jester3681

1981 Honda GL500. Great bike to learn to ride, and to learn to tinker. 2000? 11 years ago.

Agreed.

Not attacking this post (Redkow, sounds like you and I fundamentally agree anyways), but I'd love for someone to cite the specific Article or Ammendment of the US Consititution that a drug test in exchange for public assistance violates. Maybe I missed that "Right to Public Assistance" ammendment during government class. Maybe Right to Bear Arms? Like if you had bare arms they'd see the needle marks? Right to Assembly? Like the right to assemble your water bong and puff away your (our?) money? Right To Due Process and no Double Jeopardy? Like your brain is so processed, due, that you see two TVs at 7 pm when Jeopardy is on? Nah, not trying to be a dick, but am genuinely interested in hearing a legal arguement against it.

Check your grounds. Should be one near the battery that bolts to the frame.

Thanks for all the interest, guys - shelves found a new home this evening.

I can recommend a good independant agent. I had a similar problem a few yeas back and he took really good care of me. Still does. I have rock star insurance for McDonald's money - home and cars. PM me for contact info. He's helped some of my friends and co-workers in the past too with insurance hurdles.

*stretches fingers* I wholeheartedly agree with drug testing for welfare. I can't think of a job since Bob Evans in High School where I didn't need to maintain a drug-free lifestyle in exchange for compensation. If I chose to refuse, I ws either not hired, or faced discipline up to termination. If you are in a situation where you accept some form of welfare, you should be willing to accept the process. But... I think our welfare system as a whole is terribly flawed. Created in a time when the average family was a homemaker, working husband, 2.6 kids, dog and one car, I think it's premise today needs some attention. Society as a whole has gotten away from the family unit (guys, not to hijack the thread, but this is the source of 75% of society's problems), and has embraced a culture of excess (there's the other 25%). I think the biggest change I made to become an "adult" was to realize that the easiest way to be happy is to appreciate what you have and enjoy it. Having kids does that to you. Now, back to the welfare system - at the time it was created, it was side by side with the Works Progress Administration. The government built stuff. Lots of stuff. Big stuff. Stuff we needed. Probably more stuff we didn't need. But while homemaker was at home with government rations, her husband (not being sexist, this is American History here, folks) was at work building the Hoover Dam, the Tennessee Valley Authority power grid and the Toledo Zoo to name a few. Think of what the infrastructure would be like today if every person on welfare had to patch a pothole or help put up a new building? It just saddens me to see our culture get so far from where we started. Don't get me wrong, I certainly appreciate where we've come, but man. We need to take a step back. We all can't drive Ferraris and be Rap Moguls. How many of us shared a room with a sibling (or two) growing up? Parents drove the same cars until the wheels fell off? Played outside until the sun went down? Knew where every trail in 10 parks went (BEN!)? Can tell me when they got cable (all 10 channels)? I think we turned out ok, right? *leaving the soap box*

So I had a little time last night and this afternoon to continue work on the rear wheel. We started with a "D'oh!" moment: You may notice the exhaust is a load bearing item in this jacking situation. After about 45 minutes of screwing around, I managed to get the exhaust removed and the bike re-racked on the jack using the engine and the center stand as jacking points. Got the axle out and brakes apart with no problem: Then... nothing. Though I've taken off half a dozen or more rear wheels on shafties, it's been a while since a Virago has been in the stable. Wasn't sure if there was some kind of pin or bolt, so I didn't want to get too... persuasive with it. Hit the internet last night, and nope, nothing but gunk holds it on, so out came "Tyrone." After a few minutes of... gentle... thumps to the tire, the wheel was loose enough to come off. Here's "Tyrone" posing with the wheel: Here's the project for our next work session: That little guy in the middle needs to go on the new wheel. On a side note, ordered another XJ1100 rear wheel to play front wheel, and have a bid in on a front end that will hopefully work. I can get swap bearings from AllBalls.com, so hoping my bid makes it another day.

I would try taking the plugs out and letting the compression chambers air out - if there's fuel, you could really screw something up, or at the least, it just won start. In some electrical systems, the battery acts as a voltage regulator as well - if it is dead, even with a jump (or kick start) the engine won't run. Does it sputter like it's sparking and trying or just nothing?

