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allwx

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Everything posted by allwx

  1. allwx
    Rear tire on front will probably work, but take a look at the difference in tread between a front D404 and a rear D404. They are a completely different design. My question would be why did the dealer install a rear tire on the front without even letting you know about it and decide if you wanted to go that way. More than likely, the installer didn't know what he was doing.
  2. allwx
    Look at the crankcase segment in the fiche. There are four plugs, one for each cylinder, all identical, cost $4 each from Yamaha Sports Plaza: http://www.yamahasportsplaza.com/pages/OemParts?aribrand=YAM#/Yamaha/ROYAL_STAR_VENTURE_-_XVZ13TFW_-_2007/CRANKCASE/XVZ13TFW_(2007_MOTORCYCLE)/CRANKCASE_(XVZ13TFW_-_2007) part is 90338-11152-00 These plugs usually start weeping after a couple of years. I've made it a point to get new ones whenever I change out the coolant. However, I've never seen one do more than weep a few drops at a time, so it is something that can be lived with eternally, if necessary.
  3. allwx
    Does the radio work when the motor is running? ie the ignition switch in the run position? If it doesn't, then more likely the problem is related to the radio itself, and most likely is a connector. When I first got my 07 I had a lot of trouble with the radio cutting in and out, which I noticed was related to movement of the handlebars. Once I got into the inside of the faring to see the connectors, I found the cuprit. I re-routed the offending connector to make sure it didn't move when the handlebars moved. I also wrapped it with a wire tie pair to give more positive closed pressure on the connector. Have not had any trouble in 3 years since doing this.
  4. allwx
    Take a look at the fuel pump. Mine died on me last summer, and the bike acted like yours in the hard starting. It would take several attempts to get it to run, and then it would run poorly for a few minutes before coming to life. It did this for a few weeks before finally not running at all. Apparently the fuel pump may not die completely suddenly, but get intermittent for awhile. I confirmed the pump problem by bypassing it. Sure enough the bike ran perfectly with the pump bypassed. New pump (non-oem) solved the problem.
  5. allwx
    Sounds like a small fuel leak. There's quite a few places it could be coming from. An 05 doesn't seem old enough to be suffering from cracked fuel line, but it is possible. Assuming you've got a oem fuel pump in there, there shouldn't be any significant pressure between the fuel pump and the carbs, even with the petcock open, as the oem pump doesn't pass fuel when it isn't running. Fuel collecting under the carbs overnight therefore indicates either a small leak from one of the carbs, or in the line between the fuel tank and the fuel pump. Carbs should only leak what is in their bowls, which isn't much. Fuel from the main fuel line between the tank and the pump runs over that general area, so a small leak there (with petcock open) could dribble some fuel down onto the top of the motor under the carbs. I would suggest you get it dry by riding it, and when you get home close the petcock before you kill the motor. Allow the carbs to run dry until the motor dies. Let it sit a few hours with petcock closed and see what happens. Assuming it stays dry, after awhile open the petcock without starting the motor, let it sit and see if any fuel appears on top of the motor. If things stay dry and stink-free then that should eliminate any power-off possibilities. If the leak reappears after you crank the motor, then the leak must be aft of the fuel pump, which brings you back to the fuel line between the pump and the carbs, or one or more of the carbs themselves. Each carb has a drain hole which is closed with a small screw and gasket. One of these could be loose and leaking. Or possibly you have a leak from where the carb bowl interfaces the carb body with a small o-ring type gasket. Otherwise, fuel coming out of a carb would probably be an overflow situation. But that shouldn't continue for long after the motor is shut down and the pump shuts off. I have seen these carbs overflow, but when that happens the motor will start running very poorly as the overflowing carb puts too much fuel into the mix. You say it runs great, so that isn't a likely situation. Most likely you've just got a small static leak. Until you find it make sure you keep the petcock closed whenever the motor isn't running. Fume buildup in the garage could be explosive.
  6. allwx
    Well if there's anything weak on the Venture, it is the lighting. The headlight is real weak. Things I loved about my 03 Goldwing, headlight was at the top of the list. Nowadays, though, I don't ride that much at night. Hardly ever.
  7. allwx
    I hear ya, bro, but know that we wait down here, too. Not typically six months, but it isn't unusual to wait for two months, or even three, to get an appt with a specialist. The idea that in the U.S. people don't wait for specialized medical treatment is a fable. BTW I recently heard from a guy who lives in the U.S. and goes to Canada for medical treatment because he thinks things are better-cleaner-cheaper there. Go figger.
