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Dave77459

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Everything posted by Dave77459

  1. Dave77459
    So, what are the most efficient speeds for each gear? What gear gives me best MPG at 70mph? (I have an RSTD with that huge windscreen, which seems to overtake engine efficiency in the MPG calculations.) Dave
  2. Dave77459
    Is this where a RSTD differs from a Venture? I have the cover only on the left side, but my seat is held on with that big inset hex head... I use a 6" long T-handle allen wrench. Do Ventures use bolts? Dave
  3. Dave77459
    In my experience, the big cities have the best data. I think it is because there is LOTS of feedback when there are lots of drivers. There may have been NO feedback from your little city. Also, as a GPS routing creator, I would look for whatever sources are available for streets. Big cities have been surveyed and plotted for decades. A small town may have never been surveyed digitally, so the map creator may have to be creative with what sources it uses. A lot of early USA digital maps came from census maps that were not created with routing in mind. The creators may also have used old USGS maps... US Geological Survey maps. Those are essentially topo maps with features like radio towers called out. But they were old and farm lanes and such were added to the data as streets. So, big cities have better data. Again, in my experience. If you are genuinely worried about getting to on-ramps in Toronto, I think you will be fine. Make sure you update your maps if possible. My 2008 maps had our major ring road, but the routing was disconnected under an interchange. So, it would route you off the freeway, up another freeway, to a u-turn, then put you back on the original ring road. The later updates fixed that. I hope you enjoy your new GPS! Dave
  4. Dave77459
    Looks terrific! Congrats on coming back with such a beautiful bike!
  5. Dave77459
    I thought the USA had done the same. Reading the WikiPedia article (hey, must be true then), I see they didn't specify a replacement, just that incandescent use must be discontinued in a phased approach. I too was worried about the mercury in CFLs, but it appears our leaders are allowing LEDs or other technologies, as long as they reduce energy consumption. LEDs would be a fine choice in the home, since it doesn't snow very often. Dave
  6. Dave77459
    Welcome to the site! I love my RSTD, especially when getting "serious seat time". I'll echo the advice to get a Rick Butler seat modification if you feel you need a seat change. I also advise that you become a supporting member of this site. You simply cannot find a better resource for the RSTD, and motorcycling generally, than here. You can buy the manuals on eBay or find them free, but there are many procedures that are simply wrong in the manual. Believe me, I know. Oh, and the people here are top notch! Again, welcome aboard! Dave
  7. Dave77459
    During the "heat" of this thread, I asked the AMA if they have a compilation of passing lamp laws by state/commonwealth. They have compilations for other things, like helmet laws. Today I got a reply: I wrote him back, thanked him for the information, and asked if I could post his reply to this forum. He said it was OK, and I have posted it in it's entirety. His email address is iszauter@ama-cycle.org if you would like to reach Mr. Szauter. He also suggested that: I am attaching the PDFs that he attached as well. If you are concerned about the legality of passing lamps in your state, feel free to look it up and post it. For example, TX Transp. Code § 547.329 allows for no more than two auxiliary passing lamps: § 547.329. AUXILIARY PASSING LAMPS PERMITTED. (a) A motor vehicle may be equipped with no more than two auxiliary passing lamps. (b) An auxiliary passing lamp shall be mounted on the front of the vehicle at a height from 24 to 42 inches. © An auxiliary passing lamp may be used with headlamps as specified by Section 547.333. TX Transp. Code § 547.333 in turn stipulates that [summarizing] high beams need to not blind other vehicles. However, the code specifically does not include motorcycles: § 547.333. MULTIPLE-BEAM LIGHTING EQUIPMENT REQUIRED. (a) Unless provided otherwise, a headlamp, auxiliary driving lamp, auxiliary passing lamp, or combination of those lamps mounted on a motor vehicle, other than a motorcycle or motor-driven cycle: Other relevant sections in Texas code are: § 547.327. SPOTLAMPS PERMITTED. § 547.328. FOG LAMPS PERMITTED. -- however, only to be used with low beams § 547.330. AUXILIARY DRIVING LAMPS PERMITTED § 547.331. HAZARD LAMPS PERMITTED. § 547.332. OTHER LAMPS PERMITTED. -- are your extra lights permitted? Maybe not! I know, I know. I am answering questions that no one asked. But this forum has a lifespan beyond our interest. Someone may seek out this information in the future, and now it is here. Finally, irrespective of laws, I am going to equip my bike in a way that makes me safer. I ride with my passing lamps on, day or night. You feel free to do as you feel best. I am glad that the State of Texas hasn't yet made me a criminal for being visible. Dave
  8. Dave77459
    That's just wrong. How bigoted and cowardly. I understand your comments above better now, and apologize for implying that you seemed thin-skinned. Dave
  9. Dave77459
    I like how you phrase that: an adaptation for use by a disabled person. IANAL, but I would buy that argument. In that same vein, I would consider their use by non-disabled people to be illegal, according to the postings above. Including by the Pittsburgh (PA) Police Bureau. But, I didn't think any of the above responses snotty. You presented an interesting aspect of motorcycling that some of us (me) hadn't considered, and people chipped in facts and opinions. Dave Dave
  10. Dave77459

