to be out of spec thickness wise in my opinion. I do offer the Clutch Spring Upgrade Kit and extra clutch friction discs if interested. The important thing to note here is, continued riding of your bike with the clutch slipping is going to take out more and more of the perishable clutch items such as the friction discs and the steel clutch plates. So what would be around $80.00 to repair would turn into over $200.00 if the problem is not addressed in a timely manner. I don't care what kit you buy, just take the time to affect a repair and save the extra money you would spend replacing parts that could have been saved. Earl
  25. skydoc_17
    Hey J, With the mileage you mentioned, sounds like your Clutch Diaphragm Spring has seen it's better days. If you address this issue in a timely manner, you will be able to save the clutch friction discs and steel clutch plates. Earl
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