Miles
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Everything posted by Miles
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First...I am glad you live in Texas too. Second, it is an oxymoron to say you went for a long, long ride...of about 160 miles. My question would be: What did you do after breakfast? Third, I for one do not like riding in temps over 70 degrees. Some of us from the North (of the Mason/Dixon Line) prefer to ride in cooler weather. Give me 45 to 60 degrees, and I am happy. Would even prefer to ride in zero degrees, than 80 + degrees. Now, go back to preparing your barbeque for Christmas dinner.
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New rear tire...
Miles replied to PuttPutt's topic in Royal Star and Royal Star Tour Deluxe Tech Talk
Hey Fuzzy & Mike, okay...I hear you guys, but...50 psi is TOO high of pressure for the back tire of your bikes. You may in fact have had success, but...you will most likely do better with a lower psi, like 40 to 42 psi. Really ! I hear you that you are happy with the mileage, performance, etc. of the tires are 50 psi, but...(a lot of buts in here), you can do better than you have been. Secondly, your personal body weight has NOTHING at all to do with what pressure your tires should be set at. None, nada, zero, nothing. At some point in your lives someone has told you this erroneous story about your weight, and you bought into it. Whether you weight 150 lbs, or 300 lbs, your tire should be set at the exact same pressure. Period ! The air front forks are to be adjusted to support your weight, and type of riding you do, but more importantly...it is the rear air shock on your bikes that you adjust to compensate for your body weight. Yes, both the front and rear air suspension system plays a part in supporting your weight, but the rear suspension plays the larger part. Whether you agree with me, or argue with me, at least TRY running a brand new set of tires at 40 psi...front and rear...and then tell me what youe mileage is. Is you are in fact running Avon Venoms, then adjust the pressures up by 2 psi...not 10 psi. (just kidding here) As long as there are motorcycles and tires, people will continue to waste money on their motorcycle tires due to either under-inflation, or over-inflation, until they all listen to me. -
Newby ! (ha ha ha ha ha) I love that there are so many of us old guys on this forum, with 40 + years riding and wrenching experience.
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I like the look. Ya done good, for a B.C. kid.
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JohnB, now that you have heard from Gary, and from Squidley, and now from me, you can take it to the bank, that with over 125 years experience between the three of us...we all agree that 99.9999999999% of all motorcycles ever made do NOT have fork tubes that slip up and down in the triple-tree clamps, unless there is something loose and at fault. They simply are not designed to do that. Your friend that told you about the fork tubes doing this...is a poopy head...of the 37th degree. Now that this is settled, bring us something we can think about for more than a nano second, that may possibly challenge our brains. One thing is for sure, if you ask the question here, you will get a good consensus of quality opinions from experienced riders and techs.
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Correct me if I am wrong (not everyone at once), but don't we have someone on this forum that has the valve cover gaskets, and valve shim kit, that...if I buy the valve cover gaskets from them, they allow me to use the shim kit ??? This is for my '06 RSMTD.
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Went to the Seattle version of the International Bike Show today, got there before they opened at 9:30 am. Looked all around, saw some bikes, and...saw the new Honda F6B. They only had the all Black one, which is the one I want. Turns out...according the "most" of the Honda reps there (and I found out that they did not know all the facts of life) that the Black bike only comes as the standard model F6B. And the Red/Black bike only comes as the Deluxe model F6B. That is stupid on Honda's part. There are items on the Deluxe model that I want...but I don't want the Red/Black bike. So, I guess I will have to buy a standard model, all Black, and then add the items I want...that Honda is too stupid to offer as a Black Deluxe model. As per the Honda motorcycles website, the standard model will be available in BOTH colors, and the deluxe will be available in both colors...hmmm. But, having said that...the bike is thee BOMB, Man ! I love the all blacked out effects, and the cruiser art-deco styling of this bike. Having owned 3 Goldwing 1800's before, this is a nice departure from the stale Goldwing. And...Honda has opened up ordering starting now. They are taking orders, and first deliveries should be by end of February, or first week in March at the latest. I can foresee a new bike in my future.
