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timgray

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Everything posted by timgray

  1. timgray
    AHA! That makes sense! I will tackle this later this week. and let it rest for a day, then re-do the bleed process. How do you keep an eye on the level in the rear Res? Also should I simply run a Whole lot noew brake fluid through to change out all the old stuff in there? It's probably the same fluid they added in 1983 when the bike was built.
  2. timgray
    I was investigating how to bleed the brakes on my 83 and am completely confused. Everyone has mentioned that the rear brakes are bled at 3 places, yet if I follow the lines I can only find the lines to the rear and then to the front, Nothing else. At the foot pedal I see the master cyl, the resiovoir, then the lines split to the front and rear. Hard line to the front and a flexible to the rear. THEN I have this wierd thing on the front brakes. You have a caliper, then a second hose going to the front of the fork on each side that also has a bleeder and for the life of me has no function. Unless there is a way for fork compression to push on the brakes. Where is this mythical third bleeding point in the back brake system? Anyone have any details on the 83 bleeding proceedure? Thanks all! when I get some details and run through it, I'll take a bunch of photos and write up a how-to for dummies so nobody else has to stumble through this. Here's hoping I dont shatter the resoivoir when opening it.
  3. timgray
    your venture sends GROUND when you press the horn button not +12V so you need to feed the relay 12V all the time and run the ground to the horn button wiring. I figured that out after I wored everything up nice and then discovered that the horn is ground switching not Hot switching.
  4. timgray
    Are the speedbleeeders they mention at the website right? does all yamaha's use the same size from my old 83 to the newest 09 rsv? It seems that my bike caught the soft pedal cold this winter. took a first ride after reassembly from the paintjob and no rear brakes until I pump them up.
  5. timgray
    Good to know, the manual that is incredibly poorly written eludes to crossband operation. I rarely do crossband so it's not a big loss to me. I wish I could find someone that has tried it's intercom feature. I cant find any info about it other than a small blurb talking about it's capability but nothing about if the two headsets can talk without keying up. Also I cant find out if I can use bluetooth and use a hard wired ptt switch instead of using the bluetooth PTT. I'm still excited about installing it on the bike. I am going to enjoy doing SAR on the bike as well as runs to hamfests where I can chat easily with the rest of the caravan. I just wish that icom or kenwood would not ignore the motorcycle market.
  6. timgray
    I have been researching this for weeks now. and I have one on it's way to me... the Yaesu FTM-10R dual band water and dust proof motorcycle radio. It does 2 meter, 440, has a FM/AM receiver, allows ipod input and can wire up to two headsets and has intercom between them as well as audio sharing. It also has a stereo audio amp to drive my speakers in the faring. On second gens it looks like it would fit in the cassette location. on first gens it can pretty much mount anywhere. This will allow me to stay single antenna and still feed my ham radio hobby. and if I want to be "naughty" I can mod the radio for Marrs and CAP operation and transmit/recieve on the FRS frequencies to talk to the other guys in the riding group. 440mhz on low power is 3 watts, so if you stick to the high channel numbers and get a GMRS license you will be "technically" legal. just transmitting on a radio without the correct FCC type certification.
  7. timgray
    I have a handlebar mount with my $99.00 Magellan maestro 3100. and it was a waste of money. you cant see the screen in sunlight. You need to get one of the motorcycle specific ones or one that has a daylight readable screen. All of the cheapie GPS's do not have sunlight readable screens. That said, mount it to the right handlebar. I did it on the left and when I have to touch it, I have to stop, find neutral, then mess with the GPS. on the right you can hold in the clutch and push buttons or the screen without havign to turn off the bike or find neutral.
  8. timgray
    OOps wrong post
  9. timgray
    My bike is still not completely together even though we have had riding weather now for 2 weeks. I so want to say heck with it and just slap it together to ride, but my better side keeps saying to assemble it right and finish the bike before you ride.... Dang this being responsible... A curse of getting old!!!
  10. timgray
    In Michigan the officer cant search anything that is locked without permission OR a court order or major probable cause like blood dripping from it. All my luggage is locked and if they ask I say, "nope it's locked and you cant look in it". It's not their right to violate my rights, and I am more than happy to make an officer look really bad in court in front of a judge if they try and be cocky and push it.
  11. timgray
    Sorry, my bad. Here in Michigan they dont require chains for the Pintle hitch. When I worked at the City of Muskegon, I was told this by the safety officer the city had in the yards. none of the city trucks had safety chains on any of the trailers when they went out.
  12. timgray
    I've been riding since I was 6. I had a GPX250 and other fast bikes when I was 15 and riding it legally when I got my license at 16. I was never that stupid. granted I was racing most of my life and understand that speed is for the track and only the stupid do that on the road in traffic. I did do dumb things like high speed runs on empty highways on bikes and cars, but NEVER in traffic where I could hurt someone. In fact most of my local Biker Brothers also never did anything that dumb. They range from 25-85 in age. So no, most of us do NOT drive like idiots as the video shows. Just like how most cagers don't. It's the select few that enjoy risking other peoples lives that stand out enough to give everyone else a bad name.
  13. timgray
    I tried several of those high end ones from finishmaster stores, they all caused the stock paint to pucker and lift One was $24.95 for a single rattle can. the ONLY one that worked was a two part with a catalyst that did not react and I had to spray with a gun. The lacquer paint on the Venture 1st gen is very picky. I sanded through the clear and paint to get rid of the pinstripes. the interface where the primer and paint was reacted with EVERYTHING I tried except for the two part stuff. There is something they used under the paint on the 1st gen parts that reacts badly with everything. I fought with that all winter. Just getting the bike reassembled after my winter repaint.
  14. timgray
    That's the key, you need the RIGHT primer and sealer to seal the factory paint and make a good base for the new paint. anything in a rattle can is most likely going to react bad with the stock paint. you need a 2 part urethane sealer/primer to seal in the old paint then you an put what you want on top. And no, you will not find it in a rattle can.
  15. timgray

