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2009 Friday, January 9 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Romel, 1) make sure the sparkplug is the right for your bike. To get a baseline, check the NGK Sparkplug site. Click on Yamaha, XV250 and then you will see the recommended plugs depending on what year your bike is. Even if you are not buying NGK plugs, the place you are buying them from should be able to cross reference the NGK number. Or, if you look at the manufacturer's name of your current plug, you can go to that site and check that you have the right plug. The reason to double check is that plugs need to conduct the right amount of heat and if you have the wrong plug it will not work correctly. If you bought this bike from a previous owner, you can't be sure that they had the right ones in the bike. 2) when you buy a sparkplug, it often says that it is pre-gapped (measured already). This of course is the gap between the center electrode and ground (curved L-shape) electrode on the end of the plug that is not white. It is important that you check the gap yourself with a feeler gauge. You will need to know the recommended gap from Yamaha ... that will be written in the owner's manual or you can call your local dealer. 3) it's possible that the sparkplug is fouling. This usually means that too much gas is being sent to the plug and it cannot ignite it correctly. Start the bike, let it run for a few minutes, and shut it down. Let the bike cool for a few minutes. Remove the plug. Does it smell like gas and maybe even be wet with gas? If your answer is yes, then the problem most likely is not the sparkplug. The amount of fuel sent to the sparkplug is done by the carburetor. It is running too rich (more gas than air). First check the air filter near the carburetor to see that it is clean. If the air filter is not clean, the carburetor cannot get enough air and the air/gas mix is rich. If the filter is clean then it might just be an adjustment to the carburetor. Please look at these three steps and if the problem still is not solved, email back and we'll continue to work on the problem. Mama Monday, January 26 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Rick, I see three Virago-specific sites on my Help By Make/Model page ... I'd head over to those sites and look for anyone who discusses this mod, especially as sometimes pictures are posted. It's a lot easier if you get some input from people with the same bike! Mama Monday, January 26 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Tim, I'll assume you hit the main catalogs at J&P Cycle, Dennis Kirk and JC Whitney. My next step was to search the Internet and still, I found more postings asking the same question! I did see the same bike for sale in Staten Island, NY ... call (646) 919-7844 ... that bike has a backrest and pad and maybe it was added later on ... so they can give you a source. Sorry, that's the best I could do on this one. Mama Friday, February 13 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Axel, So, it looks like it's time to pull the fuel filter and check the fuel lines. Crud caught in the filter is easy enough to spot, but something could be trapped in a line as well, given the age of the motorcycle. If that still doesn't solve it, I'd get that bike a dyno test, which should "catch" the hiccup you are experiencing and allow a trained tech to noodle out the most likely causes. I'm thinking the jetting because even though aftermarket companies do their best with re-jet kits, that doesn't mean it's always 100% on the money and the fine-tune can be a bear. Here's an article from J&P Cycles on the subject. Mama Friday, February 13 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Kelcy, The other option, which keeps costs down from buying a new seat, is to modify your boots. If they are good boots, meaning the sole is stitched, not glued, to the upper leather, than a shoe repair shop should be able to add to your boot bottoms. This then allows you to shift back in your seat more, still be flat-footed. You may need to consider a bit of both! If you would still like to explore seats, I'd take a look at this Accessories International page for the Virago 250. It looks like there are some real solutions for you, but jot down the ones you are interested in and then call the toll-free number as you want to make it will fit your bike's year. Mama Thursday, February 19 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Mary, Thursday, February 26 Hi Mama, Dear Reneι , Tuesday, March 17 Hello VTwin Mama, I have a 90 front tire & a 150 back tire, gas tank is 4.5 gal. The modifications I want to make is lower the the bike by 1" (which I read you can go with a smaller front tire), fatter front tire and maybe a little wider in the back, maybe a 200 like the Fat Boys, and a 5.0 gas tank. Is this possible? And how expensive is it? Thank you, Sheila in CA Dear Sheila, Yes, there are many ways to lower a bike or your position on it. Typically we counsel that changes to your seat height or boot heel height is preferable, because anytime you change something on the frame set-up, you're altering the original designed ride itself. What I'm talking about is looking at your seat and determining if some padding can be shaved from the sides or bottom to lower you ... if you need qualified assistance if noodling this