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Semi-retired

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  1. Semi-retired
    I appreciated receiving such a wide range of wisdom from a wide range of commentators....but, in the end, knowing that a) I have little patience for multiple tests under multiple conditions following multiple sequences.....and b) that the bike AND its battery were working fine last summer (before I totally neglected BOTH all winter long)......I opted for the quick, easy (albeit somewhat expensive) $120 solution and traded in my questionable battery (to get the core exchange refund) and put a brand new "unquestionable"12V baby in the bike. Everything's been running fine for about two weeks since the new one went in. Mind you, I HAVE picked up on a couple of those suggestions about turning off the radio AND the kill switch every time I park for the night. I haven't bothered hooking up the tender each night, but I may do that when rides get fewer and farther between, closer to Fall. Thanks again for everyone's input. Michael
  2. Semi-retired
    If your fairing is off........it's ALWAYS easier to replace the headlight lamp without having to dig in from behind. If you were thinking about being able to see a little better while night riding, maybe now's the time to pick up one of those SilverStar lamps that double your brightness and width. (they burn out twice as fast, mind you......but, heh.......there's no free lunch, right?) Have fun! Mike
  3. Semi-retired
    Thanks, again, to all contributors! I'll be sure to post a "resolution statement" here sometime over the next few days so that we can all learn a little more about RSV electrics based on my particular scenario. Hopefully the bottom line is going to be that the bike's components are all OK and that it's a case of a battery gone tired before it's time due to winter neglect and NOT ENOUGH RIDING!! Thankfully, I know the solutions to BOTH of these concerns. (The first one being a little easier to rectify than the second one. ) Cheers, Mike
  4. Semi-retired
    Hi, guys. Thanks VERY much for all the tips and tricks on the battery quandary, gang. Rick, you out-did yourself. (was your response lifted straight out of your PHD thesis by any chance? It certainly was comprehensive!) I'm curious to know what you think of some of the other, less sophisticated (no offense, guys) solutions involving things as mundane as just hooking up to a tender when I pull in to the garage.....? (I'm assuming the folks that mentioned that one must actually PACK a small tender with them when they go on the road?) I had a 'busy' winter with some knee surgery, my son's wedding and a few other brain-scramblers....so, I'm thinking I probably didn't pay as much attention to the old battery as I should have. So, it's probably sulfated, as someone suggested. Here's my plan of attack: Charge the crap out of the battery......then take it in to a battery place for a load test (thanks, Rick, Squid and Brian.) If it comes up looking like a loser (and it very well may, based on the way I've neglected it).....then maybe I'll try the tender thing (I do have one) while I'm doing my short-run rides around town. (Not that I'm cheap.......I'm just thinking a few amps overnight will end up costing me less than a new battery.) When I leave town for any overnight stays, perhaps I'll pack momma's little helper in my saddlebag, just in case. If the problem prevails, I'll bite the bullet and buy a new brick.......and take care of it next Winter.......promise!! If/when I DO get the new battery and it has problems (even if I AM giving it TLC).....then I'll get into the PHD material, kindly supplied by Rick. (I WILL check some of those readings you gave me, Rick, just out of curiosity......and to impress the hell out of wifey.....she'll be the one holding the leads on the multi-meter while I'm twiddling all the knobs and switches!) Thanks again, guys, for all your time and attention!
  5. Semi-retired
    Anyone got any ideas about what sequence of diagnostic checks I might make for this problem? - I go to start my bike......the battery is close to dead.....might get half a turn on the starter, then just clickety click. (this is after it's been out, running around town several times already this Spring.........I'm in the land of ice and snow, so we're now "in season") - I put the battery on the 4-amp charger for an hour - The bike then fires up fine. Take if for a half hour ride. Stop for coffee, whatever. Starts fine again. Come home and park it. Next day, starts fine. Same routine. - HOWEVER......leave the bike parked for two or three days.....and, bingo, back to line #1. Questions: 1. How do I find out if it's the battery or the charging system? 2. Is there a particular reading I should get off the battery at each point in my scenarios, above? Thanks for any guidance. (Ordinarily, I'd just go out and buy a new battery........but I thought I did that LAST year!! Alzheimer's strikes deep, though......and I'm not really sure!! LOL) Mike
  6. Semi-retired
    Hi, Rick. I don't mean to sound like a nag (although I probably will)...and believe me I DO have the utmost respect for anyone who's responsible for keeping track of ANY list of recipients of ANYTHING that's being shipped around the continent.....I'm just wondering, is there any hope that 2010 will be the year that one of these videos will make it up to Canada? (Or has one of them made it back across the border already?) Looking forward to seeing it. (Although my dentist says HE has a copy......so maybe I'll just visit him for a "polishing job", and maybe sneak a peak in his office for his copy of Ride Like A Pro!) To everyone who's been waiting for the weather to warm up so they can get their trusty steeds back on the road (and my understanding is that this may actually include some of you in Florida and Texas......LOL......), have a safe and fun riding season, IF and WHEN it actually arrives! Michael
  7. Semi-retired
    DAMN! So THAT'S the secret!! I'm 6 feet and I HAVE TROUBLE! I just KNEW there had to be a way to stop without embarrassing myself at every intersection. Can't wait to get one of these tapes circulating in Canada. Thanks for the teaser, Bob. Happy New Year.