  8. allwx
    No cat converters on the Ventures. This is an old fashion design, very old. They "may" be jetted "lean" for whatever reason, but the field elevation where the bike is operated is going to be the big determinant on jetting. You might look around for a carb expert in your neighborhood to find out what they do to bikes to make them run best where you live. I think of the factory setup to be a rough estimate. It is good enough, but probably not the very best. Rather than too-lean, it seems more likely that these Ventures come too-rich, at least so if you live in a mountainous region. There is an article by Goose that describes setting the floats in the carbs, the end result of which is to lean out the mixture. I did this adjustment soon after I got the bike, and my mileage improved markedly, though I could detect no change in how the motor runs. The adjustment is difficult, requires removal and partial disassembly of the carbs, and working on some rather delicate internal parts. It is an adjustment that is straining out a gnat. Won't likely make any discernible difference in operation, but you may notice a fuel consumption improvement. If your bike is running fine as it is, and you aren't a big tinkerer, probably better to do nothing. This might be especially true if you frequently ride into remote areas that are much higher or lower in elevation where you live. In that case you'll want the factory setup because it is a middle-ground kind of thing.
  9. allwx
    I don't know anything about those pipes, whether they're open or heavily baffled. If they're baffled then you may need to do nothing to the carbs. If they're wide open then you probably do need to rejet. Another big factor is the elevation where you live and ride. Carbs come from the factory setup to run "OK" between sea level and about 6k feet. If you live much above 6k then you could benefit from rejet with or without new pipes. Another thing to consider is your airbox. If you install very open pipes then you also need to open up the intake. This isn't very easy to do on the Venture, because of the intake design. One thing you might consider doing, before you make any further mods, is to get the bike to a dyno and have it tested. That is the truest way I know to dial in the jetting. A dyno run should give you a printout that shows mixture at every rpm from idle to redline. Knowing how the carbs mix at every rpm and load tells you which jets to replace and by about how much. A good dyno operator may be able to give you specific advice on where to go. You'll need at least two runs, so it could cost a couple hundred $ but once you get it dialed in you'll know it is right as can be.
  10. allwx
    This is a matter of riding style as much as anything. Personally I don't like to have a lot of grab from the rear. I crashed seriously in 92 when I apparently locked up my rear brake on wet surface causing a lowside... could have been a highside if it'd worked out differently, in which case I'd be writing from hell. After that I've always distrusted my braking instincts. I don't remember even touching the brakes on that day, but a witness said I fishtailed and went down. Most likely I flinched at an upcoming curve and gave too much brake input. I've done the same thing at other times, but avoided crashing in those cases. Anti-lock brakes would solve that prob, but that's another issue. I almost never use the rear brake now, except in low speed maneuvers, or in "panic" stopping. My bike locks up the rear with very little foot pressure, and that is with oem stock brakes, lines and pads. It is worse to lock up the front, but locking up the front is much more difficult because the weight shifts forward onto the front wheel during braking. This also aggravates the tendency for the rear to lock up as it gets lighter. So... my own pref is to do nothing to make the rear brake more powerful.
  11. allwx
    Good luck on it. I did my forks last summer, what a sum***** that was! I did it by removing the forks and taking the fork spring retainer cap off from the top. Getting things apart is easy, but getting that cap back on against the spring is a chore. I wasn't able to do it with mere hand pressure against the cap. You must be referring to the bolt at the bottom of the fork, hidden by the axle. If that is stripped you may have to disassemble the fork anyways.
  12. allwx
    Lordy! But at least you guys have got universal healthcare. What you lose on motorcycle parts you get back when you pay for your healthcare. Down here we may have cheaper motorcycle parts, but our healthcare costs 3x as much as yours, and yours is probably better. Not wanting to open that bucket of argument, just pointing out that stuff has a way of evening out over the long run. I wonder why the shippers charge premiums... maybe they have to pay taxes that they want to recoup.
  13. allwx
    You must be using Canadian $. Can you order from a U.S. supplier without paying duty? Like I said before, they can be had mail order for under $25 U.S. each. Even so, $100 once a year for air filters isn't out of line, and most people don't ride enough to have to do it more than every other year.
  14. allwx
    Sounds like normal rubbing of the seal on the tube. It will leave a mark after awhile.
  15. allwx
    Sounds like you should be looking for something other than the starter solenoid. Related to sidestand, handlebar movement, etc... that is what I am reading... sounds like a switch. One of the more knowledgeable here can send you on a more direct path.
  16. allwx
    I would, but I think it depends a lot on where you live. Out here in the desert, especially at certain times of year when the winds are howling, there's a lot of dust in the air. If you live in a greener area, could be you're still fine at that mileage. Still, for $50, its a lot of peace of mind.
