uncledj

How the heck could you have the same knife for 30 years...??? I'm lucky if I can hang onto one for 30 days....

Nope, I never noticed the plug, and hence did not check it. Still don't understand how it can work well with the engine off, then, once running, the stereo cuts out and the GPS sounds like crap when hooked to the aux input. I'm thinking maybe this IS some sort of grounding or wiring problem. I seem to remember that the handlebar controller would get warm when I would try to play the stereo, and that didn't seem right. Like I said, I'll tear back into it in a couple of weeks. Thanks all

I'm not sure which wires I should be checking....Do you mean to check for poor connections / shorts / cuts...? Could any wiring to the antenna affect any other components besides radio ? If wiring was the problem, why does it work well when the motor isn't running, then crap out when I start the motor? Wiring and connections look great in the fairing, and I believe last year I checked wiring under the gas tank, and don't know where else I should be looking. Questions...Questions....Questions....

Thanks for the input. Some good info there. Since I have it back together, and will be leaving with it Thursday night, I don't think I'll have time to revisit this issue right now. In a couple of weeks, when things slow down a bit for me, I'll jump back in. As far as cutting in / out. It seems to be only the audio. I don't lose any display on the handlebar controller. It happens with all inputs.... Radio, cd, cassette, and aux. Never stays off, but sound goes off on off on off at no consistent time interval and really doesn't seem any worse when going over bumps. When parked, with engine off, the stereo works and sounds great. I have a short cable that I connect from the GPS audio out (headphone jack) ....(Garmin Zumo fancy schmancy GPS)....Wife paid big $$$ for it as a Christmas gift two years ago. Anyhoo, I connect the GPS to the aux jack next to the cassette. Sounds great when parked with motor off, but fire that beast up and it all goes to hell. The odd thing is that I can listen to the GPS through earbuds and it sounds fine with the motor running or not. I thought I had it pinned down last year when I noticed that it seemed to be coming from the volume control of the handlebar controller. I could get a crackle when changing volume, and it SEEMED like fiddling with the volume knob could get it to stop for a while. I figured I had a dirty / bad rheostat in the volume control. That's why I opted to replace it, with no difference in operation. So after replacing the ? head unit and handlebar controller with USED parts, I've no difference. I'd think that if the used parts I'd installed were bad, I'd at least notice some change in the symptoms of the failure. No change. As I said, when I get a chance I'll split the fairing AGAIN and check continuity / resistance to ground as suggested. I can do the aluminum foil thing to create a shield, but have to wonder why everyone else isn't having this problem without the need for the shielding...... So for now, it's back to the earbuds and Ipod for this trip I'll be taking up to the Camp with friends. To be continued.........

The stereo on my 06 Royal Star never did work very well.....The problems I've had with it over the years have pretty much caused me to pretend it's not there, and wear earphones when I ride, and listen to music from my phone, Ipod or GPS. The biggest issue is that it cuts in / out every few seconds to the point where it's pointless to have it on. The second issue is that I can't play my GPS through it as the engine noise through the stereo is as loud as the music. I checked all connections, would've cleaned if I'd found any corrosion, applied a dab of dielectric grease and reassembled....made no difference. I replaced the stereo unit with a used one from e-bay....made no difference... Just yesterday I replaced the handlebar mounted control unit....(Boy was that a PITA to route the cable)....made no difference. As far as the engine noise goes, I put a quality "choke" in the power wire to the GPS.....no difference. I get the feeling like it has to be a loose connection, because it's definitely worse when moving, but I can't figure out where that connection may be. Any ideas? I'd sure like to be able to use the stereo as intended, but am at my wits' end and am tired of splitting this fairing trying to track this down. Anyone have any ideas?

I had one of those old GMC motorhomes. They can be really cool when restored. They're a nice cross between a conversion van and a small class A motorhome. Of course, the ventures are pretty cool too. I have a first gen MKII and a second gen, and haven't had time to ride this year. I'll be taking it on a trip up to the Cabin with friends next weekend, and that'll be the first time either of them have been out of the shed this year. Gas in the first gen is heavily dosed with seafoam, but is a year and a half old. I keep thinking I need to sell the first gen, but for what I could get from it, I'd rather keep it. It has a healthy motor on it, and does, or at least did, run really well. Super reliable.