out, contact Allen at Mean City Cycles (ad to the left) ... sure, he's an advertiser, but he's already helped a lot of VTwin Mama readers get their seat right. Also, check your footwear. You might find that a new boot with more sole will do the trick ... or if you already have a boot you love and the upper leather is stitched to the lower section, a shoe repair shop will be able to add some height to that boot. A smaller tire on the front will of course lower the bike, but most likely will impact the speedometer and odometer readings as a lot of bike systems use the front rim to pick-up speed info and translate it to miles. Follow the cable from your speedometer/odometer and then you'll know where it's getting its information from. The key to your tire change is the rim itself. A specific rim can only correctly support certain tire sizes. Since I'm a Metzler fan, I took a look on that site, but you can do it with any manufacturer, like Dunlop, Firestone, etc. All Metzler is showing is the 90 front and 150 back options, but if they had oversize options, it would have popped up. Go to other sites and do the same thing. Changing a rim isn't cheap ... you're looking at prices ranging from $400 - $900 depending on the style, and then you need to add the cost of the new tire. You also can't always go as fat as you want because of frame considerations. Personally, I would head to your local H-D dealer, preferably when the dealership isn't super busy (aka, weeknights vs. weekends) and see what the parts department has to say. Sorry, I don't know much about changing out gas tanks. In the H-D line-up of accessories for the 2009 version of your bike, I don't see options listed. My question is this ... 1/2 gallon is only going to get you about another 20 miles or so (based on 40 miles/gal). Since most riders like to stop and stretch between around 90 miles (1 1/2 hours), I can see that if you are getting 40 miles/gal, you would still really need to gas at every 90 mile stop, while others you are riding with, with bigger tanks, only have to gas every second time. Again, the parts department can open up their vast array of catalogs to show you what's possible. I don't know how much experience you have with talking to a parts department ... I know I found it intimidating the first few times ... but I just did it ... wrote down my info, was clear on what I was looking for, and learned that no matter who you are, they want to sell you something! Mama Tuesday, March 17 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Frustrated, "I was able to remove the nut with a short socket set and some WD40 (a suggestion from one of your readers). I attached the battery tender and my Harley is up and running. I find your web site very helpful, thank you for your time. No Longer Frustrated Tuesday, March 24 Dear VTwin Mama, One person suggested that I put a piece of leather on the bottom of the frame in front because the front tire kicks up the nail and the rear tire gets it. The leather is supposed to stop the nail and deflect it. Have you ever heard of a flat tire curse? The least charge for changing was $89 ... the most was $125. It takes about one hour. Any suggestions beside rim change or in addition to?? Thanks in advance. TTFN, Trish Dear Trish, Thursday, April 16 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Ernest, Saturday, April 18 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Jim, I'd also be running some carb cleaner through the system because the old gas (if it started turning to turpentine) could be clogging something like the main jet or gas lines. Then it's on to fine tuning the pilot mix and idle mix. That's all I can think of at the moment. Mama Monday, May 18 Dear Mama, Dear David, Core stock parts for the old metrics can usually be found at Old Bike Barn or on eBay. On my Bike Fix: Lowering the Bike page, you'll find a link to a company that does custom shock shortening work ... at the very least you can talk with them and see why or why not your bike's shocks can be modified. I'm thinking that you would benefit greatly by approaching an independent motorcycle shop in your area. If anything, they may be able to advise you on what's possible and what it's going to take to do what you want. I'd also be searching for a specific Honda Shadow 500 message board ... although all I could find was the more general Honda Shadow.net board. Mama Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Joe, Wednesday, May 20 We must have seen some of the same videos. I ended up drilling out the whole baffle. It worked GREAT! It did run pretty rough till we had the carbs adjusted. But now it runs and sounds like a new bike. Got the sound she wanted for a fraction of the cost. Thanks for the info and happy riding. Joe (note from Mama: as you noted, a whole baffle removal can require some adjustment then in the air/gas mix, so one should always be prepared for that possibility when altering exhaust baffles, even with a new system.) Sunday, May 24 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Alys, Here is Alys's input on how she got things working: I took the bull by the horns and just started unscrewing
(un-hex-keying?) at the obvious points, and it turns out to be WAY easy.
The guy who advised that I'd need to take my handlebars off because
there isn't enough room to work, well, perhaps he has giant fingers?
