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LilBeaver

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  1. LilBeaver
    I stand corrected -- I was speaking from a theoretical stand point and should have qualified that... Sorry folks
  2. LilBeaver
    Good call Goose -- I forgot about that distinction when I wrote what I did above ... Quite embarrassing. Incidentally, I've used nothing but regular in mine without thinking twice about it.
  3. LilBeaver
    Jerry: I'm waiting on a tire, it is supposed to be here Thursday, mounted and ready to go by Friday... If all goes according to plan, I'll be there on Saturday. Looking forward to meeting everyone!
  4. LilBeaver
    Simple physics my friend. Get that tongue weight as close to 0lbs as possible and the bike will handle like there is nothing behind it (well... almost). The [tongue] weight of the trailer is concentrated at the point of which the hitch connects to the frame of the bike. With extra weight on the back, the rear wheel is effectively a fulcrum (point of rotation) for the bike when analyzed based on the addition of the trailer. If you push down more on the back end, the front end will be effectively lighter - thereby reducing the normal force between the front tire and the road which reduces the net traction of the front wheel which could be responsible for the front end wobble. There are many more factors that could 'weigh in' (no pun intended) but if it were me, this would be the place that I would start in terms of trying to smooth things out a wee bit. Hope that helps!
  5. LilBeaver
    Right on. I have noticed that the tag on the bike says to use a minimum of 91 octane **86 Octane as read off the pump in US&CAN [Thanks Goose -- see post below for further explanation]** (on the tag with the tire pressures, etc. on my 01 RSV i believe it is on the lid of my left side (sitting on the bike) saddle bag - But I do not recall exactly at the moment. The manufacture suggested fuel octane rating is based off of sea level operation and the ambient air being at (essentially) STP. An additional thing to note is that at higher altitudes you do not need as high of an octane rating, as the air is less dense and on the compression stroke there is less air in the cylinder which requires a flash point of the fuel to be lower - thusly one would need a lower octane rating. Here in Lubbock Texas, we sit at a lovely 3,000 ft above sea level and 'regular' is 86. In Denver, ~5280 ft above sea level, I believe the 'regular' is 85 - not to be confused with e85 and vehicles "designed" to run off of that garbage. At sea level, (if I recall correctly) the suggested Octane rating and compression ratios go something like: ~7:1 through 10.5:1 - use 87 10.5:1 through 12:1 - use 89 12:1 through ~14:1 - use 91 (Typically you cannot get above 13:1 without some sort of forced induction system or supercharging system - which is why high performance cars typically say they need premium and why I have no idea why the tag on these bikes would say to use 91 - as it is a waste of money and will cause excess build up of the non-completely burnt fuel as well as deposits on the valves and plugs) Summary: Higher octane rating increases the tolerance for the fuel to 'pre-ignite' as similost said If anyone wants more details, say so and I can fill you in... But I think this is the basic info so I'll stop rambling...
  6. LilBeaver
    Actually it was an oversight since I'm NOT really into dating my cousins the thought hadn't crossed my mind :-P She is single, but she lives west of Louisville, KY... Which is a bit of a drive from Lubbock.
  7. LilBeaver
    Hmm Interesting. Yesterday I e-mailed info@avonmotorcycleusa.com -- because I couldn't really find anything else. But it does say right above it "for technical or fitment assistance contact info@..." No word yet, but I'll give them a few days before I try again. Interesting that our date codes are only 3 weeks apart... As for how long one can ride on a tire with cracking sidewalls... well - the cracks are an obvious sign of degradation of the integrity of the sidewall as to how far can you go before it peels out or blows out, I don't know of a good way to gauge it. In my humble opinion, I would say if it is just a little bit here and there, then it is fine. But if you have any cracks continuous of 1 inch or longer (according to the Texas safety inspection criteria) that is 'too dangerous to be on the road'... Personally, I am uncomfortable with how much mine are cracked (I have experienced a blow out before and would die a happy man if I NEVER have to go through that again)... I totally understand bike withdraw though (and it is not fun)! Saddlebum: Is yours cracking on just one side, or both? Condor: Thanks much for your input too - I had the same thoughts about getting the second Avon put on. The only time I have used Avon was now and I had an 1100 shadow that had avons on it. There was some sidewall cracking, but the tires were pretty bald when I had picked up the bike -- So I replaced them with Dunlops and didn't think twice about it.
  8. LilBeaver
    Yea, I pretty much planned on it - but I figured taking the 10 minutes to shoot the pictures, write and e-mail and make a phone call couldn't hurt... Worst case, I buy a new tire. (Assuming I don't have a blow out while riding)
  9. LilBeaver
    Thanks for sharing!