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Frank, the general rule of thumb is that HOT tires are usually 10 % higher in pressure than COLD tires. Yes, it is best to set your tire pressures when the tires are cold. That is not always convenient, and sometimes adjustments must be made. So if I set my RSMTD tires are 40 psi cold...then I should expect that when the tires are good and hot, they should read about 44 psi, given if the altitude has remained constant. Yes, altitude does play a role in tire pressures, but not as large a role as some may think, or is assumed. The rule should be...set your tire pressures for the correct pressure...at the altitude where you live. If I live at sea level, then I set my tires to 40 psi. If I live in Leadville, Colorado, then I would set my tires to 40 psi. You see...40 psi is 40 psi, no matter where you set it. BUT...it is the change in altitude that can affect the pressure on the tire. Setting a tire at 40 psi at sea level, say in Miami, FL. at 6:00 am, and riding to Leadville, Colorado that same day (gulp) (that is a difficult ride), not only would the tire pressure change due to temperature conditions, but also due to altitude changes. What WAS 40 psi in Miami would not be 40 psi in Leadville. On the road, I try to not dwell too much on the altitude changes on my tires. I do take that into consideration, but not dwell on it. I am more concerned about temperature changes of the tire. The best rule you can use...Set your tire pressures when the bike is cold, for wherever you are at, for the psi you are used to using, despite altitudes or ambient air temps. That means, if I set my tires to 40 psi in the morning in San Diego, and ride around all day, I can check them again the next morning in Leadville, CO. (a ride that is doable), and set them at 40 psi in that morning in Leadville, and my tires will be correct. The real # 1 problem is not altitude or ambient air temps...the real # 1 problem is riders riding on under-inflated tires, because they assume that the motorcycle manufacturers are correct about what tire pressures they bike should run. In most cases, the motorcycle manufacturers are NOT correct, because they are using very outdated information when relevent to the new tires on the market. Example, when the Honda GL1800 Goldwing came out in 2001, Dunlop had not developed the E-3 radials yet. The original 1800 Wings were shod with either Dunlop D250 radials, or Bridgestone radials. This...is what happens when I get up at 4:45 am, on a Saturday.
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What in the world did you do to your Wing? It looks like you let it fall off a cliff, get run over by a fully loaded cement truck, and then entered it into the next Star Trek movie as a stand-in prop. Please, bring back your old Wing, pumpkin colour and all. (the colour is just for you Canucks)
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Some of the really new digital guages are pretty good, but I would not go for the $ 5.00 ones. If you want to go digital, go for a name brand one. As for the mechanical ones, I beleive that accu-gage probably still makes the best. In the old days, most motorcycle shops sold these. They were the dial guage that usually was a brass housing. The one I have been using for over 20 years also has the rubber boot on the outside of the brass housing, to protect it. I compare it to my Snap On hose/pressure gauge, for accuracy. I do carry a relatively cheap digital one, just in case, as it is light weight and not a worry if I lose it. http://www.autosportcatalog.com/tire-gauges/accugage-tire-gauge.cfm?mgsku=pp273&sc=57513&sc=57513&mr:trackingCode=78C6A2A7-8881-DE11-B7F3-0019B9C043EB&mr:referralID=NA&mr:adType=pla&mr:ad=16737320206&mr:keyword=&mr:match=&mr:filter=19459378246&origin=pla&gclid=CJvUn8iTm7QCFYp_QgodXX0AUQ
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Is anyone else going to the International Motorcycle Show in Seattle...tomorrow? I will be going, and am willing to stop by and pick up any invalids living in the area, that can't make it there on there own. If you want a ride, need a ride, or are simply too lazy to go on your own, post back to me, and I will be you up. They better have the new Honda F6B there, or I am going to get upset.
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Randy, I have not taken it out of my shop for a ride yet. I have a couple other things I want to do to the bike, while I have it deep in my shop, like a complete valve adjust, and a couple wiring items. When I do get it out, I fully expect to love it, and will check out the new top speed, as per my Garmin, to see how it relates to the old top speed of XYY. I am hoping it will change the top speed to XXX. It may be a short while to do the test, as I need to break in the new rear tire, and I want to do the ride in Nevada. Otherwise, I am fully anticipating loving the new gearing.