Sometimes being a girl (OK, pretty much always being a girl) works to my
advantage. Wednesday, May 27 Dear VTwin Mama, Just so my readers know, we began noodling this out together via private email as this can take some back and forth to get to the essence of the problem. Readers, what you're now reading is a summary of everything, so that not only can you see how I research this type of question, but so you can learn from it as well. Dear Philip, So, now I'm looking at the Rear Brake Panel diagram for the 250 ... if you correlate your description of a brake stopper arm not reaching the rear brake plate to the numbered parts, I can get your message to my mechanic guru Mark, who helps out when its above my knowledge level. Mama From Philip: On the bikebandit site, the brake stopper arm itself is found on the diagram for the swing arm (part 5). This (is supposed to ) attach to the rear brake panel with parts 9,11,14,16 on the diagram. My brake stop arm is attached at the front, but about an inch too short to reach the mount point on the back. I was wondering about lowering because I figured if the swing arm was swung just an inch or so lower, that the stopper arm would reach. Thanks for the help with this. We have one Honda repair guy here in the 'last frontier' and at $80/hour I wanted to try and figure it out myself. From Mark Zimmerman, author of The Essential Guide to Motorcycle Maintenance, who helps VTM from time to time with trickier stuff: Tell your guy to loosen the rear axle and back off the brake adjuster, then rotate the brake backing plate, (what he calls the panel or stopper arm) forward until it lines up with the retaining arm. On that design brake the panel rotates freely and is only held in position by the retaining (torque) arm and some slight tension from the swing arm. BTW, it sounds like someone has had this thing apart and assembled it hastily. I'd pull the thing apart and have a good look at the rear brake before riding it. He may also be looking at missing or improperly assembled parts, but a shop manual will point out the details. Oh yeah, shops around here get between $90 and $125 to work on bikes so he should consider himself lucky. Tuesday, June 2 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Lisa, While one might not think that a VTwin Mama advertiser could serve as impartial help, I simply note that many VTwin Mama readers have benefited with talking to Allen at Mean City Cycles for a heart-to-heart chat on what can and cannot be done on certain makes/models. He has proven to us that he's a listener! Some have simply explored options while others have gone ahead and used his services ... and I've not heard one complaint. Why not talk to him about what's available, etc.? Otherwise, let's hear from others on what they decided on. Mama Monday, June 29 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Starr, "This sounds like a straight forward fuel delivery issue. Anything that affects fuel has to be checked. The fuel lines, filters, float valve(s), petcock and tank vent are all suspect here, as is the fuel pump if the bike has one (I believe they do but can't recall for certain). Basically the bike is running out of gas at high speeds, and the float bowls are refilling themselves in the time it takes for the bike to slow down. Take care, MZ" Aha. If you don't have a full service manual then head to this page on BikeBandit ... it contains all the OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) parts drawings. What I found is that your motorcycle does not have a fuel pump. It does have a petcock (on, off, reserve). I would first try this. Put the petcock on Reserve position and run up to speed and see if the bike cuts out. If it doesn't the problem may be in the main fuel line. If it does, it's more likely a filter or the other things Mark mentions. Then I would locate the carb float bowl(s). At the very bottom is a drain plug. Turn the petcock to Off. Undo the plug (usually a screw in bolt) and drain into a clear container. See if you have crud partials and water. Crud can clog a filter or line and water just needs to be out. Start with these steps and see if you can figure anything out. Otherwise it's more work and possibly a trip to the dealer's service department to clear things up. Mama Tuesday, June 30 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear espelj966, "There are only a couple of hard-and-fast rules when it comes to replacing the tires. The first is to never replace a tire with one that has a lower speed rating than the original equipment. The second is that rims are designed to support tires of a certain width. Putting on a big fat tire won't help much if the rims on your bike are intended to take little skinny ones. Finally, all the information you need to safely choose a new tire is stamped right on the sidewall of your old one." Hmmm. If this is the 750 Spirit, the original tire is 160/80 - 15; if it's the 1100 Spirit, then it's the Dunlop 170/80 - 15 (I gathered this info from the OEM drawings on the BikeBandit.com site). The first number is the tire width in millimeters, the second number is the height/tread ratio so in both cases the height of the tire is 80% of the tire width, and the third is the