RXX

My bird was built in October 1998 and I just completed a 5,000 mile ride with no expectations of any issues. So yeah, they are great bikes.

Why? Just an honest question.

I called all over Knoxville and no one carried the DID in stock, and shipping would have taken too long/too expensive to justify paying for a spare. I found a small indy garage that carried a RK 530 Max O so I went there. Sitting in the workspace was a very nice ‘97! Talking to the guy, he said the owner has had 4 birds. Rides an ST now. He sold me the chain very reasonably and agreed to exchange it if I did not use it for the DID when I get back. Score! so now I have a spare chain and spare r/r. Now if I can only find my tire plugger.

Phlrushing@aol.com

The odometer. Since the fuel gauge is fucked up anyway, the odometer will make a “good enough” gas gauge. I think the low level warning light still works. I just know that around 200 miles (321 kM) I had better start looking. Also, that mileage is with ethanol-free 91 octane premium. It will take a few tanks on the road to dial in the difference with blended gas.

OK, that’s 37,000 miles and almost 10 years. Def new chain. At least to bring along. Thanks, bud. Is there any way you can get me the service history?

110. Before I forget. Sounds OK on the center stand. You know, I ride so much with my Sena on, it may be nothing. I had chain issues on my trip to Manic 5 and it cost me a day. Maybe I am just being paranoid. The few times I ride aural naturale open my eyes to all sorts of ghosts.

Neither sprocket is new. The rear wheel was from another bird. Maybe my original, not sure. The drive sprocket was stolen off my original. May have 30,000 miles or so on it. I will find out more in about 2-3 beers. I would appreciate that. Just turned 108K yesterday. New sprocket gave me 39 MPG. Damned thing makes the bike feel like it has a 7th gear. I have missed it greatly.

Try JB Weld muffler tape or something like it. I remember using on something like that.

I changed out my drive sprocket and the whole rear wheel, including driven sprocket last week and now have a noisy chain. I am going to readjust wheel today to try to get rid of it. Both sprockets look fine. Mike, any idea of when you put the last chain on? Anyway, I am going to by a spare this week to install or bring with me. DID 530VX3. What I have forgotten is how many links. If I had to guess I would say 107. I just don’t want to have to shorten it while on the roas. 18T front, and I assume 45T rear.

There’s a guy here in Knoxville that does that sort of stuff, I recall. He is a racetrack gypsy-type guy that is well respected. I used him to rebuild my forks years ago. I know (about) where he lives. Vern may know more. Reach out to him, I will look for some more info on him. I have a spare shock for the rebuild if you decide to do it. I could take yours as a core. If it ever happens, of course.

I will install LED’s the day my HID’s have any issues/failures. After 70+K miles it can’t be that far off. Until then, there is a reason for mine to exist, at least.

That is a real issue. LED’s would probably solve it, I don’t know. But I have HID’s on both mine and it absolutely, positively, fixed that. That would be the one mod that increases safety more than anything else.

OK, this is what I have. If you are not proud, I have a set of SW Moto racks (for side bags and top case) and a set of Givi hard cases. This is a frankenmix from 2 different bikes. I have thousands of miles on the racks, the cases came with my latest bird. I already had Givis, so don’t need the cases. They have maybe 60 K on them (How about it, Zero, do you know?) I can take pictures next week sometime, but they have been in the barn for maybe 2 years and are dusty. You could ride up here, we could install, and you could fide home with them. I will even include a night in Gatlinburg

I am heading out in 2 weeks for a good 5K mile tour on a 99 with 107K on in. Have another one in the barn with 78 K. No valve adjustments ever. Do not fear the high mileage bird if it is in reasonably good shape.