Great White

Yep, the issue isn't the connection, the issue is that corrosion gets into the non weather tight plug and that corrosion raises the resistance in the connection. The result is heat and a melted plug. I've soldered the connection together before (My vf750F is soldered right now) and I've repaired the connector before. When I repair them, I prefer to use a 3 pin weather tight metri-pack connector, rated 30 or 40 amps.

Well, lots. So I'll just throw out my two most favorite. Truck: 1974 International Scout II with a spring over conversion and 12.50 mud tires. They were from Canadian tires and iirc they were called cats paw, almost looked like skid loader pattern tires. 304 IH v8, 727 transmission, Dana 60 rear and a 44 front. That thing was great. Unstoppable. Car: (this is gonna sound odd, but...) 1978 TBird. 460 4bbl and c6 transmission conversion. Wasn't really fast in the 1/4, but would go through a couple sets of rear tires in a summer. It was one of the rarer buckets, console and floor shifter interiors. I'd buy it back in less than a second if I ever ran across it again (but its probably razor blades by now). Like d that car more than any of the mustngs I've had or other performance car. I dunno, some cars just speak to you.....

Kinda cool, but other than factory not having to pay a pilot to test bike designs I don't see the point: http://www.engadget.com/2015/10/28/yamaha-motobot/ I ain't ridin' biotch to some robot!

supposed to be 18c here tomorrow. You must be getting the Alberta clipper. I'd be perfectly fine to never see snow again after last year.....

Bit of a thread dig from last year, but I'll play: But so much to do, where do I begin? I'm starting with a bone stock 83 so this is going to be quite a list: VMax heads and cams 2002 RSV transmission Vboost Ignitech with VBoost control COP VMax differential 1986 wiring harness and associated components (IE: cluster switches, etc) Redo fuse box and relocate to LH fairing. Same place for Ignitech. CLASS Venture Cruise Bi-xenon headlight (Infiniti G37 donor) MKII forks (86) monoblock calipers (blue dots) ZX7R underslung rear caliper Delink brakes 86 side luggage 85 top box Big Bikes tail lights and LED conversions 17" rear rim conversion (ZX7R Donor and an 86 Hub to be grafted in) 17" rear rim necessitates minor swingarm alterations and will add bracing at same time 17" front rim (R6 Donor, modified for 17" speedo drive) Tires undecided but looking at Michelin pilot road 4 Would like to make solid mounts and may be doing a 320mm disc conversion , but probably just won't have the time to get to those this winter. Finish with paint (Stock 83 burgundy color, black engine, some chrome) That's all that comes to mind off the top of my head. This is all assuming that I can actually stand upright to do the work. My back went out and cut the end of my riding season short. It's taking waaaay too long this time to recover. An hour in the shop at the lathe was about all I could take yesterday and it's really making me pay for it today. Next year I'll be looking at suspension upgrades and refining anything that needs it after running it for a summer. I was going to work on the FJ1200 this winter too, but that has to be pushed off to next year as the Venture has ballooned into a huge project that will be a challen in itself....

