Tuesday, March 16, 2010
problems - can anyone offer suggestions?
Unfortunately today my charging system died for the 4th time in the 4 weeks that I've been riding this bike and it's going back to the shop yet AGAIN when they open on Tuesday. i feel like I'm never going to even get enough miles on it to ever have to even CHECK the oil!!! I've got a new battery, a new stator assembly, a new rectifier/resonator.... those guys at the Yamaha shop don't seem to know what they're doing. Ah, wish me luck...
Friday, March 12, 2010
I have a 2001 650 and I can barely see (while almost lying down) the oil-level window because it is behind and only slightly below my floorboard hardware. Also, I don't have a center stand or a housemate to hold the bike vertical. Since it is recommended that this level be checked before every ride....What do other riders do?
Sunday, January 3, 2010
My impressions of the 650 Silverado
I bought my 2004 650 Silverado used from a private party in July 2008. The bike had only about 1100 miles on it at the time. I paid 4500 for it, and it had an aftermarket throttle lock (cruise control), an engine guard, and windshield bag for holding sunglasses or gloves installed after market. This was the first motorcycle I had ever owned and had done quite a bit of research before buying and was lucky enough to know someone who had what I wanted for sale. I had decided to skip the entry level class of cruisers (in the 250 cc range) because I had read enough to know that I would probably outgrow that class rather quickly. I wanted something large enough to be able to cruise comfortably on the highway, yet was a little concerned about getting something too big as I was pretty much a ‘newbie’. The 650 Silverado was a perfect fit. It handles easily and yet has enough muscle to cruise easily at highway speeds, in the 55 to 70 mph range. It will cruise faster than that, but I think it runs best in this range. I really liked some of the ‘big-boy’ extras that came on the Silverado, like the floorboards, heel-toe shifter, lots of chrome, and self cancelling turn signals. I also like the looks of the bike and have gotten quite a few compliments on it. I also like the shaft drive, no worries about chain tension. I spent the first summer getting used to the bike and comleting the MSF rider safety course,,as I had not ridden in a lot of years and never ridden a lot. This last summer I rode it quite a bit. I am rather tall, about 6’3”, and am pushing 250 lbs, but still feel comfortable on the 650 Silverado. The seat gets a little uncomfortable after 100 miles or so, and I need to take short breaks every 50 miles or so after that point. My longest ride has only been a couple of hundred miles, so I can’t speak to the comfort for riding an entire day, but I am guessing I would be wishing for a better seat. I have left the Silverado pretty much stock to this point, but hope to upgrade the exhaust and rejet the carbs. When riding the bike with a full face shield helmet on, I don’t hear much exhaust, although in the garage and driveway it has a nice little rumble. The bike handles great, the braking is adequate, and the acceleration is not too bad, even with a big guy like me. I won’t be winning a lot of drag races on this motorcycle, but it has enough guts to get up to speed easily for a freeway entrance. I have had the bike up to 80 and there is still some throttle, but I really don’t feel the need to go that fast, as the freeway speed limits in my area are only 65-70. The weight of the 650 Silverado is just under 600 lbs, so I can easily manuever it in the garage and driveway and for parking. I feel a little movement on the bike if I get behind a semi, or pass a large truck going the other way at highway speeds, but it is not bad at all. A little heavier bike would have a little more stability, but I am comfortable riding this bike. The fuel economy for my 650 Silverado has been consistently in the 45 to 50 mpg range (the factory mpg is listed at 49). I am not real heavy handed on the throttle, but don’t baby the bike either. Overall, I really enjoy the 650 Silverado motorcycle and am looking forward to this summer and some longer rides and overnight trips. I has been an excellent ‘first’ motorcycle for me. The price is right as well as the performance. I have changed the oil and filter myself, and it was easy enough to do, but have also taken it into a dealer for routine maintenance and will probably go that route most of the time.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
VStar 650 runs poorly in cold weather - please help
Hi my Vstar 650 loses revs in the cold weather, it starts no problem but when the weather is cold the revs go down and when i'm dropping down the gears it sometimes dies on me. I want to sort the problem but no one has an answer for me. Thanks Colm.