First vehicle was a 48 Willys CJ2A, and I'm pretty sure it was a stick......hell,...it had 3 sticks. Transmission Transfer case 2wd / 4wd Transfer case HI / Lo Next was a 69 Rambler, 3 on the tree. Taught the girlfriend / now wife on a 87 Honda CRX. These days the only things I have that are manual shift are the bikes and the tractor, although when I resto that 69 Chevelle sitting in the garage, I'll go stick. Sadly, it's becoming a lost art. Auto is much easier, but stick's a lot more fun.

Representative Diana DeGette on banning high capacity magazines. Leading on issues she's totally ignorant about. Asked how a ban on magazines holding more than 15 rounds would be effective in reducing gun violence, DeGette said: “I will tell you these are ammunition, they’re bullets, so the people who have those know they’re going to shoot them, so if you ban them in the future, the number of these high capacity magazines is going to decrease dramatically over time because the bullets will have been shot and there won’t be any more available.” http://blogs.denverpost.com/thespot/2013/04/03/as-lead-sponsor-in-house-on-gun-legislation-rep-diana-degette-appears-to-not-understand-how-they-work/93506/ .....and these people are our vaulted leaders. Salesmen / women and politicians.....often there's not much difference between the two.

Man, I hate reading posts like this. Our thoughts and prayers are with you. Hope you heal quick. Sad to see that that beautiful rig was totalled. When you're up to it....you ought to post on the "What will you next bike be?" thread. lol....

Great Post !!! I haven't seen / heard from Captain Joe for a couple of years....I was wondering what happened to him. Glad to see he's still kickin' around on the Venture.

I finally moved Dad in with us a couple of weeks ago. He's a WWII Vet, served in Italy. He wears his WWII Vet hat most of the time and often gets comments from folks, thanking him for his service. A few weeks back at a restaurant a gentleman thanked him for his service and payed for his meal. Yesterday I took Dad for a haircut, and a young man thanked him for his service and payed for his haircut. When the opportunity presents itself, I do the same for vets. I want to let them know that what they've done is appreciated, and I get the added benefit of feeling good about doing a good thing. As far as dad goes, he deeply appreciates it when someone thanks him, and it makes his day when someone goes the extra mile and offer a gesture such as a meal, or haircut, or whatever. SO If you're able, and if the opportunity presents itself, make such a gesture to a vet of any age. It'll be much appreciated, and it's a great way of paying it forward. A sincere THANKS to all our Vets !!!

I feel ya. Rewiring a big industrial HVAC unit, had 3...count 'em 3....bad relays new in the box, picked up at a supplier that morning. After I figured out it wasn't my wiring, but rather the new relays, I took them apart and there was a white chalky substance on the contacts. Put an old relay in and was good to go. Took the bad ones back to the supplier to make them aware of the situation. I think they were Mars relays, made in Mexico.

Not looking to make any changes anytime soon, but I think I'd like to try a trike. Either a Venture or Goldwing with (I think) a Hannigan kit on it. I think I'd feel safer with the wife on the back on a trike.......dunno....

Just moved my 94 year old Dad in with us. Took a bit of time over the Spring to get the place ready for him, but he's in now. Been taking care of my mildly autistic older brother for 10+ years now. He lives in an apartment I built onto the garage. At work we just got a large account that's requiring overtime, and potential service calls 24 / 7. Here we are, Mid June, and I haven't taken the bike out of the shed yet.

Bummer, but that could have been resolved. There's 2 bedrooms, having 5 bunks each, but there's also a single bunk in a tiny room that's been built as a sort of a mud room between the cabin and back porch. My niece is a hunter, and when she'd go up with her dad (my brother) he and she would stay in that room. He would take the bunk, and he had a "rack" , hung on the wall, that he'd set up with a mattress for her. When she's not there he still uses the bunk so he wouldn't be subjected to any snoring. Like I mentioned, if a handful of folks are interested, we can try this again sometime.

