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rod

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Everything posted by rod

  1. I take care of the Maint. on the range bikes; GZ250, 125 Eliminator, 250 Rebels & Nighthawks, and TW 200 mostly. I need to find the flat rate from the dealer to compare with what we do for budget reasons. Is there an on line resource? Thanks Rod
  2. rod

    Exhaust

    OK let's see if I can piss both sides of the noise issue off. As a tuner you need to equalize the pressure in and out. Open pipes are good for HP WOT (wide open throttle) An engine set up this way runs like crap in normal driving, but is loud and fast at WOT. Stock pipes are quiet... too quiet IMHO. Other people on the road can hear you with a mild change of pipes some times. You can hear the rumble of a small block Chevy with headers and glass packs at the stop light. A RSV with Road King pipes is close but not as loud with out modified exhaust. If your pipes are loud enough for others to hear on the interstate you only get the attention of the guy next to or beside you. At the local intersection you are pissing off the neighborhood every time you start your bike with open pipes. I have Jarden Pipes on the Virago and keep it tuned so it does not need any throttle while warming up at 5 am. The Venture has unmodified RK pipes (for now) same start up and no one complains. I don't start my HD chopper early ever. My wife manages the mobile home park that we live in so I live in a fish bowl. "Loudest pipes piss people off, less loud pipes are better for drive ability and harmony". Flame away I can take it. Rod
  3. I got a fuse block from the local auto parts store for around $11. Six spaces and it tucked behind the battery nicely. Rod
  4. Don what you need is some down home recipe, horse ligament and down home tonic...(moon shine), fix you right up and give your body fuel. Rod
  5. I have been directly involved is several charity rides and it is a lot of work. I have ridden in all kinds of charity rides and left some early. Go on the ride and see how you like it. Bail if you don't like that one and try another. Our club did a large toy run for years and it was a lot of work but very rewording. We quit our toy run when safety became a problem. Most rides here go 50+ mi, some much more. Try several and see what you like. Rod
  6. For an added touch I added some I got some nice eagle and flag badges from JCW to add to the visor. Rod
  7. As to the non certified Venture mechanic I call BS. Non Yamaha certified mechanic I believe (done that). Can't do warranty work unless manufacture certified for that brand. Some of the best wrenches can't do warranty work on some brands because they did not go to that manufacturer's school. Freelance wrench Rod
  8. How does it compaire in size to Microsoft Office? My old laptop is getting full and a big chunk is Office. Thanks Rod
  9. All good ideas so far. On my HD I get carb backfire if the air cleaner is not on tight. Good luck Rod
  10. Here they have been adding bags and fairing to any of the star models, I think Arlen Ness designed. Nice looks but as you say small in the storage dept. Alba Motors had one on the floor last time I was there. Rod
  11. Have them install the 90 deg valve stem at a 45 deg angle. It makes it easy to get around the disk. Rod
  12. As others have said it is different state to state. Get your insurance and a lawyer involved to cover your butt. Good luck I am still fighting after 2 yrs when I got hit and they admitted it was their fault. Good luck Rod
  13. Nice!!! When I get rich I want to build one!!! Rod
  14. I have heard this too. I have no idea if it is valid but I asked a CHP friend and got the "no comment" answer. Rod
  15. We have a friend and a few years back he got stung on almost every ride he took. He started wearing a mask over his lower face and they got in his shirt anyway. Rose found a bee pin on one of our trips and bought it for Gary. We called it his "bee-coy". He pinned it to the mask and he stopped getting stung. Rod
  16. I have a good friend and riding partner that is diabetic. He got a tattoo on the inside of his left forearm. The medical symbol with diabetic under it. It looks good and is clear to any one checking the pulse. Rod
  17. Good meter. For normal usage true RMS won't make a difference. It matters when trouble shooting some stuff Like motor controllers, VSD,some power supply's/generators. With digital meters you will get "ghost" readings they are real sensitive to RF and any induced voltage. Rod
