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timgray

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Everything posted by timgray

  1. timgray
    I have perfect hearing and my wife still has to repeat herself 2 or 3 times. Over the years I have developed an immunity to her voice... Problem is I also developed an automatic "yes dear" without even registering what she said.... That get's me into trouble a LOT. Glad to see you have better hearing!
  2. timgray
    Just an update. I have been having troubles with the slightly working gear I had to chase down wires in the big connectors, so I had to wait to win an auction on fleabay to get a new amplifier. My amp had a known problem, after you turn it on for a while the audio fades out and you cant hear the radio or anything else. This problem is due to the main amp stage being damaged. I isolated the part and am trying to find a replacement that will work in there. I am discovering that the parts inside these things are getting really rare. The amplifier main IC has been discontinued for over 12 years so I need to find a source for old stock that may still have them. I am also trying to get the Midland helmet headsets working with the stock radio/intercom. I believe it will be simple, and at $30.00 each they are far FAR cheaper than even the cheapest $80.00 ones you can find online. The problem is that there will have to be an "adapter box" as most new headsets are electret microphone and the stock system is designed to use dynamic microphones. I did find a source for the switches in the radio control head. I was sucessful in resurecting a water damaged one to full operation. I hope to get more information together when the new parts arrive.
  3. timgray
    Just for others that want to check, can anyone post a photo or describe exactly where that port and hose is?
  4. timgray
    anyone find an electronic turn signal flasher that works on our bikes? I was told by 3 shops that any "car flasher" will work. they dont.
  5. timgray
    Actually no. in an accident the SUV does not always win. Every rollover I see the SUV and the occupants lose big time. Those things crush like beer cans when on the roof. SUV's are not safer, they are just larger. and honestly SUV versus cement wall and smartcar versus cement wall... I'd rather be in the smart. those things have a safety cell that is incredible, check out the safety testing/crash tests. They even smashed one at 70mph into a wall on top gear and the passenger cabin was intact and the drivers door still opened. There is a reason that no large SUV has a 5 star crash rating. The only ones that do are the tiny ones that are only slightly bigger than a car.
  6. timgray
    I have a 17 year old that should have had her license 6 months ago. I REFUSE to sign off until I am comfortable with her driving. Most parents sign off without making sure their kid is a safe driver. That said, the drivers education these kids get today is a joke. I had to ask the instructor why they have never mentioned to look for bikes. he said, "this is not a motorcycle safety course" Kids today are getting a joke for drivers education, plus parents are not making sure their little darling is not a menace, and we pay the price.
  7. timgray
    An 83 in near mint should NOT go for more than $1800.00-$1900.00 you will have to fix 2nd at some point. It happens by 70K if you baby it, IT will happen by 40K if you like to accelerate, and I have test ridden an 83 that had 2nd going out at 28,000 miles. Now if he can prove that the 2nd gear fix was done then it's worth $2500.00. It will cost that or more to fix 2nd gear at a dealer. The frame will tear near the rear shock, Again that depends on the load, riding style and if you put lateral force on the bike. Never ever move the bike while on the center stand, rotational force there will stres the bike hard. There are other issues as well. Most are due to the age of the bike and things you should replace because they are worn out. (fork springs for example) That said. I completely LOVE my 83. I just dropped the equivalent of $3000.00 into paint on it, and another few hundred in parts. I have plans of at least another $1000 in parts for upkeep for the next 2 years. That's typical of classic bikes. I would never recommend a 1st gen or any classic bike to anyone that cant work on bikes. These things need someone not afraid of tearing things apart and to work and fix them. IF you did all repairs at a dealer, you will pay for a new BMW K12 within 3 years because of how bad the dealer robber barons are charging. Owning a 1st gen is like owning a Classic car or hotrod, they can be a lot of work, but they pay off big time in grins and personal satisfaction. I get harley riders giving me big compliments all the time. Note: older 2nd gens are the same. if it does not have a warranty on it, you will have to fix it yourself or start robbing banks to pay for the dealer to do it.
