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allwx

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Everything posted by allwx

  1. allwx
    I seriously doubt that thicker oil or an oil cooler will have a noticeable effect on the whine. I think the reason we notice the whine more on some days than on others has to do with ambient conditions, especially wind and traffic. Any loud noises around you, like trucks, will tend to mask the whine. Wind variations, crosswinds, tailwinds (especially tailwind, which quiets down the cockpit), have a strong impact. For me, the perfect solution to the whine is to ride with a fullface helmet. A fullface helmet completely masks the whine. If I do ride without a helmet, then I wear earplugs. I'll betcha that Yamaha engineers, when they debated what to do about the whine, decided to do nothing, assuming that MOST riders will wear fullface helmets, and that those who ride in baseball caps and do-rags will wear earplugs. But, let's say the whine didn't exist. Let's say the motor was as silent as an electric. You'd STILL have a huge amount of wind noise, and the racket caused by those tires scooting across the pavement. The whine is only one component of the total "noise package" arriving at the ears of the rider.
  2. allwx
    When my RSV was new I had all kinds of things loosen up and almost fall off. I stopped for fuel near Houston and noticed my entire trunk was flopping around. Three of the four fasteners had worked their way out. I got some longer bolts and put nylox nuts on them from the underside. I had one of my saddlebags almost fall off, lost the little chrome spacer on the rear when that long bolt fell out into the bag. Once I tightened all these things up I never had another problem. I think the issue is with assembly, both at the factory and at the dealership. They DO tell you to check the tightness of things from time to time.
  3. allwx
    For some strange reason, these Yam V-4's are prone to spew fuel from time to time. It is particularly bad on the Roadstar single-carb models, which spit fuel whenever it gets hot outside. However, it will also do it on the Royals. I had my 97 Royal Star do it a couple of times. Usually, it seems worse during the spring when fuel recipes are changing from winter to summer. Usually, it is a momentary thing that will stop once the motor cools a bit. Irritating, embarrassing if you're riding with others, but not a real problem. However, if your carb(s) (and it probably is only one of the four) are spewing fuel all the time, then that indicates a problem. Most likely it is the float valve. When the fuel level in the carb rises to the specified level, a metal tine on the float presses against a little valve that closes the fuel feed into the carb. If the valve is damaged, it can leak. Or a piece of contaminant could get in the way, keeping the valve slightly open. This will raise the fuel level, fuel will come out of the overflow, and that cylinder will be flooded. Your flooded sparkplug indicates there is too much fuel flowing into that cylinder. Since the problem doesn't seem to go away after a few minutes, you'll probably need to go into the carbs and examine each float assembly. Make sure no float is perforated, and that the working rubberized end of each float valve is in good shape, valve seat looks good, no debris in there. It probably wouldn't take a huge piece of debris... I'll bet a single human hair could keep that valve open. I think that flooded plug is the key. It tells you which carb has the problem, and that the problem is a too-high fuel level in the carb.
  4. allwx
    I'd look more closely at the shift linkage. You've got, I think, three ball-in-socket type joints. If any one of them gets a little dry it will bind the whole operation. It will show up as hard to shift, and it can come and go, sometimes worse, sometimes better. To get grease into those joints, you'll have to do a bit of disassembly. Maybe you can do it without taking anything apart, but I've found that a thorough lubrication of the linkage requires taking the left footboard off and exposing the linkage so you can get your hands into position. There is an opening behind each joint. You push (or pull) the ball away from the opening... it will move maybe a quarter-millimeter... and then you use your finger to daub some white grease into that little hole. Keep daubing and pushing until you see grease oozing around the ball. Then work the joint back and forth, around and 'round, to further distribute the grease. Do this will all the joints. I also take the shifter lever out of its mount, clean and grease the pivot. This bike has 45k on it, and is several years old. I'd be willing to betcha that this has never been done. I have to do this on mine about once a year, otherwise I can feel things getting stiff.
  5. allwx
    One thing about the D404 that I didn't notice with the Elite 3 is a bit of wallow in rain grooves. I don't recall any of that with the Elites. But the D404s skate around just enough to notice it.
  6. allwx
    I've got a Dual Tour on mine. What model of saddle have you got?
  7. allwx
    Same thing happened here. We actually had two Roadstars, one for me and one for the wife, both were 05's. Hers went first when she got the big C and had to stop riding. I bought the Venture to get a better 2-up operation, and sold my R* to a friend. I loved my R*, and sometimes I miss it. But I only have time for one bike nowadays. Looks like you got a great deal on a great bike. Congrats!
  8. allwx
    Probably you are seeing the drain line from the weep hole that is in the outer water pump housing. Somebody was commenting on this a couple of weeks ago, and had posted a pic of it. You can probably find it, and verify that that is what you're seeing. But I'm pretty sure it is. The hose was added on later models. My 97 RSTD didn't have a hose on the weep hole, and it dribbled coolant pretty regularly. I think that's why they put the hose on there, to keep the dribbling out of sight and out of mind...