Friday, January 1, 2010
Monday, December 28, 2009
Things I like about my 650 Silverado
A few of the things I like about the 650 Silverado
- Ease of handling
- Ease of shifting
- Floorboards
- Self cancelling turn signals
- nice two tone paint
- lots of chrome in stock version
- the compliments I get on the looks of the bike
- decent acceleration
- starts easily
- very little vibration
- comfortable riding position, I am 6'3"
- cruise (an aftermarket add-on)
- fuel economy (consistently 45+ mpg) which gives a decent cruising range
- Ease of handling
- Ease of shifting
- Floorboards
- Self cancelling turn signals
- nice two tone paint
- lots of chrome in stock version
- the compliments I get on the looks of the bike
- decent acceleration
- starts easily
- very little vibration
- comfortable riding position, I am 6'3"
- cruise (an aftermarket add-on)
- fuel economy (consistently 45+ mpg) which gives a decent cruising range
Sunday, December 27, 2009
The Biker Wave
A friend posted this on his web page...don't know where he got it, but it is great...
The Biker Wave
To wave or not to wave. That is not the question. Said topic has been dealt with elsewhere, ad nauseam. Suffice it to say that the choice is entirely yours: Wave first, wave back or don’t wave at all. However, if you do decide to wave, then the Waving Code that all Real Bikers share needs to be committed to memory and implemented correctly.
The historical origin of the wave is attributed to armored knights on horseback. When approached by another knight bearing the same coat of arms, both knights would raise their helmets’ visors to reveal their identities to each other. When knights were not in armor, the lifting of the visor was transformed into a salute, employing a similar motion of the arm and hand.
In the early days of motorcycling, two-wheeled warriors of the open road began greeting each other in passing with a knight-like salute. Nowadays, according to experts on waving protocol, the waves exchanged by bikers are determined by the kinds of bikes they are riding. The major categories are sport-bikes, metric cruising/touring bikes, and genuine Harley-Davidsons. Anything else with a motor and two wheels is considered to be just a motor-bike.
Sport-bikes, be they naked or faired, are designed to be pushed to scary limits by competent pilots of the non-squidly persuasion. Due to their awesome power and handling, they deserve special recognition with a specific salute. Don’t expect a sportbike pilot to remove hand from grip when their bike is cranked over in a turn. While showering sparks onto pavement, the best riders may actually manage a subtle lifting of the left index finger. Consequently, waving at sportbikes by wiggling your index finger is considered the proper salute. If you are riding an inline-four and aren’t preoccupied with scraping noises emanating from your footpeg, you may want to wave by raising all four fingers while leaving your left thumb curled under the grip. Ducati riders may similarly modify the standard sportbike salute, using two fingers to symbolize their twins.
There are a couple of other hand gestures shared by sportbike riders that are worth mentioning. If you have recently eluded a speed trap on your crotch-rocket and encounter oncoming sportbike riders, pat the top of your helmet to let them know there’s fuzz up ahead. On the other hand, if the section of highway you’ve just burned up is not infested with gun-toting kill-joys trying to enforce speed limits meant for cagers, you may want to signal with a thumbs-up, just to let the other bikers know that they, too, can go for it.
Japanese metric cruisers and baggers, while undeniably offering the best bang for the buck in the forward-foot-control genre, just don’t have enough innate character to garner the respect of bikers whose loyalties lie elsewhere. While heavily customized versions may receive admiration at bike shows, their riders tend to feel like Rodney Dangerfield when on the road. If you don’t ride rice and want to avoid the appearance of snobbery, you may acknowledge these Oriental economic miracles by raising your left hand vertically, keeping your elbow close to your side so as not to imitate a right-turn hand signal. Keeping your fingers curled, touch your left thumb to your index finger as if pinching a penny. If you are riding a metric cruiser, open your left hand while maintaining thumb to forefinger contact, and form the universally recognized sign for “O.K., Dude!”
The venerable Harley-Davidson is the only motorcycle worthy of the V-Twin salute. A “V for Victory” or “Peace, Brother” symbol is formed with the index and middle fingers, and delivered with a slow extension of the left arm, downward at a 45-degree angle. If you own a Harley and have acquired the all-too-common “Harleyer than Thou” attitude towards other coats of arms, upon discovering that the approaching bike is actually a Japanese imposter you can simply retract your index finger. Depending upon the extent of your air-cooled bigotry, you may want to give an approaching V-Rod rider the same one-finger salute. Unless, of course, you are also riding a V-Rod, in which case a shoulder shrug is probably sufficient.
Should you encounter an off-brand American cruiser, a chopper, a Euro-bike that is not of the sporting variety, or a Japanese model other than cruiser, bagger or sportbike, a quasi-salute is optional. This can be accomplished with a brief opening of your left hand, just above the grip. However, if you happen to be riding the very same kind of motorcycle, then by all means feel free to make a fool of yourself by gesticulating wildly.