  8. timgray
    One of my new turn signal dash indicator lamps I put in this winter burned out already. The original that was 20+ years old and was blackened and still worked worked forever, but a new one died in 30 miles. That's my luck. so today, I decided that I needed to replace the dash turn indicator as well as upgrade it, in bright sun I can barely see they are blinking and I need an indicator that reminds me that I'm being an old geezer riding with a signal blinking. I went to autozone and found the 194 lamps in a yellow led form. they have 4 super-bright LED's on each and they are $10.99 for 2 of them. They fit just fine and only work one way (flip it over if it does not blink.) The results were incredible. they are blindingly bright with high noon sun shining directly on them. no way to miss my blinkers are on. At night it will light me up as well as act as a side indicator to cars sitting next ot me. I'll try to post pics later of them working and the empty package. I forgot to take photos as I was doing the change.
  9. timgray
    Ok so where do I set the pilot mixture? and does anyone have a procedure for it? I am assuming that pilot mixture is not the idle mixture and behind the brass plugs. as for using the premium gas, One of the gas stations here (Amoco) does have fuel cleaners in it. I ran 2 tanks of 97 octane simply to mix with the 87 that has sat all winter long and is now about 78 or lower octane. mix the two and you get back to what you are supposed to have. I simply wanted the stale gas out of the gas tank and forgot all about it. I agree though, most people know nothing about gasoline or even how engines work so they think more expensive is better. Nope. in fact most cars will run horribly on 108 racing gas because the timing and compression is not set up for it, the piston will be nearly 1/8 the way down the bore before the wave front would hit the piston. losing a lot of power and energy. Anyways, I got 35mpg this last tankful. I really need to unhook the fuel lines and empty the tank, I dont think it has ever been switchedto reserve so ther has to be a lot of gunk down there, and I'm wary of opening that valve and then having to dig out a fuel filter after it clogs up.
  10. timgray
    sorry to see you having to stop riding, hopefully things turn around for you quick.
  11. timgray
    MAC security is incredibly different from windows. it's not possible for a program to run on it's own. you have to click to run it, and then for it to infect the machine you will have to give it your administrator level username and password. so unless it completely fools you, it cant get in. There are other ways of attacking, but to write to system files it has to ask your permission. windows will gladly let a program write all over the system files quietly. Vista tried to fix this with UAC, but most people turn that off because windows software is designed to write to the system files too much (registry) so they see the popup quite a lot.
  12. timgray
    get windows steadystate. you will never have to rebuild it again. a simple reboot and all are gone. It's great for kids computers. Never EVER pay for an Anti Virus program at home. Avast is free and rated higher than almost all AV software suites. it's at avast.com. The absolute best Antivirus out there right now is called nod32. They got the highest ratings from all the testing companies. 25 year vetran of computer consulting and engineering, I've been fighting that stuff for a quarter century now.... Oh and if you have a cablemodem or DSL. go out and buy a router. Even if you have only 1 computer. a router will act as a firewall and stop 95% the silent infection junk out there.
  13. timgray
    Use a good quality rubbing and polishing, then a glazing compound you can make it shine like a diamond IF it has not been done before and it's too thin. I use only the 3m products you can get at finishmaster stores. the small bottle they sell will do about 30 bikes. The color will never come back. The metalflake paint under the clear faded. The old bikes never had any UV blockers in the clear so the color would fade through the clear. A repaint is in order. also do NOT use a high speed buffer if you dont know how to use one. you can burn through the paint in a heartbeat. A bufing pad in a drill chuck set on low speed will work well and you will never burn through. Stock there is 1 coat of sealer, 1 coat of paint and 2 coats of clear.(from what I experienced on my 83) I believe it's very thin to allow the lacquer to flex easily with the panels.