  8. Semi-retired
    Having "everyone" on the same list makes sense from a "numbers" standpoint. But, I wonder what kind of hassles might come up sending this thing back and forth across "international borders"? It's just about the size of a nice pack of C4 or anthrax. Does anyone HAVE any experience shipping RLAP from USA to Canada or vice versa? ***THIS JUST IN*** Just spoke to Rick (while my post was still fresh enough to edit) and he assures me that a copy will find its way back to the land of ice and snow...and probably stay here for circulation. (After all, we poor frozen ba**ards don't have much else to do but WATCH MOVIES about riding for the next several months!!) Thanks for looking after us, Rick! Mike
  9. Semi-retired
    Respects to family and friends. Michael
  10. Semi-retired
    Please put me on the list. (I'm assuming I'll get the "Canadian copy" from our friend out in BC? Thanks, Mike
  11. Semi-retired
    In reference to your #2 above, I have occasionally seen some "rusty looking" stains on the little plastic deflector (not sure what purpose it serves other than to collect scary looking rusty stains) below the steering head on my 03 Midnight. Do ya suppose this is what I think it is........and that I, too, am destined to performing the dismantling job from hell to pop in replacement triple-clamp bearings? Anyone else seen these (seemingly) tell-tale rust droplets following rain or wash-days? Mike
  12. Semi-retired
    I've heard many comments over the years about not leaving tires in direct contact with concrete during long periods of non-use. To confirm my thought that YES, it's a bad thing (I always put a small piece of tongue and groove flooring under mine)....a quick Google search turned up an intriguing document on a Bridgestone Truck Tire website where they responded to a writer posing the exact same question........see http://www.bridgestonetrucktires.com/us_eng/answers/doctor_maintenance.asp#1 "Thank you for contacting Bridgestone and allowing us to assist you. First of all, regarding the effects of storage: A cool, dry, sealed garage is your best condition for storage, however, it is realized that this is not often an available option. Concrete is not the tire enemy some people think it is. We would recommend the following steps in storing a vehicle: 1. Make sure the floor / ground surface is free of any petroleum product contamination (Oil, grease, fuel, etc.) since petroleum products will attack rubber and can cause significant damage to compound characteristics. 2. Thoroughly clean your tires with soap and water. 3. Place a barrier such as plastic, cardboard, or plywood between the tires and the ground surface. 4. Cover your tires to block out direct sunlight and ultra violet rays. 5. Do not store the vehicle in close proximity to steam pipes, electrical generators or animal manure since these accelerate oxidation of the rubber. 6. Make sure your tires are fully inflated with air. 7. When the vehicle is ready to go back into service, inspect the tires for excessive cracking in both the sidewall and tread area and check all tire air pressures. Tires will normally lose about 2 PSI per month so you should expect to find the pressures lower than when you put the vehicle into storage. Re-inflate the tires to the correct air pressure before operation. Now, about the effects of time: Yes, rubber compound does slowly change over time, becoming "harder" as it ages. But unless we are talking years, this would be virtually undetectable. However; the most likely effect of storage will be: 1. Flat spotting of the tires from taking a 'set' while sitting in one position for an extended length of time. This 'set' may work itself out of the tires after being put back into operation, but not always. This, of course, would result in a vibration. 2. Tires have waxes and oils specially formulated to protect against ozone damage built into their rubber compounds. When the tire rotates and flexes, these waxes and oils are forced to the tire's surface and are thus able to protect the tire. When a tire is stationary, these waxes and oils are not coming to the surface and thus the tire is at greater risk of ozone damage. 3. Several days of non-use at a time is not nearly as detrimental to tires as long storage periods. The tires would still be operated often enough to avoid excessive 'set' and the waxes and oils are being forced to the tire's surface often enough to provide adequate protection against ozone. Best regards, Tire Doctor" That HAS to be the definitive answer on how to and how NOT to store your tires. Especially loved the "don't store your tires near cow poop" comment!! Gettin ready for cold, Canadian winter! Come on, global warming!!! Regards from up North. Mike
  13. Semi-retired
