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V7Goose

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  1. V7Goose
    A new stock spring will probably fix it for about another 30,000 miles. I strongly suggest you call PCW Racing and get their upgraded spring, which will fix it for 100,000 miles. Personally, I would get they upgrade kit from PCW Racing, which consists of the spring, one full friction plate to replace the half-plate in the back of the stack, and the gasket. This is all covered in great detail in may older threads. Goose
  2. V7Goose
    This statement needs some clarification. the only time liquid fuel will be forced through the overflow tube is when the tank is filled above the bottom of the filler neck and then left to heat up so the fuel can expand. On some fairly rare occasions you can get the occasional drip from the overflow hose when the tank is not completely full, but it is not from liquid fuel being forced out. When your bike is parked in the sun and there is a gentle cross breeze, if you look closely at the end of the drain hose, you will see lots of gas FUMES billowing out. These fumes are being carried out with the expanding air that is being heated by the sun on the tank. If the drain hose is still slightly cooler than the surrounding air, such as it would be around mid-morning after sitting all night, then some of those fumes will condense inside the drain tube just like moisture does on the outside of a cold glass. That condensed fuel will create the occasional drip from the drain tube, but the conditions must be just right. The bike must still be somewhat cooler than the surrounding air AND the tank must be heating quickly from the direct glare of strong sunlight. Once the fuel and air inside the tank has completely heated up, there won't be much air/fumes blowing through the vent, or when the drain tube is no longer cool enough to cause the condensation, the dripping will stop. Goose
  3. V7Goose

    hiway rpms

    V7Goose replied to wecruz's topic in Watering Hole

    The gear ratios are taller on the 2nd gens. 4th gear on the 2ng gen turns virtually the same RPM as 5th gear on a 1st gen at any given speed. Easy way to thik about it is the Royal Stars have your transmission + an overdrive. Yes, they are both 5 speeds, but the concept is simply putting an overdrive on a 1st gen. Unfortunately, this does NOT mean the 2nd gens get better fuel mileage - the wind resistance is greater. Goose
  4. V7Goose

    hiway rpms

    V7Goose replied to wecruz's topic in Watering Hole

    Just going by memory, but an indicated 75 MPH is right around 3,000 RPM. Goose
  5. V7Goose