It might be easier to give relevant comments if you gave some examples of what you might be looking for. Types, brands, price, etc. Just "RV" covers a lot of ground. For example: when we go looking at rigs, I won't look at anything that's not a diesel pusher. It's diesel or nothing. I have a preference for Cummins powered rigs with an Allison, but Cat can be good too depending on which lump it is. I prefer Cummins/Allison as you can pretty much find a shop nearly anywhere that can work on them, plus they're just pretty good lumps. I check fuel tank capacity, bare minimum 100 gallons and 200-300 is preferred for me (can fill up where it's cheaper and extend if needed, or just not having to stop all the time). I don't like the C class cab/chassis models. Side radiators are a big plus over a rear radiator. I check how accessible things are with the slides in for what we can (and can't) get to when mobile. I make sure the rig can operate "independently" if needed (IE: propane capable as many newer rigs are meant mainly for shore power and/or don't even have tanks). I am very leery of anything not built on a bus type chassis. I don't like cab/chassis conversions, even if it's something like Freightliner. Double slide outs are a must, preference for what they call "superslides". Slide out awnings are a must. I have a preference for as little wood construction as possible, preferring aluminum and fiberglass in as much of the rig as possible. Built in access to the roof is a must. Facilities to wash clothes are a must (I can't stand coin op laundry-mats). Beds must be accessible from all sides. I'm too old to crawl over one side to get to the other. Bedrooms must have decent sized closets (I prefer to iron and hang my clothes). I look at things like facets and plumbing (ie: actual Pex or Chinese knockoff stuff, home style faucets or chromed plastic, etc), showers (size and type), fresh water tank size and can the gray and blackwater tanks handle the fresh water capacity, built in black tank flush/cleaning devices, generator (inverter type, capacity, fuel requirements, etc), fridge (capacity, energy use, multi fuel, etc), entertainment system (110v or 12V, dual power, etc), AC (capacity), driver concerns (seats, visibility, gps, reach to controls, mirrors, sunvisors, etc), towing capacity (toads or trailers) and so on and so forth. I make sure I find out if it's their own chassis or if it was outsourced from another company. Warranty work can often be a major PITA if it's not their chassis/drivetrain. I look at what brand and level the appliances are. All mobile stuff seems to be a crap shoot on reliability, but name brands and higher end products seem to be more reliable or are at least easier to find someone on the road to fix it or order parts. The missus looks at colors and patterns and I prefer my interiors to look like a home/hotel and not a camper. Then we look at the price of what we want, gasp and usually go home to sulk. We currently haul a 35 foot trailer, but may be getting rid of it in the somewhat near future and if elect to retire to travel the roads, it will be a diesel pusher class A motorhome.

I'm kind of a different mind with the "too much brake" thing. For me, you can never have too much. It's more about knowing how to use it. You can wash out the front end on nearly any bike with the stock brakes (well, maybe not so much front drums!). I guess it depends on the individual and their abilities/experience. I'm programmed to use the brakes to their limit without thinking about it. Comes from racing in my early years I think. Panic stops are anything but "panic stops" for me. No grabbing, just progressive application until I "sense" the front tire at it's limit of grip. I don't think I could wash the front end out if I tried. I'd end up backing out of the lever just before lock up without thinking about it because my muscle memory would just do it. Pretty sure it would have to be hitting sand or something slick while already under braking to wash the front end out. For my build if I do go 320 mm rotors (really want to), I'll have to spin up an adapter plate for the rotor/rim interface and then brackets for the calipers so no worries on "making it fit". No big deal, I've built the same type of thing before for both cars and bikes. Lathe and mill are standing by.... I have thought about just swapping the entire front assembly for a more modern unit with the wheel, rotors, brakes that will do the job I want, but the modern front ends are all too "short" to just fit on the front end of the V. They all need things like tube extenders or drop top fork clamps. Those things honestly don't give me a good feeling. I'm much more comfortable with a couple adapter brackets for the brakes, which are a proven method over time.

I'm done talking about the subject. We're just going to keep circling around the same tree over and over and I have no interest in that. Cheers

Yeppers on the price....http://www.scarletuser.com/images/smilies/svengo.gif Around town running the side boxes would be enough for me and it would still look pretty cool. For long distance, the top trunk I would probably deal with by just pulling a trailer. If I ever had to go to a Trike that is......

Sure, if you want to pick the fly-poo out of the pepper. For the intents of this discussion bias is good enough. A belted tire is still going to be a type of bias tire. It's describing the construction type. If you ever see a "D", it's diagonal, but it's still a "bias" tire. Here's a quote from another site: Anything without an R isn't a radial and that's really what's germane to what tire fits what rim here.

YZF750SP came with 6 pot calipers that weren't radial mount: http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NTgyWDU3NQ==/z/-t0AAOSw-nZTosge/$_57.JPG But they weren't monoblock design and they were on USD forks so no way of knowing if they mount up to the MKII forks other than to buy a set. The spread on teh mounting "ears" look pretty wide on them so anything would be a guess without actually fitting them. But then again, the blue dots were also on USD forks so.....who knows? I'm not even sure if they were sold in NA, but they were in the rest of the world. They don't seem to go cheaply either.... Myself, I think I would stick with the blue dots. The 6 piston calipers of that era had their issues with warping brake discs fairly often. They're also going to to heavier than the monoblocks and the monoblock design (in theory) flexes less, gives better "feel" (when matched to the right MC) and is less susceptible to binding. If I was looking for more braking, I'd be looking for a way to get 320 MM discs on there with the 4 piston monoblocks. More leverage, more braking power, less heat, less fade. Then again, I just might have a set of 320 MM discs lurking around in the shadows somewhere that just might possibly fit on the R6 front wheel I have on the way......

