Semi-retired

That's the ideal solution, I guess.......if I could just "try them on"......virtually........through eBay/Amazon/whatever, to make sure they fit, before ordering, that'd be GREAT! If only these eyes worked the way they used to, damit! It's unfortunate that along with getting older and wiser.......we also get blinder and feebler! (Oh, and balder and deafer.......need I go on?@%$^$!!)

What risk?? It's a known fact! I'm wondering if any of you have done, or tried to do what I've got in mind by way of Rube Goldberging a pair of inexpensive "prescription goggles".......by buying a pair of cheapy, plain lens ones like this: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00239X97M/ref=dra_a_rv_mr_hn_it_P1700_1000?tag=dradisplay-20&ascsubtag=06cbc6ea87f55dffbe6d8f832b00fe44_S then having your friendly local optician take the lenses out of your old Peter Fonda-esque, aviator, prescription driving glasses (tinted or otherwise) and grind them down to mount in the 8-buck frames! I GUESS there would be some measuring required......by somebody......somewhere......sometime......but, has anyone ever given this a shot? Call me cheap......but I NEVER wear these old glasses as they are now.....(although I can see fine with them on the road).....and I DEFINITELY need something to keep the air out of my eyes when cruising at 85.....but I would far sooner spend the $400 on gas than on a pair of scrip goggles. There's gotta be a way..........doesn't there????

I couldn't agree more with this philosophy, buddy! I ALWAYS like to be the fastest guy out there... with the theory being that you THEN only have to worry about traffic coming at you from ONE direction...The FRONT!

Just changed the oil and filter. For now......I think maybe I'll just heed your previous tip....and turn off the petcock when stopping; it's not as big an inconvenience as changing the oil......and not NEARLY as expensive as the alternative/consequences. Perhaps I'll keep your "test procedure" in my back pocket for sometime when I'm due for an oil change anyway. Thanks, bud!

What's the scoop on the fuel pump, Don? (I missed the email!) I DON'T turn off my fuel tap.........but, I guess I WILL from now on!

Would I have to be super unlucky to have the needle valve stuck open on the corresponding cylinder that just happened to stop with the valves open when I shut the key off? I guess these two tests would be determine positively whether or not some gas got in there or not. So many checks and balances.......so many measurements. It doesn't sound like you like my "put it in a saucer and LIGHT it" test!?!?! :-) What's a tiny little "KABOOM!!!".....compared to gathering up all those graduated cylinders, beakers and measuring cups!!?? Too bad there isn't a way to dip a litmus strip into your oil and scan it with your cell phone......or, hey, I'd even pay the buck to mail it to Shell Oil and have them analyze it for me.

I swear (and my wife says, "Yes......too much")......that the gas gage on my 03 Midnight went down about a quarter tank a couple of weeks ago.....overnight in the garage. The sighting window on the side cover is also now (I THINK), suspiciously reading HIGHER than when my oil was last changed. IS it possible under any circumstances that fuel IS somehow draining into the crankcase on a Gen 2? At the same time these visual clues are emerging, I also swear (sorry for so much profanity here!) that the engine is sounding considerably more "tickety, tickety" than usual.......which it WOULD BE, of course, if the crankcase oil had been recently diluted with a gallon or so of gasoline. (Or ANY amount, for that matter.) Am I dreaming? Having a paranoia episode? Is there any way to definitively check the oil for gasoline pollution? I'm changing my oil today, even though it may not be "necessary", based on pure mileage interval. so, is there any way to test the "outgoing" old stuff for gasoline content (short of sending it to NASA for hydrocarbon analysis?) Like, put a small amount in a saucer and try to LIGHT it, for example? Driving me nuts. Thanks for any help/ideas/suggestions.

Addendum: The only point I forgot to mention in MY post......(RedRider's "cut to fit" reminded me).....the "fit" of the sheepskin solution need only be "bummed-in-place" aka, "gravity fit". I keep my sheep in place with my rear end while riding.......and when I stop, it goes in the trunk, along with my gloves and/or helmet and/or GPS and/or WHATEVER, depending what the weather, the length of stop, the "security" of the location and the "look" of the local yokals! :-)

Hey, BJ......how's things down east? Here in hot, sweaty, southwestern Ontario, the humidity capital of Canada, I take great pleasure in knowing that my butt will remain somewhat "insulated" from the ravages of nature as well as man-made (vinyl) seatcovers by virtue of always having my portable, one-size-fits-all sheepskin "pad" close at hand.......or, close at BUTT! The PO of my '03 Midnight included it with my purchase, back in '07 and I'm glad he did. It's been with me on every ride "of consequence" ever since. (By that, I mean that if I'm just popping downtown or crosstown for 15 or 20 minutes.....and the weather is friendly (i.e. not 100 deg), I may not bother getting it out of the saddle bag.) You can find these things everywhere from furniture stores to novelty shops for between $20 and $50, and at that price, you can't beat a natural sheepskin for bum-comfort on a hot day or a long trip. The thick wool strands provide multiple layers of ventilation, it's "strong like bull".....and for some people (myself NOT included) it adds a kind of Marlboro Man Mystique-look to your steed. Additionally, if the hide happens to get soiled, it can be washed in Woolite, just like any other wool product such as a good sweater. My Midnight was originally equipped with a 2-section cover (pad for driver/pad for passenger...slot in the middle to accommodate Utopia backrest)....but once wifey got her own bike, the passenger portion spent all the time flapping in the breeze, so I just tore it off and now keep it as a spare for when "mine" gets wet, misplaced or dirty. Yes, agreed, sheepskin DOES look a little hokey......but, not unlike Tilley hats, denim jeans, snow-tires and so many other "useful but not so pretty" things in life......FORM FOLLOWS FUNCTION.....and once you get used to the sheepskin solution, it's hard to live without it. Try it. All you've got to lose is a hot, uncomfortable butt! And if you don't like it..........hello.....Kijiji!!!

