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Dave77459

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Everything posted by Dave77459

  1. Dave77459
    I too have an '06 RSTD. I had Rick Butler modify my seat and I think it made a difference. But the real difference was two things: building endurance and acknowledging that breaks are a good thing. Before my first trip, I rode with a group that likes 250 mile days. Just about every Sunday we'd ride somewhere, stopping every hour or so. I remember my first 300 mile day (on my old Suzuki), and how it hurt. Two months later, 300 miles was easy-peasy. By then I was on the RSTD. The point is, that if you get used to longer riding days, stretching it a bit on trips is not painful, just a stretch. I like to think of it like I am an athlete preparing for a marathon by running a few miles every day, and a few half-marathons as practice. The harder thing, for me, is forcing myself to take breaks, especially in the morning. I am fresh and feel like two hours and 120 miles is no big deals between breaks. But I feel it in the afternoon with fatigue. So I make myself stop every hour, even if it is just to empty the bladder. Just five minutes out of the saddle every hour makes the whole day better. I also do careful route planning using Google Earth. I enable the dots that show where people have posted photos. When I see a cluster of them, I figure it is a good place to stop and take my own photos. If nothing else, I am seeing the country that I am moving through, which is one of the reasons I am riding the bike rather than hitting the superslab in the cage. I can testify that you can follow this frequent stopping idea and still ride 700 miles in a day on a RSTD. Of course, it could be that you have done all this and still can't ride more than 300 miles in a day. Everyone is different. Dave
  2. Dave77459
    I grew up in Michigan, and driving to the UP was something we did every summer with my folks. I am sure I'd have a different viewpoint now, because riding a bike is so much more visual and encompassing. I do recall meeting a couple tent camping from their BMW bike, and thinking how exotic and wonderful that would be. I do have a question about riding over the Mackinaw Bridge. It is miles and miles of that awful grating. How do you do that on a bike? I might rent a trailer just to haul my bike across. I hate that stuff! Dave
  3. Dave77459
    I rode but had a deadline, so it was earlier than usual. Saw one other bike. We don't have rain forecast, but we do have lotsa heat. The thought of commuting home in 95F heat might discourage some. Dave
  4. Dave77459
    It was timely that this came up today. Out for a breakfast ride and ran over a roofing nail. On a month-old Avon with 4500 miles on it. :-( It is smack dab in the middle of the tire and isn't losing air. I think I'll check pressure tomorrow before I decide what to do. Dave
  5. Dave77459
    I had them change my rear tire--great prices. I went to their Dealer Bike Night based on your suggestion, and am looking forward to the next one. (Photographic explanation attached) They are on the exact opposite side of town (I live in Sugar Land), so it is a drive. But I get that way occassionally and will stop in to give them business. The parts gal gave me her printed accessories catalog! Dave
  6. Dave77459
    Thanks for the reply! I might just go get the vacuum hose. Has anyone removed theirs? Do I need to take off the tank? If so, I'll go get some wire for running more cable-chases under the tank. Dave
  7. Dave77459
    Whoops! Thanks for the warning! Dave
  8. Dave77459