  10. LilBeaver

    LEDs and Strobe

    LilBeaver replied to CMIKE's topic in Videos

    Dave: Like another poster had said, if you didn't change the 'blinker' relay/unit itself then you will have that problem. The reason for your blinker blinking faster has to do with the same reason that on a car when you burn a bulb out, the other one blinks faster. The 'blinker' unit that you plug into the blinker's circuit typically contains a bi-metallic strip that has two metals with different expansion coefficients. What this means is that as you pass current through the bi-metallic strip, it heats up, at which point one of the metals expands at a different rate as the other causing the bi-metallic strip to flex/bend therbye opening (disconnecting) the circuit (causing lights to be off). While the circuit is open, there is no current running through the strip, allowing the strip to cool - where eventually it will straigthen back out and close the circuit once again allowing current to flow. These blinker units are optimised for the number of lights and the power draw of the system to blink at a particualr rate. By replacing the regular incondecent lamps with the LEDs what you have done is reduced the resistance of part of the circuit (sicne LEDs draw much less current than an incondescent) causing more power to be dissapated though the bi-metallic strip, therebye causing it to heat up faster thusly opening the circuit faster, and the end result is a much increased blink rate. So to answer your question of "is this normal" - I suppose the answer is yes. If you wish to have the unit blink slower, all you need to do (as someone else has mentioned) is replace the blinker unit with something that is rated for fewer bulbs or has a lower power rating. There you go, probably more than you ever cared to know about a blinker... - Rick M.
  11. LilBeaver
    Do'oh! I read that thread, which is what got me thinking about trying to find warranty information... I guess I managed to miss the part where you said that it was being replaced. Do you know what the limitations are on the warranty? (do they have some time frame or is it just based on tread depth/mileage). Thanks a lot for the info! Hopefully it'll get taken care of quickly.
  12. LilBeaver
    According to the work order the tire was installed in June of 07. The previous owner [i picked up the bike from his garage, where it was stored] kept it in his garage (no windows)... But yea -- That's about all I could come up with too, next to a heater or facing the sun (except that the back one is fine)... Thanks
  13. LilBeaver
    Have you tried an FM transmitter for your XM radio? Presuming there is an audio out plug on the XM radio you could get a reasonable FM transmitter for ~$30, then it would go directly to the radio and you would not have the loss through the cassette. Or, have you tried the line in next to the Cassette player? I have a MP3 player that I run directly into the line in plug next to the Cassette on my 01 RSV and have no problems with the sound out. - Rick M. P.S. congrats on nearly 30years of service!
  14. LilBeaver
    I'm not sure if I put this in the correct category, but whatever. There was a thread a while back that sort of addressed a sidewall cracking issue on Avon Venom tires. My question is, has anyone successfully had a tire replaced by Avon due to a sidewall cracking issue? I've got a set of Avon Venom-x that were put on less than 1,000 miles ago (both front and rear) and I have a ridiculous amount of sidewall cracking on the front tire (right side only). I called the dealer that installed them and they told me to contact Avon directly, which I have done. Just looking for some input and to see if anyone else has had this issue and got it addressed by either their dealer or Avon. Additional information: I live in west Texas and the bike is stored in a garage. To my knowledge no tire dressing has ever been put on them and only soap and water has been used to clean them. (the guy I bought it from had them put on, and the bike had less than 50 miles on them from when they were installed at the dealership). The bike originally lived in southern california. The date code on the tire is 4205 (so it is obviously a few years old). The cracking is pretty consistent all the way around the tire. I run these at 36psi. I am trying to figure out what could have caused this and not a whole lot is making sense as to why it would only be the right sidewall on the front tire when the left side of the front and the rear do not have a single blemish on them. Any input is appreciated, and I'll keep everyone posted on what, if anything, I hear back from Avon. I have attached a few pictures to show ya'll what I'm talking about. Thanks a lot for your time, it is appreciated.
  15. LilBeaver
    Another option would be something from the Suzuki Boulevard line... Those have a really low seat height, relatively low C.G. and are pretty easy to handle. Downside is that some of the smaller ones are single cylinder, but as a bonus they are cheap and light. My cousin is about 5'1", and maybe 110lbs soaking wet. Has a ~600cc one (I think)... But anyways she has no problems at all, rides it all the time and had little experience when she started on this one she's on now...
