pope3567

Late to this thread but wanted to endorse a West Coast gathering. I live in Salem, Oregon and have attended the past 2 west coast gatherings...Riding the Kootenays and Yreka. Definitely would attend an event in Late June, July, or August. Would also work with someone to organize something, if need be.

Good move, you won't regret it. A word of advice...follow the installation instructions exactly. They can be a little touchy to install and connect the first time. But work well..

Been using these on my 2012 for about 3 months. Really like the convenience and knowing "real time" what's happening down there. Spent the first few rides checking pressures every gas stop against my Rhino pressure gauge and they always matched. I feel reasonably sure that they function correctly and accurately. And as already mentioned by others, not having to lay down on the garage floor (or the hotel parking lot) to check pressures is a god-send for this old man. One more point. I was surprised (shocked really) to see how much the rear wheel heats up under normal use. Front wheel, not so much. I've been a wrench turner on all my bikes and cars over the years and no stranger to the ins and outs of proper tire pressure, etc. But I never stopped to realize or appreciate how much heat is generated in the tire under normal conditions. I live in western Oregon where the temp seldom hits 80 and the skies can be overcast for days. Just the other day I went for a short ride of a couple hundred miles out to the coast and back. Bike was not loaded down, just me. Overcast day, barely 70 degrees and after a hour and a half, the rear rear tire was, according to FOBO, 98 degrees with a pressure about 8 pounds higher than cold inflation pressure I checked when I left home. That put me above the recommended tire pressure, as stated on the tire. After getting back on the road, the temp and pressure went down somewhat but temp still remained in the nineties and slightly above the recommended max tire pressure. Should I be concerned? Not sure, jury is still out on that. But now, when traveling at highway speeds (70+) I can't help but think about it. I'm doing more research on it, but ????

Hello All...been awhile since I posted, been too busy riding before the winter rains set in. Great idea Freebird, gets old goots like me back in the game. Planning to ride Run for the Wall next May, Ontario, CA to Washington DC. Anyone else in the group ride RFTW? QUOTE=Freebird;1069933]It's been a long time since we had any type of contest here. So....we are having one now. Final day for entry will be Sunday October 13 at 9:00 AM. The contest is open to all SUPPORTING MEMBERS who simply reply to this thread. I'm going to send an email to all members in just a few minutes to let everybody know. You must be a supporting member before the end of contest in order to be eligible. There are a lot of members that we haven't heard from in a while so what I want to see in the responses is simply how you are doing, what you are riding or if you are still riding, just something to let us know that you are still around. We want to hear from you. So, whether you post everyday or haven't posted in a while, please respond to this message. The winner will be drawn randomly from all the people who reply to this message. Winner will receive a brand new VentureRider cap. https://www.venturerider.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=117759

Nice light, been looking at these for quite awhile. Think I prefer these, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071VKXRQ3/?coliid=I1QQY7YZ8NEHU7&colid=JA701H5JWSA6&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it , same temp light (5000k) but spot (30 degree) instead of flood (120 degree). Should provide better down road illumination. Anyone have experience with flood light versus spot light?

Did the Run for the Wall this year...Ontario, Ca to Washington D.C. Rode the southern route, 400+ motorcycles and trikes riding to the Vietnam Memorial Wall in remembrance of those who gave their all regardless of the conflict. Took 10 days to go the distance because we stopped at numerous memorials along the way and participated in many memorial ceremonies. My point is, patriotism, love of country, and respect for our military and the sacrifices of those who paid the ultimate price is alive and well. And not with just us "older" folks, but with younger generations as well. Very heart-warming experience, and very humbling for this old vet. Hope to ride again next year.

Like everyone, I am stunned by this news and at a loss for words. I always enjoyed Dan's posts...his good natured banter and sage advice will be sorely missed. Prayers and sincere condolences for his family. May they ultimately find peace in the knowledge that Dan was loved by so many. And although he and I never met, as with all the Venturerider family, I called him friend. As we say in the Navy with great respect... Fair winds and following seas shipmate, stand down, rest easy, we have the watch. God Bless

Thanks Bratman, best explanation I've heard and makes perfect sense. I'll probably try it again after getting a Strat weight. It really does make a difference having it on there. That's a good looking Strat wheel. Is it a direct swap for the Venture 2nd gen front wheel? Regards, Ron

