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CMIKE

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Everything posted by CMIKE

  1. CMIKE
    From my experience... We race and raced Motocross for many years. Back in the 2 stroke days, we settled on Amsoil synthetic mix for the main reason, you would never (yes I said never) foul a plug. Nothing more aggrevating that get to the starting line only to have the bike not start due to a fouled plug. We kept hour meters on our bikes so we could keep up with the maintenance and top end life. After using Amsoil we doubled the life of the top ends. WE were amazed at this. Then we moved to the 4 stroke bikes. YZ250F in 06. Since we had such good luck with Amsoil on the two strokes...we decided Amsoil would probably be great in the 4 strokes. IT seemed to do just fine. I got over 100 hours racing out of a top end. Piston was still in good shape but the ring grooves were wearing a little. We now have an 07 that is still running strong with amsoil. A buddy of mine had a 07 with about 10 hours on it. His 17 yearold boy changed the oil but forgot to put the oil back in it. He ran it on the track for almost 1/2 hour, running hard, jumping jumps, till it started making a noise. Then they discovered it had no oil in it. I thought it was trashed, it sounding awful but would still run. I took it down to repair it for him. Found only a galded piston and cylinder. Cams, crank all with little or no wear. $200 and the bike was back togther and on the track. I am not saying Mobil One would not do the same thing. They are both good oils but I just have had some good experiences with Amsoil products and know they hold up. You can see how I would be paritial to Amsoil. I am a perfered customer and order it directly from Amsoil for my own use. They do have some cheesy sales tacktics, kinda like Amway but it is a good product. It is a preference thing...just like Ford, Chevy, or Dodge.
  2. CMIKE
    Got mine from JP cycles. 19.99 each. Exact replacement for the orginal reflectors. They have 15 small LEDS inside. Had to build a bracket to mount the front but the rear just stuck right in the same place. I took a peice of 1" aluminum flat bar and and cut it just shorter than the light. Drilled a hole in it and counter sunk a screw head in it. I took some 5 minute epoxy and poured around the countersunk screw to hold it in place. bolted it right in place. The rear fit exactly where the reflectors were. It is a ***** to get the reflectors off with out tearing up the what holds them to the bars. They come with 3M sticky tape already on them ready to go. Run the wire for the red side lights through the bars and under the seat...connect to the BLUE wire. Run the wires for the front into the fairing and connect them to the blue wire of your front turn signals. I was gonna send photos of all the work I am doing to the bike this week but am not finished with all of it yet. I got one more LED bar coming to finished all of it. I will post photos when I am finished all the LED/Wiring. I am doing a lot of preventative stuff also. Putting a relay around the key switch, installed driving lights, a relay for a battery meter to work only when the key is on...Silicon grease in every connector (thats a bunch of connectors) Here is photos of the reflectors. Photos not real good. This was not to bad to install at all. They look great at least to me.
  3. CMIKE
    I guess I am missing the link somewhere...where do I pay? Paypal? To who?
  4. CMIKE
    I double dawg dare you to out bid me on that cap.
  5. CMIKE
    But what if you have a wreck...They will know you have none on?
  6. CMIKE
    I bought a 08 Vstar Custom in June of 08...just to test the street...we had rode motorcross and raced just about every weekend. We really like riding on the street, but the little Vstar was not the most comfortable bike to go very far. I found this website and lerked and read and studied. I rode all over the country in a cage looking at bikes. I rode some Harley ultra classic's, and some Gold wings. I could not find a Venture to ride. I rode a Tour deluxe...that was cool. I really liked it but it did not seem to be much more than I had as far as comfort for the wife. I was really hopeing Yamaha was going to upgrade the Venture for 2009...get the Cassette out of there and fix some the problems discussed in the forum. Money was not really an issue, hell I got good credit. We rode a White Screaming Eagle Ultra that was really nice but it just did not do it for me. The wife was ready to purchase but I could not see spending that much money on a bike. Well I was pissed when Yamaha did not upgrade the Venture. Really pissed. So now the 09's are out...and decided I was gonna buy a Venture, since I was a die hard Yamaha guy...from the racing all those years. We raced nothing but Yamahas. I really did not like the colors of the 09 bikes...so I had decided I was gonna buy a Gray 08 and paint it BLACK. The more I thought about it, the more I did not want to do that. I decided their had to be a 07 Midnight Venture some where in the USA. Finally found one with 19 miles on it in Kentucky. Took off after it with a trailer. My dealer did a dealer transfer and let me have it at his cost since I had already pruchased 12 dirt bikes from him in the last few years. I had never rode a Venture till I got it home and cleaned it all up. IT was wonderful...confortable...cruise control...I loved it just like I thought I would. I was not surprized about the whine cause I had already read all about it. The bike handles good...you ride till you run out of fuel...not till you get tired. The wife and myself enjoys it so much. Smooth with enough power to stay ahead of the Ultra's I ride with. The decision to purchase will have to be yours and only yours...but I do not think you will be disappointed. I would do it again. I have no regrets. What ever you buy...you need to hang around here...there is a lot going on and you will learn a lot.