    G1 Android

    Dave77459 replied to hig4s's topic in Watering Hole

    I have had a G1 for a while now. My wife also has one, and uses the Latitude feature when I ride to see where I am. She isn't tracking me, but feels comfort knowing that I am still moving. The best App is "Where's My Droid" (donate version) or "Wheres My Droid" (free). My wife's phone has a habit of going silent, and she has the habit of misplacing it. By sending her phone an encoded message, it turns the sound back on and rings until she finds it. You can send it another message, and it will return the coordinates of the phone. That's handy if you can't remember if you left it at the office or at home. Or, if you want to know where your daughter has snuck off to (she also has an Android phone). RandyR - Android is Google's operating system for smart phones. It competes with the iPhone or the Blackberry, but is free and open, so lots of manufacturers are making Android phones. The Droid phone you see in current commercials is Android, as it the Moto Cliq. All 4 of us in my family have one. My wife and I have the G1 (the first "Google Phone"), my daughter has the T-Mobile Touch, and my son has the Moto Cliq. Dave
  11. Dave77459
    I agree with what you said. However, I have turned off my passing lamps when I took my bike in for inspection. LEOs know about being safe, whereas inspectors know about pushing paper. IMO. Dave
  12. Dave77459
    Then why not call them driving lights? I've seen a different explanation, but not here yet. Dave
  13. Dave77459
    I used the Garmin plug-in to send your route to my Garmin GPSMAP 60CSx. I got two points in the route: the beginning and the end. There was a straight line between them. However, even though I have the City Navigator NT North America 2009 maps, I don't have Canada loaded into the GPS. It's possible that the communicator balked because I didn't have the maps loaded. But if you added intermediate points, I would have thought they'd be passed along as well. In short: no worky. Dave
  14. Dave77459
    It is only dumb if If you have a question and don't ask. No one can know everything, although when you talk to me, you'd get the impression that I do. I know there is a reason they are called passing lamps, I mean legally. But they are "ditch lamps" to me. The light up the edge of the roadway and beyond, in a sort of wide angle. They don't throw a lot of light OUT far, but they the light up a wide path closer in. I like them at night because they help me see deer. The stock headlamp was puny. When I put it on high-beam, it would light up farther down the road and not very wide. The Silverstar Ultra I am running now casts nearly as wide a beam as the passing lamps, and when it is on high-beam I can see way down the road. But night-use is not the only reason I use passing lamps. I believe that the eye can detect direction of movement much better when there are a triangle of lights. I think people can tell what I am doing better when I run the passing lamps, even during the day. (FWIW, I added running lights to my rear turn stalks for the same reason. That single run/stop light just doesn't cut it.) My final reason for running passing lamps is as back up to my headlamp. If it pops while I am out at night, I have two back-ups. I consider passing lamps essential safety chrome. AFA the dealer and the relay, I brought in an OEM lamp kit I bought on eBay. There was no discussion of how to wire it up... I simply didn't know enough. IMO, they wired it wrong. When the headlamp fuse went, I was dark up front. If I did it again now, and was buying the lamps from the dealer, I'd ask them to wire it with a relay. If they said they wouldn't, I'd be inclined to tell them to just leave a wiring bundle in the headlamp and do it myself. Getting the wires to the harness is the hard part, and they can do that. I don't need to pay them beyond that since I'd redo it myself. More than likely, they'd simply not know how to do it, but that can be fixed. My $.02. Dave
  15. Dave77459
    Do I understand you to ask that when a member's screen name is mentioned in a post, the name is automatically linked? That is, the posting software scan for member names and decide for us to link their name? Just clarifying. What do you think should happen if you mistype a member's name, like you did with Carbon_One? In some applications, you preface a users name with an '@' sign, which the software then interprets as a username and converts to a link. @Carbon_One or @barend becomes Carbon_One or barend. @CarbonOne would become @CarbonOne, since it is unfound as a username and the software assumes you know what you are doing. Edit: The site apparently filters out direct links to user profiles from posts. Or something. I couldn't get the link to work, so I faked it. Dave
  16. Dave77459
    I ride year round in Houston. Wish it weren't raining though. Dave
  17. Dave77459
    Very nicely said. Dave
  18. Dave77459