Just a quick update...removed the front rotor covers and have been "testing" the results. Have spent the last couple of weeks riding the freeway, two-lane twisties, city driving, etc. Although I prefer the look of naked rotors, the difference in handling and overall "feel" of the front-end under various driving situations is for me uncomfortable. Steering and front-end stability, especially at freeway speeds feels loose. The front-end seems to want to wander a bit and be more sensitive to changes in road conditions. Transitions between surface types (i.e., concrete to asphalt, riding over patched roadway, etc.) causes the front-end to bounce and track differently. Here in Oregon, studded tires on cars are allowed from October to April. This causes ruts on the road surface, most notably on the freeway. The bike would bounce in and out of the ruts, and wobble more than l felt comfortable with. I put the covers back on and rode a couple hundred miles yesterday. The front-end is much more stable and seems to stay in better contact with the roadway. Probably could have gotten used to riding without the covers on but it didn't seem worth it because of the poorer handling. Just my personal opinion, your results may vary. One other observation. Without the covers the front brakes would "sing". I'm not talking about brake squeal. It was like the tone you hear when striking a tuning fork. Not totally unpleasant, and definitely noticeable. The covers seem to eliminate the tone. Anyway, amazing how a few pounds of weight changes the handling characteristics so dramatically. And the centrifugal, rotational affect of the weight on the right side cover must be huge. If asked l would not recommend taking the covers off. Just my humble opinion. Ride safe, be vigilant. > Ron

Thanks everyone for weighing in. Will get the wheel re-balanced and re-installed today, then give her a test ride and see how it goes. Prepping for a 7000+ mile trip next month. Spring looks like it is finally arriving here in the PNW, or at least giving it the old college try. Time to take a page out of Puc's book of life and start chasing the front wheel...the joys of retirement! Ron

I've seen a few posts about removing the front rotor covers without issue. Made sense, less weight, looks better (IMHO), gives the bike a "lighter" look to the front end, etc. All well and good. Servicing the bike today, wanted to replace front fork oil. Thought I'd take the opportunity to remove the pie plates. Left came off, no issues. Looked good. Removed the right...there is a large weight epoxied to the inside of the plate. Makes that side 3 or four times heavier than the left. Used to balance the wheel before (or after) the tire is mounted? Just a guess... Am concerned now about handlling of the front end at speed. Going to re-balance the front wheel before remounting, but it is a concern nontheless. Question: has anyone else removed their front rotor covers and found this?

Right there with you Dan...understand and empathize. The wife and I are raising our two grandkids ages 14 & 11. Their dad, (wife's son) is too wrapped up with weed to care, and the kid's mom is a meth addict, don't even know where she lives, or hangs out, or whatever she does. Living on the street last we heard. We drove 12 hours, picked up the kids, and brought them home with us 6 years ago after the mom set the house on fire. Damn shame, too many questions without any answers. So many lives wasted and lost because of drugs, so many people and families affected by one family member getting hooked on that crap. Best of luck to you and family. All I can say is hang in there, trust and believe in yourself, do what you know is the right thing to do. God bless... Ron

Hey Dale, thanks for the memory jolt. I remember thinking the same thing, even mentioned it to Cathy riding back from "pie night." She liked the look and has asked me a couple times "when are you doing that to our bike?" Good to hear from you Ed. Sounds like life is getting back on track for you...well deserved. And now we can have a Venture Tennessee! Always wanted to ride out that way. Good to hear from you, stay in touch. Best regards, Ron

Thanks to all for your comments/concern. Was a nerve racking experience, to say the least. The photo doesn't do justice to the size of the tire carcass. I learned that night it was a "super tread", one of those big tires that replaces two tires on semi's. Anyway, a huge tire. And no, the truck that lost it didn’t stop.

Just wanted to give a kudos to Cycle City of Mountain Home, Idaho. Excellent Yamaha dealer...I was dead in the water after hitting a tire carcass on I-84 Tuesday night. Had the bike towed to Cycle City of Mountain Home. At 0900, when the doors opened, the service manager was working to bypass the cruise control system, kick stand switch, and whatever else to get me 600 miles back home. Had the bike up and running in 30 minutes, no charge. I was on the road and home at 7:30 that evening. Great customer service and knowledgeable staff. More concerned with my welfare, getting me safely on the road, and condition of the bike than making a buck. Thank you Cycle City...

Went on a 4 day ride Tuesday to pick up a few more Tour of Honor sites. Drove from Salem Oregon to Idaho, heading to Twin Falls off I84. About 10 p.m., 26 or so miles east of Mountain Home Idaho, I had the cruise control set to 80 (the speed limit) and was enjoying the warm night ride in very light traffic. Was coming up behind an 18 wheeler in the right lane, but still well behind him. A car was 100 or so yards behind me. The 18 wheeler threw off a left rear tire (retread carcass) in a cloud of dust. I saw it tumbling toward me at the last second and tried to pull right to avoid it. It glanced off the left front fork of my bike and hit the left lower pretty much square on. The impact knocked me sideways but by the grace of God I was able to maintain control and keep the bike upright. Everything had gone dead, no power, no lights, no nuthin'. I coasted to the side of the freeway, shakin' but unhurt. It all happened in a blink of an eye. The car behind me hit the tire carcass head on and he followed me to the side of the road. He lost the front bumper of his car in the impact. Just then, a triple trailer FedEx semi hit it and it severed his air lines. His trailer brakes locked and he came to a screeching stop behind us. Long story short, 4 cars and two 18 wheelers, and me hit the thing and ended up on the side of the road. A mini-van had its lower radiator hose cut. My left lower was torn off, the engine guard was bent back somewhat, and all the electrical in the left lower was shredded. The cruise control unit was nearly ripped out. The main fuse had blown so I was dead in the water. Called a tow truck out of Mountain Home and had it taken back to the Yamaha dealer there. First thing Wednesday morning the service guy and me were able to bypass the cruise control, replace the main fuse and get her running. The front end seemed okay so I drove it home yesterday. Heading to my local Yamaha dealer today to start the repair. Like I said, it all happened in the blink of an eye...one second I was enjoying the ride, next second fighting to stay upright and not go tumbling down the highway. Moral of the story...never let your guard down, always have an "out", and anticipate the unexpected. Sorry this was so long but am happy to be here relating the story to my Venture family.