    RSV weight

    V7Goose replied to Billet's topic in Watering Hole

    The E3s have a higher load rating than the stock tires; therefore, they can handle more than the maximum GVW. Goose
  6. V7Goose
    You have not told us what bike you have or how old it is, so all I can do it give you a generic statement that may or may not apply to you. This problem is relatively common on 2nd gen bikes. While there could be any number of things causing it (such as an obvious fuel leak). usually it is because the floats are too high. Although I do not have a clue as to why, every single one of these engines comes from the factory with the floats set WAY above the spec, which contributes to the amount of fumes that come out the carb vents. Resetting the floats correctly almost always gets rid of the gas smell while sitting. There is a lot of work involved in pulling the carbs, but it is not particular difficult. If that applies to you, the information is in the tech library and in many older threads in these forums. Goose
  7. V7Goose
    Andy, I strongly advise you to let all the air out of your forks until you get the correct tool. Right now your forks are NOT at the same pressure - virtually impossible for them to be at the same pressure with the process you described. And as you already know, checking them with a normal gauge always releases some pressure every time you touch them, and there is no way the amount of air released is identical every time. The bottom line is that the forks hold such a small volume of air and have a max pressure of only 7 lbs, even a tiny 'pffft' will have a significant impact on the pressure. And as little as 1/2 lb difference between forks does negatively impact the handling. You will always be much better off leaving the forks at 0 so they will be equal than running any air at all and having them unbalanced. The ONLY way to add air correctly to these forks is with a pump and gauge that has a zero loss chuck. Goose
  8. V7Goose
    Your symptoms perfectly describe how an engine with CV carbs will behave when the idle jets are badly plugged. Goose
  9. V7Goose
    What's wrong with your original rubber washer? Based on the function I described, I see no possibility that an old rubber washer (provided it is not falling apart) would not do the job 100% as well as a new one. In fact, if I happened to loose that washer, I would happily take any old tire tube and just cut a new one. Like I said above, that rubber washer performs absolutely no locking function; it simply isolates the lower ring nut from any downward pressure of the upper ring nut. Now a few comments about instability and proper steering bearing adjustment. I STRONGLY advise anyone who does not have brand new steering bearings just installed to check their adjustment using BOTH methods. By both, I mean the way shown in the manual (pull/push the forks forward and back by holding near the axle), as well as the side-swing/no bounce method that most people prefer. Unfortunately, the pull/push method takes a gentle touch and some experience to know just what you are trying to feel. Sometimes a buddy lightly resting his hand on the back of the upper tree and the steering neck together will detect the motion from bad or maladjusted bearings before the tester will. The reason doing BOTH checks is important is because in most cases the side-swing test will not tell you if the bearings are damaged! Riding for very long with the steering bearings too loose will damage them by continually pounding the rollers into the exact same spot on the races. The side-swing check is great for getting the bearing preload just right, but bearings with this kind of damage will still feel perfect when moved in such a small arc. If the bearings are good, when they have the right amount of preload for the side-swing to just go to the steering stop, the pull/push test will also feel solid. But it is very common for me to properly adjust head bearings in older bikes and then still feel slop when pulling on the bottom of the forks, showing they are bad. This happens because the races develop more wear in the front and back than they do on the sides due to the forward motion of the bike and the forces applied to the wheel and forks. So when you tighten the bearings, the side rollers begin to apply pressure on the races before the slop is taken up in the front and back of the race. No amount of adjustment will ever make the bike handle properly until the bearings are replaced. Goose
  10. V7Goose
    I know nothing about replacing the rubber washer with any sort of metal spacer, and I cannot imagine any value from such a thing. but I CAN imagine potential harm. The rubber washer's job is to simply keep the ring nuts from rattling around on the shaft. The lower ring nut controls the load on those bearings, so exact position is important. Then it is held in place by the tab washer that ties the upper ring nut to the lower ring nut. So the key to the whole thing is what prevents the upper ring nut from moving? Nothing but the very high pressure of the top plate pushing hard on the upper ring nut (that's the 94 ft lbs of torque on the cap nut). The reason the rubber washer is there is to prevent any possibility of the upper ring nut being pushed down on the threads hard enough to push the lower ring nut harder against the bearings. If you put any sort of a metal washer in place of the rubber washer, you have fouled up the whole design because any downward movement or flex of the upper ring nut will be immediately transmitted through the lower ring nut to the bearings. I imagine the risk is low, but do make sure to double check the bearing tightness after the cap nut is fully torqued. Goose
  11. V7Goose
    I just went and checked the manual - the procedure you should be following is on page 3-45. And final torque is only 2.2 ft lbs - you will need an inch lb torque wrench to do it properly. Goose
  12. V7Goose
    I am not looking at the manual right now, so I cannot quote it exactly or tell you where you missed it, but the correct procedure to seat new tapered bearing (such as steering head or auto wheel bearings) is to tighten them first to a relatively high torque (probably the 37 ft lbs you reference), then to back the ring nut completely off and re-tighten it to correct final torque, which is very, very low (probably something like 4 lbs). As I recall, this procedure is specified in the shop manual. When you put the second ring nut on, follow the procedures exactly or you will over tighten it and squish the rubber washer out. And do not forget to properly torque the cap nut before you put the handlebars back on - 94 ft lbs. This is what locks the ring nuts. Finally, do remember to re-check the proper adjustment on those bearings in 5,000 miles or so - often new races will seat some more after they are put into service. That is why most of these bikes have loose steering heads well before 10,000 miles (not because the ring nuts move). Goose
  13. V7Goose