  7. CMIKE
    I certianally believe there are enough folks on this site to offer advice for a serious road trip. I myself would like that same advice. I am going somewhere this summer but not sure where yet. I think I am gonna try a overnight trip first to kinda see what we need and don't need. One thing I am dealing with is...do you carry a full tool set? What about tire repair and compressor? My wife excited about going but is concerned about how to pack all we need for the trip is such small spaces. It don't take much for me but...well you know. I am trying to figure out how I am gonna pack that ironing board.
  8. CMIKE
    I got the kit...both front and rear (amber or mixed) in a kit. (GEN200-Y-KIT) I added $10 for the 2 load equalizers and the GEN MDK. Check your bulb bases...Mine uses BAZ-3 front and 7507 for the rear. Don't sweat the load equalizers...they will send what you need. They got good tech support. I would just recommend soldering all your connections for the load equalizers. and follow instructions, which most of us rarely do... I think I remember them saying...tyrap the load equalizers on the frame or somewhere to disipate heat. The wiring diagram on the back few pages of the service manual is useful finding the wire colors. http://labs.trunkful.com/LIT-11616-12-60.pdf
  9. CMIKE
    Just so I am not misunderstood... My idea is to still use the existing key switch, no toggle or other switch to deal with and have to mount or try to hide. Instead of the set of contacts in the key switch that is now carrying most of the electrical load...let the sealed relay take care of this load. The orginal contacts of the key switch only carries the load of the relay coil. :think:You know after I think about it some...that extra key switch is not a bad idea though. You could place it under the seat, under the trunk, on mount it in the inner fairing or some where and use it in the event of an emergency only. You would have to make sure it would handle the load. (at least 30 amps) I have had one instance where the ignition switch kinda acted crazy. I have not had the RSV very long (only since Sept 08 or so) and I had just washed it and I turned the key to ACC to listen to the radio while I dried her off. The radio would not work unless you turn the key to the ON postion. Kinda strange but I did not worry about it. The ACC is a totally different contact on the ignition swith. After a while...I guess it dried out...it started back working. I am installing passing lamps and the rest of my LED lights next week when I get back home... I will have the tank off plus the fairing split...I will look at it real close then. Hell I may install some wires so I can to get them easily and install the relay or additional switch later...maybe even jump it out if I get in a bind on the road if neccessary. I am still thinking about it...
  10. CMIKE
    YES on the turn signals. The turn signals will blink really fast and I am not sure if they will cancel with out the load Brake light NO load required. You will really like that brake light. Exactly the brake like I got from the same place. I am in the process of upgrading all lights except headlights to LED. I am even converting the reflectors on the front and next to the bags to LED. I used the top turn signals front and back...they are plug and play then splice in to the wiring to add the load. Look great. I am still working on the bike...had to go back to work for a week...finish up next week. I will post photos when I finish I elected not to use those dual turn signals. I helped a friend of mine upgrade his Harley to a Pancea kit with turn signals like that...It looks great but my thoughts were that the turn signals were not as bright since it had both red and yellow on the same card. I did read somewhere how hard they were to get the extra wiring through the tube to the turn signals on the back of the Venture. That harley was mostly plug and play. Let us know how it goes...I don't think the duals could be that hard to install. Oh one thing...you may want to know...I had to file down the outside of the boards the LEDs are mounted on to get them to drop down inside the lenses correctly. I took a file and put it in a vise and just rubbed the light module sides on it, keeping it round till it fit perfectly. IT did not seem the lense covers fit right till it did this.