    Camping

    timgray replied to dave_wells's topic in Watering Hole

    I am having a hitch made and a trailer made for my bike but this summer My wife and I and another couple are going to do summer camping all summer with only what we can carry on our bikes. no trailer, no camper, and no hotels. I am a very experienced backpacker so I know how to pack a lot in very little space. BUT a good book to buy is "Lightweight camping for motorcycle travel". Amazon.com has it used for a really low price, it's an OK book and gives some insight for those that have never done the bike only camping. If you stick to KOA campgrounds you can pack less. Being able to wash your laundry every day makes it easier. Hit the small town diners for meals and you can skip packing cooking items and food. State parks also have good facilities. Watch some of the private campgrounds, Many have a "no motorcycles" rule due to many of the rude no muffler crowd that party all night ruining it for the rest of us. I just wish I could find a used motorcycle camper though, for some of the longer trips
  16. timgray
    What I want to know. What on a harley is worth being nearly $4500.00 for the same bike over a Royal star? I can buy a RSV and get a fully custom paint job AND all the accessories for less than the price of a new identical harley base model bike. With today's economy I cant see how they can sell them for such a premium over a nearly identical bike. Also what is it with painting your new high price harley in flat black? Are they going to offer them in primer only as well? Are they trying to make them have the "old biker" look? Can I pay extra for some road rash on the bags and scrapes and fake rust on the bars? Maybe some cuts and duct tape on the seat to make it more "authentic"? The problem is that more "kids" that are growing up are less interested in the old 50's and 60's looking bikes like most harleys and the RSV looks like. These kids cut their teeth on crotch rockets. And these kids look at my antique 83 1st gen and say Cool bagger! The young kids want a bagger road bike that looks like their crotch rockets of their youth. it's why the honda goldwing looks like 1/2 a Honda civic now, the BMW baggers look like crotch rockets and both are selling like mad to the younger riders than the harleys. The best looking harley made is the V-Rod and when you take that bike and conver it to a bagger it looks fantastic. Honestly, I'll probably be dragged into an alley and beaten for this sacrilige... but the Vrod is the future of Harley Not the retro always looked like a harley bikes... It's why the caddilac cars dont look like the giant boats we all were used to seeing with the caddilac badges. I'd own a CTS in a heartbeat. I'd never be caught dead in a 90's boatmobile from caddilac. but then I'm a young pup... only 40.
  17. timgray
    Anyone know if the new synthetic DOT3 brake fluid is safe to use in the 1st gen venture?
  18. timgray
    Last ticket I got was when I was 17. 135 in a 55, it took the officer 15 minutes to catch up with me. It was early morning sunday. Nobody was on the highway, it was a split 4 lane highway. After the officer screamed the riot act on the side of the road at me, he then said.... "Give me your keys, and pop the hood, I have to see what the hell is in this thing." I had an olds 442 engine shoved into a every panel dented 1979 Trans AM with a Diesel Truck Turbo. stuffed in there. It made well over 450lb of torque at 3500 rpm, enough to destroy a turbo 350 automatic transmission without much effort The turbo kicked in around 2500 rpm and it hit like someone lit a rocket. I built it all myself over a year in the driveway. This was in 1985 and my car would easily eat any Mustang or Corvette in the state of Michigan if the tranny held together. I was very proud of that car. I shoestring rebuilt the engine, hand lapped the valves, took apart 4 engines to scavenge enough ok bearings and parts to make one engine that ran well. I got off with only a exceeding the energy speed limit ticket. Thank GOD he was a gearhead and was impressed how I built the whole thing myself, and that it was not flying apart leaving parts all along the highway at that speed. That same officer stopped by a week later and told my dad that my car needs to go to the track and stay off the road. Dad had no idea that I made a 11 second quartermile car in the driveway from junk. (11 second was very fast in 1985)
