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atlm

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Everything posted by atlm

  1. atlm
    What is the price on longer cables if they're needed? I've been planning risers for my next mod, but have been a been a bit nervous about cables eventually breaking from stress after reading a few posts here.
  2. atlm
    The round gauges being sold by JC Whitney are going for $120. The set of round Emgo gauges is being sold on eBay by Saber for about $52 shipped. There's another seller on eBay - SportingForLess - selling gauges that look the same for $60 shipped, and in their ad, they claim that they're having their gauges made for them in Taiwan because the Emgo gauges have a huge calibration issue: "Those are top quality sync gauges, specially made for us from taiwan manufacture, they are not cheap "??GO" gauges. (we used to carry "??GO" brand sync gauges, due to the quality problems, 25% of those gauges are out of calibration, we had to send them back to the distributor, we no longer carry them anymore)" Goose, your gauges are from JC Whitney, and have served you well, but we don't know if they're from Emgo or not. Has anyone purchased and used the Emgo's or those being sold by SportingForLess? Is SportingForLess full of bologna, or are the Emgo's a cheap knock-off of those sold by JC Whitney?
  3. atlm
    Thanks for all the information! When I mention accuracy, the only thing I'm talking about for carb sync tools is the ability of the 4 tubes, gauges, liquids, or whatever, to stay in sync with each other across the range of vacuum readings that they'll be used. The actual number reading on the gauge/tube/whatever has almost no significance, since all we're doing is making them the same, not bringing them to a value. From my understanding of the SyncPro, it's calibrated at a given vacuum level. If, when you're done synchronizing, all of your carbs end up at a higher or lower vacuum level than the one you used to calibrate, your carbs are actually out of sync with each other. Close enough if you already own one? Probably. But if someone is gauge shopping, I'm totally in agreement with Goose, based on my current understanding. The mercury gauges seem great, also, and are definitely a great price, but have their drawbacks which have already been pointed out by others.
  4. atlm
    After reading the great reviews about it, I was going to post a "Cross Country blows away the RSV" thread just for fun, but decided not to go there.
  5. atlm
    If the bubble sizes are different, that explains why calibration for the SyncPro only works at a specific vacuum level, and gets thrown off as vacuum levels change. I'm guessing it has to be water pressure against a bubble, rather than open-topped pulling from a single source, because of the light weight of the blue liquid as compared to mercury. Either way, although I'm sure it would get the carbs close enough, there appear to be 2 choices that are more accurate for less money (no offense to any SyncPro fans, but that's just the way it appears to me at this time based on what has been shared here). I wonder if the little restrictors from the SyncPro (or even a small piece of hose shoved into the larger hose) can be used in the lines for the round gauges for the best of both worlds. Anything that stays pretty much calibrated over 30 years of use is pretty super awesome. Sounds like, for the round gauges, a couple of other purchases are necessary: A 4 into 1 vacuum hose adapter for calibration (the SyncPro includes one of these, the mercury unit doesn't need one) A tach - now available for $20! Maybe some in line vacuum restrictors?
  6. atlm
    delete
  7. atlm
    Thanks for sharing. I'm still not clear on a few things, though. Why aren't the bubbles all the same size? Seems like that would eliminate the need for calibration. I thought the vacuum restrictors just got shoved into the vacuum lines to restrict airflow to lessen the pulsing affect and smooth out the readings, and that was that. What am I missing?
  8. atlm
    Don't hold back. Share what you really think. I've been concerned about a mercury mishap since looking into different gauges. I've just had a bad feeling about it, and have learned to listen to those feelings over the years. So, I've been hoping to find a good alternative. Since you have had such good luck with the dial gauges for so long, and haven't found them difficult to use, I'm leaning towards going with a set of those. I had only previously crossed them off the list because I thought they would be much harder to read, but that doesn't seem to be the case. Saber Cycle has some via eBay for about $52 shipped. OK, three more questions: Are yours the Emgo gauges, like those being sold by Saber? Did you do a similar test with yours as you did with the Motion Pro unit, testing their calibration across different amounts of vacuum with a hand pump? Is that part of what you refer to when you say the mechanical gauges work absolutely consistently? Is my understanding correct that they can be calibrated? Let me know. If so, I think I'm sold.
