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2008 (January through April) Wednesday, January 2 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear
Anon, A very Happy New Year to you and all your readers! Charging problems like this can be damn difficult to cure on the first go-round. Because the voltage drops when rpm increases my guess would be that you have a open in the rotor windings. (Why the reader suspects the starter coil I've no idea, unless it's just a misprint). The theory here is that as engine rpm increases centrifugal force causes one of the rotor windings to separate and lose continuity. Unfortunately I don't have a V-Max manual handy so I'm not even sure how the charging system operates. If it uses a brush type of alternator (unlikely but Yamaha always liked those systems) you may just have a bad brush. What your reader needs to do is perform a full diagnostic check on the system, nit just a voltage check. I'd check the stator and rotor for resistance and continuity and also check the amperage and voltage output. They also need to check the regulator/rectifier for condition and leakage, particularly the rectifier diodes. A problem like this can also be caused by a loose or corroded connection or ground so I'd trace the current path before condemning any components unless they have proven to be bad. Lastly there are some very good re builders out there - RICKY STATOR comes to mind that can save you a ton of money over OEM parts. Take care, – Mark Z. Wednesday, January 9 Dear VTwin Mama, I have a 2003 Nomad 1500 and when I bough it, it did the same a lot, specially on hot days. What I have done, I took the air filter chrome cover off (left side) and covered the intake with a plastic piece. I then drilled several holes on the bottom half ( 3:00 to 9:00) of the plastic half where the chrome cover mounts. So far I only had a slight ping when I use cheap gas. I also took the rear baffles off the stock exhaust, making the back pressure slightly less and it gave my bike a nice deep tone, not as loud as aftermarket pipes, but louder then stock. I take my wife on rides two up a lot, our combined weight is about 400 lbs. and going up almost any grade, the bike pulls nice in 5th gear, and picks up nicely as fast as I want to go. My bike is going on 63,000 miles. Total cost? $19.50 for a cutting tool to drill the baffles out! If anybody wants photos, email me at moco5997@msn.com and I will send them. Hope this helps some souls out there. Sincerely, – Jesus in La Verne, CA Dear
Jesus, Tuesday, January 22 Dear VTwin Mama, Now to my question -- I do use the bike to commute (price of gas & all) ... just got a pair of heated gloves -- I'll go as long as it's 30 degrees or higher. How do I figure out how many additional electric dodads the bike can deal with? I'm looking at getting some more lights. Thank you so much for all you do. I have (and continue to) browse your site for info/support/help! Many Thanks, – Gigi Dear Gigi, Each device on a motorcycle has a certain power (wattage) need and the motorcycle's overall power (wattage) availability is determined by the charging system. In your owner's manual it should show the alternator's output in watts ... if not, multiple the stated alternator amps and volts together to get watts. Most stock bikes will have quite a few extra watts ready to take on new additions, but if you add lots of stuff (heated gloves, heated grips, radio, comm systems, GPS, lights, etc.), then you're heading for problems as the bike wouldn't be able to keep everything running and leads to hard starts or overheated wiring. So, those gloves are probably a plug-in type, to a circuit that can handle a certain power load. Bike lights should be checked for their wattage draw. If you have the wattage numbers for the items you are adding, you can call the dealer's service department and ascertain if you're going over the limit in any way. Also, when you add those lights or anything else that isn't going to a plug-in, you'll need to consider the fuse to that circuit, because the fuse may blow otherwise. That's if you're wiring right into an already existing circuit. Otherwise you can create an independent circuit with its own fuse, but still need to think about the power draw to the overall bike. My guess would be that you're thinking of adding additional LED type lights, which don't draw much power or generate much heat. The note here would be is that if you're replacing existing lights, you may need to add a load balancer, as the originals drew more power and the LED system may not operate correctly without the load balancer. If you're just adding them to the system, you should be golden, but that's why it's important to read the product literature closely. Hopefully I've given you enough information so you know what you need to consider and ask about. – Mama Monday, February 4 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Adam, You might also try visiting the Magna Owners of Texas site, which has tons of tips and tricks and someone there might be able to help! – Mama Thursday, February 21 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear J.C., "The drop of oil may portend a failing head gasket, it may indicate a loose bolt, or it may be just a drop of oil that snuck past the ice cold head and barrel. Or it may just be a little bit of condensation that mixed with grunge on the head and ran down a fin. If you can see oil pumping past the gasket when the engine is running, then yeah, you're going to have to make the appropriate repairs. I'd start by re-torquing the head and rocker boxes, if that doesn't stop the oil it's probably time for head gasket. If the oil isn't actively running out, just ride the bike and see what develops, at some point it'll either get worse or you'll realize it's not worth worrying about." So, there you have it. Proceed with caution, but start 'er up and see what's happening and then take the steps outlined above! – Mama Monday, February 25 For No Name and anyone hearing noise in the rear wheel: I have a 2007 VStar 650 Classic and this past summer I started hearing a noise in my rear wheel after I rode about 20-30 miles. It did not do it when it was cold, so I took it to the