  9. allwx
    They don't look like that anymore. Now the lever is chromed and without any mark. I don't remember my 97 RSTD having a petcock lever like that, but I bet it did.
  10. allwx
    Thanks for mentioning the possibility of water getting in the holes... I will have to consider that. I had already been studying those speaker holes, but have not come up with an idea yet that doesn't involve adding weight to the faring. And that was the whole main reason for removing all the hardware. I wouldn't mind having a stash area for something around the size of a cellphone, keys, etc. But that isn't essential. I saw the write-ups on putting in a guage set. I just don't have any real use for the guages. They'd just give me more stuff to worry about. I'm getting worry-averse in my old age.
  11. allwx
    I had considered that, but ended up pulling the speakers anyway. I have used the audio enough to have worn out the original speakers. Plus, I estimate each speaker weighs about a pound. That's enough weight to justify removing it, especially with the front speakers, which are mounted high up on the faring and therefore add a lot to the top-heaviness. As for the cosmetic effect, having the empty spaces where the speakers used to be, it doesn't bother me at all. I never see the rears, and the fronts look black in there in normal daylight. If I shined a lamp in there I could see the innerds, but other than that, it looks fine. The larger problem is how to address the space where the cassette lived, and the very cosmetic cassette door, that mounts onto the cassette case itself. Right now, I've just got a hole there. I'm going to ruminate on this for awhile, maybe ask some other people for ideas. Most likely I will figure out a way to attach the cosmetic door that will allow for access to the space behind for stash. Fabricate some kind of container to mount in the space. It wouldn't hold much, but might be great for toll coins, cell phone, whatnot.
  12. allwx
    I'm gonna keep the bits for now. I say today I will never, ever sell or trade my Venture, but I've said that about other bikes, too, and it turned out not to be true. I wouldn't want to have to sell this bike without the audio installed. I meant I will have to find a storage spot for the pieces. Just more stuff in glad bags for the pile.
  13. allwx
    I have no use for audio on a motorcycle. In the 4.5 years I've owned this RSV, the audio system has hardly been used. Then, I got to wondering what effect removal of those several lbs of sprung weight, front and rear, but especially that which is mounted up high in the faring, would have on this very-top-heavy beast. I spent a day pulling it all off. I even removed the unused CB unit from under the trunk. I removed both antennae, and their cables. I removed the tape deck, the radio/controller, all four speakers, and the handlebar controller. The first improvement was noticeable immediately: The bike looks a lot nicer now. Those two antennae with their clunky mounts really deduct eye candy points. They also add several lbs of weight, and the antennae themselves are a source of noise and wind drag. Now, more of the svelte curves of the RSV are able to show forth. This is a nice-looking motorcycle. But the major improvement is in how the front end feels when maneuvering around in tight spots, like parking. Hard to believe removal of 5 lbs or so of high-mounted sprung mass from the faring would make the front end feel so much lighter. But it does. Now, what to do with all those bits?
  14. allwx
    From your description, it doesn't sound like there's anything critically wrong. The two factors that stand out the most, to me, are the fact that you've modified the front end, and that you're new to the bike, with only 4k of ride time. Also, the fact that it has pulled to both sides at different times, indicates that this is something not related to a bad rotor or caliper, since it would be odd to have problems on both sides simultaneously. The only thing I can think of that I have had some experience with, is worn rotors. When these rotors get nearer the end, they tend to start pulsing, just like car rotors do. But unlike car rotors, these can't be ground to eliminate the uneven surface that has developed on the rotor. The pulsing is not usually noticeable with brake application at higher speeds, but a light pull of the lever as the bike is coasting to a stop will reveal the pulsing. The more the rotors wear like this, the more pronounced the pulsing gets. And it can actually get pretty annoying. You don't say how many total miles are on the bike. My 07 is coming up on 30k, and I can just now detect the early signs of wear and tear pulsing in my brakes. I usually R&R the rotors around 40k for this very reason.
  15. allwx
    It does look good. But that weighted side... that is quite a lot of weight on that thing. I wonder what it is for.
  16. allwx
    Starter relay is a possibility, and for $45 is cheap insurance to just go ahead and replace it, just in case. Could also be you had a bad connection at the battery, or someplace else, that got fixed when you exercised it in your search. I don't recall how old you said your battery is. If it is 3 years old or more, I would replace it. More cheap insurance.
  17. allwx
    I recently had an 11 month old battery die suddenly, in the exact same manner as you describe. Everything fine, then one day, routine start-up, click, no start. The battery out of the bike was making only about 10.5v. I put it on the charger, and it showed green. Took it off the charger, still only making 10.5v. New battery solved the problem. Check your battery voltage on the bench. It should be making between 12 and 13 volts dc. Anything below 12 and it is probably bad. Your starter relay should be located on the left side of the battery box. Remove the left side cover, the left pax board, and the plastic cover behind the pax board. Shine a light up in there and you will see the relay. It attaches to the battery box by means of the rubber grommet that holds the relay. There is a plug on the bottom of the relay, and the two big-current wires on top. New relay is around $45.