When it comes to waving etiquette, there remain several murky areas still being hotly debated. For example, should passengers wave to other passengers, thereby sharing pillion empathy? If you are of the waving persuasion, should you greet everyone coming the other way on your poker run? If there is a large group of oncoming riders, and their motorcycles represent a mixed bag, should you give the entire group one continuous, generic wave, or should you greet each rider individually with a wave that is politically correct for their specific mount? If you can accomplish the latter at 50 miles per hour, you can probably count cards in Vegas.
There is one more thing that needs to be said here. While it is perfectly acceptable for bikers to return in kind the waves of pedestrians, be they inquisitive children or envious adults, Real Bikers never wave back at grown-ups on bicycles, mopeds or motor-scooters. If you’ll feel guilt-ridden for not being oh-so polite, then perhaps a simple nod of the head in recognition of their existence would ease your conscience. Just hope that your riding buddies don’t notice!
Why They Don’t Wave Back
Every once in a while, somebody starts whining about Harley riders not waving back. Before those whiners dismiss all Harley riders as mean-spirited, they should consider that there are probably very good reasons why their waves are not being returned….
Top Ten Reasons Why Harley Riders Don’t Wave Back
1 – They’re afraid it will invalidate their factory warranty.
2 – Leather and studs make it too hard to raise their arm.
3 – They refuse to wave to anyone whose bike is already paid for.
4 – They won’t let go of handlebars because they might vibrate off.
5 – The rushing wind could blow the scabs off their new tattoos.
6 – They’re angry over the second mortgage needed to pay for the new Harley.
7 – They just discovered the fine print in their owner’s manual revealing that The Motor Company is partially owned by rice-burner manufacturers.
8 – They can’t tell if other riders are actually waving or just reaching up to cover their ears, like everyone else.
9 – If they wave back, they risk being impaled on their spiked helmet.
10 – They’re upset that after spending $30,000, they still don’t own a bike that’s as comfortable as a Goldwing.
To be totally fair, let it be noted that sometimes Goldwing riders don’t wave back, either. Again, to facilitate a better understanding….
Top Ten Reasons Why Goldwing Riders Don’t Wave Back
1 – They aren’t sure whether the other rider is waving or making an obscene gesture.
2 – They risk getting frostbite if they take their hand off the heated grip.
3 – They have arthritis and it is difficult to raise their arm.
4 – The reflection from the etched windshield was momentarily blinding.
5 – The on-board espresso machine had just finished.
6 – They were asleep when other rider waved.
7 – They were involved in a three-way conference call with their stock broker and accessories dealer.
8 – They were distracted by an oddly shaped blip on their radar screen.
9 – They were simultaneously adjusting the air suspension, seat height, programmable CD player, seat temperature and satellite navigation system.
10 – They couldn’t find the “auto wave-back” button on their dashboard.
The Biker Wave
To wave or not to wave. That is not the question. Said topic has been dealt with elsewhere, ad nauseam. Suffice it to say that the choice is entirely yours: Wave first, wave back or don’t wave at all. However, if you do decide to wave, then the Waving Code that all Real Bikers share needs to be committed to memory and implemented correctly.
The historical origin of the wave is attributed to armored knights on horseback. When approached by another knight bearing the same coat of arms, both knights would raise their helmets’ visors to reveal their identities to each other. When knights were not in armor, the lifting of the visor was transformed into a salute, employing a similar motion of the arm and hand.
In the early days of motorcycling, two-wheeled warriors of the open road began greeting each other in passing with a knight-like salute. Nowadays, according to experts on waving protocol, the waves exchanged by bikers are determined by the kinds of bikes they are riding. The major categories are sport-bikes, metric cruising/touring bikes, and genuine Harley-Davidsons. Anything else with a motor and two wheels is considered to be just a motor-bike.
Sport-bikes, be they naked or faired, are designed to be pushed to scary limits by competent pilots of the non-squidly persuasion. Due to their awesome power and handling, they deserve special recognition with a specific salute. Don’t expect a sportbike pilot to remove hand from grip when their bike is cranked over in a turn. While showering sparks onto pavement, the best riders may actually manage a subtle lifting of the left index finger. Consequently, waving at sportbikes by wiggling your index finger is considered the proper salute. If you are riding an inline-four and aren’t preoccupied with scraping noises emanating from your footpeg, you may want to wave by raising all four fingers while leaving your left thumb curled under the grip. Ducati riders may similarly modify the standard sportbike salute, using two fingers to symbolize their twins.
There are a couple of other hand gestures shared by sportbike riders that are worth mentioning. If you have recently eluded a speed trap on your crotch-rocket and encounter oncoming sportbike riders, pat the top of your helmet to let them know there’s fuzz up ahead. On the other hand, if the section of highway you’ve just burned up is not infested with gun-toting kill-joys trying to enforce speed limits meant for cagers, you may want to signal with a thumbs-up, just to let the other bikers know that they, too, can go for it.