rim diameter in inches. The Dunlop site is not calling out any replacements other than the original sizes. In their FAQs I found this: "Consult the motorcycle manufacturer if you intend to mount sizes other than indicated in the owner's manual. Remember the tire's physical dimensions are important. Adequate clearance of fenders, swingarm, etc., must be maintained. Increasing tire size may require an increase in rim width. When increasing tire size and/or rim width, rotate wheel and inspect closely for sufficient clearance." Ok, so a general warning. I would head to a specific Spirit message board and talk it out. Let's see if we get any input from VTM readers. Sorry I couldn't be of more help at this time. Mama Dear Petra, Dear Susan, Vibration is caused by a lot of things, including gripping the handlebar too tightly, one or both tires not being balanced perfect or having uneven wear, one or both tires not being mounted as well as it should, or its just the nature of that particular beastie. I'm sure there is a ton of other technical things like bearings, etc. that might need looking at on a 2002 model. Or, it could just be you, your weight, and that bike ... that's a darn good match, but you're ready to move on. My first two long trips were on 750s and I know that lots of folks like this size for touring because overall it's so much more manageable than a big ol' honking touring bike. That's if it's set up right for luggage carrying and tush comfort and leg extension room, etc. Let's see if we get input from other Shadow riders on vibration over 60mph ... you could end spending a bunch of money chasing down something that may be inherent to the bike. Mama Sunday, July 12 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear kenzo, Thursday, July 16 Hi there VTwin Mama, Dear aerohead, He notes that lugging the bike, which is running the bike in too high a gear for the load, i.e. going up a gear before the correct speed range is reached, "will cause the bike to overheat as the engine struggles to develop enough torque to pull the load." Besides minimizing lugs (if that's a real term!), here are some other thoughts: 1) you could be running a too low octane fuel ... and
you may even want to try another brand of gas if you tend to fill up
locally at the same place. I hope these ideas open up the channels of inquiry! Mama Thursday, July 16 Hi VTwin Mama, Dear Sandra, So, my advice is to head to the local dealer and take another look at a stock Nightrain and sit on it and see how your leg position is. Then I'd consider converting back to the stock air cleaner or having the parts department open up their vast resources of parts books and determining if something slimmer can be found. The only reason I'm not suggesting anything in particular is because it's hard to gauge things in the aftermarket parts catalogs, which don't call out dimensions. Mama Saturday, July 18 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Shirley, Saturday, July 18 I have experienced the same thing and ended up getting different pipes (Cobra Streetrod), but it also means you need to get the bike re-jeted, which helps with the power and sounds nice. For the vibration I installed Kuryakyn ISO grips which really helps. Hope this helps, Kirby (note from Mama: a solid set of notes ... thanks!) Friday, July 24 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Ryan, Tuesday, July 28 Dear VTwin Mama, Here's my dilemma. I bought the bike from a young man
who removed the rear turn signal & taillight. Basically, he
installed a small rear taillight above a vertically standing license
plate on the lower left side of the bike. He completely removed the turn
signals. When I bought the bike, he did give me the original parts that
he removed. Dear Shaunie, I am a strong believer that riders should get a full service manual for any motorcycle they ride. It contains soooo much useful information such as routine maintenance with step-by-step instructions, specific sections on how to work on all the systems of the bike, troubleshooting charts, and the all important parts and electrical diagrams. For about $25 you've got a great resource at your fingertips at all times! On my Education Center page you'll find a number of online sources or you can call your local dealer's parts department for availability. Another resource I use quite a lot, as I don't have a library of every motorcycle on my shelf (except my own of course!) is BikeBandit.com. For many makes and models, BB stores original parts diagrams at their site. You click on OEM Parts, then the manufacturer of your bike, then the year, and then the specific model. Then you can look to see what they have. So, I took a look, but I don't think it's going to help you as the diagrams call out the break down of the parts, but it's not clear to me how they are mounted. The next thing I thought of is that the Shadow Spirit has been in production for some time, so I'd call the local dealer and see if they have the current model on their showroom floor. Then you can visit and take a look at the set-up. It should be the same as these things rarely change. If a sales person walks up, just tell them what you are doing. Either take some close-up pictures or bring a pencil