  17. allwx
    Well that is unfortunate, but at least you can be reasonably confident that you don't have a valve problem. How's the compression now? Would be worth a new leakdown test to make sure that cyl is actually holding compression as it should. Regarding the popping. If you've still got your air induction system intact and it is functioning properly, you should get *some* popping on decel. That is normal, and is a sign that the air induction system is working properly. The poor fuel mileage could be ascribed to another cause, of which there could be very many, including things not yet mentioned such as dragging brakes, wheel bearings, stuff like that. If your motor compression is up to par and all four carbs are well tuned, then you might start looking at those areas if you haven't already. Someone else has mentioned the idea of keeping engine rpm high due to the overdrive nature of 4th and 5th gears. Myself, I ignore all of that and ride the bike exactly like I ride every other bike. I upshift early, keep it in 5th as long as I can. I do not shy away from a gentle throttle roll-on from 40 mph in 5th on level ground. The bike pulls fine in that gear, and I get a consistent 42-44 mpg on regular gas. I think the keep-rpm-high theory made some sense on the original Royal Stars that had the 60hp motors. Those were dogs. Mine couldn't pull 5th gear into a gentle headwind. But the Ventures are a different animal, well able to be ridden just like any other bike and turn in good numbers along the way.
  18. allwx
    Agree, should not use high pressure on the paper element. Book sez "low pressure air" which I take to mean something on the order of canned air rather than a full blast of 120psi from the compressor. I've done this many, many times both on my Venture and my late, great Royal Star. Even with the canned air, I wouldn't open the valve full blast... you can regulate it.
  19. allwx
    Ron Ayers has them for $23.18 each. You'll need two. However, a couple years ago I ordered two of these from Ron Ayers. When I got the invoice, I saw they'd charged me an additional $30 or thereabouts because the filters are some sort of "special order" item that they charge a premium for. After that I stopped doing business with Ron Ayers. But $23 each is not a very high price, IMO. If you can get them and not have to pay some sort of ridiculous premium over retail, then you should be good. Last set I got from the dealer shop. I think they were something like $30 each (can't remember exactly, brain is too old). Patrick in Albuquerque
  20. allwx
    I've used K&N oiled filters on many types of bikes. I never noticed any improvement in performance or fuel consumption, nor did I find any dirt on the clean side of the filters. I never did really believe the long mileage between cleanings K&N claimed, something like one million miles. I always cleaned and oiled mine every few thousand miles. I live in the desert, after all.. very dusty. The cleanability of the filters is the main thing that attracted me. I still use the oem paper filters on the Venture, though. I replace them every 16k or so with new. Sometimes I will blow them out with light air, like the book says, but I don't make a big deal out of that... just when I have things apart for some other reason.
  21. allwx
    The fat tire up front probably has more to do with looks than performance. It wouldn't be the only sacrifice of performance for looks on the Venture. You don't see anything like this fat front tire on bikes that are built mainly for handling performance rather than looks. The Venture would look odd with a narrower front tire.
  22. allwx
    I have the opposite "problem" with my 07. The choke assy is very stiff, even after a thorough oiling of all the pivot points last summer. Since complete examination of the choke assy is hard without removing the carbs, my suggestion would be to accept your loose choke assy (after first making as sure as you can that nothing is loose and about to fall apart) and consider it an advantage. Choke usually doesn't have to stay on for more than a minute or so. Even in colder wx full choke shouldn't be required for more than about 30 seconds. After that you WANT it to unchoke. Some chokes have been designed for that purpose, in order to help prevent riding with the choke on, which is easier to do than is healthy for the motor. I've caught myself riding with partial choke quite a few times because I forgot to make sure it was off. I've got a reflex developed that reminds me to check it several times during my first few miles of riding after a cold start. Yours probably works its way off, but not completely, so that the motor runs fine, but with a partial choke is making the mixture too rich.
  23. allwx
    I like the D404 also. That's what my 07 came with. I got a nail in the rear at about 9k, so I put on a set of E3. I like the handling and stability of the E3 but I thought they were too noisy. The set I got really howled, from day one. Then I put on another set of D404, and this dadgum set of tires is almost gone at 5k miles. Unbelievable! But I've seen this before. There are more than one formulation of rubber on these D404s. That's the only thing I can think of to explain why I get 10k on one set and 5k on another. Anyway, I've already got my next set of D404 ready to go on. Even if they don't last long, they're nice and quiet, and handle reasonably well.
  24. allwx
    Speaking of batteries... I've used a few Westco batteries in various bikes, Wing, VTX, Royal Star, now Venture. I usually replace a battery every three years and keep the old one for spare. Good thing I still had my Yuasa oem that I replaced with the Westco 13 months ago. The Westco died suddenly one day last week. Charger showed green about an hour after putting it on, but the battery was still dead. The old Yuasa, OTOH, after sitting under my workbench for 13 months under zero charge and covered with NM dust, came up to snuff in less than an hour, and still has plenty of spunk to run the bike. I've got another Yuasa on the way. I had a Yuasa die the same way in a new Goldwing, so any battery can break internally. This is the first time I've had any trouble at all with a Westco.
  25. allwx
    Especially with the wet clutch. And where I live it is very dusty year 'round. I'd never go 8k on a filter. In fact, I rarely go over 3k between changes, though lately I've been getting lazy.
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