Any tire with a "B" in it's sizing is a bias ply. For example: 130/90HB-16. H is the speed rating, B is for Bias. The numbers we already know. For you guys experiencing "nimbler" handling with the 130 vice the 160, that's fairly normal. the narrower tire usually has a "steeper" profile which makes starting it over into a lean easier. Many sportbike guys find this out going the other way. They often want wider and fatter tires because it "looks" more "aggressive". Often going up to a 120 front from a 110 or a 130 from a 120. What they usually find out is the wider tire has a rounder profile and it slows the transition from straight up to leaned over and even slower is quick left right maneuvers. Guys who actually ride their sportbikes bikes usually go back to stock sizes and those that like to pose on them stay "fat" or even go "fatter". There's a fine balance between not enough, just enough or too much tire.....

Bias ply is still around. You have to look very carefully at the tire size to see if the "R" is in the numbers and if your bike has the proper width for radials. Typically, narrower rims are for bias ply tires. Radials start at 3.50 inch rim widths up front and generally anything over 4.00/4.50 are radial rears. last time I checked on the commander II's, almost all of them were bias ply with only 1 or 2 radial sizes available. Most manufactures seem to lean towards bias ply for big heavy touring bikes because radials generally have short sidewalls and generally lower load capacity (due to the nature of their construction). Bias ply has more support in the sidewalls (again, due to they way they are constructed) so can hold more weight load over a taller sidewall. The taller sidewall helps to absorb road imperfections when you hit them and smooth the ride out, which is what most cruiser/touring riders are looking for. Weight capacity and smooth ride. As to what your bike takes, I can't say. I don't have a 2nd gen. Best to look up what your bike calls for in the manuals and go from there. Good luck with your hunt, reading up on tires can be information overload sometimes.

Yep, I found it on the Hannigan forum/blog.

....this thing has me seriously reconsidering that position: http://www.triketalk.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=29875&d=1441293666 http://www.triketalk.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=29876&d=1441293755 http://www.triketalk.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=29877&d=1441293913 http://www.triketalk.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=29878&d=1441294021 http://www.triketalk.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=29879&d=1441294184 I don't know what it is, but that thing just looks pretty darned slick to me! Hmmm, maybe I'm just getting old......

Sure, why not? It's wide enough for 4 (or more) wheeled vehicles, no big on a bike. And they're just putting along without having issues. It's not like they're doing 40 or 50 MPH with one foot out and sliding tires. But I'd for sure be using something a little more suitable for what I would call "off-road use" than the Venture. Heck, even more suitable than those old hacks they were using!

I don't know how people like this live with themselves. Something is just broken inside them if their conscience doesn't just drive them insane....

Nah, it could have been as simple as hiking the pipes up a tad or allowing the swingarm to drop with simply pulling the lower shock bolt at the linkage when they designed it. You would at least have been able to pull the axle without removing the exhaust pipes. That might be a fairly easy task in "non rust belt" regions, but it's a real problem if you live in, say....the Atlantic Provinces and the pipes have been on there a couple riding seasons. Getting the tire out from under the bodywork is then a very viable option by removing the front tire. Or some other means of raising/lifting the rear end. For example, the whole process could be made easy peasy by making the center fender portion easily removed with a few screws and roll the tire out the back. It would be remove the panel, pull the lower shock bolt, pull the axle and roll the tire out the back. I honestly don't think they put any thought into that particular part of servicing the bike. It was more about making it work they way they want. Engineers are notorious for that sort of thing. Building it first, worrying about how they service it later. I'm relatively sure someone once popped up a "hey, wait. How do we get the rear tire off ?" and the answer was "they can just take the bags and exhausts off". Easy to say, difficult to do. Near impossible sitting on the side of the highway with a flat tire. Engineers are usually very good at building something, but when they talk to the guy who has to service their creation it becomes obvious they have neglected some key elements. Basically, that life happens and you need to be able to fix it without tearing all your hair out. Anywho, if the small modifications I have in my mind work I should be able to change the rear tire like they can on the GL1800 without the "roll it over" trick: http://goldwing.eurekaboy.com/cartire4.jpg But I need to get out in the garage and frig around with it to know if it will work or not....