and paper and sketch it out (as it can be difficult to remember everything). If you take pictures of your current set-up and the "spare" parts you have with you, it'll really help you figure out what's what! Make a special note about where the wires are running too. This can be hard as it's all underneath. But give it a shot ... it'll get you one step closer to getting it back to factory original. If you get the feeling this might be a bit much for you to handle, then simply head to the service department and describe what you need and ask for a quote. For them it could be quite a quick job and require only 1/2 hour of labor (as you have the parts!). So $50 or so might get the job done. Mama Friday, July 31 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Jr, So, let's learn a little bit more. It's all about the ignition system that creates the spark to ignite fuel/air in the cylinder. It's also about the timing, because it has to do this hundreds of times a second! So you've got to create the spark and time it according to the engine rpm. Tricky stuff! Really old motorcycles used points and condensers (1930s through the 1960s). Then came the CDI unit, the first really true electronic system (often called the Black Box because that's what it looks like). The most modern ECMs include a digital computer and circuitry to communicate with sensors and control outputs to adjust fuel and timing in order to maximize performance (basically standard for fuel-injected systems). This is really a basic view of things but now we can see how getting a new ECM solved Jr's engine misfirings. One thing I want to note ... you should never ever use high pressure water to wash a motorcycle, and that includes those car wash stations. If water gets into a "black box" you can almost guarantee that you're going to have to replace it. Mama Tuesday, August 25 Susan was wondering if moving to a larger bike would help with vibration. In many cases this would be true, but not with the ACE. My bike doesn't really smooth out until 75. I have a '96 1100 ACE, and as I understand it, all the ACE bikes vibrate. Shadow Warrior (note from Mama: an interesting observation to take into account.) Thursday, August 27 I ride a 1998 Shadow ACE with a 110,000 miles on it, and before that I rode a VLX. To my knowledge I have never noticed a vibration. Sometimes if I am in the wrong gear for the speed I am riding, I will feel a little vibration in my foot boards. As soon as I put the bike in the right gear, I feel no vibration. Hope this helps. Bobbye, aka Hondiana (note from Mama: vibration can spring from many causes so it's helpful to learn about something another person figured out.) From Susan: Monday, August 31 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Craig, The alternator generates AC power, which then must be converted to DC to charge the battery. It's the rectifier that does the conversion and the regulator controls the current flow direction ... these days the two are packaged into one unit. The things you mention could be an indicator that something isn't right at the reg/rec and/or the battery. Your first checks should be for corrosion (a biggee) and tight connections at the battery, the reg/rec and alternator. At the same time you are looking for damaged wires (melted, pinched, bare spot). One site suggests you measure the battery voltage with the bike not running, then start it and rev it up a bit and the voltage should be a few volts higher. This shows if the regulator portion is working correctly. I do know that many service departments can test the unit for you if you pull it and bring it in. Typically this is just removing two wires and the mounting bolt. Give your local dealer's service department a call and see if that's possible. This is usually free ... which of course is a lot less than the $100 or so cost of a new unit. Honestly, hitting bumps and losing power suggests to me that something is loose. Or a corroded connection is sometimes making contact and other times not. It's rarer that the alternator goes out, but not out of the realm or reason that the battery is going (I'm guessing you routinely check it if it's an acid battery). Mama Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Mich, So, this mini-tank in the carb has a drain plug at the lowest point, typically at a side of the bottom. Usually you only need a regular screwdriver and it's deliberately placed for easy access. You turn off the gas petcock and then undo the plug and drain into a clear container. This then will show you if you have water and/or dirt particles. Water and dirt can enter from gas tank, although condensation can form in the carb as well. Any water will float to the top of your container. Once you've drained the carb, put the plug back in. To further help the system, add some carb cleaner to your next tank of full gas (be sure to read the ratio of gas to additive). This will help wick out anything in the gas lines and carbs. As a continuing service to all readers, I will once again note that having a full service manual (aftermarket versions like Haynes or Clymer are about $25) is useful. From Dan's Motorcycle Repair site, this is what a basic carb looks like ... your bike has two. Now take a look at this exploded view of a typical carb and where the drain plug is. The carbs are nestled somewhere near the main engine (you might have to remove the air cleaner cover to see them). I wasn't able to find pictures or drawings that locate all of this, but if you're still having a problem of location, then snap a few pictures of the engine (both sides) and I should be able to point them out. Mama Tuesday, September 8 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Terri,
