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Bummer

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Everything posted by Bummer

  1. Bummer
    It may be fraught with danger, but young, good looking, and stinking rich? Might be worth it.
  2. Bummer
    Irene and I are booked into the Homewood Suites, diagonally across the exchange. All of about 1.4 miles. Funny, only looks like an inch or so on the map... We'll see you guys there, end of the world (as we know it) permitting.
  3. Bummer
    Back in "the day" we used to mount driving lights slightly crossed. That allowed them to illuminate further into turns. That was mostly because we couldn't get them to steer like the Tucker's middle light. I'm wondering about a wide angle on the left aimed right to illuminate the road up close and the right side of the road into deer territory, and a narrow beam on the right aimed mostly forward for distance. Of course the photons might bang together and cause a swirly cloud where they crossed, naturally depending on whether they were particles or waves at that point... And maybe a set of fogs down by the brakes, alternately selecting the fogs or driving lights by a relay to give the electrical system some slack.
  4. Bummer
    That's terrible. Earl, get well soon!
  5. Bummer
    Please don't let my writing style throw you off. Of course I respect your opinion, I respect aamcotrans' opinion too. I'm more concerned that aamcotrans may think that his opinion is more than just an opinion. Even at that, I'm certainly not upset with him about it. More perplexed. I like education. I have formal training in a number of mechanical pursuits including the workings of internal combustion engines. In fact, I'm back in school right now. If aamcotrans knows something I do not, I want to learn what it is. Rather than explain his opinion he appears to have stated that he's right, I'm wrong, then dismissively turned away. As I said, the gearing on a Second Gen is different from that of a First Gen. My point, in our conversation, is that if we added one taller gear to a Second Gen it would be like adding two taller gears to a First Gen. I understand that you feel you could use another higher gear. Would you really want, and be willing to pay for, two?
  6. Bummer
    I cruise 80 to 85 in fifth on the interstate when I'm going long distances. That puts me between 3500 and 4000. I feel no need to drop that to 2500 or 3000. When I ride the interstate locally running around 65 or 70, which does drop it to 2500 to 3000 I see no significant fuel savings. My best mileage is on red roads where I'm running higher rpms in lower gears going 45 to 50 tops. When I'm off the interstate I seldom use fifth. In fact, on the truly fun roads I usually use first and second. Sometimes third. I've never lacked for power. I rode an '85 from '90 to '05 and it's pretty rare for even the biggest talker to leave me behind. The fact is, I want a V-Max pumpkin so that fifth will finally become usable. Keep in mind, if a First Gen had another gear it'd be about what the Second Gen already has. Would you really want two more? The question I was originally responding to was "Why would you not want an extra gear?" I answered that I do not long for another gear and gave sound mechanical reasons. Now, the cassette player I can see changing.
  7. Bummer
    Don't forget that Yamaha changed the ratios between the First Gen and the Second Gen. Fourth is 1.068, and fifth is .906 on the First. Fourth is .960, and fifth is .786 on the Second Gen. In other words, on a Second Gen fourth is about the same as a First Gen's fifth. 70 is a little over 3000 in fifth on a Second Gen. Add another gear above the current fifth and you're turning maybe 2500 at 70 mph.
  8. Bummer
    And that means what relative to this conversation? Don't just throw an "appeal to authority" at me. That's a logical fallacy and simply will not float. What did I say that was technologically incorrect? You asked "Why would you not want an extra gear?" and I told you. I'm not saying this stuff to ruffle your feathers, but I do feel you're wrong, at least relative to a higher sixth gear on this motorcycle. If this bike were a v-twin I'd heartily agree with you. It isn't. Most of what we're really talking about is engine performance, not the transmission itself. This is not an automotive v-six with an automatic transmission and computerized control. It's a small displacement, four cylinder engine that runs the happiest at 3000 to 7000 rpms. Sure you can run it with a tall sixth at 1500 rpms doing 80 down the interstate, but you're pushing your luck with the oil wedges on your rod bearings. That's not reducing wear and tear. You're also not likely to get increased mileage since you'll have to open the throttle more to work against that much load. You're going to have to bump it up to 3000 for any kind of mileage, and with a taller sixth that's flashing light territory in the US. That leaves us with pollution. I'm not convinced you wouldn't be pushing unburned hydrocarbons trying to run that low against load. Add to that the number of new guys who'll be shifting straight to sixth at 45 mph. Again, on a v-twin, sure, but not with this engine. I do not want an extra gear, and that's why. Come on now, you asked.
  9. Bummer
    The red LEDs are brighter through a clear lens. The red lens filters some of the red light. Yes, it works just fine through a red lens, but it's brighter with a clear. It's also brighter through a smoke lens than a red one, just not as much as the clear.
  10. Bummer