  16. LilBeaver
    I'm not sure about how my schedule is going to fall next weekend but if I can rearrange a few things, I'll be in too - But it is not looking to promising right now :-/ -Rick M
  17. LilBeaver
    Were you at idle when you took the cable back off? On a bike (and most cars, unless you've got a utility vehicle with a high idle switch) when a vehicle runs at low rpms it actually taps the battery for some juice to keep everything going. The generator cannot keep up with the electrical demands all on its own unless the bike is running at a higher rpm... In general, a generator functions by rotating a coil of wire inside a magnetic field. The rotating coil of wire is exposed to this time varying magnetic field which induces a current in the wire - thereby producing electricity which is then (on a vehicle) routed back through the rest of the vehicles electrical system. If the coil does not spin fast enough to keep supplying all of the electrical demands (that is the spark through the ignition system, lights, etc) then it draws from the battery; if the battery is no longer in the circuit - the system simply cannot continue to run. In my opinion (as a Physicist and backyard mechanic) a better way to test the alternator is: 1) Start the bike, turn all electronics off (headlamps to low beams, etc) 2) Set a multimeter to the DC Voltage setting (minimum of 20V), connect the positive lead to the positive terminal on the battery and the negative lead to the negative terminal on the battery. 3) Rev the motor up to a high idle (2000 to 2500 rpm should be more than sufficient) 4) Read the measurement off of the Voltmeter. 5) Then turn on your high beams, hazards, and radio and read the voltmeter again 6) Turn off the bike, etc. You should read at least 13.5V (more likely 14 or a little more) in both cases. In fact, after you turn everything back on, the reading should not have gone down very much... A little is expected but it should still be above 13V. If you read 12V or less or there is a large drop with the additional draw it is very likely that there is a problem with your generator. The generator must produce a slightly higher voltage than what the battery puts out since it must charge the battery (which can only be done if you overcome the terminal voltage of the battery with a significant enough potential difference so that the battery can be charged by the system). I would NOT suggest revving up the motor then disconnecting the battery as this not only shocks the electrical system (since it is designed to deliver some of the electrical discharge, created by the generator, through the battery -- to charge/maintain it), but more importantly it is really quite inconclusive. Hope that helps. - Rick M.
  18. LilBeaver
    Marquette Michigan to Lansing, MI (to pick up my passenger) then onto Nashville, TN. ~950 miles. (~19 hrs) Then, over the course of 5 days just outside of nashville, rode another 800 - across the state, through the smokies, etc. Then, back to Marquette, via Lansing. All on a 1982 Goldwing Interstate. Yee-haw. P.S. I'll have to remember that 100 + 10 rule for future distance rides...
  19. LilBeaver
    I'm in Texas, my bike came from southern california. Previous owner put on Avon Venoms 6 months before I bought it and literally drove it from the dealer that installed them to his house -- so there are less than 1000 miels on this tire (I picked it up a few weeks ago) (although the date code on the tire is 4205 -- so this bad boy was sitting on a shelf for quite some time). Oddly enough, only the right side is ridiculously cracked on the sidewall. I have not been riding this bike because of that, and am trying to figure out what to do with the tire. From what I am reading, Avon has some sort of manufacutre defect warranty?
  20. LilBeaver
    That is awfully low... Assuming that you had fresh gas, and you didn't have a horrible headwind, also smooth acceleration, and no hesitation given different throttle in, etc (ie the carbs are clean enough) I would check: 1) Air filters 2) Plug gap/condition -- look at business end of the plugs (ie the electrode) to check to see if there is any abnormal color or if they smell like fuel or oil 3) fuel filter 4) etc. These are the pretty syandard items but hope that helps!
  21. LilBeaver
    Well... They aren't 100% correct. (I calculated 99.84%) Last time I worked out the details with reasonable assumptions based on a GARMIN unit, taking specifications from the manufacture, as well as the other necesairy relativistic corrections and assuming the standard GPS signal frequency of 1.575 GHz... I wound up with determining an accuracy of 0.16% Part of the assumption is that it is a perfectly clear day i.e. no additional E&M interference with the signal, and that the unit is moving at a constant speed (in all 3-dimensions). If you really want to know all of the gory details, I'd be happy to go through them, but it would take me a while to type all that junk out... So... yea, I just confirmed my nerdhood - but as a PhD Student in Physics I don't have much of a choice... - Rick
  22. LilBeaver
    If you have a Tach on your bike you could simply go off of the engine speed at a given velocity and then do the simple calculation using the known gear and final drive ratios... But that requires that you have a tachometer.
  23. LilBeaver
    Alternative to the alarm: Brake disc lock -- Prevents someone from rolling your bike away... http://www.masterlockcycle.com/product_disc3.shtml -- they have a selection of them here.
  24. LilBeaver
    I guess not all dealers have the same thoughts... Here in Lubbock, I stop by the honda dealership often (just to take a gander and what they've got... new and used) and every time I pull up on my bike, I'm greeted and tell them that I'm not looking to buy any time soon, just checking them out. They always say "Okay, let me know if you have any questions". I'll walk around for a few minutes and as soon as I park my keister on a bike the salesman comes back out with the keys (if they arent in the bike) and offers for me to take it for a test drive. I don't even have to ask, and I am very open with the fact that I am just looking! The yamaha dealer in town, I don't go to as often, but before I bought my Venture, I walked in, was greeted - told them that I was looking at ventures and talked for a few minutes about them. I got on the one in the showroom and he asked if I wanted to test drive one. Again, I didn't ask - it was offered. I told him that it was very unlikely that I would buy a new one, but he said "okay, no big deal - do you want to try it out anyway?" So I took him up on it. He went around back and pulled one around that had 12 miles on it... Literally! And, mind you, I'm only 24 and EVERY TIME I always tell them that I am just browsing, and they ALWAYS insist.
  25. LilBeaver
    Looks good to me... I have a few other work related trips tentatively scheduled... If that doesn't overlap I'd be in -Rick
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