Great White

Nope, just did my third fill up today. I only burn back and forth to work and little local jaunts so the MPG won't be spectacular anyways and what seems like a small tank with probably make for a low trip ODO....

Take a trip over to some of the VMax boards. Those boys seem to love "see through" everything: engine cases, carb covers, etc. They even paint and machine the parts behind them and attach little spinny bits inside: "]

Appreciate your points, but I still won't be using "sea foam". Doesn't cost me $400+ to tear the carbs down and clean them properly in the ultrasonic. I have an ultrasonic cleaner in the garage and I am more than capable of doing the work. I've been doing motorcycle carb work for about 32 years, either as a hobby or part of my previous profession. I'm pretty much "kitted out" to do it all properly and quickly. this is my first XZV, but not my first downdraft carburetors. I have a Honda V45 that requires regular carb work and have worked on many others. No real differences (other than orientation) from sidedrafts really. Same basic components doing the same basic job. Only cash outlay I would have would be parts found out of spec or perhaps an o-ring or diaphragm if they're unserviceable. But then again, seafoam won't fix bad/worn parts if that is actually the problem. The only way to know is a tear down. That's one of the many reasons I prefer to tear carbs down for a proper cleaning: you find everything that is wrong in the assembly and you start from a known point when tuning them to the engine. The rest is just my time in the garage on a lazy weekend afternoon. Always a good way to spend a day! P.S. not trying to poke holes in your cost analysis, but 3 treatments per $7 can since 2013 is somewhere around 100-150 bucks you've spent in sea foam (depending on what months you started). I, personally, would rather put that towards a tear down and cleaning (which costs me nothing unless I find U/S parts which would have to be replaced anyways). Again, not trying to be snotty, just that my course id different than yours. Anyways, to all reading: lets not turn this into a "seafoam" thread please. I understand your point of view. Mine is different. Thank you.

Those are (and I don't say this very often!) just a touch before my time....

Yes sir, same way I adjust "non adjustable" needles. I add shims under the retainer to lift the needle. Unfortunately, you can only raise the needle in most bikes as the retainer usually rests directly on the slide. That little spacer in you pics is a nice little "find". By removing it and using shims, you could actually lower the needle if needed. Not many OEM carbs give you that option. Here's a decent representation of what component effects what part of throttle opening: http://www.jba.bc.ca/JBCycle/Resources/jet-chart.jpg Its a little different for every manufacturer and even between a manufacturers set of carbs, but that's pretty close to what happens in general terms.

Run it, pull the plugs and see what they look like. Brownish is good, black is rich, white is lean. The thing about rejetting a carb is that it can be more than just the main jets. It can be the idle jets, or the throttle needle height. Its waaay too much to discuss here, but if you google "jetting motorcycle carbs" there are many sites out there with good info on the process. Jetting carbs is a bit of black magic, but with basic mechanical skills, a little patience and a bit of knowledge anyone can do it. Good luck.

That would work, except in 32 years of owniig bikes I've yet to see one that was meant to be "dipped" on the side stand. Not saying they don't exist, just I've never seen one....

Mine does.....

Well, in all fairness Yamaha's plan with a sight gauge was for it to put on the center stand to check oil level and/or conduct maintenance. A dip stick is still going to have to have the bike upright to check proper level so a dip stick isn't really going to get you any further ahead..... Give me a sight gauge over a dipstick any day.

Ref: all the HD clone comments in these type of threads. It's what some people perceive as "style"......it's fine if you like that sort of thing, I guess.....

poser may not be the right word, but they sure do follow the same mold....at least to my eye they do.

I'd rather see the venture name die than have it hung on a V-Twin. Give a new bike with a new V-Twin it's own name. Just my thoughts.

Can't tell you if the RK pipes work well with stock jetting or not since I don't have them. Only way to know is put them on, run them and check the plugs. Or, maybe someone on the forum has already done it? A lot of guys think dumping the stock airbox on a bike means more HP. That was partially true on the old mechanical slide carbs (throttle cable directly lifted the slides) but not on CV carbs. CV carbs are "calibrated" to run with the restriction of the stock airbox. Take it out and the slides don't respond correctly. That's why pod filters are a PITA on CV carbs. I built a couple like that. When they did run, they ran like a bat out of he**, but that was usually wot acceleration. Anywhere else in the RPM range they were a major PITA....

I may be one of 5 males in NA that doesn't like straight pipes on a bike. I cringe everytime a Harley goes by with straight pipes and buddy opens it up too much thinking he looks cool. All I hear is abusive noise and one more stike against motorcycling that makes legislators and Johnny law zero in on us even more.... I'm a walk silent and carry a big stick kinda rider. Even my FJ1200 has stock muffs, but that old girl will take on big nasty bite out of 90% of the noisy bikes on the road. Kudos on wanting to smooth the old girls sound out again. If the stock muffs have been gutted, the guys are right that replacement is pretty much the only option. If you go with anything besides OEM replacements, make sure you do a "jetting check". Basically, take it out for a ride and then pull the plugs. If the last guy gutted teh muffs, he probably didn't care enough to re-jet so I'll lay money on the jetting still being stock. When you pull them if they're a nice brownish color, your jetting is acceptable. If they are white or black, you're lean or rich. Rich you can survive, it will just pollute more than it should and use a touch too much fuel. Lean can take out a valve. That you want to fix before it becomes a problem. You can get waaay more involved in tuning the jets, but that's the basics of it and about as far as most guys need to get into it for just riding. Good luck.