So, let's start with the top heavy feeling. The center of gravity (COG) is where the center of overall mass is, and on a motorcycle, that's the engine. If you lower only the back you can see that the COG really won't move, but you'll be lower to the ground and your relative position to the COG will change (conceivably will feel higher and thus more top heavy). To really lower the COG you'll have to lower both ends (rear suspension and front forks) ... if done evenly the original aspect from front to back (as the design engineers planned) will remain intact. So, now the COG is closer to the ground, making curves a bit easier to manage because a motorcycle pivots around its COG in a turn/curve and the closer to ground it is, the less work you have to do to put the bike in the lean you need to navigate the curve. I have heard from former Sporty riders who changed to the Fat Boy. Now at first it seems odd that a bike many hundred of pounds heavier would be easier to handle, but the COG and balance of the Fat Boy is reported to be one of the best, and honestly, no matter what changes you make to a Sporty, you'll never get quite the same feeling. I have also heard from many women who chose to stick with the Sporty for a wide variety of reasons and they noted that while it may be one of the highest COGs, like any motorcycle, if you put the time in to become one with the bike, the reward is in mastering the bike as is and having fun riding it. Is dropping the bike a function of the higher COG and top heavy feeling? I am hesitant to assign a percentage value to that because new riders face a number of beginner learning lessons, some that result in oopsie drops. If you dropped it at a stop then it's most likely that you looked down at the ground. Keep your head and eyes level to the horizon at all times since you don't need to confirm where the ground is to put your feet down. If your drops are while practicing turns, then yes, a higher COG does factor in, but so do other things. One ... when you sit on your bike, can you turn the handlebar all the way to one side without shifting your body position in the seat? If this is not possible, then you'll never have full control of that bike. But we'll address the "fix" later in this reply. The other thing that affects oopsie drops in turns is your head/eye position. The way to figure out what's what is to have a friend watch you practice turns. You may think you're looking through the turn the whole time, but a lot of new riders (and experienced ones!) actually never turn their head completely or they look back at the mid point for a split second. Your friend can stand in the center and yell "look at me, look at me" ... in this way you know you must turn your head and eyes completely to where the voice is and your friend can report what he/she is seeing. This drill really makes a difference. Now let's address you feeling that you're sitting on the bike rather than "in" it. Certainly the seat is one variable of that equation but so is the handlebar set-up. Sit on your bike off the sidestand and centered with your feet planted. Your back should be straight. Now close your eyes and lift your arms into a comfortable position without regard to where things are now. Open your eyes. If you find that the hand controls are spaced the same as your hands, but an inch or more away, then a pullback riser can be added to where the handlebar is currently secured. It will also allow you to turn the handlebar all the way to one side without shifting your body position (as we noted before as a challenge). It's an inexpensive item and easily installed. If you measure the difference of the distance then you know how much pullback to ask for. The only caveat to this is that the cables running to the hand controls must also move this extra distance and in some cases you'll need to get longer cables. If you find that your hands are actually positioned closer together or farther apart than the stock set-up, then you need a new handlebar. Or it could be a combination of the two. If the handlebar test doesn't reveal that a change is needed, then yes, I'd explore new seats that offer more of a "bucket" design ... maybe something with a higher back portion to get the "in" feeling. Some seats, like the H-D Reach seat will do that (as seen below) and also move the rider about 1/2" to an inch forward. So, if the handlebar test revealed that this distance change would help, then it's the seat that could be changed to create the affect you're looking for. One thing to keep in mind is that your leg position to the foot controls will change slightly ... a plus for the shorter gals, but something to consider for your possible change at 5'7" (as your leg position may be perfect right now).