  9. atlm
    deleting my post, as I was thinking of MityVac, not the Motion Pro
  10. atlm
    And Carbon One's bracket, available in the classifieds, is super awesome, and makes it a simple bolt-up (with a little wiring, of course).
  11. atlm
    Thanks for all the information and your opinions, Goose! There's something I'm not clear on, though. If mercury is the long time standard, why do you prefer the mechanical gauges over the less expensive mercury setup?
  12. atlm
    My Stebels on my bikes have prevented a couple of almost certain collisions with inattentive cagers. Amazing how quickly they change lanes away from you. I totally agree, if I could install a train horn, I would.
  13. atlm
    I've been looking at the different carb sync tools because I'd like to buy one, and have questions I'm hoping someone here has the answers for. The Motion Pro SyncPro needs to be calibrated, and shows a procedure in the instructions. Why is that? If it's simply 4 tubes with liquid from a single source, how could that go out of calibration? I've seen the thread in these forums that clearly shows the tubes out of whack at different RPM, but don't understand how that happens, unless the ID (interior diameter) of each tube is different, which I wouldn't expect with today's manufacturing tolerances. There's the mercury unit on eBay sold by Saber, which doesn't mention a calibration procedure. Is this unit perfectly balanced in some way different than the SyncPro? Or does it need calibration, and is it just built cheaply, without the option? Is there something different about mercury than the blue fluid that makes it stay in calibration? Or is it all about manufacturing tolerances, and the ID of the tubes? Does anyone who owns this unit ever hooked it up with a common vacuum divider to test its accuracy? Then there's the Morgan carbtune. Does that unit ever need calibration, or is it always right on the money if kept clean and rarely used? I know with its moving parts that if it was used every day it would wear and go out of whack, but for personal use, a couple of times a year maybe, wear shouldn't be a factor. But, it seems the the plastic aging and possible distorting over time could be a factor. Again, has anyone who owns this unit ever hooked it up with a common vacuum divider to test its accuracy? I'm sure in the end they'll all do the job fine, but I'd like to get the one that's most accurate and the lowest maintenance, if possible. I like these 3 because they're small and can easily fit in a cabinet out of the way when not in use. I also like the 4-side-by-side tube design, since it looks easier to read when synchronizing the carbs than the 4 needle gauge setup. The mercury unit is $44, the SyncPro is $86 and the Morgan is $94 (prices include shipping). It appears on the surface that the mercury unit is the most accurate AND the lowest cost (home built specials not included). Am I missing something? My only hesitation is the mercury. It the unit well sealed? No children in my garage, but at the same time as being very useful, it seems like mercury is pretty nasty stuff. Although I don't know how nasty, since it was used in thermometers for like 100 years.
  14. atlm
    Eck, Sent you a PM.
  15. atlm
    Motorcycle Consumer News tested Dyna Beads a while back and found they did not balance tires as claimed. In this month's issue, in the letters section, someone asked about them again, and they restated their findings that they don't work, and not to waste your money. MCN is one of the very few rags that is completely unbiased, as they don't have to cater to any advertisers. just my 2 cents, and theirs
  16. atlm
    Although I agree speed bleeders make the job quicker, bleeding brakes can be done quite easily (imo) without them, especially the fronts. I did the fronts on the Venture about a month ago, which took about 30 minutes, including setup, cleanup, and a coffee refill. The only tools needed are a screwdriver (to remove the reservoir cap), a small wrench (to loosen/tighten the bleeder), and a small piece of hose to slip over the bleeder so you don't make a mess all over the floor (you put the other end of the hose in a jar to catch the fluid). Full synthetic DOT4 fluid costs ~$3 at Wally World. That's all it costs, unless you have to buy a piece of hose, which could add another couple dollars. One of my neighbors just had his brakes bled by a stealer this past Spring for $100. After I found that out, I've started having him over to do maintenance on his own bike. When he saw how easy and quick it was, he was not happy at all, especially since the dealer told him it was a long job which required special bleeder tools.