    Hey, Eck, I can't say how much I appreciate your generosity on the pipes. Fortunately, I won't have to take you up on your offer after all. Here's why: While walking through the garage on the weekend and squeezing between the bike and the freezer, I inadvertently leaned on one of my passing lamps.......and it literally 'gave way' under my grip. I checked it more carefully, and found that both lamps were virtually "swinging in the breeze"; the bolts holding the passing lamp bracket beneath the headlight were BOTH about one and a half or two turns backed off. I took an Allen key to both of them and reefed them to proper snugness. Then, to my delight, last night when I went for a little spin on Bertha, there wasn't a jingle or a jangle coming from anywhere......so, apparently, this was the problem.....not the pipe/muffler at all!! After realizing that the area around the passing lamps must have been the cause, I gave the chrome covers on the upper part of the shocks a little "flick" with my finger......and, lo and behold, there was that horrible, tinny jingle that I'd suspected was coming from inside the muffler. Somehow the passing lamp bracket, or perhaps one of the lamps itself, must have been tapping one (or both) of the covers and causing the twang while going down the road. What a relief!! And boy, this bike does have lots of ways to make me feel stupid!! Thanks again, Eck, for your willingness to charge to the rescue. It's great guys like you who 1. Make this site a great place to 'live'......and 2. Re-affirm my belief that, Hollywood stereotypes to the contrary (LOL) bikers are the greatest guys on earth! Cheers, and have a great day. (P.S. And Eck........I guess you were right. These mufflers DON'T often fail!!)
  14. Semi-retired
    Just realized I had never put an end to this tale of woe! Turns out........after much agonizing about fuse size and possible other sources of the problem........that after much eyeballing around the headlight area, it appears the person who installed the passing lamps did a poor job of routing the wiring. I happened to see two red wires, one with some serious frying on it, running right through the area where the steering stops on the lower triple clamp come banging up against the lugs on the frame when the bars are turned to full-lock position (as in when you are locking the steering head against possible theft.) Alls well that ends well.....with just a little bit of creative wire re-routing. Cheers, Mike
  15. Semi-retired
    It's obviously been waaaaaaaaaaaay too long since I had my head poked inside a carburetor! I don't remember anything softer than BRASS in the needle/jet area. BUT, things DO change..........and I guess they have! Cheers to rubber!! Mikey
  16. Semi-retired
    Hey, Boo........I'm curious to hear you mention the 'black pipes'. I've always viewed the colour of my pipes with more than a little suspicion, mainly because my Midnight SMELLS like it's running rich all the time. (Which, of course, means I'm burning more gas than I need to in order to go the distance I'm going!) I've often thought I'd probably be able to go to some sort of "freer flowing" input (K&N's or something else? Is there anything else?)....or a more "open" exhaust...WITHOUT having to do the usual jetting adjustment, simply because I'm already running rich enough to deal with the "extra" air. (which would normally result in leaning out the mix.) Thoughts? I'm even MORE curious to hear you say you're going to "check the gasses" someday. What kind of test would that be? I'm up for it......cause I'm pretty sure I need it. Are you referring to some sort of "products-of-combustion" test? Aren't there garages that have something they can 'shove up your tailpipe' (if you'll pardon the expression) and give you a fairly accurate readout on what's being burnt and what's being wasted? Any tips on mixture fixing greatly appreciated (starting with anything more accurate than reading the plugs!) Thanks, Mike
  17. Semi-retired
    I'll give this a try, Dan.......but I'm not optimistic. The sound it's making is just too similar to a ruler being "twanged" on the edge of a school desk....(you remember the way you used to do it....just to pee off your teacher).......only this time it's a METAL ruler being TWANGED on a steel desk&*%^$*#!!!!! Sounds like some kind of one-man-band instrument on steroids. I believe that whatever piece is making the commotion (one of my dad's old favorite words) is still attached at one end, and swinging in the breeze like a possessed witch's broom handle at the other. But.......that being said.......TRUST ME, I'll pull that sucker and give her the shake test. Thanks, Mike
  18. Semi-retired
    Thanks for the suggestion. I knew those Harleys were good for something!! LOL Is there any particular model/vintage that fits better than any other? A buddy of mine has an '08 Street Glide that he installed a pair of Rineharts on........are his old mufflers likely to fit the Venture.....if he still has them? I believe Squidley used to make/sell brackets for this purpose, right Brad? (I also think I saw you post a long time ago that you don't do them anymore....but that you knew of another source???) Thanks for any tips in the 'use Harley ones' subject area. Anybody out there who's done this? Any particular model or year that would fit the 03 RSV with the least amount of futzing? (It's an old German term......honest!)