    Give me a while and I'll think of a time I wasn't in optimal torque the way it is. Oh yeah, when I was in fifth gear under 70 mph. I'll give this a maybe, if they insist on doing it, but I don't feel that I need it. Completely disagree. You're only going to see a 10% mileage increase if you run 100 mph on the interstates all day long. Too many guys come to the Venture from a V-Twin and want to run low rpms. They wind up shifting quickly to fifth then running the engine at too low an rpm. That causes more wear and tear than spinning it fast. Then they complain about lack of power. They also complain about engine whine which happens mostly under 3000 rpms. We wind up telling them to downshift. Sorry, but I neither need nor want a taller sixth. Now, on an antiquated v-twin, running hard at 4 grand, sure. Of course, if they put a v-twin in the Venture it won't be a Venture any more than a Chevy van is a Venture, and they most certainly won't sell me one.
  11. Bummer
    By eating the battery or the valve cores, no less. Still, what is, is. I can recommend that people vote for a party that's actually against that sort of thing, but if one really does, there's no chance of them winning since neither of the big two really support personal freedom. That, of course, takes us smack into the middle of politics. So I won't go there. Bear in mind that Yammy lives in Canada. That's even different different. That's why I told him to ask a lawyer. It inhales sharply through pursed lips, but that's probably the only way he's going to know.
  12. Bummer
    My wife's Ford pickup has LT tires on it. Passenger car tires are not DOT approved for motorcycle use. Nothing on Delphi is going to change that. As to the manual, that's just Yamaha's recommendation, and doesn't include any P type tires. It still in no way relates to the nature of DOT certification, or insurance contracts. Oh, and my manual does in fact include Dunlop tires: D404 to be specific. Put whatever you want on your vehicles. Frankly, I don't care. It's really none of my business. Yammy, however, asked a question. He received what appear to be inaccurate answers. Yes, passenger tires are DOT approved. They're approved for use on passenger cars. No they are not approved for use on motorcycles. No amount of disagreeing will change that. How will an insurance company react to this? I don't know. Neither do you. I believe that the failure to use tires approved by the DOT for the application will give the insurance company the opportunity to deny coverage should they want to. Of course, they may not want to, or even notice. Then again they may. I suggested he ask a lawyer. That suggestion still stands.
  13. Bummer
    Good for you, taking your friend's question seriously. In the US, car tires are DOT approved for passenger cars, not motorcycles. That's the way DOT approval works. Passenger car tires are approved for passenger cars, light truck tires are approved for light trucks, and motorcycle tires are approved for motorcycles. Put a passenger car tire on your bike if you want, but it is not DOT approved for that use. Since you're in Canada there are added points: What does Canadian law say about US DOT approval? Anything? What are the chances the politicians missed this? Does Canadian medical care have any "outs" that might relate to this. Let me ask you this, though it relates to the US - not sure about Canada: If you're laying in the hospital, run over by an uninsured motorist (You guys all do have maxed out uninsured/underinsured, right?) do you want to have to worry that the insurance inspector will notice that you were running a tire that's not approved for use on motorcycles? My personal answer to that is an unequivocal NO, and I have the t-shirt. It says Hurrle Orthopaedic. I spent my time worrying about staying alive, then worrying about keeping my leg, then worrying about rebuilding that leg so I could ride again. I was very glad I didn't have to also worry about my insurance bailing and leaving me holding a $150,000 medical bill and the balance owed on the bike, all because I was too cheap to buy an actual motorcycle tire. While these other gentlemen are no doubt well intentioned, they're not lawyers any more than I am. You really need to ask a lawyer. Not just casually, but as official paid legal advice. Our friends in this forum are missing the subtleties of the answers they've been given, and making assumptions. A lawyer selling legal advice won't do that, any more than the insurance company facing handing over a couple of hundred thousand dollars will.
  14. Bummer
    Not yet, but now's my chance to measure the foot boards and see if they're closer to the ground on a Royal Star.
  15. Bummer
    Thanks for the tips. We're not ready to do much changing yet, aside from putting it back to stock. At least I'm not. I want to get her on it and have her ride for a while to see how it fits and get an idea what actually needs to change to make it fit her. I am just doing a very thorough tune up right now. I suspect that this bike got a lot of "cool guy" stuff and not a lot of real maintenance. I'm making sure that everything that should have been done by 17k miles is done. I'm hoping to have it at 100% - good as new - by the middle of next week, including new tires and greased bearings. She's getting a bit frustrated, I think. I get to test the stuff I've done, so I know it's a nice bike, fun to ride. Meanwhile she's doing the working drudge thing, and wishing. We're planning on a ride to Brown County Saturday to put a grin back on her face. Of course it might just be an excuse to have a tenderloin at the 58 Cafe.
  16. Bummer
    Thanks for the suggestion. Right now it's at my house getting a thorough going over. She has a V-Star 650 that's been soloed out to fit her, with 1 1/2 inch pull back risers. Because of the way that fit for her we're looking into options on this one. We'll keep your suggestions in mind. I don't know if she'll need it lowered. That was much of the point of going with the Royal Star rather than a Tour Deluxe. Smaller frame and all that. Time will tell. Gotta get it all tired, fluided, and greased up so she can put some miles on it and really see how it fits.
  17. Bummer