  11. CMIKE
    I have yet to have a key switch go bad...but my goodness I can imagine that would really ruin your day especially if you were on a great trip 1000 miles away from home in some pu dunk town like l live in with closest dealer 50 miles away and the chances they would have key switch are about 1000/1. I was just wondering...what if as a preventive measure you went ahead and removed most of the load from the key switch and go ahead and install a 30amp relay to do the work. I was just looking at the wiring diagram and seem just about everything except radio/CB is fed through that one contact to the brown/blue wire. I do mean everything ignition, fuel pump, lights cruise control, and all lights. The main fuse is a 30 Amp so a relay capable of handling 30 amps should be sufficient. A short piece of #10 AWG wire to T into the red power wire feeding the switch soldered and taped up with some of that self fusing rubber tape for reliability. This would allow the Power to still go into the key switch to power the radio and the contact that did power just about anything would now control only the coil of the relay. Take a look at this modified wiring diagram ( the red is the added stuff) I took the wiring diagram from the back of the shop manual and modified it. Tell me what you guys think...would it be worth wild to go ahead and do this since it is a protential problem to spoil a great road trip. I had not planned to carry enough tools to repair this kinda of stuff at a gas station.
  12. CMIKE
    OK..I have looked and searched and see all these headsets folks use. I have yet to see a post that claim one that really works good for a half helment on a 07 RSMV. I am concerned about mounting (does it stay mounted) and wind noise intercom mics. Anybody have a perfect fit for an half helment that that he wind does not interfer with the mic's? The helmets we use are made by Scorpion EXO-100. The side liner has pouches for ear speakers and zips out for summer riding. The shield flips up into the helmet and offers some eye protections for what ever gets around the windshield. http://shopping.scorpionusa.com/images/exo-100-solid-gblck.jpg I know we probably should wear a full face helmet but I do good to get my wife to put on long pants in the summer. It gets hot down here. I am not real sure we need the headsets for pilot co-pilot conversations but it may make music a lot better. I know we will need it for the CB use on a long trip and that may be quite useful. :sign09:Point one out that will be the perfect fit for me on a half helmet.
  13. CMIKE
    I first had a couple of the LED bulb that goes in a circle for a running light and does the back off flash when the brake was applied. I had one in my RSMV and my son's VStar. I was following him and could not really get a big distinction if the brakes were on or not. I replaced the RSV with one from custom Dynamics. Easy to install...about $58-59. it has the Genesis LED's that are really bright. http://www.customdynamics.com/Yamaha_tail_retro.htm I removed the swirly LED from the Vstar and replaced it with a 2057 which is brighter than a 1157 till I can do better. I will sell these 2 swrilly LED's if someone wants to try them. Used very little
  14. CMIKE

    Had an Idea??

    CMIKE replied to cecdoo's topic in Watering Hole

    Donation sent! Thanks cecdoo for reminding us that all this does not happen for free. Thanks Don for making it happen. Keep it going folks.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  15. CMIKE
    Took these for a christmas card photo. The whole familiy. The dog would not be left out...so he walked over and sat down so he could joint in also. 07 RSMV 08 650 Custom
  16. CMIKE
    When I was a kid...I used to ride a 1970 Honda 350. I weighed about 90-100 lbs. That bike would fly with me. I had several instances where folks look you in the eye and just pull right out in front of me. I had a big set of crash bars on the bike and I layed her down several times to avoid the cars. I was stupid and lucky, I never go more than a couple of scratches. Bike would get some scratches also. I got away from street riding because of this. Got heavily involved in motocross and stayed in the dirt till June 2008. I was a little aprehensive about riding on the street due to all the mishaps I had 30 years ago. I realized visablity and alertness was the key to survival on a street bike. Everytime I get on a bike now (wiser and much older) I wear a hi vis motorcycle vest. It really works. When I first got back on a street bike...again, I could watch folks look at me and pull right out in front of me. I started wearing the flourscent yellow vest and now very rare folks violate my right of way, they still do it and I still have to be alert but not near as much. Take a look. Olympia Moto Sports Nova Hi Vis Mesh Tech Safety Vest It works for me! http://acmemotorcycles.com/ecom/novavest_files/nova01.jpg
  17. CMIKE
    C Clark you have dry drive pins...I had that at 800 miles on my 07. Took it down myself and put moly on the pins, drive shaft, and drive splines. No more clicking forward or backward. Warranty will cover it but the only decent dealer I have is 2 1/2 hours away. Middle of the ridding season, did not want to leave the bike with them for a week. Easy fix...You may want to do the axle alignment while you are in there. http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1705
  18. CMIKE
    That sounds like a great idea. If the weather will hold off...I plan on being there. Wife ain't to much on riding in the cold and wet...so not sure she will make it. No rain in the forcast for now. Save me a seat.