So I pulled into a gas station the other day. As most know, here in Oregon you can't pump your own gas. Well, motorcycles are exempt but the attendant has to start the pump. Good ole' Oregon. Anyway, as usual the attendant, a kid not much older than 20 maybe, comes over and asks, "what can I get you?" Without thinking, and being of the "older" crowd, I say "I'm going to fill her with ethyl" as I hand him my card. I don't hear anything - card not be slid in the pump, beeps as he punches buttons, nothing of the usual sounds one hears as he sets up the pump. I look over and he's just standing there with a what the f@*k look on his face wondering if I'm being a smart ass, just playing him for a fool, or what. I realize what I said and start chuckling. "Sorry" says I, "ethyl means premium. Guess you had to be born in the fifties to understand." He just shook his head, punched in premium, and walked away without saying a word.

Hey Dale/Doug, Glad to hear you made it. I know what you mean about the raccoon look. Wore my half helmet in Arizona in April and ended up the same way. Don't let it bother you, you look pretty darn funny anyway so it's par for the course. 😉 Enjoy the trip. Wish I were there with you guys. Post some photos if you get a chance. Remember what The Pucster always says...no photos, it never happened. Be safe...Ron

Pretty much what I figured...torquing down on those screws cracked the lens around all three holes and vibration did the rest. Three thousand miles in April and then this ride was just too much. So lesson learned. New lens should arrive early next week. Just really odd looking when I did my walk around and it was gone. As for the saddle sore itself. I did finish it. Took me 19 hours, 26 minutes and I got 3 Tour of Honor sites logged. The head wind from Boardman to Portland Oregon through the Columbia Gorge was intense, as usual. Gas mileage dropped to just under 30 mpg. All in all, a great trip and rewarding experience. The speed limit in Idaho on the interstate was just raised to 80, so that helped. Wish the cruise control on the bike could be set to higher than 80. Other than that, the bike performed flawlessly. Hoping to make Deadwood to meet up with Divey and Dale. The jury's still out (that would be the wife) as to whether I can make the trip, but I've been doing a lot of "honey-dos" around here so the chances are good.

Ditto Bert2006... On my second Michelin Commander II on the rear. Got 12,800 miles on the first Michelin rear and I ride 2-up the majority of time. I used to run Metzgers on my bikes but the Michelins are far superior.

While on a thousand mile saddle sore yesterday I noticed this about 300 miles in. Changed the bulb to red and continued on. No damage to the fender, doesn’t look like anything hit me. The cover was on when I left but now completely gone. At least the screws stayed in. Any ideas?

Blessed indeed...glad to hear you are with us to tell the tale. Prayers your way for complete and speedy healing. Echoing others, would be good to hear what caused the lockup. Scary just thinking about it.

Shout out to Rick Butler and his seat mod. Rick modified my seats earlier this year. I just finished my first long ride on the "new" seat (3,000+ miles in 5 days). Through wind, sleet, snow, rain, and desert heat, I was never more comfortable. I took a long trip last year, a couple thousand miles, and my legs and tail bone would start aching after an hour or so in the saddle, sometimes less. I looked forward to frequent gas stops to ease the pain. This past week I rode several long days in a row (9+ hours) and not once did I experience the discomfort I previously had to deal with. Not exactly sure what the mod entailed but the improvement in comfort, especially for the long haul, is nothing less than amazing. Best money spent thus far on the bike. Would be worth the $$ at twice the price. I highly recommend it. Kudos to Rick. Thank you very much.

It is with heavy heart that I offer sincere condolences to the family of another Venture Rider member and American Military Hero. I have read and enjoyed many posts from Black Owl over the years, he will be missed. To the Family, May the memories of your Hero sustain and carry you through the days and years to come. From a fellow Veteran, Rest in Peace My Brother…as we say in the Navy, Fair Winds and Following Seas. Stand down, we now have the Watch. God Bless... Ron Pope