Geez, we've gone through a lot of ideas and things to try out ... but hopefully one or several changes to the set-up will put you in a sweeter spot so that this Sporty is all it can be for you! Mama Tuesday, September 8 I agree with all you answered Mich with... unless ??!!!?? I would ask why does Mich want to drain the carbs in the first place? If it is because there is a fuel delivery problem, ie: dirt, rust, etc in the float bowl, then your recommendations are right on. But if Mich simply wants to drain the carbs for winter storage (a bit early I would think yet), or to replace a fuel filter or some other reason - Mich may not need to go to all that trouble to locate and drain the float bowls. Some don't have a drain plug in them at all and you would have to remove the float bowl entirely to drain those kinds. Some float bowls can't be removed or opened unless the carb is taken out of the m/c. Not an easy job, especially with two carburetors. If Mich has a different reason for wanting to drain the carburetors - a person can simply run the motorcycle with the fuel valve in the off position until it 'runs out of gas.' This will not hurt the engine as we all have forgotten at one time or another to turn on the fuel valve - same effect, as long as you don't run it so long as to overheat the engine. I don't address internal engine problems, nor how to rebuild a carburetor - but I do have a new book out, which is supplemental to the great manuals you mention - ABC's of Motorcycle Wrenching, which supplies much more basic information on maintaining or repairing your bike. Hope this helps a bit ... I would be curious to know why Mich needs to drain the carbs. S'miles, Jasmine (note from Mama: thanks for your notes ... you've pointed out that the reasons to drain a carb are for different purposes ... something I should have factored into my response ... that's why I love the Internet "factor" ... responses make a difference! I was hoping to find an OEM drawing for Mich's specfic bike, but couldn't find one to verify that a drain plug was on that model carb. So, we'll see if we get another email saying it didn't solve the problem, if in fact, there was one. Readers, I have an advance copy of Jasmine's new motorcycle wrenching book, which I'll be reading in the next week or so and providing my review of it soon.) Saturday, September 12 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Bill, So, if you're convinced that it's the the throttle cable itself that is the problem, there are two things that could be contributing to the problem. One, the cable isn't lubricated correctly. This cable lube article on Motorcycle Cruiser will give you the basics. The other thing that might be happening is that the free-play (slack) isn't adjusted correctly. According to Mark Zimmerman, author of The Essential Guide to Motorcycle Maintenance, "If there is too much play, the reaction time between twisting the grip and the moving of the throttle slide is delayed,. If there is not enough free-play, the slide {in the carb} will be yanked open whenever the bars are turned, causing the idle to soar. Too little free-play will also make the bike hard to ride, every twitch of the throttle making the bike leap forward." Continuing on, "Most current street bikes use a push-pull throttle system. The pull cable opens the throttle; the push cable closes it. Some use a single pull cable where a heavy return spring does the closing." The adjustment is not difficult, but one really has to have the full service manual for the year/make/model motorcycle. It's a $25 investment for the after-market versions. If this doesn't solve the problem, then yes, you're looking at the carbs. The throttle cable is connected to a butterfly valve in the carb's venturi. Again, from Mr. Zimmerman's book, "A slide is connected to a rubber diaphragm located in the chamber above the carb body. The diaphragm chamber is connected to the venturi by a small passage. When the throttle cable moves the butterfly valve, air flows through the venturi, creating a vacuum above the diaphragm and pressure below it and the slide raises." Thus, if old gas has turned to turpentine, it's easy enough to see that there are lots of parts that could now be gummed up. If it's not as bad as we think, then adding a carb cleaner to the gas tank will eventually clean things out. It's available at any auto parts store but be careful on the ratio of cleaner to how many gallons the tank holds. It follows that if the problem is because the bike sat for awhile, then it might be prudent to drain the carb's float bowls. The screw is at the bottom side (not all carbs have them) and is positioned to be relatively accessible by a standard screwdriver. Draining these will reveal if you have water, gunk, dirt, etc. in the carb. Again, to a certain extent, a carb cleaner can take care of this. Otherwise it's either you pulling the carbs for full cleaning (not an easy task in that the putting it correctly back together obviously is crucial ... make sure to follow the service manual) or having a shop do it. Hopefully it won't come to this bigger expense. Mama Thursday, September 24 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear M.M., Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Mark, Sometimes I can't find the original letter referenced, so let's just proceed with your clues. Ok, you hear a click. That's the starter solenoid (aka relay), which when correctly working, connects the power of the battery to the starter motor. We normally don't hear the click because the engine roars to life. The click indicates the relay is trying to do it's job. So it could be giving up the ghost (slowly, intermittently) but you don't indicate