  19. timgray
    There are 0-20psi Oil pressure gauges out there for the harley guys. I was guessing a 0-80 psi gauge would show almost nothing on a MC engine. Trying to figure out what to put in the big blank spots to the left and right of the dash now.
  20. timgray
    Is there a spot to tap into toread oil pressure for a oil pressure gauge? I took out the useless front fairing air ducting and made some great looking covers for where the vents were. I want to add a gauge to each side and figure a oil pressure gauge would be a good addition.
  21. timgray
    If you are running standard carbs and did not tune for the higher octane you will get no difference. High Octane has no more power than regular gas, it simply has more resistance to ping and knock. A Z06 vette makes more power with 108 racing gas because it can adjust timing more radical. your bike cant. also your bike does not have the 11:1-12:1 compression ratio it needs to even take advantage of racing fuel, you will need to adjust timing, increase compression or add a turbo to get any benefits out of anything above the regular 87 octane gas. Now the racing fuel with Nitro in it, that's a completely different story... I'd not run nitro in anything I want to keep for a long time. That's my racing and hotrod experience talking there, nitro is evil stuff.
  22. timgray
    13 years ago I was incredibly evil to my college room-mate. Replace the fuel pump relay with the Defroster relay. works great for the 10 minutes the defroster should be on for. then the fuel pump dies. car will not start until you turn the ignition off and then on again. Then it will run for another 10 minutes. I also replaced his screen saver on his PC with one that looks like the computer crashed. It was a payback... He dumped a box of feeder crickets into my room at midnight, it took me 3 weeks to get rid of them...
  23. timgray
    What about some of the synthetics out there? I use a 100% synthetic on the wheel bearings for my sports car and it made a huge difference in wear on the bearing raceway. Using standard moly I would get wear and pitting in the race by the time it was ready to be replaced. the last time I switched to the synthetic wheel bearing grease and it looks like new at the same mileage. Has anyone looked into any of the other new synthetic greases? how about the ones with PFTE in them like the slick-50 grease
  24. timgray
    Go to your nearest motorcycle shop and ask where they hold the motorcycle safety and training courses. that is your best bet. getting time in the saddle and picking the bike up over and over again. Honda places train on little Honda Rebel's the Harley dealers train on the cheapie Buell bikes. Fun little things that teach you a LOT about riding. You really want to do that BEFORE you think of riding a 800+ pound bike that is a different animal all together. I can throw a 250-350 bike around like it's a bicycle. my 83Venture cant be thrown anywhere. you have to learn advanced things like panic countersteering and a lot of other stuff to keep a monster upright in an emergency or in dirt. It can be done, but it is incredibly hard compared to a little light bike. It's scary on a big bike when you are scraping the pegs and heading for the gravel. Then search online for the Ride Like a Pro DVD's those are incredible resources for advanced Motorcycle riding. A real biker never stops learning.
  25. timgray
    I can crash them. I have at least 4 crashed RC planes in my life. One I spend 1000 hours building from balsa. Now I'm into RC helicopters. They crash far easier. Takes out all the effort in crashing them.
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