Japanese metric cruisers and baggers, while undeniably offering the best bang for the buck in the forward-foot-control genre, just don’t have enough innate character to garner the respect of bikers whose loyalties lie elsewhere. While heavily customized versions may receive admiration at bike shows, their riders tend to feel like Rodney Dangerfield when on the road. If you don’t ride rice and want to avoid the appearance of snobbery, you may acknowledge these Oriental economic miracles by raising your left hand vertically, keeping your elbow close to your side so as not to imitate a right-turn hand signal. Keeping your fingers curled, touch your left thumb to your index finger as if pinching a penny. If you are riding a metric cruiser, open your left hand while maintaining thumb to forefinger contact, and form the universally recognized sign for “O.K., Dude!”
The venerable Harley-Davidson is the only motorcycle worthy of the V-Twin salute. A “V for Victory” or “Peace, Brother” symbol is formed with the index and middle fingers, and delivered with a slow extension of the left arm, downward at a 45-degree angle. If you own a Harley and have acquired the all-too-common “Harleyer than Thou” attitude towards other coats of arms, upon discovering that the approaching bike is actually a Japanese imposter you can simply retract your index finger. Depending upon the extent of your air-cooled bigotry, you may want to give an approaching V-Rod rider the same one-finger salute. Unless, of course, you are also riding a V-Rod, in which case a shoulder shrug is probably sufficient.
Should you encounter an off-brand American cruiser, a chopper, a Euro-bike that is not of the sporting variety, or a Japanese model other than cruiser, bagger or sportbike, a quasi-salute is optional. This can be accomplished with a brief opening of your left hand, just above the grip. However, if you happen to be riding the very same kind of motorcycle, then by all means feel free to make a fool of yourself by gesticulating wildly.
When it comes to waving etiquette, there remain several murky areas still being hotly debated. For example, should passengers wave to other passengers, thereby sharing pillion empathy? If you are of the waving persuasion, should you greet everyone coming the other way on your poker run? If there is a large group of oncoming riders, and their motorcycles represent a mixed bag, should you give the entire group one continuous, generic wave, or should you greet each rider individually with a wave that is politically correct for their specific mount? If you can accomplish the latter at 50 miles per hour, you can probably count cards in Vegas.
There is one more thing that needs to be said here. While it is perfectly acceptable for bikers to return in kind the waves of pedestrians, be they inquisitive children or envious adults, Real Bikers never wave back at grown-ups on bicycles, mopeds or motor-scooters. If you’ll feel guilt-ridden for not being oh-so polite, then perhaps a simple nod of the head in recognition of their existence would ease your conscience. Just hope that your riding buddies don’t notice!
Why They Don’t Wave Back
Every once in a while, somebody starts whining about Harley riders not waving back. Before those whiners dismiss all Harley riders as mean-spirited, they should consider that there are probably very good reasons why their waves are not being returned….
Top Ten Reasons Why Harley Riders Don’t Wave Back
1 – They’re afraid it will invalidate their factory warranty.
2 – Leather and studs make it too hard to raise their arm.
3 – They refuse to wave to anyone whose bike is already paid for.
4 – They won’t let go of handlebars because they might vibrate off.
5 – The rushing wind could blow the scabs off their new tattoos.
6 – They’re angry over the second mortgage needed to pay for the new Harley.
7 – They just discovered the fine print in their owner’s manual revealing that The Motor Company is partially owned by rice-burner manufacturers.
8 – They can’t tell if other riders are actually waving or just reaching up to cover their ears, like everyone else.
9 – If they wave back, they risk being impaled on their spiked helmet.
10 – They’re upset that after spending $30,000, they still don’t own a bike that’s as comfortable as a Goldwing.
To be totally fair, let it be noted that sometimes Goldwing riders don’t wave back, either. Again, to facilitate a better understanding….
Top Ten Reasons Why Goldwing Riders Don’t Wave Back
1 – They aren’t sure whether the other rider is waving or making an obscene gesture.
2 – They risk getting frostbite if they take their hand off the heated grip.
3 – They have arthritis and it is difficult to raise their arm.
4 – The reflection from the etched windshield was momentarily blinding.
5 – The on-board espresso machine had just finished.
6 – They were asleep when other rider waved.
7 – They were involved in a three-way conference call with their stock broker and accessories dealer.
8 – They were distracted by an oddly shaped blip on their radar screen.
9 – They were simultaneously adjusting the air suspension, seat height, programmable CD player, seat temperature and satellite navigation system.
10 – They couldn’t find the “auto wave-back” button on their dashboard.
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