The only other thing I could add is bleeding. But air in the line will typically make a soft level that can be pulled to the grip. It should still build pressure, unless there's a HUGE slug of air in the line. I usually reverse pressure bleed the system when it's been completely apart. This is a simple mason jar with a line and schrader brazed into the lid. I fill the jar with fresh fluid, connect the line to the caliper bleed port and then add a little pressure to the jar (very little, usually a pound or less, it is only a glass mason jar after all). This pushes the fluid up to the master as air wants to go up, not down. Works fast and easy. There are retail ready built bleeders out there for purchase that do the same job. I've also "bench bled" master cylinders when that's all we've had apart. I've got a banjo bolt fitting off an old brake like with a nipple brazed on and some clear tubing. I loop it back to the master and bleed the air out of the master, just like you would with a larger automotive master cylinder. A quick reverse pressure bleed, then a quick bleed of the calipers and you're ready to go. Sounds like a longer process than a vacuum bleed, but it's not. It's quick and it works first time, every time. No fooling around and that's where you save the time.

Keep in mind it's difficult to troubleshoot these things across the internet, but your description seems to indicate a master cylinder that bypasses when pressure is applied. This is typically worn seals or bores. BUt since you say you had it apart and if it was fine before, anything you changed is suspect. The seals may be installed wrong, or they may have a small nick or the kit may be manufactured incorrectly. If you elect to tear it apart again, I would recommend you get the seal kit from Yamaha. Anti dive was a 80's attempt at preventing dive under braking and it was, for the most part, unsuccessful. By the 90's it was gone off pretty much everything so I would be very surprised if your 2006 has one. If you only see three lines and a splitter, it does not. That's about all I can do for you over the internet. Good luck and I hope you find the problem.

Nice rig. Enjoy. I still say it's too bad the 'Wing is the only game in town though!

Why not? I've got a drag specialties floor board attachment up!in the parts loft that goes right on to an early venture. Ive been considering spinning up a braket to allow them to mount to the engine crash bars a la fold up highway peg style. Having it as a factory option would be simple enough on a new model.

I'm thinking you're right by the way it sounds in the article. I can't even ride with an open face. I need full coverage. Anything else just doesn't feel right. Comes from my racer days when I would go slip and slide down the track and get up to find scratches deep in the chin piece of my helmet (as well as all around it). Taught me to protect all of my head all the time. Nothing would suck more than hitting pavement face first in and open face helmet (or gawd forbid, one of those "fashionable" skull cap type helmets that seem to be so popular with the lawyers and doctors on HD's)...

Believe it or not, I use a wood burning tool and abs rod. Its kinda of like using a tig welder. I've been doing it this way since I was 16, so about 34 years. I like doing it this way because it also allows my to "sculpt" shapes as well as just repair damage. For example: the trailing edge of the fairing in the Pict needed a bead and I was able to build it up to match one side to the other. I don't recommend it to anyone unless you know what you're doing though. Very easy to mess it up and burn the plastic. Once its burned, its ruined. Only reason I get away with it is because of how long I've been doing it. I've just developed a feel and and eye for it. The proper tool removes a lot of the guess work and possibility of error. You can still mess it up, but it takes a bit more effort. We also don't have harbor freight in Canada so I can't help you out there.

Few more what? Plates or holes?

Plastic welding: http://i1174.photobucket.com/albums/r618/justonepict/Interceptor/image_zpstkryxlrv.jpg That was originally a single headlight fairing. Strong as original because, well, if you do it properly and re-flow the plastic it is one piece when cooled. Just like the original mold pour. There are special body fillers that are used for thinks like flexible bumpers. This is what you want to put over abs pieces like fairings and body pieces. It expands and contracts at the same rate and helps prevent cracking issues. Hard bondo like products can separate and/or crack.

Not that I would be buying some $25,000+ full boat tourer, but it would be nice if yammy took the new 'max, gave it a decent size fuel tank and wrapped it in full fairing and bags. None of this Harely clone type stuff either. Full boat tourer. Goldwing competition. Stand punch for punch in luxury and gadgets while giving better handling and performance. Like the first Venture. I'd be pleased as punch if the styling gave a nod to the xzv12/13 too. Doesn't have to be the same, but just obvious lineage. Kinda like what ford did with he mustang series. Not a clone or copy of the original, but sure is the same bloodline.

I'd be on that like "white on rice" if I lived anywhere close.....

Find a good body shop that can plastic weld. Good as new. You'll have to repaint though. How did that happen? Those a pretty broken...