dealer. They rode it until they heard it, then jacked it up and it went away. It would not make it without weight. If I sat on it it would do it rolling back or pushing it forward. They tried several things including putting a wheel from another bike on and it went away it Ended up being that the wheel bearing was a little loose in the hub, so they put a new hub on and the noise is gone. – Anonymous (note from Mama: thanks for sharing what you learned about this situation and glad to hear you're running smoothly again. Let's recall that if you are hearing a noise that is wheel related, it's important not to ignore it as it's wheels that keep us correctly in contact with the road and is a huge safety issue.) Monday, February 25 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Anon, With that knowledge under your belt, then perhaps the next smart thing is to hop onto a specific message board for VStars ... you would be able to talk possibilities out and find out what worked and didn't work for people riding your make/model. – Mama Monday, March 10 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Ray, If you don't have a service manual, then it's a good idea to get one, as it outlines parts diagrams and system set-ups. Check my Education Center page for online sources or see if the dealer has one in stock or will order one in for you. Aftermarket about $25! Since this sounds exactly like a problem I had on my BMW, and your bike has a shaft drive as well, I'm going to guess that the speedo cable is running to the rear drive unit. The cable screws in there. Check for tightness. If that's not it, then make sure all dirt is removed and unscrew it. Look inside with a flashlight. There is a ring in there and if it came loose (it's heat-seated into the unit), that would account for the problem (sometimes registers a speed, sometimes some random low speed). I had to have a dealer remove the final drive and reset that ring. The reason mine happened is because the bike sat for some years (before I bought it) and the system wasn't circulating the oil, keeping the ring bathed. Even though I was running it, it simply came loose ... and even threw the dealer in trying to locate the problem! – Mama Wednesday, March 12 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Michael, Thursday, April 3 Hello group, Dear PS, However, your indications that you know you're running a little bit leaner and hotter gives me concern. In reading this Motorcycle Cruiser magazine article, lean and hot over time can cause serious problems down the line. I'd read through this completely. One question that comes to mind ... you may not have noticed any appreciable change in operation when you ran the bike in Denver vs. Alabama, but with the pipe change, it's more noticeable. I'm wondering how they jet their bikes at the dealerships in Denver ... slightly smaller pilot jet so it's not running rich in the thinner air? This could be one orifice size smaller than a sea-level set-up bike, and thus you've got the lean condition. I'm also guessing this bike has sat for some time, given the year and the total number of miles. I'm not sure what work you've done on it already, but I'd be running carb cleaner through the system and considering doing a carb rebuild to get new gaskets and rings in. That rubber dries out and may not be seating as well as you think, leading to too much air for a leaner condition. You could also have some gumming up. So, if you're up for opening up the carb, I'd call a local dealer, find out what the stock orifice sizes were for that year, and check what's in your bike. If they can't help with a rebuild kit, then head to OldBikeBarn ... they've got one. My advice ... look into it more ... that's a nice Virago you've got there and many wish your model hadn't been pulled off the production line! – Mama Monday, April 7 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Kostas, So, I would go to the Honda New Zealand site and contact Blue Wing Honda in Aukland and see if they can help. If I recall correctly, another person did this and was only able to get a copy of the parts list, because the motorcycle is no longer made, but it wouldn't hurt to try! On oil capacity, my thought is that if you drain the oil and change the filter, then simple have enough liters of oil on hand (a US quart is almost the same as a liter) ... probably 5 liters would be enough. I'm not sure if there is an oil level inspection window or just a dipstick, but either way, add some oil with the bike centered, check the window or dipstick and continue adding until you've got the right level. Then run the bike in neutral, turn it off, let the oil settle (about 5-10 minutes) and check it again! – Mama Tuesday, April 8 Hi VTM, Dear Trish, Yes, I see that on the Chromeheads site there are a number of discussions on vibration and well worth looking to look at the things they pointed out, like tire condition and covers that maybe are touching/rubbing another part. I'd also consider pulling the wheels and having them put on a tire changer/spin balancer to see if somehow one or the other tire is no longer in perfect balance. As a R1200C rider though, I'll note I have no vibration, intermittent or otherwise, at higher speeds, and I routinely ride at 80 or 90 mph (130-145 km/hr) and higher. I will add however, that I've noticed that sometimes my bike settles in at the higher speeds differently. If I'm gathering speed very quickly, and thus changing gears very quickly at the mid point of the possible rpm in that gear, when I reach 5th gear, the bike "feels" like it's not settling in as well. However, if I more slowly come up to speed, running each gear closer to the end of the rpm range, then when I settle in at 145 km/hr, my bike is running and settling in beautifully! So you might try that as an experiment ... do quick ramp ups to speed and then slower ones and see if there is a difference. The other thing that I will note, even through you are clearly an experienced rider of many years and bikes, is that it's possible that sometimes, when you're riding at the higher speeds, you may be gripping the handblebar differently. A tighter grip may be setting up a vibration as you're not giving the front