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MikeWa, sorry buddy, but you need to hurry up this healing, because I am counting on you to be one of the six people that I promised would ride from Washington State to the International Rally in Galena, ILL next year. Hate to put pressure on you, but...that is the way we roll in WA. State. (Mike, if you need ANYTHING, you contact me)
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So, I sent my rear diff off to John Furbur at RMSportmax, and he did his thing to it to chnage out the gears to make it ther RS-Max gears. Most of you know what that means, so I will not explain. He sent the rear diff back to me, leaving his shop on Pennsylvania two days ago, it was in my hands this morning, and in less than 82 minutes...ta da...the entire bike was all back together, everything re-insatlled, a new rear tire on it, and the bike fully on the road. Hey, less than 82 minutes was pretty good. Of course, I had everything prepped and ready to receive the revised rear diff. All parts were cleaned, newly greased, and all tolls laid out. But still...in less than 82 minutes. I have other things I still am doing to the bike, like a full valve adjustment, and fixing two wiring items. But it is nice to have the bike abck on two wheels. BTW, he did re-gear MY rear diff, as I asked him to, rather than swap mine out for someone else's.
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Dan, I wish you the very best in recovery from this 6th, and hopefully last operation. Honestly, is there anything we can do to help? ANYTHING?
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If they can get the price point down to under $ 15k, I could see them selling well enough to saty in business. I would buy one for my wife. She has a 12 mile commute to work, 24 miles RT, and it would allow her to ride more days of the year, whereas she puts her other bikes to bed in the much wetter seasons.
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Hey, Buck Roy, I am willing to relinguish the purchase of the centerstand to you, as I now have other plans. I assume that you too have received the seller's contact info, so...please...contact the seller and get that centerstand. I am going forward with my original plans to add a sidecar to my RSMTD, and would only have use of a bike centerstand for less than a year. Once I add the Champion Legend sidecar, I would have no use for the bike centerstand. So, Buck Roy, go for it.
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First, to answer your question, yes tire pressures are slightly different on different brans of tires, but not off by that much. Typically a Metzler and an Avon take slightly higher pressures than Dunlop or Bridgestones or Michelins. Secondly, very contrary to what the Michelin rep said, I would say that the tire pressure info that is on the placard of the bike...is info for uninformed riders, that are very new to riding, and have no idea of how to do the simple basics. Example, if you look at what Mother Honda tells the GL1800 riders to use for psi, they say to use 36 psi on the front, and 40 psi on the rear. That is so wrong...it is unbelievable. Any 1800 Wing rider that uses only 36 psi on the front tire is wasting a tire, and the handling performance of their bike. A 1800 Wing should be running 40 psi front, and 41-42 psi on the rear. Period ! I really agree with Flyinfool that your guage makes a big difference. Using the same guage matters, I use a very accurate...accugauge. I have tested it many time for many years, and it is always accurate. I have had it for 20 + years, it has the rubber boot around it, and I am the only person to ever touch it. On road trips, I check my tire prerssures every day, or every other day, dependent on altitudes, and air/road temps. But, to me...road trips are 5k to 15k miles long. If you have a Gen 2 Venture or RSTD, and you are using less than 40 psi on the front tire...you are underinflated. Period !
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Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.
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Bob, given that my wife is from Rochester, and went to college in Buffalo, I will not say anything bad about your comments, as I have learned to not speak ill to NY's. You have a point on Paul Jr.'s bike, but if had had in fact used a Flat-Head V-8, the other builders would have picked on him for using a CAR engine. Yes, it would have looked good with a 85 hp dual waterpump Ford V-8, but he would not be able to get away with it. The texting and twittering public would have tore him up. Personally, once I saw the custom made V-8 badge he made for the bike, I think it would have been better to use an original OEM Ford V-8 badge, the chrome one from the late 30's. Now, I personally liked the exhaust sytem he made. I think it looks good. But the large...Made in NEW YORK...badge he made for just above the exhaust (okay, I know you like it because you are from NY), but I think it would have been better to say...Made in America, or USA. You are right that Gas Monkey made a real, old school, original "chopper". That is from my era. And I like that, BUT...in todays world, 2012, the voting public with all their texting and twittering (urg) does not appreciate an old school original chopper. They did build a real chopper, from the way that choppers were originated, but today...they needed tom take it a step further. I do agree with you that after all was said and done...they did deserve 2nd place. Yes, it was a soap opera, and I wish I could have just cut to the very last 5 minutes of the 3 1/2 hour long show, but...they have to pay for their advertisers. I did watch the entire show, which did drag out. But was happy that PJD won again. Amish Mafia, wasn't that the new Soap Opera?