  17. atlm
    The two most important traits of all tires are grip and mileage. All tires are a compromise of the two. Costs and tire design being equal, a softer rubber compound will give better grip at the expense of mileage, and visa versa, a harder compound will give higher mileage at the expense of grip. Race tires have softer rubber compounds for high grip, but give very low mileage. Touring tires have harder rubber compounds for higher mileage, but have less grip. Tires are designed to run at a specific temperature. That temperature gives the optimal grip and mileage for that specific tire, as determined by the tire manufacturer. When you drive on a tire, it flexes. That flex causes heat, which brings the tire up to its running temperature. The amount of flex determines the amount of heat. A properly inflated tire, per the manufacturer's specs, will flex the proper amount to bring the tire to the designed running temperature. That temperature will give you a certain level of grip and a certain amount of mileage. The more load you put on the tire, the more it will compress, or flex. The more air pressure you put in the tire, the less it will flex. Since temperature is based on how much the tire flexes, to get the correct running temperature, you need the correct amount of flex. Since the amount of flex is based BOTH on load and on pressure, as the load in the tire goes up, so must the air pressure. The max tire pressure on the sidewall is for the max load on the sidewall. Anything less than the maximum load, as listed on the sidewall, requires less air pressure than the maximum listed on the sidewall. That's why the tire pressures given by manufacturers for a given tire for a given bike are based on the running weight of the bike (with driver, passenger, etc.). The higher the weight, the more air pressure. Can you run tires at the maximum pressure listed on the sidewall with lower than maximum tire load? Yes, absolutely. However, the tires won't come up to their designed running temperature, which sacrifices grip. Since the tires are colder/harder, your mileage will increase. For highway riding, or for riders who take twisties at a very moderate pace, higher pressures can work fine and provide higher mileage. However, for riders who are aggressive in the twisties, exit ramps, etc., higher than designed air pressures could prove disastrous. Can you run tires at lower than optimal pressures? Yes, absolutely. However, the tires will run at higher than designed temperatures, which could give you slightly better grip, but will also lower your mileage. Too low can result in tire breakdown and failure. Many stunt riders will run their tires at very low pressures to get them up to temperature at low speeds. Hope this helps clear things up.
  18. atlm
    FYI, The 8mm bolts that attach the passing lights are 1.25 pitch, so the ones you're missing might be the same. My local Home Depot has a tiny, sad selection of metric hardware, so I decided to try Ace. Their hardware selection is incredible. As someone mentioned, they have chrome hardware, as well as stainless, allen head, specialty, and all lengths and sizes.
  19. atlm
    After reading the last few threads on keys, I brought my key with me to Ace Hardware (aka Handy Hardware) yesterday. They made me a spare key for $2.49 plus tax.
  20. atlm
    I'd be all over that if it's legitimate, also. The last ad I found for Zumo 450's for $275 and Zumo 550's for $300 was a Craigslist scam, which I suspected from the prices. The "seller" was offering free shipping, but wouldn't provide a phone number and stopped answering emails after I said I'd drive to pick the item up. I looked up their address on Google Earth and found it to be in the middle of a corn field in the middle of nowhere. I wonder how many people sent money before the scam was flagged and removed.
  21. atlm
    I'm not sure if Costco has stores in Canada, but they sell the Zumo 550 and have a great return policy.