GL1800: [video=youtube;TShysJyHb-0] I think that might even be a little easier than changing a car tire. Don't even have to use a jack... Looks like the GL1500 is similar to the Venture process: http://www.goldwingfacts.com/1500rearwheel.htm Although, it seems the GL1500 guys have figured out a "work around": http://goldwingdocs.com/forum/download/file.php?id=13029&mode=view http://goldwingdocs.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4894 Remove a couple bolts and apparently the luggage can swing right up out of the way. Still have to frig with the exhaust though. Couldn't find much on the Cavalcade or the Voyager but the few bits I did run across look at least as much a PITA as the Venture. I tried to stay as close to the Venture's contemporaries since we're talking comparisons. Well, except for the GL1800 of course....

Holy crap that's sneaky and dishonest! Maybe it's just something in me or the way I was raised, but I would have never thought of anything like that. I've never sold anything on eBay but have thought of trying it. That kind of story makes me not want to ever try. I just can't fathom someone being so dishonest as to even try that....

Problem is I don't like having to remove the rh exhaust to pull the axle either.that's an equally stupid design. Maybe I'm just being too fussy, but wheels and tires should be removable without all this hassle. It just seems like Yammy wasnt thinking or didn't care when they designed it. You should be able to get a tire off to fix things like a flat without having to take so much of the bike apart......

Doubtful it would work as expected. It's designed to work as part of the helmet system. It fits across the brow, narrows towards the crown and then widens again at the nape. This is mainly to accommodate the ear cups (oil filled like ear defenders) in the helmet that give hearing protection and intercom. It's not really meant to work as a "stand alone" thing, it needs the rest of the helmet it was designed for. Using something like it in a mc helmet meants the helmet would have to be designed to use it.

Our flight helmets (SPH5 or HGU56) have what is termed a "TPL" or "thermoplastic liner". To the common man, it would look like simple bubble wrap. The helmets still have teh styrofaom like layer, the TPL is for final fit, comfort and some impact absorption. It's inside a soft fabric sleeve. It is removable (IE: washable), made in layers and peel-able. We start removing layers until we find a good fit and no "hot spots". If a guy has a certain point on his head or it's a bit of an "off" shape, we have a procedure where the TPL is heated and then placed on the individuals head. It's then custom fit and put back in the helmet. You then still have the option of peeling a layer or two if it's still uncomfortable. Now, hair growth is a factor in such a precise fit to an individual. But we're military so hair growth is a big variable for us..... But something similar would be a nice thing to see in a motorcycle helmet. Something you can custom fit to your head. Whether or not it would meet DOT requirements I have no idea. But it is meant to protect us in crashes that can exceed 20 G's, so there must be something to it.....