wheel its full ability to navigate the small bumps in the road. So a bump sets up a wheel jostle, which is transfered to the frame, and because you're holding on tighter, that vibration is translating to your body. We often call it a deathgrip. Given the intermittent nature of what you are describing, the next time you feel the vibration, check your grip ... and purposefully loosen it up a bit and see if that isn't it. If all of this doesn't solve the problem, I would be locating any motorcycle dealer/shop with a Dynamometer tester. This is a machine that runs the bike at full load and looks at system performance. If there is an inherent vibration in the system, the dyno test will reveal it. Usually about $100 US. – Mama VTwin Mama, Dear Gina, Don't forget Gina, you can always call the dealer's service department with a question and I would consider getting a service manual for future use. The parts diagrams in this instance would have quickly answered the question on how this all is assembled. – Mama Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Lee60, You'll have to double check the battery now ... make sure all the cells have the proper water level (if it's an acid battery) and then recharge. Then I'd pull the spark plugs and see if they are fouled or have deposits on the curved end and if there are any cracks in the white ceramic part. Plugs should be replaced every year; it's simple, it's cheap, and saves a lot of headache! So just do it anyway! Sputtering with backfiring to me signals that the gas/air mix hitting the plugs to drive the pistons isn't right. The plugs aren't igniting the mix right, so the firing sequence isn't steady, and unburned gas is also then moving through the system and "pops" in your exhaust when it burns as it leaves, causing the backfire. If that doesn't solve it, then I'd check the condition of your air filter. Then I'd turn the gas petcock to off, locate the lowest most bottom bolt on the carburetor, and drain that into a clear container (you're looking for a water and dirt layer to separate out from the gas). Then I'd rebolt and add carb cleaner to a new tank of gas. – Mama Monday, April 21 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Jacques, Just go to the J&P Cycle site, type in kickstand in the search box at the upper left, and you'll see the products I mention! – Mama Tuesday, April 22 For Gina and her 2003 Sporty Hugger 883 and the floorboards that won't stay put: Gina mentioned "footboards" on her Sportster, not foot pegs! If she has footboards, those were probably an aftermarket item added by the previous owner and not a stock part. Loctite should take care of the problem; if it doesn't she may need to replace/rework adapting aftermarket footboards to work on her bike or go back to footpegs. – M. (note from Mama: oh, oh, I missed that completely, but looking at a stock 2003, you're right, it had footpegs, so the floorboards were added afterward. Good catch!) Wednesday, April 23 From Lee60 whose bike was sputtering and backfiring: My dead Virago 700 is dead no longer! I wanted to thank you for your input regarding the possible issues, however, the fix was so easy and so unexpected that I'd like to share it with you. I called the local dealership and described the symptoms and they immediately said, "Yep, check the ignition switch , it's probably loose, if your key wiggles in it, tighten the 2 screws. If that's not it check the main fuse under the seat. If that's not it check the fuse on the little red wire that runs off the positive battery wire." So, because I simply can't follow directions and must do things my own way, I took the side cover off and jiggled the battery cables. Instant power and the bike turned right over and started up with no sputtering! I then cleaned all the terminals and battery cable ends and tightened them. My bike is running better than ever! The really interesting benefit is the starter. I knew that the '85 Virago 700 starters were notoriously horrible, so I chalked up all the grinding and reluctant starting to a crappy starter. But ever since I cleaned the battery terminals my bike has consistently started on the first attempt with no grinding! I'm no mechanic and I had never even considered the possibility that a loose connection could make my bike spontaneously sputter, buck and backfire. I'm back on the road and thrilled that I was able to accomplish that with minimal effort. Life is good. – Lee60. (note from Mama: I am soooo glad you found the source of the problem ... you're right, that never occurred to any of us! Thanks for this timely reminder that batteries need attention, just like plugs, the air cleaner, and fluid levels!) Hey whoever is out there, Dear Anon, If you don't have or won't go to the nearest Lifan dealer, why not contact the main U.S. headquarters at http://www.americanlifan.com/. You may a warranty coverage issue (is it covered or will a non-Lifan part void any warranty) ... I'd pose any and all questions or concerns with them, even using the toll free number in Dallas, TX at 877-341-2933. – Mama Wednesday, April 30 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Waiting to Ride, Then I'd yank those spark plugs and replace, and don't just repeat what's in there; double check with the local dealer's parts department that you've got the right heat range plug and gapping. It does make a difference. Given that you've got two carbs on that motorcycle, you may be looking at a synchronization problem. You should be able to find general/generic sync procedures online, but a service manual, specific to your year/make/model may something you'll want to invest in. So, you've worked on the carbs, but you could have some gunk (small dirt particles) trapped in the fuel filter or fuel line that dislodged once the bike was started up again. I'd also be looking for the CDI unit (ignition related) ... while this is typically associated with a starting problem, a CDI that has gotten wet (typically because someone power washed the bike, a real no no) can also cause all sorts of headaches whose symptoms don't appear related. So, that's my short list on where to look next. I hope it helps! – Mama |
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