  22. atlm
    Rider magazine did a 4-way bike comparison a few months ago, of the Venture, Voyager, Harley Ultra, and Victory Vision. It's definitely worth a read if you haven't seen it yet. A couple of months before the comparison, they did a short ride on the Voyager (by itself) and had mostly good things to say about it. For the comparison, they rode the bikes all day for 2 days. In the end, the Venture tied the Ultra for first place, surprising everyone in the review group. Here's some of what they found with the Voyager, when side by side with the others: "Now climb aboard the Kawasaki Vulcan 1700 Voyager and, by contrast, it feels heavy, ungainly, and though I am 6 feet tall, I could not see over the windscreen. It and the fairing reflect a lot of engine noise and gear whine, and the six-speed gearbox clunks when shifted. There's a significant amount of shudder and shake in the engine..." "The windscreen blocks the wind well for the passenger, but he or she will feel heavy vibrations through the backrest at low rpm." Also, the Voyager has the lowest carrying capacity of all the bikes, at 379lb. "If you saddle up a 220-pound guy and his 150-pound wife you're already nearly at the bike's recommended limits with no luggage yet aboard." "This brand-new model had years to take aim at the Yamaha Venture and Harley, and should have done better." We all know that bike magazine reviews don't always align with our own, but this was 4 different guys all reviewing these 4 bikes. You might end up loving the Voyager, but I'd recommend a nice long test ride before buying, and be aware of it's potential shortcomings.
  23. atlm
    I only owned motorcycles from when I was 15 until I was 22 (that's when I finally bought my first car). I used to ride year-round, including 2 years in Massachusetts. People thought I was nuts. I was just too poor to buy a car. Snow wasn't too bad, but I lost count of the number of times I hit ice, and the bikes slid out from under me, sending me sliding down the road on my arse. Besides the bruises , it usually also cost me 2 turn signals, on whichever side of the bike ended up hitting the road and grinding. Those old Honda Super Sports were rugged. Now I'm a fair weather rider only, because I can be.
  24. atlm
    About 3 years ago, my wife and I got to see the aftermath of an accident at an intersection by our house while we were out walking. A small red car collided with a minivan. The minivan had pulled out into the intersection and the red car hit it at full speed. The red car was probably traveling at about 45 mph, which is the normal speed for that road (40mph speed limit). The damage to the cars was extensive, with hoods crumpled completely in, broken plastic bits all over the place, and both front and side airbags deployed on both vehicles. When we walked up, we were pretty sure someone was dead. Bystanders helped the driver of the red car, a young lady, out of her car. She sat on the curb waiting for the police and ambulance. The driver of the minivan climbed out of the passenger side door. Both were really shaken up, but both ended up being fine, and neither went away in the ambulance. When we finally left the scene, my wife asked me, "Does my car have airbags all around like that?" It didn't, so a week later we bought her a new car that does.
  25. atlm
    Cute dogs. Thanks for being a nice person! All of our cats are rescues. My wife works (for free) at a low cost nonprofit animal hospital that mostly focuses on rescues and people who can't afford "normal" veterinary costs, but are trying to help with the homeless animal population and keep their own animals healthy. A few months ago, we went through the trap-spay/neuter-release program for the feral cats in and around our neighborhood. The organization lent us (at no cost to us) the traps, and we found another organization that does spay/neuter for feral cats for $20. Now we're working with a neighbor who brought the 2 small kittens from her side of the neighborhood inside, and is socializing them to try to find them homes. One of my co-workers has 2 dogs and 4 cats, all which were dumped by people and he found (most almost starved to death) and brought to his home and brought back to health. My brother in law and his wife just adopted 2 dogs from one of their local rescue organizations. Sometimes we all get frustrated with the size of the problem, but when I look back at the changes over the past 20 years, it's encouraging. Almost all large pet stores are now associated with pet rescue organizations, and no longer sell puppies/kittens, which has shut down a lot of "puppy mills". Animal Planet has tons of shows that educate people about the animal overpopulation, puppy mills, and the importance of spay/neuter. And now there are a lot of no-kill shelters for animals, rather than just animal pounds. We still have a ways to go, but at least we're making progress. Together, we can make a difference!
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