if you've tried putting in a new one and then the problem comes back. Replace it if you haven't done so already. Meanwhile, check your battery connections for corrosion or a loose connection (geez, believe it or not this seems simple enough but is often overlooked). I'd also consider that one of the battery cells is going ... so check the water levels in the cell if this is an acid battery. Batteries don't always last their full life depending a variety of storage conditions and if it sat. Check your starter motor for connection corrosion. If you have a new relay in and all looks good in the battery and connections, then I'd say you're looking at a starter motor on its way out. Give this some thought and do some checking. I realize I could be pointing out things that have already been considered by others ... but that's my KISS view on it. Sometimes its a combination of two or three things that make you chase your tail for awhile. Mama Wednesday, October 7 I have a 2005 Boulevard S50 (800 Intruder). I had experienced the same thing with losing power. The connections to the battery may be loose. Try tightening them . You may also want to look into installing "Star Washers." This is a topic on the IntruderAlert Cafe for people who own Intruders, but the site has been down for a week. Hopefully, they will have it back up again. Good Luck! Leah (note from VTwin Mama: that site is still down so I'm not sure what the fix will solve) From Mark: Dear Mark, You might try disconnecting the headlight temporarily (as it's the biggest drain on start-up of all the lights) and see what the bike does. At the same time, any connection to any lights, like a wire that is grounding to the frame, or a corroded connection, could be overloading the system. Yup, even a corroded bulb connection. One would think a fuse would blow, but you're not reporting that. I honestly never heard about circuit breakers in a motorcycle and assumed it was just another name for a fuse. But some online hits talked about a circuit breaker in the ignition system. So I took a look at an online parts diagram of the electrical system and saw the ignitor ... which is also called a CDI ... which is also called a black box. Fragile item, which can be damaged if water got into the box (which is why one should never power wash a motorcycle). That usually fries it, but it could be the intermittent part that's "blowing" when you try to crank things up. It's not unusual ... I'd ask the service department if they can test it out of the bike. The CDI is basically a point-less ignition. Well, I'm out of thoughts at the moment ... hopefully something in this latest rambling will point the way. Mama Friday, October 16 You may be able to find the Chief Manual at www.indianmotorcyclecommunity.com. Wednesday, October 21 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear LeeAnn, Thursday, October 22 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Jackie, The reason to remove the battery from a bike during storage is that there can be a small current drain even with the switch off ... I found this to be so true of a motorcycle with a clock, which runs no matter if the bike is on or not. So the battery is being drained to support that function. A fully discharged lead acid battery will sulfate and no longer be able to be recharged. Another reason to not just disconnect the cables is that a battery should never be allowed to freeze. From the Battery University site, "The recommended storage temperature for most batteries is 15°C (59°F). Lead-acid batteries must always be kept at full charge." So the answer to your question is that it's best to pull it from the bike and put it in a non-flammable cool part of the house on a tender system. If you're using a trickle charger, than once every month should suffice to keep it charged ... i.e. don't leave that trickle charger hooked up all the time or the thing will "gas up" and be ruined. A tender system like the Battery Tender has electronic controls that allow it to stay in place the whole storage time, but you still should pull that battery as the frozen northern tundra of Canada gets mighty cold! Mama Thursday, November 19 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Volcano, I would start at the battery. Check that the battery terminals and cable connections have no corrosion by pulling the cables (negative first, then the positive). Clean as needed with an old toothbrush and baking soda, and then dry off with a rag. Then coat the cable connectors and terminals with dielectric grease. This acts as a moisture barrier. Reattach the cables (positive first) and tighten. Coat the entire area on the outside of the connection. Could this same problem be somewhere else ... yes, but usually the battery is the culprit. Mama Friday, November 20 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear New Harley Owner , Yes, pulling the battery in this case is a good idea, storing it in a cool and dry place. Before doing that you should fill the tank and add a gas stabilizer (found at any auto parts store) and then run that mix for a few minutes to get the stabilized mix through the system. Then turn the gas petcock to off. Filling the tank instead of emptying it helps with tank corrosion ... an empty tank can collect moisture, which can corrode the inner tank. You should also change the oil and filter unless you know that that was done when you purchased the Sporty. Clean and dry the bike and cover it with something that breaths. Get the tires off the floor if possible by using a center stand or place cardboard on the floor so that the tires aren't in direct contact with what most likely is cement. Mama
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