    Ahhhhh

    Dave77459 replied to V7Goose's topic in Watering Hole

    Is there a way to remove "thanks" from a member for a flagrant violation??? Have a great time! Dave
  19. Dave77459
    Stebel long view: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2345/3761583151_454086f1fc.jpg Stebel close up: http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3228/3390568060_0beacb3ca8.jpg Stebel plus V7Goose's horns (on the saddle bags): http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3449/3393058867_6db39a2a58.jpg
  20. Dave77459
    I suspect the owner removed the mufflers since they were aftermarket, and didn't have OEMs to reinstall. It's very different looking. I like it. Dave
  21. Dave77459
    I feel the same. I've put 30K miles on mine since last July, in comfort. You mention going back to doing your own maintenance, and I too am doing that (save for the big jobs). I credit this site for that, and for reminding me of the pleasure that turning a wrench can give. I need to figure out some projects. I have her sorted out to where she rides like I want. I don't really need anything, and that's a great problem to have. Dave
  22. Dave77459
    Thanks Tom. I have 32K on my bike, so I hope it doesn't start leaking. Dave
  23. Dave77459
    Old thread, new question. When you switch from dino to synthetic, is there anything special you should do? I am changing filters too, but I know the engine doesn't empty completely of oil (since if I put in the specified amount, the bike is overfilled). There will remain some old, dino oil to mingle with the new synthetic. Should I pour in some synthetic until I see it draining out? Can dino and synthetic live together in harmony, in the small amounts of dino that remain? Dave
  24. Dave77459
    I subscribe to the magazine. [ame=http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=42097]I was published in it this issue![/ame] I find it more fair than a lot of magazines, and see plenty of "Harley Bashing". The writers seem like straight shooters, but they all seem to come from a sportbike background. I read this article... a month ago? As I recall it, the winning bike by a big margin was the Victory Vision. Everyone hated the looks, but liked the ride. IMO, since the writers come from a sportbike background, they place a LOT of emphasis on how bikes carve twisties. That impacted their views of the handling, the suspension, and the low down torque. I haven't really ridden a large v-twin, but from reviews it seems that they shine best low down. They rode these bikes farther than they usually do... these are touring bikes! But the riders change bikes every gas stop. I don't know if that is sufficient to judge a bike's long-distance comfort. I don't think they used a passenger; that wasn't discussed as I recall. One thing I noticed, is that every manufacturer sent out a substantially upgraded bike. Except Yamaha. I don't know if there is an upgrade that Yammy could have sent. But as you walk around bike and look at features to compare, I would imagine the "orphan" status of the bike would be recognized. That would influence their perception, I am sure. This is Motorcycle Cruiser, and they wrote towards that market. They tested touring bikes, then thought about how cruiser riders would view them. You know, the guys who think a 100 mile day is plenty. You get a lot of starts from red-lights and beer joints, and you would notice low-end torque. There's a reason twins are popular in that segment. As an aside, they didn't complete the review of the Goldwing, because they totaled it before the testing was over. But it was "in the mix" with the Vision to win the competition. Dave
  25. Dave77459
    I dunno. I wear a reflective yellow/green vest when I commute, and very frequently I get cars pulling over or slowing down as if I am a motor officer. They catch a glimpse of my shoulders and torso and that is all they need. A full view convinces them that I am just another biker, but the fleeting impression the color gives is very effective. I've considered going to a motor officer-style helmet (like this) just to reinforce the impression. Again, when folk make decisions in split seconds, I'd prefer them to suddenly decide to be cautious. My $.02. Dave
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