  19. Semi-retired
    Wow, Eck.......what an offer! Thanks, buddy. I really appreciate your generosity. Assuming that these things travel well (is there cardboard strong enough to make the trip?), I wonder what the cost would be to ship them? I haven't even pulled mine off yet, so I don't have a clue what they weigh. Having not owned a Venture before, I don't know how fast/soon/often these mufflers "deconstruct" themselves....as mine appears to have done. Just curious.....if we only do the "left" one, since it's the only one rattling.... is it one of those things where, "if the left one's gone......the right one is SURE to follow"......like, two weeks later!! Let me take my pipe off the bike over the next day or two and if I don't get any other suggestions (maybe someone in Canada, or even Ontario, has a muffler they don't need lying around, too) I'll give you a shout about getting your muffler shipped to my "upstate" New York shipping address. Where are you Eck?
  20. Semi-retired
    For the last couple of weeks, I've heard this jingling/jangling sound coming from low on the left of my '03 Midnight. Sounded like the spring in my side stand had given way and the stand assembly was banging up and down against the frame and/or the pipe. The sound seemed too "tinny" though to be caused by the thick stand arm. I got down and looked around on a couple of different days, and saw nothing. Yesterday (first ride in a week) the rattle was so loud, I pulled off the road, not more than two blocks from the house, to see what HAD to be ready to fall off the bike. Still couldn't see anything hanging down. The sound is VERY annoying (to the point of being DANGEROUS sounding). So now I'm starting to suspect that it's a baffle or some other internal component of the left muffler that's come loose. Sounds like someone installed a stretched out coat-hanger INSIDE the muffler by spot welding it at one end.....and letting the other end dangle against the insides of the muffler can. When I bang the back end of the pipe with my fist, it sounds just as though I were shaking my toaster to try and remove a stuck bagel!! So, tell me........DO the baffles in the stock pipes come free of their welds on a Venture this age? CAN they be welded back in place? (Kinda doubt there's any access from up the pipe!) Lastly, and most apprehensively.......what's the least expensive way out of this problem? Thanks for any words of wisdom, guys.
  21. Semi-retired
    Thanks, buddy. I'm still finding all kinds of little gems like this......"features" let's say....at no extra charge, from the previous owner! Mike
  22. Semi-retired
    I KNEW someone was gonna say that. Crap! Here goes the fairing off again. Oh, and Kent, thanks for saying "least intelligent"......instead of "idiotic". :-) All that being said and not said.......there must be three thousand guys out there with passing lights on their Ventures: anybody know what they've got in terms of FUSE SIZE......assuming, of course, you've got 35Watt lamps.......AND that the lamps are the only load on the line? Thanks, guys.
  23. Semi-retired
    Thanks, Wayne. I submerged that little switch in rubbing alcohol......blew the sucker with a small tornado...let it dry.....tucked a new 10W fuse into the line, and whaddayaknow.....LIGHTS! I DID take one of the lamps out, and they are marked as 35W......so maybe it WAS just time for the old fuse to blow....or maybe there WAS a little short somewhere. But, if you think putting a 15W fuse in won't risk the entire harness going up in smoke if my symptoms repeat.....maybe I will just pop in a 15W in place of the old 10W, just to be sure. Ya figure that's OK?
  24. Semi-retired
    Hi Walter. Jim's original post was put up over two years ago....I just picked up on it as a result of a "search" for MY problem....and to prove to readers that I'd at least TRIED to do the research to solve my dilemma before "crying for help". (Guessing Jim's solved his problem by now....or at least I HOPE he has!) Sorry if I caused any confusion there. I'm just trying to find out if there is an even larger bank of "known problems and solutions" to draw on to avoid having to split the fairing in the event of a simple fuse-blow. Your fuse holder suggestion gives me something to consider. Thanks, buddy!
  25. Semi-retired
    I bought a package of little resistors from The Source (Canada's version of Radio Shack) today, (they came in a four-pack), and I think there's a couple of 150's and a couple of 330's. Can I use either one? (I'm only replacing the resistor, cause its end is broken off; I think the diodes in my setup are still OK). http://www.venturerider.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=30955&d=1243451819 Thanks for any enlightenment, Mike
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