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I have to concur with my colleague down in Sacra-tomato. I run both tires are exactly 40 psi, and have found them to perform the best at that pressure, and I get very good mileage out of them at that pressure. What is good mileage...about 20k from a set of tires. Unlike some people, I like to replace both tires at the same time, so that I always have a matched set, wear wise. Running 35 psi on the front is WAY too low. Running 45 on the rwear is WAY too high. You personal body weight has nothing to do with it. NOTHING ! Your body weight comes into play when adjusting the suspension air ride on these bikes. At your weight, you should be running about the same as Condor, at 7 psi for front air forks, and about 40 to 50 psi for rear shock. I run exactly 5 psi on the front, and 35 psi on the rear. I ride solo 100 % of the time, but do carry an aux. fuel cell on the back seat rack some of the time, but that is only an additional 40 lbs. Folks, I am a tire pressure nut, or guru, depending on which side of the fence you are standing. For several years I was a test rider for Dunlop, and they would get their tire psi specs from me. Really ! I can tell you with no uncertainty, that the 2nd gen Venture and RSTD bikes should be running 40/40 psi, and that is that.
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As I predicted, Paul Jr. did in fact win the biker build off, for the second year in a row. I was wrong about the guys from Gas Monkey Garage, as it turns out they took 2nd place, and I predicted 4th place for them. I guess a lot of people that text and tweet like pink motorcycles. And the other two poopy-heads, they tied for last place. For some reason Jesse James, (whom I know well) did not remember that someone else, years ago, came up with the idea of a H-D sportsbike. It was Eric Buell, and for several years his Buell bikes, in collaboration with, and eventually bought out by H-D, were a nice sportsbike with an H-D engine. Jesse must have been high during all those years, because he has the opinion that he is the first builder in the world to ever design a H-D powered sportsbike. Well...duh...Paul Sr. did the same thing, built an H-D powered sportsbike, and finished his a month before Jesse did. Ultimately...Paul Jr., and the team at PJD did the best job in design, and blew everyone away for two years in a row.
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Thank you. I look forward to him contacting me. If it comes down to a bidding war for this centerstand...I win !
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I would love to know where, as I cannot find it. I am not on Facebook, and cannot find it on the VR classifieds. Can you tell me where, or show me the link, or have the seller contact me?
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After seeing the finished product of all 4 shops...I believe: Gas Monkey Garage's bike is too plain jane chopper, with nothing really special about it. Yes, I know they took a 1967 generator Shovelhead bike, and that is an uncommon bike, but in the end, their bike will finish in 4th place. Jesse James' bike is now finished, even though he asked for an additional two weeks, which quite frankly was not fair to the other builders. In the end, Jesse built a bike that in looks...looks very similar to what Paul Sr. built. Yes, their bikes are different, but they look similar. And complain all he wants to, Jesse did not hand build every inch of his bike. He ordered the engine from a custom builder, a 120" engine. In the end, Jesse's bike will finish in 3rd place. Paul Sr. (what a dip wad), did in fact actually build a motorcycle this time, and it is nice, and unique. I like his bike, BUT...from the audience point of view, and from looks alone, his bike looks similar to what Jesse built. In the end, Paul Sr.'s bike will finish in 2nd place. Paul Jr., PJD and team, once again built a very cool designed bike. Of course this is my opinion. I get that. But I am paid very well for my opinions. I love that he incorporated the designs of the automotive lines and engineering of the 30's and 40's cars. Given that the other three shops are all seriously into cars (Paul Sr. has a huge private collection of cars), then the other shops should appreciate the design of Paul Jr.'s bike. I love how they built the exhaust system, to make it look like one half of a V-8 header pipe. The OEM old-school headlight bucket from a real old car was a nice touch. When all is said and done, the bike from PJD, Paul Jr. should finish in 1st place...again.