  19. CMIKE
    They changed it... It is Climate Change now... Not Global Warming.
  20. CMIKE
    LA = Louisianna SNOW. I am at work south of Lafayette LA and there was an inch of snow on the steps at 0500 this morining. Folks down here do not know how to act. They are closing I49 and the radio is reporting 18 wheelers in the ditch and cars spining off the road. Schools are closing... What a mess. The sun better come out pretty quick or somebody is gonna get hurt. They would totally shut down the world if they got a real snow that would stick on the roads for a while.
  21. CMIKE
    It happend to me...I dropped mine on my concrete drive way and bent the left crash bar going about 5 MPH...I am really not sure why they call it a crash bar...it does nothing but bend when it goes down. It did keep all the paint intac. I am still trying to figure out what happend. I had been watching Ride like a PRo DVD and practicing every chance I got. I came in to the drive way where I usually take a big turn to make it easy to back the bike into the shop. I usually go around to the right. That day I went around to the left. It was like lightening stuck and I was on the ground. One difference. When I went to the left I go across the inclide to the carport. I went down on that incline. Maybe I touched the front brake. (habit) The bike as down on the inclide, top side down. I was so freeked out about it going down. I do not even remember if I had trouble getting it up. It popped right up. I was sick... Mine bent back and pushed the floor board up so bad that I could not put my foot on it. I pushed it forward with my foot to get the floorboard back into position. I was determined, so I cranked the bike back up went back to the road and came back in again making the big turn and backing the bike into the shop. The bars pushed the lower fairing out and snapped off a plastic stud that snaps to hold it in place on the bottom. I found some super duper plastic glue and glued all that back together. Also it messed up the lower black inner peice of the lower. I ordered a new one but have not put it on yet. (was gonna do it yesterday but rode all afternoon) I got mine on a jack and took it all apart. I took a tape measure and straightend the bars compairing it to the other side. It also moved the bag bars back but none of the paint was damaged. I orderd the parts to do the RSV CRASH BAR BRACES from this site. http://www.venturers.org/Tech_Library/index.php?action=article&cat_id=002004&id=373 to prevent this from happening again. I installed it last week. All is back like it is supposed to be minus the lower inner fairing peice and you could never tell it happend unless you run you hands under the crash bar and feel that rough spot where it hit the concrete while still moving. Now...screw that Ride like a Pro DVD...I stop and walk it around to back it into the shop. That's all I need for that to happen with my wife on the back. If she got hurt on this bike...I would absolutely loose a riding partner and I would never forgive myself.
  22. CMIKE
    This film was made by a 15 year old girl. No matter what your political stance on this may be... All need to see this...it will touch your heart. Watch all of it...
  23. CMIKE
    Not sure what difference that makes...I am in Lousianna (work) on the company network with 4 DS3 connections to Houston, where it connects to the internet portal. I figure if it can be picked up in Texas...the whole world ought to be able to see it... Back to ya...ha. One thing about this site...nobody is safe, and that is what makes it so fun to visit.
  24. CMIKE
    I don't see nothing...:think:nothing but X's...must be X rated.
  25. CMIKE
    I was thinking the same thing...about cutting the windshield. Mine has a small scatch on the top of it from when we hauled it in a trailer...windshield hit the top of the door going in. My Windshield is stock and it is about 3 inches above my line of site. With my deficite of height...I cannot stretch to see over it. I like the protection from the wind but...really concerned about not being able to see if I get caught in a rain storm and behind a 18 wheeler. You know it is gonna happen at some point. We plan on doing some serious multi state traveling next spring/summer. I have also heard of passengers complaining about the buffeting with a shorter windshield. I was wondering if I could cut it myself without messing it up to bad. I may see about getting one of those from Yamaha...wider than stock and maybe a little shorter. What do you cut it with? Dremel tool? Jig Saw? Circular Saw? Chain Saw? Anybody got some experience with cutting one off? Give us a detailed blow by blow of how it went. Bigboy...maybe you can try cutting it and let me know how it went. hell I may even be willing to give you a hand if we can get off work around the same time.
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