    vacume

    Bummer replied to jlh3rd's topic in Watering Hole

    The manual has the carb sync procedure wrong. See this thread.
  18. Bummer
    Aside from the fact that he's bigger than I am, I can't imagine.
  19. Bummer

    Flag lapel pins

    Bummer replied to kenw's topic in Watering Hole

    So did anybody actually read the Snopes commentary, and perhaps check the dates? Radio Shack used to sell stereos. They were branded "Realistic". They weren't. They put Realistic on the outside because I would have never noticed had I simply listened. Lots of things have labels to tell you they are something they really aren't.
  20. Bummer
    Working here. Fedora 12. Opera browser. Sounds good.
  21. Bummer
    I need to take some pics some day so you can post 'em. Max comes pretty close to doggie-trump.
  22. Bummer
    I wouldn't have it any other way.
  23. Bummer
    Dan, you rascal. That's a wanna-be Indian. No square corners on my bike.
  24. Bummer
    She was itching. The floorboards were just too far forward for her. I figure she'll be over tomorrow. She works midnights - wonder how long it'll be before she can sleep. Gotta finish the rear brake first thing in the morning. I'll be at Maintenance Day, I don't know if she will. I don't think she was planning it, but then she only had a V-Star 650. I can't help but think she'll be up for more distance now.
  25. Bummer
    Rides nice, though I could tell the frame's smaller than the Venture. I got on my Venture to come home and the ground was farther away. The PO had moved the footboards six inches forward. I have 'em back where they belong. He made two brackets, a stainless shift rod extension, and a longer brake hose. He also cut off about four inches of the hose between the reservoir and the rear master cylinder - that gets replaced tomorrow, then I'll vacuum out the system and bleed it. There's a small jug of DOT 5 in the sack with the incidental parts. I have to call him and find out where he put the stuff. Once I find out where he put it I have to decide what to do about it. The bike also has Jardine slash cut muffs on it. A little loud, though not real bad. She got the stockers and told me to put those back on.
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