  14. timgray
    I checked all the diaphragms all are in fine shape.. well now I have 4 spares waiting. I did not make the change but did sync, it was slightly off, and sync did help a bit. surprising how a tiny bit off can make a difference in throttle response. I cleaned up the plugs (they were blackish) and will run a tankful. If they are blackish again I'll move the needles one notch to the lean side, and then run a tank and check again. I think what may be causing a bit of the problem is that I have been running premium in the tank to make sure all is clean. And premium really does not work well in these bikes. The slower burn time premium has loses power for the timing the engine is set for. I have a 500 mile run planned for in two weeks so I want it running well. Side note: my stock diaphragms look like they are rubber coated cloth. The replacements look like they are just rubber with no cloth inside. also for future refrence, on the 83 is the big plastic screw for the needle in the slider left handed thread or a standard right handed thread? It looks really easy to break.
  15. timgray
    Buy an armored mesh jacket. I'd never ride in a windbreaker or light jacket, you might as well ride without a shirt as they will do nothing when you come off the bike. leatherup.com has a bunch of different ones, as well as a lot of other motorcycle outfitters. Riding in lower 60's is considered great open jacket weather. the ride last night home in 35 degrees was a tad nippy but not uncomfortable. but then up here in the frozen north we think that summer is 4 weeks of bad sledding.
  16. timgray
    Ok, so if my brass plugs are in there then I know that the previous owner did not go messing about in there. I am certian the diaphrams need replacing, when I got the bike it ran good but had lots of backfiring. the cars were incredibly out of sync. I mean in a drastic way that the bike should not have been running. A sync made a difference, but it's running poorly synched right. I also am sooting the tailpipes pretty hard as well as getting 29mpg. I'll check the sparkplugs before I do anything. If they are blackish with no traces of white anywhere I'll lean it out a tiny bit.
  17. timgray
    I am about to break into the carbs and change my diaphraghms. while I was in there I was going to adjust the needles and do the 1st gen Mk1 version of changing the spacer. I need to know a couple of things. Which way do I adjust the needles? In or out? Second everyone mentions to adjust he mixture screws to 2.5 turns Where are the mixture screws and 2.5 turns from bottomed out or completely loose? Does anyone have detailed information about the carbs? a full step by step details on adjustment? The factory service manual in the tech section has no information at all on carb adjustment or even needle adjustment. only disassembly and rebuild. Thanks!
  18. timgray
    Thanks guys. Wow did they steal the front fairing from the MK1 1st gens or what?
  19. timgray
    Yesterday I joined a 3000 bike spring ride and spotted what I thought was a 1st gen venture. as I got closer riding down the line I saw the Suzuki nameplate on it and that it was what looked like 20% larger in scale in all directions as well as having not only a nice back seat and backrest, but a backrest that went up and then had a headrest! The wife tapped me on the shoulder and said, That looks really comfortable! What Suzuki is that? No I did not snag a photo. We went to the ride without a camera:smilies6:
  20. timgray
    Very cool to see Venture and Fiero owners..
  21. timgray
    I have been searching all morning for what to use to replace my fuse panel with something that is far better and more modern. what have the rest of you used? what fit's in the same spot? I really want blade fuses, and would like to expand it from the all used up 6 circuit to an 8 circuit to allow me to separately fuse accessories. Also has anyone upgraded the switched with a relay and a secondary fuse panel?
  22. timgray
    depends on the snakes. how deep and wide they are. there's a road here that makes me cringe on hot days. It's 90% snakes and 10% pavement
  23. timgray
    I have found that if you fix the plastic right, so the cracks are firmly repaired, you can lightly sand it, clean it all down with painters prep and then repaint with, "black bumper and trim paint" It looks great and is a very close match to what it's supposed to look like without the sunfading. I'm hoping to find a only lightly cracked left radio top plate so I can fix mine that is in 30 pieces.
  24. timgray
    Be wary of Babbits. They are local to me and they will say something is in stock until you pay for it. Then suddenly it's backordered for 6-8 weeks.
  25. timgray
    I check the Tires every time I wash the bike or fill the tank. I have been airing up to 37 pounds, the sidewalls say 40 pounds cold MAX. I'm one that enjoys a stiffer ride. Yes feeling every stone is a good thing Am I causing excessive wear to my tires? Am I airing it up too much? Should or can I go to the 40 pounds MAX that the tire says?
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