  18. [/url]07/25/2008 CATHERINE BELL ADDRESSES MOTORCYCLE SAFETY AT PENTAGON EVENT PRINT ARTICLE / HOME 07/25/2008 CATHERINE BELL ADDRESSES MOTORCYCLE SAFETY AT PENTAGON EVENT li.opener { list-style: none; margin: 0 0 1em 0;} li{ margin: 0 0 0.5em 0; }The Motorcycle Safety Foundation hosted actress and rider Catherine Bell at the National Capital Region Joint Service Motorcycle Safety Event this past May at the Pentagon, where she spoke to representatives of all five branches of the combined Armed Forces. The conference focused on the theme that “Motorcycle safety/training is the number one non-combat safety concern across the Services.” We are pleased to reprint Ms. Bell’s comments below.It’s an honor and a pleasure to be here with you all today, and I’d like to thank the Joint Service Safety Council and the Department of the Army for the invitation to participate. I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to support an initiative that is near and dear to two areas that have played such pivotal roles in my life … the United States Armed Forces and motorcycles. And motorcycle safety in particular. What some of you may know is that as an actress, I just can’t seem to get enough of military life. For 10 years I played U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. Sarah MacKenzie on the television series JAG as a practicing attorney in the U.S. Navy’s Judge Advocate General’s Corps. And this past year marked the first season for Lifetime’s new series, Army Wives, in which I play Denise Sherwood, the wife of a U.S. Army major. She’s had a pretty rough time of it with her teenage son. Both of these experiences and the feedback I’ve received from viewers who identify so strongly with the characters have given me an appreciation for the challenges that members of our Armed Forces face. And particularly the hardships endured by their families, like those of our soldiers currently deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan. The good news for me is that in season two of Army Wives, my character starts riding a motorcycle, a Suzuki SV650, to be specific. We have started shooting and … of course I’ll be doing all my own riding, and there’s a lot of it in the script. What you might not know is that I’ve pretty much been a tomboy all my life. I’ve always loved speed and been something of a risk-taker. And that translates to fast cars, personal watercraft, and of course, motorcycles. But, as much as I’m addicted to the thrill of riding, there’s a balance as to how much I’m willing to risk when I ride a motorcycle or when I’m out on a race track. I like to qualify sport bike riding as being “serious fun.” Because if you don’t take it seriously, you can get hurt in a flash, either by your own negligence or by not paying attention to car drivers and others on the road. There are conscious choices that I make on a daily basis. For some very good reasons. My husband and daughter being two of them. And another is my work. I have to take care of myself so I can do the work I love. It was Sigmund Freud who said, “Anatomy is destiny.” Now, maybe he wasn’t talking specifically about motorcycles, but certainly in my line of work, and definitely given the responsibilities our soldiers carry out, keeping our anatomy in prime condition is an absolute prerequisite to being able to perform our respective duties effectively. This means I have to make smart decisions. For myself, for my family, and for my work. And we must find ways to help our soldiers make smart decisions when they’re back home, and especially when they’re away from the control and confinement of on-base life. With May being Motorcycle Awareness Month, it’s the perfect time to reinforce how important it is to encourage our troops to use the same smart decision-making skills they use in the field when they return home, and to celebrate in ways that don’t endanger the very life-saving efforts they’ve worked so hard to achieve. It’s certainly understandable that they’d want to cut loose. Who wouldn’t? They spend days, weeks, and months on end being rigidly disciplined, training themselves to peak performance, paying attention to the minutest of details, and working ceaseless with their units to form cohesive teams. Of course, they need a release, more than most. What soldier doesn’t like to think of Tom Cruise on his Kawasaki romancing Kelly McGillis in Top Gun? But our challenge – and we’re making progress – is to find ways to reinforce a mindset that balances risk with reward. And not using their motorcycle as the vehicle of choice to totally let loose, so that once they’re home safely, they’ll stay in one piece, their anatomy still primed for destiny, so to speak. That’s why all soldiers owe it to themselves to have fun, but to minimize the risk inherent with