Before I make my statement, let me say I do think the guy driving should be charged with assault, and even assault with a deadly weapon. That being said, the event brings up many other points. The guys state of mind. I fully believe he had intent to knock the bike over or at least scare the bejesus out of them, that seems fairly obvious. But that's very different than the intent to kill. That knocking the bike over could lead to death or that scaring them could have lead to an accident is a possible outcome of that act, but it's the guys intent that matters when we are saying "he tried to kill them". As it's near impossible to say the guys intent, so we don't know if he tried to "kill them" or tried to "hurt them" or tried to "scare them". Big difference there. I may punch a guy and he may die from some unforeseen issue he may have. It is a possible outcome and I could/would be charged with at least assault and probably manslaughter. But my intent was not to kill him. My intent was to hurt him. That's why it would be manslaughter and not murder. No premeditation or intent to kill, even though someone died. If I punch a guy and he doesn't die, it's assault. The intent is the difference and is a very important point in charge and sentencing. That all sounds very "lawyerish", but it's the way it works. Another issue that has bugged me for a long time is the term "cagers". It's a term that is used to dehumanize and make it alright to "hate" anyone in a car when we're on a bike. It's derogatory and it has a negative connotation no matter how someone tries to explain it. Why is it we call ourselves "motorcyclists" but they are not "motorists"? I truly think that's a label we should drop as motorcyclists. It isolates us and makes it easier for "motorists" to say things like "there goes another donor cycle" and separate themselves from us. Motorcyclists should be working as a group to close the gap between bikes and cars, not widen it. We use the same roads, why are we trying to divide ourselves from the very people we want to be more aware of us? People care more about other people they identify with, and care less about those they do not. People think "cager" is "just a word I use" and doesn't really mean anything, but words have power. Hate, love, rage all words that have power. They are not words that should be thrown around casually. Same as words like cager, which is not much removed from things like "the hun" or "Kraut" that was used to dehumanize Germans in WWII, which made it easier for soldiers to kill them. Or the word "nigger" and slavery. "Japs" and WWII. "Jews" in Nazi Germany. Words used to separate one group of humans from another to make it easier to think one is better than the other or one has less worth than the other. Keep in mind I'm drawing the parallel to the words, not equating motorists to Nazi's or other groups. On any given day we can ourselves be "cagers", so why do we apply that derogatory term to anyone not on a bike that day? I've just never understood it and again, truly think motorcyclists should drop it from our language. The Crum guy's comments about 60 MPH wheelies also illustrates a sub-sect of our motorcyclist group that gives us all a bad name just like bike gangs do: "The squid" or "stunter" or any other word you want to apply to people generally being reckless on public streets. While I in no way excuse or condone Crum's actions, I understand the frustration behind them. I can't stand them either. Youtube is full of theses a-holes on public streets and they think they're the greatest thing since sliced bread. What they are is just plain dangerous and are going to eventually get the general public all riled up just like straight pipes did/do. If you get enough people riled up, they'll do something about it. They'll start passing laws, or making it more difficult to get a license, or insurance companies will start jacking rates through the roof on all bikes and riders on general perception, call for police to be cracking down on all bikers for every little thing and other stuff like that. Unfortunately, there's not a lot the average guy can do about them becasue they just aren't going to listen. I've tried. We all know the type: the guy with the scraped and smashed up superbike with the footmarks on the tank and the metal scrape bar behind the tail light. I also enjoy a little thrill as the front tire grazes the ground on hard acceleration, but catwalking down main street or draggin yourself down the road behind your bike is just flat out dangerous. Hell, doing it anywhere on a public street is dangerous. There's places for this: empty parking lots, race tracks or any locally organized event. Or, take it to the dirt and do it on a dirt bike in a feild, sand pit or even a track. Again, unfortunately, in the "YouTube" culture that's not enough. You've got to be breaking laws, flipping the bird and just being a general @ss to be cool. Anyways, just some points I wanted to get off my chest. Not so much about what happened on that stretch of road, but what could be called pet peeves it brings to mind I guess. Perhaps a bit of a soapbox "points for discussion" but not meant to be insulting, inflammatory or derogatory to anyone and/or their opinions. Maybe "deep thoughts" with GW (if anyone gets the SNL reference).... Now that I've gotten that off my chest, I'll stop commenting in these threads. Pretty much said all I have to say and honestly, the topic is getting kind of tiresome. I will, however, say kudos to everyone who has been able to discuss such a potentially charged subject with a mature attitude. Most boards it's only a matter of time before someone feels the need to unzip and measure or go on the personal attack, but that generally doesn't happen on this board and it a very refreshing atmosphere to find online. Well worth the 12 bucks.

Sounds like he's a supporter of "vigilante" style justice. Bad ju-ju there.....always the wrong move. But I also ended up on the riders facebook page while doing a quick search for possibly more info on his "invalid license" thing. The dude is no saint either, that's for sure. He also posted yesterday he's riding again using a friends loaned HD. I wonder if he got that license thing sorted out or.......