    Stebel

    Dave77459 replied to Acadieman's topic in Watering Hole

    Not to second guess you or anything, but there isn't a short is there? Or undersized wire? It sounds like it isn't getting enough power...?
  9. Dave77459
    That's a pretty cool mod!
  10. Dave77459
    On my recent ride to the Grand Canyon, we ran across a couple towing a trailer behind their Harley. The trailer and saddlebags were covered with stickers of places they'd been on the bike. Key West, Alaska, Sturgis, national parks, even Europe. It was pretty impressive. Has anyone done this? What do you do when you want to sell your bike? How do you keep them pretty? Dave
  11. Dave77459
    I am sorry to say that even using the fiche, the part was pretty elusive. I got the plugs, and if I find the packages before you do, I'll post the part number. Didn't you buy the plugs at the Southeast Texas Maint Day in March? Dave
  12. Dave77459
    My RSTD has a different tank, so it isn't a fair comparison on volume. This last time I probably put 35 miles on reserve. I leave it reserve now and don't even think about gas until I am 30 miles pass the low fuel indicator. Since I did the filler neck venting mod this past fillup, I'll probably increase that to 40 miles.
  13. Dave77459
    Kent, I'm simply gonna have to schedule a trip your way. Roxie is just burning too much gas, and I think she might need some float work. I assume this is also a problem on RSTDs? Dave
  14. Dave77459
    I went to my dealer on Saturday to get replacements for the caps and hoses that attach to the vacuum system on my RSTD. When we did a carb sync, we noticed one of the caps was cracking and brittle. I'll admit that I don't know what the two caps and two hoses are called or what they go to. But I can point to them on my bike. I went to the parts desk, and the guy there didn't know what I was talking about, nor which of the dizzying parts screens it was on. Carb? Air induction system? Where? I went to the service desk. The two reps there couldn't find it in the computer either. Nor the head mechanic. Three guys in the service department stared blankly at the computer and clicked more or less randomly. It was worrying. Finally, I was walked back to the parts desk, where the old time parts guy kinda knew what I was talking about. He eventually found the "plug" (I think it is called). He never did find the hose on the other side, and that was worse than the plug. This dealership was bought by the local Harley heavyweight dealership, I guess to diversify. They just don't know my bike, although they have improved over the last year. They are 10 minutes away from home, 15 from work, which is remarkable in huge Houston. I wish they were great. At the same time, I wonder how they ever did the carb sync at the service interval (like they claimed they did), if the mechanic can't find the ports? Dave P.S. - if someone knows the right name and part number for the plugs and hoses, it'd be helpful. The hose needs replacement.
  15. Dave77459
    Eeep! The bees and wasps already find my garage attractive. I don't need another reason. Thanks for the warning!
  16. Dave77459
    I thought I saw "don't get the lemon scented furniture polish", but that is all I can find in the store. Is it safe to use Lemon Pledge? I don't mind smelling lemony fresh for a bit.
  17. Dave77459
    Thanks for the help! Here's what I ended up doing: 1. Removed the two side electrical covers. 2. With them removed, I removed the center electrical cover. There are two wires clipped to it. Those three covers were all that needs being removed. 3. I unbolted the fuel pump on the left side in front of the fuse box. That gave me slack in the fuel line. 4. Lifted the relay up and off the fuel filter bracket 5. Slid the filter towards me off the bracket. 6. Unclipped the fuel lines from both sides. (Note that I turned the fuel selector to off) 7. Slide the rubber gasket off the fuel filter 8, etc. reversed all the above to install the new fuel filter. The hardest part was getting the filter to hang off the bracket. It is a bit congested in there. Thanks again for the help. I owe my wife's family a visit in south Dallas. We'll get the ride in then. Dave
  18. Dave77459
    So, how do you loosen it? There is a relay hanging from the rubber holder, and that is easy to push up and off. Then what?
  19. Dave77459
    I don't understand how it works? What is the procedure? Dave
  20. Dave77459
    I normally would, but my son graduates from high school this week/end and I have relatives in town. When are you passing back, or are you? Dave
  21. Dave77459
    We rode from Houston through OK to ride AR, reaching MO near Branson before heading back south to ride more AR. It was a 4-day trip of awesome rides in late September. We stayed the first night in OK, just north of Broken Bow at the Hochatown State Park. That is a gorgeous location! There was a nice loop through Beaver Bend State Park... I don't think we did it justice. It was very pretty terrain and deserved better than the pass through we did. I'd say that would be a fine place to camp. Sunrise over the Broken Bow reservoir was awesome. BTW, I am an avid amateur photographer. You can check out this trip on Flickr, clicking here. I'd repost the photos here, but they would be smaller and use up server space unnecessarily. I liked the Talimena Drive. You can have lunch at the scenic Queen Wilhelmina Hotel. I can't bring myself to recommend it for dinner, but it was fine for breakfast. The sunset and sunrise was spectacular. The Pig Trail was cool, but there was a rally in the area and the trail was clogged with bikes. It was a slow parade. I'd like to go back when it isn't crowded. Mount Magazine was very pretty indeed. Lots of scenic vistas. We stayed in Mountain Home, and my favorite memory was riding through the early morning fog south down Hwy 341 to Hwy 5 and south. Quietly puttering along was amazing for the soul. Well, at least as quiet as it can be following 3 Harleys. LOL I have my tracks saved in Garmin MapSource if you want them. Send me your email via PM if you do. I went with guys who had spent much time in AR, and this ride combined their favorites. Dave
  22. Dave77459
    I'll give it a try and see if it helps. I hate intermittent problems. So hard to diagnose! Or proved fixed, for that matter. Great feedback. I don't have them, but including the suggestion here will make it findable for those in the future with similar problems. Thanks! Dave
  23. Dave77459
    Am I correct in assuming that even with the neck vented, the pump will "click off" when the gas reaches the nozzle? Then I can carefully fill the tank completely? Dave
  24. Dave77459
    Just to be clear, you hadn't touched the clutch in 30 miles and this happened? I know you have been on I-10 between Luling and Houston. Any hills there are a figment of your imagination. I think I might take it in to the shop under warranty and complain about the cruise and the backfiring. Maybe they'll fix them both for free? I don't know that I want to mess with cables. If it had possibly been related to intake vacuum, I might have tried it at home with the tubes and caps. Dave
  25. Dave77459
    I had to search a while to find the article, Vent the Gas Tank Filler Neck. So there you go. Seems simple enough. What is the purpose of the gas tank filler neck?
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