I had to go downtown (did this last year before the analysis) but ours went down about $40k. Makes a big difference in the mortgage payment, for sure. And Franklin County is giving us a refund on overpayment going back to 2009. I live in a neighborhood like SWing'R - Dominion condos. I think those got hit the hardest since they had some questionable selling practices.

You know, I've heard of this shop - either in their own ads, or in a magazine - they have a reputation for being some of the nicest folks around and for having some nice older bikes for sale too.

This story sounds familiar - do you have a dad who works on the railroad? If so, I worked with him RIGHT after this happened.

Where do you get one? Sir, here is a signed check. Write down any number and that is what I will pay for that helmet.

Sounds to me like something is loose somewhere - hopefully just the linkage because that's an easy fix. It ma be something inside the rans like the shifter linkage there. I'd be surprised if it has anything at all to do with the clutch.

Another short day (really yesterday) working on the bike. Got the whole rear end torn down: And today I got the last of my parts for the wheel swap in the rear: Hopefully I can work on this when I get back from my next trip out. Thought I would roll right into my day off, CSX had different plans... AND! More eBay stuff!

Took some pics in the garage today. Here's the carb setup on the Virago - essentially a mirror image on the other side. The custom manifolds basically link the two ports and have one carb on one side or the other, ala Harley. Take a peek: Also got my XJ100 rear wheel for the disc swap and will likely use another of these for the front - the layout is better for what I need to do.

Here's a pic guys:

Noooo!!!

I am swapping a new style, inverted fork front end on, but I'd like to keep the wheel so it matches the rear - the Virago being a shafty limits my choices for rear wheel. Thanks for the conversion chart lead though - I will need that for sure.

The one carb setup gives you better tuning, better feedback and better economy. In some cases, it can give you better power too. Just makes life easier, plus you can point it the other way (instead of front and rear, you can point the carb out the side). I can run a non-Virago front, sure, but I like the way the wheels look. I'd just as soon keep them. And I'm anal about having them match - Virago rear = Virago front.

I have quite a few projects left on the cafe, but I have two big ones that are left undecided and I want your thoughts. First is the intake manifold - it is a popular conversion to go from two carbs on the Virago to one carb using a custom intake manifold. Some guys on the Virago forums are making their own - pretty simple construction, but they are also available as a cast aluminum piece from KJS... for $600. That's about what I paid for the bike - yikes! Build my own, or shell out the $$$? The other big unknown is my front wheel - do I use the Virago front wheel (18") or the Virago rear wheel (16")? If I use the front wheel, it would look a bit skinny (widest tire I could run would be a 100) in my fat front end. A lot of guys are using the rear wheel up front to give a fatter stance (I'd run a 120 in the front and a 130 in the rear). Either way, I'd have to have some spacers made up - and if I used the rear, I'd have to turn some of the wheel down. I'm not terribly concerned with the plusses and minusses from a steering and handling standpoint - I know it won't be unsafe, and I'm not looking to race this bike, despite the "cafe racer" name. Thoughts? Also just throwing it out there, kind of wishy washy about the rear brake - have a setup from a 1982 XJ1100 - bolt on, but the rotor is huge. Thinking I may want to use something newer? Thanks for your thoughts!

It IS at the bottom of every page. Wow. Things you never notice...

I had a set of Metzler RoadTec on my VTR. Very sticky and rode nice. Comfortable for touring, but sticky enough for some spirited riding if you choose.

I know at least in the automotive world (I worked for a Nissan dealer), the older the vehicle, the more difficult the recall is to complete. For us, 1997 may not be that old, but for a manufacturer, that's an antique. I don't want to sound like a jerk, but how competent is the dealership you're working with? Is the tank even in production? You may want to try calling Suzuki's consumer hotline - that may help oil the machine. I'd get the recall done before you do any riding - looks like you have a backup bike - may not be as fun, but at least you're on two wheels.

Hollywood, Akron is about the only corner of the state I DON'T get to. I could get them to Willard... that's about it.