riding. And to play ‘big brother’ when necessary; setting the right example, and reminding fellow soldiers and riding buddies about basic motorcycle safety “musts:” Get trained and licensed Wear protective gear Don't drink and ride Ride with common sense within your own limits Continually upgrade skills with refresher courses Above all, we’ve got to instill the mindset that riding a motorcycle to take out pent-up frustrations after months of working under such controlled and stressful circumstances is a formula for disaster. To think from a more balanced perspective, riding with forethought and consideration – while still enjoying the inherent thrill of being a motorcyclist. The members of our combined Armed Forces – and it’s exciting to see all five branches represented here today – have already risked a tremendous amount on the line. It would be a shame, not to mention devastating to families, to waste all that talent, training and skills for a few moments of over-the-top craziness. The Motorcycle Safety Foundation is taking some very positive steps, with the new Military SportBike RiderCourseSM and a booklet called Sport Bike Survival Guide by Nick Ienatsch with a forward by AMA Superbike Champion Ben Spies. This booklet will remind you of the great things you heard about and learned to do in the Course. I can’t think of a better combination than Nick, Ben and the MSF to learn from. What’s the bottom line? What’s the message to our soldiers, especially our returning soldiers? Be as smart at home as you are on the job. Respect your private time and personal life as much as you do your working life. Find that balance between risk-taking and responsible riding. And by all means, get proper training if you’re celebrating your return home with a new bike and follow all of the motorcycle safety recommendations. We’re all thankful to our troops for protecting our country and allowing us the freedoms we enjoy. In return, we want them to stay safe and sound, and to continue to preserve their “anatomy as destiny” for many years to come. Thank you again for allowing me to be part of this important event. Have fun out there, and of course, be safe! Catherine Bell can be seen on the Lifetime network in the hit television show Army Wives Sundays at 10 PM ET/PT. Vistit www.mylifetime.com/on-tv/shows/army-wives for more info. Photo by Fred W. Baker III, Department of Defense Since 1973, the Motorcycle Safety Foundation has set internationally recognized standards that promote the safety of motorcyclists with rider education courses, operator licensing tests, and public information programs. The MSF works with the federal government, state agencies, the military, and others to offer training for all skill levels so riders can enjoy a lifetime of safe, responsible motorcycling. The MSF is a not-for-profit organization sponsored by BMW, BRP, Ducati, Harley-Davidson, Honda, Kawasaki, KTM, Piaggio, Suzuki, Triumph, Victory, and Yamaha. For RiderCourse locations, call 800.446.9227 or visit www.msf-usa.org. :clap2: Rod
  19. Just a heads up. When I took my MM in for the gas gage not working They replaced the control board and that reset the odo to 0. I wish I had written the exact mileage down. Don't know if the light is on the same circuit board but better safe than sorry.
  20. rod

    MP3 editor

    Wow thanks for all the replies. I will try them out. I have a MP3 player in the GPS that I use and it has very few features. I have been out of work for 2 yrs after the accident and just started teaching and wrenching part time for the MSF so money is real tight. The amps will be just the thing for the Virago (loud pipes) when I can scrape up the cash. The software should take care of the Venture. Thanks again Rod
  21. BTW if you heat the plexiglass to around 300 deg you can bend/mold it to a curved shape. Rod
  22. rod

    MP3 editor

    I need to increase the volume of MP3s. I am a little deaf and while sitting the volume is enough but with wind noise I have to have the volume all the way up and that still is not enough. The radio volume is around 15 but Aux is all the way up and not enough. Any one know a good program that lets you adjust the level on the MP3 when you copy. Thanks Rod
  23. They had some upgrade problems on the virago site. There is also an email list. http://archives.bengrosser.com/virago/ Good luck Rod
  24. Look around this site http://viragotechforum.com/phpBB/portal.php Tons of Virago info. A modification of the home made forward controls would work for the highway bars. Rod
  25. I replace the inside rear about every 25,000 mi. The out ide rear 50,000 mi. Rod
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