  18. allwx
    I've heard it called Texas Catheter... anybody know where that name comes from?
  19. allwx
    That hose goes from the water pump weep hole to drain any coolant that comes out of the hole onto the ground. Back in 97 when I bought my RSTD, the day I picked it up I saw a dribble of coolant out of that hole. At that time, there was no hose fitted to it. Coolant just dribbled down the side of the motor. Thinking that the dribble of coolant indicated a failing water pump, I insisted that the dealer R&R the pump before I took the bike. Well, the new pump also dribbled. And it dribbled coolant every day for five years and 75k miles before I sold the bike. It must be a characteristic of the pump. So I think Yam put the hose on there so the coolant can't be easily seen and worried about.
  20. allwx
    Same here. I did the Goose adjustment. My fuel mileage went up about 3-4 mpg. Not only were the floats on my then-new 07 out of spec, none of them was even the same as the others. Each float was set at a different level.
  21. allwx
    From what you wrote, your only experience with D404 is with a set that already had 9k miles on it. They were already down to the nub, in other words. No tire, down to the nub, is fun to ride on. There would naturally be a striking difference in handling between a worn out set of D404 and a brand new set of E3. Now, you compare a brand new set of D404 to a brand new set of E3 and I'll bet the verdict would be more nuanced. There may even be things you prefer about the D404. Think about this, for instance: The E3 is several lbs heavier than the D404 in the same size. I don't know how many lbs, 'cause I didn't weigh them. But I remember hefting both rear tires side-by-side and being impressed by the difference in weight. Let's say E3 is 5 lbs heavier than D404. That's a lot of weight to add to a wheel at the outer circumference. Bound to affect how the bike rides. Maybe worse, maybe better, depending on riding style, but usually isn't it better in terms of handling to have lighter wheels?
  22. allwx
    I did consider them. Over the years I've learned that what works for other people doesn't usually work for me. I've bought so many thousands of $ of stuff that other people said was the greatest, and found out in the end that what worked best for me was something else, and usually that something else was oem. Didn't want to spend $500 and chance it being not what I wanted. I'd need to test ride something like that before I bought it, and the test ride would take about two weeks to form a strong opinion. With the oem, I already knew it could do the work.
  23. allwx
    Yeah I've got to agree there. I've used quite a few sets of D404 on both RSTD and Venture. The worst I can say about the D404 is that sometimes I get one that only lasts about 5k miles. Usually I get 10k out of a set. They run real quiet, and handle well. But then, I don't carry a lot of weight. I almost never ride with even a passenger. The D404 is a light tire compared to the E3. I've installed several of both, and find the D404 a LOT easier to spoon on and off than the E3. The carcass of the E3 is significantly stiffer than the D404. Most of the D404s come with the sidewalls crushed, probably from being stacked. The last rear D404 I put on I had to use a ratcheting tiedown to spread the bead enough to get it to inflate on the wheel. Never had that with an E3. The E3 is a heavier, stiffer tire, but it is also noisier. Noise is a big issue for me with tires. There's enough noise coming off these Ventures without adding a couple of howling tires.
  24. allwx
    That is a beautiful piece of industrial work! Last month I installed a new oem shock in my 07. My original shock with almost 30k miles on it wasn't leaking, but I don't like running suspension components until they are completely worn out, ie no rebound damping. Thinking that a new shock was coming soon no matter what, I ordered a new one, and when new tire time came I installed it. I am a little surprised that there is no noticeable difference in handling between the old oem shock with 30k on it, and new one. Evidently these oem shocks do last longer than 30k, unless they start leaking oil. So now I've got a spare. I agree completely with you about dealing with the dealer shop. I've yet to take my 07 in for any warranty repair. When things happen I just do it myself. The shop method is usually a big waste of time.
  25. allwx
    Here's my experience with a set of Race Tech emulators: About 12 years ago I was riding a Honda CBR1100XX that developed a knocking sound from the front end when going over ripple type pavement especially at slower speeds. I took the bike in to the selling dealer. The mechanic said he didn't know what was causing the noise, but suggested I have RT emulators installed in the forks. He said that if the noise was coming from the fork internals, the work should fix it. I took his advice and allowed him to do the couple hundred $ job. It had no effect whatever. The noise continued. Turned out it was loose head bearing. A simple snug-up of the head nut fixed it. Meantime, I had my nice new RT emulators in the forks, and frankly I couldn't tell any difference at all in how the bike handled. The whole affair proved (again) how much money can be wasted by throwing it scatter-gun style at a problem, and reminds me of why I am so skeptical whenever a shop mechanic gives me advice.
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