Gonna have to call it. I'm going to go ahead and pull it from the calendar. Apologies to all those who made plans to attend. (By "all those" I mean Wiz) Maybe we'll try to set this up again sometime, but I'll be going up there at least 3 and maybe 5 times over the course of the Summer, (planned events with friends and work trips) ....and with a 6 hr drive and longer if I'm riding, it's a bit much for such a low turnout. If anyone is interested in trying again, let me know and if there's enough interest....off the top of my head I'm thinkin' 6 or more takers, I'll try to set it up again. Thanks to those who were interested....sorry it didn't work out.

Poo. If I can't get a bit more interest, I may have to cancel. No biggie ....I just thought some of y'all would have wanted somewhere else to go that weekend that'd be inexpensive (free) to stay. Seems like most of the folks who wanted to do MD have made other plans. I'll leave it on the calendar a bit longer just to make sure there isn't any more interest.

Drove down to Bryson City NC Thursday night and spent the next couple of days riding steam engines around the Great Smokey Mountains. Had a great time. Drove from there up to the cabin Sunday to get the water hooked up, cut the grass and check for any issues with the cabin. All is good to go. 1509 miles on the tripmeter. Now we just need a few more folks to join us !!! Should be an enjoyable weekend.

No worries. It IS the same weekend that MD was scheduled for. I dunno what happened there.....I'd swear I put the correct date in. I'll fix it.

I wrote directions with the listing on the calendar, but I looked it up on Google Maps and here's the link. https://goo.gl/maps/BuaUBDeGYzy

Wife and I are discussing it now. Looks like she'd be the only one there of the fairer sex. She's telling me to go ahead and commit, so I guess I should do it. Lemme make a quick contact first, see if a pal and his wife (who were planning on going to MD) are going. Might be a longer ride than they want on an old Honda Shadow 700.

Yeah, I'm a bit surprised that the folks who were bound for MD aren't jumping on it. It really is a great place. Not as much room for RVs and such, but plenty of room for bikes and tents. It could spill over into the neighbors lots if it had to as I'm on pretty good terms with the ones I see regularly. Rattlesnake hunt would make it interesting, albeit the snake hunt's gotten a bit rowdy over the past few years. Lotsa them unsavory biker types. LOL Penns Cave has a boat trip through the cave that's pretty cool, and some cool places to eat there in nearby State College. (Campus) The Zippo Museum in Bradford and Pennsylvania's Grand Canyon are a nice ride to... and worth seeing. Those who are young enough at heart could even spend the day either floating in place in the river, or do what we do every year and float anywhere from 3 to 11 miles down the river on tubes.....we always have a raft with a cooler full of the good stuff. We keep some tubes in the shed. There's been a few times I indulged the adult beverages more than I should have while floating down that river. lol Campfire and some adult beverages, maybe hotdogs cooked on the fire are usually a great way to put the day to bed. I absolutely love it up there...and plan on spending a lot of time up there when I retire, but I guess it's difficult to engage others in my passion.....just 'cause they dont know. Anyhoo, I just wanted to put the option out there for those who are looking for another venue since MD is off this year.

I was thinkin' that since Don was forced to cancel this year, ... Maybe we should have a get-together up at the hunting cabin in North Central PA that weekend. (Search Sinnemahoning, PA) Cabin has 11 single bunks and a couch, and there's room to set up some tents. We have all the modern conveniences, including an odor free outhouse....running water with shower and basic kitchen, back porch with a swing and a fire pit. Trout stream 100' from the porch, ....mountain starts up from the far side of the stream. The Willows restaurant / bar is 2 miles away....Sinnemahoning Sportsmen's' Club about 4 miles away, and I believe that's the weekend for the Annual Rattlesnake Hunt, which has been a pretty significant event for the area. Beautiful area to ride. Penns Cave and Beaver Stadium about an hour and a half away. Elk viewing area....Straub Brewery about 45 minutes away. If there's enough folks to make it worth the effort, I'm happy to invite them up for the weekend. Friday - Sunday. If interested, lemme know.

WOW It's amazing what ya can survive when the Good Lord's watching out for ya. Glad you're here to tell the tale. Like someone said, if you figure out what locked up the back wheel, please let us know.

I'm with ya, ....haven't even taken the bike out of the shed yet.....too busy....but I can't imagine EVER selling my 06 Black Cherry....."the prettiest color of them all"