Good shot, Steve! He is definitely memorable!!

BRING ON the SCAMMERS!!! I wanna USE this one! :-)

By "piece of work"......you're referring to the fact that he was a consummate bullsh*t artist? Wasn't he also a petty thief in his younger years? As I recall, none of the two or three documentaries I've seen do HIM any favours..........nor has he done many for motorcyclists or motorcycling. My 2c.

When I get a scammer on the phone......"is your computer running slower than normal?"......."are you paying higher interest on your credit card than you should be?".......etc..........I like to just place the phone gently on the counter and let "them" hear 2 or 3 (or 15) minutes of my household background noise. Costs me nothing......and, they get the message pretty quick!

Hey, Scott! Here's hoping for the "simple" solution. I was about 15 years younger than you when I, too, found myself peeing Cabernet Sauvignon in the men's room at work one day. Quick visit to the family doctor.........quick ultrasound.....quick visit to the urologist.......quick diagnosis that I had a cancerous kidney......quick decision to yank it out! (Turns out tons of people have them out and millions are even BORN with only one.) Mine was a benign, encapsulated tumor (no complications, no chemo, no radiation) and here I am, having ridden many thousands of miles in the meantime, almost twenty years later. Here's hoping your fix is as "uncomplicated" as mine was..........and you're back in the saddle in no time! Cheers and good luck from North of the border, bud!

Hey, buddy~ just noticed your post today. I'm a 10 year veteran of CIBC.......AND a cheap bug*er to boot, so I tend to track credit/debit card fees more judiciously than the average guy. My hot tip of the day is......although putting everything on a credit card that allows "international" transactions (like using your VISA on both sides of the border) may be "handy" and make for easy bookkeeping.....be aware there are TWO "hidden" expenses to watch out for: 1. is the sometimes less-than-best exchange rate.....and 2. the less-often-noticed "out of country" FEE charged on every transaction, simply for the "privilege" of being able to use your domestic card in a foreign location...usually 1.5 - 2% Together, these can add up to the cost of a nice dinner out.....depending, of course, on the amount of usage. MY recommended solution (although I know it's always a "regional" one, based on availability) is to find a service bureau or bank with the best available exchange rate (I use Continental Currency Exchange at my local mall, http://www.continentalcurrency.ca/) and convert the approximate amount you think you may spend....into the currency of your destination.

Thanks for your input........and I don't mean to sound helpless...:-)......but the CycleGear site only shows a 2400 lumen unit. http://www.cyclegear.com/SPEEDMETAL-LED-Conversion-Kit Are the brighter ones elsewhere?

sounds good. Do you have stores, price, and a part number? A link would be great. Thanks

According to all the stats, THAT'S the "venue" that kills us most often!

Mine's been in for a year or more, Hubert........but, I would guess it's an "hours of actual use" thing, so on THAT basis, my longevity may not count for much. Does Sylvania not provide a life expectancy in hours of operation? I can't imagine the application (in the Venture, as opposed to any OTHER vehicle) puts undue strain on the lamp......so 6 -7 months would almost be "grounds" for a freebee replacement, wouldn't it?

Thanks, Jeff. Makes as much sense as anything!

Agreed! As with most things in life......there's always the yin.....and the yang! We try to mix it up a little so we don't become a yinyang!! :-)

Not sure if this has been covered elsewhere (probably), but, given that many of us plop our helmets on top of the triple crown or on either of our seats when we stop in for an ice cream or a coffee.....or sometimes for an even longer stay......like in the dealer's accessory shop, etc, why wouldn't someone have come up with an accessory helmet lock that sits up top in any of those areas.......rather than the current position......where your helmet is guaranteed to rub the finish off your saddle bag once the wind starts blowing it around? Carbon One....Larry.....have you not done this yet? Maybe somebody has....and I just haven't been paying attention. Hey.....it happens!

Do you suppose that's anything like the stuff they put in their plastic headlight lens "restoration" kit? (It didn't work on the BMW headlights.....but.....maybe on the Venture shield???) Comments?

I agree 100% on both counts. Cut down your shield so it's just below your eye-line. (For me, that means it measures 12.75 inches up from the top of the chrome trim out front.) And the Sylvania Silver Star is ample for all but the highest speed (over limit) night driving. You didn't mention if you have passing lamps....but if you don't, get 'em. Good luck!

If all else fails.......use your GPS and turn off TOLLS and HIGHWAYS. It usually yields some pretty good rides. (Emphasis on PRETTY.....and GOOD!) We did it last summer riding from Niagara down to Virginia. We had to relent and jump on the interstate a couple of times, simply because we were having way too much on the "smaller" roads. Got so many twists and turns in we actually decided AGAINST busting our butts to get to the Dragon simply on the basis that it "couldn't get any better than THIS!" Enjoy.