    Suspension preload on the Royal Stars is controlled by how much air is in the shock or forks - the air pressure works like an additional or stiffer spring. Suspension rebound is controlled by the thickness/condition of the oil and internal valving. Rebound is generally not adjustable unless you can change the oil (such as the front forks). An overly simplistic explanation is simply that the strength of the spring (and internal valving/oil weight) controls how fast the wheel moves UP when it hits a bump (and how far it moves up, based on the size of the bump and how fast it was hit), and rebound is the act of the spring pushing the wheel back. Damping controls how fast the wheel travels back down. Proper damping allows the suspension to quickly return to its previous position without overshooting or bouncing. Since the handling of a bike is greatly affected by how much travel there is in the suspension and the exact angle of the front suspension in relation to the road, the preload adjustment basically allows the bike to settle to the same exact height and angle for different weights. Where the shock has a moveable shoulder, this is accomplished by simply moving the spring further away from one end of the shock, in effect making the shock longer by pushing back against the weight on the spring so that when the spring is compressed more by a greater weight, it ends up in the same position. But since all shock springs are under some constant pressure even at full extension, this adjustment increases the initial pressure on the spring, which is where the term "preload" comes from. With an air-adjustable shock, the same effect is achieved by simply using compressed air in a rubber bladder as a second spring, effectively increasing the total spring strength instead of just putting the existing spring under more pressure. An ideal suspension is one that is perfectly tuned for the bike without any preload when the bike is ridden solo and unloaded. But since the solo rider can weigh anywhere from 100 to 400 lbs, no factory suspension can be properly tuned for all of us without being able to change the preload. Zero preload is usually only appropriate for the lightest of riders, not even the mythical "average" rider. If the suspension is properly designed for the machine, maximum preload is the ideal setting when the bike is loaded to the printed maximum gross vehicle weight in the manual. Anything in between requires testing by the rider to determine how much preload is best for the actual weight on the bike. When you throw riding style and personal preference into the mix, this subject gets much more complicated, so I think I'll just stop here. Goose
  14. V7Goose
    If the problem goes away with heat, it is more likely a bad component in the starter relay or ignitor than a loose connection. But heck, it could even be a bad sidestand switch or pickup coil - we are all still guessing until tests narrow it down. Goose
  15. V7Goose
    Well, yes, there is plenty of gas in the bowls when the pump is working and no fuel restriction. But what about if the pump is intermittently NOT working? What about if something is intermittently blocking the petcock screens? Of course I have no way of knowing if either of these things is actually happening, but that is what a planned test is all about. Goose
  16. V7Goose
    Carry a long allen wrench with you to access the carb drains. When it dies, turn the key off, then back on. Does the fuel pump click? It should not. Turn the key off. Now open one of the carb drains - if it is full, it should take about 10 seconds to all drain out - much less and it shows you are actually starving for gas. Don't forget to close the drain again! Now turn the key back on. Does the fuel pump click? It should. Goose
  17. V7Goose
    There is an article in the tech library here: http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=511 From your description, your steering bearings are quite loose. Adjustment is quick and easy following the tech article, and if done right, they do NOT loosen up again. IMHO, taking 6 hours to completely remove the fairing and handlebars to get the top plate off and access the ring nuts from the top is pretty dumb unless you are actually going to take the steering head apart and grease the bearings. Riding any extended time with loose steering bearings will damage them, so do not put off the adjustment. Greasing the bearings is an important job that should not be skipped when due, but if that job is not due, then just take 5 minutes (instead of 6 hours) and get those bearings properly adjusted now! Just a few comments on the tech article to help you understand it. When checking the tightness of the bearings, the forks should turn either direction from center from their OWN weight - only a gentle touch is necessary to start the motion, not a real "push". When they hit the stop at the end of the swing, they should either just stop there, or at most, rebound a small amount and hold (not hitting the stop twice). Usually this test is best turning to the left side, since the big wire bundle on the left side of the steering head sometimes causes the forks to not move as smoothly all the way to the stop on the right side. The reason why this shortcut method of tightening the ring nuts works is a somewhat strange locking process that Yamahaha uses. The two ring nuts have a tab washer that locks them together, but that tab washer is not keyed to the shaft as you normally see - the only locking is provided by the pressure of the cap nut on the top plate against the top ring nut. Once the cap nut is loose, there is nothing that stops those ring nuts from moving together easily. And that is why that top cap nut has a 94 ft lb torque spec! A high torque is important to properly lock the ring nuts in place. Because of this high torque, I strongly recommend you do NOT try to move that cap nut with any type of pliers - you really need the 22mm or 1 1/16" open end wrench. And since you cannot use a torque wrench on the nut when you are done, you need to go with the calibrated wrist method. Normally I discourage this, especially on any engine part or safety item like brakes, but I am comfortable with it here because the torque spec is so high, and all it does is push the plate against the ring nuts. Using an open end wrench on the cap nut, you should pretty much apply all the pressure you can to torque it down. Goose
  18. V7Goose
    Frankly folks, I have seen absolutely ZERO evidence that there is anything wrong with NGK plugs at all. Virtually all of these bikes are running with NGK plugs - don't know how many thousands of them, but many thousands at four plugs each. And we have what, 2, maybe 3 people with a grudge against NGK? The odds are clearly in our favor! But hey, what do I know? I like Champion plugs too - always have. And LOTS more people hate Champion plugs than hate NGK!!! But somehow I STILL manage to put 20,000 miles a year on my RSV (with NGK plugs) without a breakdown! Guess I'm just lucky. Here's hoping the luck continues, Goose
  19. V7Goose
    Certainly sounds like you have a water pump problem to me. A small oil leak into the coolant will turn to foam and be blown into the overflow. Goose
  20. V7Goose
    Fuel turned on? Is the fuel pump clicking when you turn on the key? It should not be unless the bike has been sitting for several days, so if it clicks every time you turn the key on, that means it is not getting any fuel. If it does not click at all, either it is normal, or the pump could be bad. Open one of the drain valves on a carb to verify there is fuel in it and that the pump now clicks when you turn the key on next time. Goose
  21. V7Goose

    seat bolts

    V7Goose replied to frankc's topic in Watering Hole

    I have no idea what bike you have.
  22. V7Goose
    Use a gauge to verify it is holding air pressure over several days - it should not loose any. If it does, make sure the valve core is tight. If it still looses pressure, get it fixed under warranty. On a side note, the oil and air are separate chambers on this shock, so leaking one will have no effect on the other. Goose
  23. V7Goose
    Make sure that your CB is off when you are having this problem. There is a bug in the radio design that I have documented in detail in some older threads that causes similar problems sometimes after the bike is started with BOTH the radio and CB turned on. But since few people have their CB on very much, most of the time this problem is the connector, as described above. Goose
  24. V7Goose
    No, that is just for the radio control head. If you are having problems with losing trip meter and clock settings, check the "backup fuse" in the main fuse box. Goose
  25. V7Goose
    No-Mar machines are very nice, but the price is just stupidly ridiculous. They have recently introduced a cheaper version called the Cycle Hill Tire Machine for $465. Looks like a good product if you don't mind dumping $500 on it! Goose
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